All 15 waterproof bags & luggage we scored fail our PFAS screen
We scored 15 waterproof bags & luggage for PFAS forever chemicals and other hazards, then ranked them safest first. Every score below links to the full breakdown of what earned it.
100% of the 15 waterproof bags & luggage we scored fail our PFAS and toxin screen.
The safest PFAS-free waterproof bags & luggage we have scored
Nothing in this category clears our buy threshold yet. That is the finding, not a gap.
The waterproof bags & luggage we would skip
Lowest scoring in this category, worst first.
Watershed
Ocoee Duffel
Durable Nylon with water-resistant coating
water-repellent coating degradation and leachables
Limited concern
Microplastic shedding from synthetic fabric
Limited concern
Duffel design suggests water-repellent coating treatment; Watershed silent on PFAS.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
Watershed
Yukon Dry Duffel
Sealed fabric with water-repellent coating treatment
water-repellent coating degradation and particle shedding
Limited concern
Fluorine residues from water-repellent coating manufacturing
Moderate concern
Polyester or nylon base fiber shedding (microfibers)
Limited concern
Watershed silent on PFAS; water-repellent coating type not disclosed, elevated risk.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
Watershed
Mississippi Dry Duffel
Coated fabric with unspecified waterproof water-repellent coating treatment
Coating degradation and leaching
High concern
PFAS
Limited concern
Heat sensitivity and vapor leakage
Limited concern
Microplastic shedding from coating wear
Limited concern
Waterproof duffel with undisclosed water-repellent coating; PFAS status uncertain.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
What we check on waterproof bags & luggage
- BPA & bisphenols. Plastic-hardening chemicals linked to hormone disruption. FDA
- Phthalates. Plastic softeners studied for endocrine effects. ATSDR
- Microplastics. Tiny plastic particles that shed from products into food and water. EPA
Full point-by-point rubric on the methodology page.
The waterproof bags & luggage brands that will not say
3 of the brands here publish nothing about PFAS at all. Silence is not evidence of harm, but it is why none of them score well on disclosure.
Decathlon, NRS, Watershed.
Common questions about PFAS-free waterproof bags & luggage
Is waterproof bags & luggage PFAS free?
Mostly not. Of the 15 waterproof bags & luggage we have scored, 100% fail our PFAS and toxin screen, which leaves 0 that pass. The lowest is Watershed Watershed Ocoee Duffel at 20.
Which waterproof bags & luggage should I avoid?
The three lowest scoring we hold are Watershed Watershed Ocoee Duffel at 20, Watershed Watershed Yukon Dry Duffel at 20, Watershed Watershed Mississippi Dry Duffel at 20. The problem with the first is that duffel design suggests DWR treatment; Watershed silent on PFAS.
How can you tell if waterproof bags & luggage contain PFAS?
In this category we check for bpa & bisphenols, phthalates, microplastics. Plastic-hardening chemicals linked to hormone disruption. Language like stain resistant, water repellent or easy release usually means fluorinated chemistry even when PFAS is never printed on the box.
Which waterproof bags & luggage brands will not say whether they use PFAS?
3 of the brands we scored in this category publish nothing about PFAS at all, including Decathlon, NRS, Watershed. Silence is not evidence of harm, but it is the reason those brands cannot score well on disclosure.
Do you lab test waterproof bags & luggage?
No. We score from published ingredient lists, materials, certifications, disclosures and third party lab results where they exist. Where a product has been independently tested we use that result and say so.
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