All 15 hiking socks we scored fail our PFAS screen
We scored 15 hiking socks 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 hiking socks we scored fail our PFAS and toxin screen.
The safest PFAS-free hiking socks we have scored
Nothing in this category clears our buy threshold yet. That is the finding, not a gap.
The hiking socks we would skip
Lowest scoring in this category, worst first.
Bridgedale
Men's StormSock Waterproof Heavyweight Boot Socks
Merino wool blend with water-repellent coating (water-repellent coating) finish
Formaldehyde / VOCs
Limited concern
Heavy metals
Limited concern
Degradation and microfiber shedding during washing
High concern
PFAS
Moderate concern
High PFAS risk. Waterproofing likely contains PFAS. No public disclosure or testing available.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
Bridgedale
StormSock Midweight Knee
Wool blend with water-repellent coating finish
water-repellent coating degradation and leachables
Limited concern
Lower concern choice, but Bridgedale's water-repellent coating treatment remains undisclosed.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
Merrell
Moab Hiker Crew Hiking Socks
Merino wool/synthetic blend with water-repellent coating treatment
water-repellent coating chemistry (fluorinated or non-fluorinated, unspecified)
Limited concern
Contact dermatitis or sensitization from residual dyes or finishes
Limited concern
Lower concern for most wearers, but water-repellent coating treatment chemicals unspecified.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
What we check on hiking socks
- Formaldehyde / VOCs. Off-gassing chemicals from some finishes, textiles, and pressed wood. ATSDR
- Endocrine disruptors. Chemicals that interfere with the body’s hormone system. NIEHS
Full point-by-point rubric on the methodology page.
The hiking socks brands that will not say
5 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.
Bridgedale, Darn Tough, Merrell, Smartwool, The North Face.
Common questions about PFAS-free hiking socks
Is hiking socks PFAS free?
Mostly not. Of the 15 hiking socks we have scored, 100% fail our PFAS and toxin screen, which leaves 0 that pass. The lowest is Bridgedale Bridgedale Men's StormSock Waterproof Heavyweight Boot Socks at 20.
Which hiking socks should I avoid?
The three lowest scoring we hold are Bridgedale Bridgedale Men's StormSock Waterproof Heavyweight Boot Socks at 20, Bridgedale Bridgedale StormSock Midweight Knee at 20, Merrell Merrell Moab Hiker Crew Hiking Socks at 20. The problem with the first is that high PFAS risk. Waterproofing likely contains PFAS. No public disclosure or testing available.
How can you tell if hiking socks contain PFAS?
In this category we check for formaldehyde / vocs, endocrine disruptors. Off-gassing chemicals from some finishes, textiles, and pressed wood. Language like stain resistant, water repellent or easy release usually means fluorinated chemistry even when PFAS is never printed on the box.
Which hiking socks brands will not say whether they use PFAS?
5 of the brands we scored in this category publish nothing about PFAS at all, including Bridgedale, Darn Tough, Merrell, Smartwool, The North Face. Silence is not evidence of harm, but it is the reason those brands cannot score well on disclosure.
Do you lab test hiking socks?
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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