Do Columbia waterproof boots have PFAS?
Columbia waterproof boots average 20 out of 100 on PFAS Authority's PFAS and toxin screen across the 4 Columbia waterproof boots graded as of October 2026, level with the 20 out of 100 median for the 22 other waterproof boots brands graded alongside it.
Columbia waterproof boots average Bad on our four-band scale. None of them clear our buy threshold. That is above 45% of the waterproof boots brands we grade.
PFAS Authority is a scoring system, not a laboratory. We do not test products ourselves. Grades are model-based, built from published ingredients, materials, certifications, brand disclosures and third-party lab results where they exist. See the rubric.
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Top-graded picks in the categories readers replace first, every one scored on the same rubric.
- polypropylene filter housing, carbon/sediment cartridge
- We found no PFAS statement from the brand
- Bacterial growth in spent cartridges
3 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
Aquasure
Premier Series 75 GPD Under Sink Reverse Osmosis Water Filtration System
- RO membrane, carbon filters, stainless steel housing
- We found no PFAS statement from the brand
- Bacterial and microbial growth in housing and filters
4 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
Avocado
Vegan Mattress
- organic cotton, natural latex, coconut coir, recycled steel coils
- The brand calls it PFAS-free, which we have not verified
- Heavy metals
2 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
What Columbia says and does about PFAS
Columbia Sportswear Company says it completed a PFAS phase-out for all product types and brands at the end of 2024, and its September 2024 position statement described the transition and a possible different deadline for some severe-weather products. A 2022 NRDC, PIRG and Fashion FWD scorecard gave it an F and a petition campaign followed. We found no PFAS lawsuit against Columbia over its products.
- Brand statementColumbia's August 2025 Restricted Substances List says it completed its PFAS phase-out for all product types and brands as of the end of 2024. Columbia Sportswear Company ↗
- Brand statementColumbia's September 2024 position statement said it was moving to PFAS-free chemistry, and that some high-performance severe-weather products might follow a different deadline. Columbia Sportswear Company ↗
- Brand statementColumbia says it phased out long-chain PFAS including PFOA and PFOS many years ago and restricts them through its RSL. Columbia Sportswear Company ↗
- Regulatory filingColumbia's RSL tells suppliers about Minnesota's PFAS product reporting law, which requires manufacturers of products with intentionally added PFAS to report to the state. Columbia Sportswear Company ↗
- StudyIn 2022 NRDC and U.S. PIRG Education Fund delivered 48,000 petition signatures asking Columbia to phase out PFAS, and said it earned an F on their scorecard. The PFAS Project Lab, excerpting NRDC ↗
Sources checked September 29, 2026. A brand statement is the company’s own claim, which we report but have not verified. Our grades are model-based estimates, not lab tests.
Which Columbia waterproof boots contain PFAS? Poor and Bad, we’d swap these
- Leather and textile with waterproof treatment
- Formaldehyde / VOCs. Leather tanning and fabric dye-fixing may introduce formaldehyde-releasers. No…
5 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
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- leather upper with waterproof coating
- Formaldehyde / VOCs. Leather tanning and dyeing often involves formaldehyde-based resins for color fix and…
4 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
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- textile upper, rubber sole, waterproof coating unspecified
- PFAS. Columbia does not disclose the waterproof finish chemistry. Industry context (hiking shoes, mid-price…
2 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
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- Leather/textile upper with water-repellent coating waterproof treatment
- Antimony in polyester content. If the textile blend includes polyester (common in hiking boot linings and…
2 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
Find an alternative on AmazonBetter waterproof boots from other brands
Graded higher than the Columbia average of 20.
- leather, textile, rubber sole
- We found no PFAS statement from the brand
- Volatile organic compounds (VOC) off-gassing from adhesives
- Leather/nubuck upper, synthetic/rubber sole, no coating disclosed
- We found no PFAS statement from the brand
- Azo dyes (leather/textile coloring)
4 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
Find an alternative on AmazonThe same question, asked of the other waterproof boots brands
Best average grade first. Columbia averages 20.
See every Columbia product we grade on the Columbia brand page, or the full waterproof boots ranking.