Garmont Review, Is Garmont Non-Toxic?
Across 7 graded products, Garmont averages Bad (20/100). On disclosure, the brand says nothing publicly about PFAS. None of its products grade Good or better yet. Grades are model-based estimates, not lab results.
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.
Graded and flagged Poor and Bad, we’d swap these
Garmont
Men's Dragontail MNT GTX
Gore-Tex membrane with nylon upper
Fluorocarbon surfactants in Gore-Tex membrane
Gore-Tex's waterproofing mechanism historically relied on legacy PFAS compounds. Current…
water-repellent coating (water-repellent coating) finishes on nylon upper
Outer nylon uppers in alpine boots are typically treated with water-repellent coatings to…
Off-gassing of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from adhesives
Boot assembly involves multiple synthetic adhesives (midsole bonding, insole attachment…
Gore-Tex likely contains legacy PFAS, Garmont won't confirm.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
Garmont
Men's T8 Bifida Boots
Leather, synthetic, waterproof water-repellent coating treatment
water-repellent coating (water-repellent coating) fluorination status
Waterproof boots in this category typically receive fluorinated water-repellent coating…
Formaldehyde / VOCs
Synthetic overlays, linings, and adhesives used in boot construction can emit volatile…
Heavy metals
Leather dyeing and synthetic fabric coloring may use azo dyes or metal-based dyes…
Formaldehyde / VOCs
Leather is tanned using chromium(III) or vegetable tannins; Garmont does not specify…
Waterproof boots with water-repellent coating treatment, but brand has no PFAS statement on record.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
Garmont
Women's Dragontail G-Dry Hiking Shoes
Textile upper with G-Dry waterproof membrane
Antimony in polyester components
The shoe likely contains polyester in lining and stitching thread. Antimony catalysts are…
Membrane coating degradation and microplastic shedding
Synthetic waterproof coatings on textiles can degrade and shed microparticles over use…
PFAS
Waterproof membranes historically used PFAS; G-Dry's specific chemistry is not publicly…
Hiking shoes with waterproof membrane, PFAS status not confirmed by brand.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
Garmont
Men's Pinnacle Trek Gore-Tex Hiking Boots
Gore-Tex membrane, leather, synthetic uppers
PFAS
Gore-Tex historically relies on Teflon-type coating (polytetrafluoroethylene), a…
Heavy metals
The leather upper is treated with tanning compounds (chrome, vegetable, or synthetic)…
Synthetic dye migration (azo dyes, antimony in polyester)
Synthetic textile reinforcements and linings may contain azo dyes or be polyester with…
Formaldehyde / VOCs
Gore-Tex lamination to textiles commonly uses adhesives containing formaldehyde resins or…
Gore-Tex typically uses Teflon-type coating, Garmont doesn't disclose PFAS status.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
Garmont
Men Hiking shoes Garmont 9.81 Onyx GTX
textile upper with Gore-Tex waterproof membrane
Azo dyes and synthetic colorants
Textile uppers in synthetic hiking shoes typically use reactive or disperse dyes. No…
Formaldehyde / VOCs
Polyester and nylon uppers are often treated with formaldehyde-releasing resins for shape…
Gore-Tex membrane degradation and particle shedding
Over time, the Teflon-type coating film bonded inside the shoe can delaminate or shed…
Gore-Tex likely contains PFAS, Garmont provides no treatment details.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
Garmont
Men's Groove G-Dry Hiking Shoes
Textile upper with G-Dry waterproof treatment
Formaldehyde / VOCs
Synthetic textile uppers often use formaldehyde-based resins for dye fixation or fabric…
Azo dyes in polyester/nylon components
Polyester and nylon uppers may contain azo dyes that can break down to carcinogenic…
Adhesive and laminate off-gassing
Waterproof membranes are bonded to textiles using polyurethane or solvent-based…
Waterproof hiking shoe, PFAS risk unclear without treatment information.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
Garmont
Dragontail MNT Evo GTX Approach Shoes
Textile upper with Gore-Tex waterproof membrane
Formaldehyde / VOCs
Textile uppers may use formaldehyde-based resins for water repellency, wrinkle…
Adhesive volatiles (VOC) from Gore-Tex lamination
The lamination bond between textile and Gore-Tex membrane involves polyurethane or…
Gore-Tex membrane delamination and microparticle shedding
Gore-Tex laminates can separate after 1-2 years of heavy use or exposure to harsh…
Gore-Tex likely contains PFAS, brand remains silent on composition.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
Garmont and PFAS, common questions
- Does Garmont have PFAS?
- We graded 7 Garmont products, averaging Bad (20/100). None grade Good or better. Grades are model-based estimates built from published materials, ingredients and disclosures, not lab tests.
- Is Garmont non-toxic?
- No Garmont product we graded reaches Good. The best of them is Garmont Men's Dragontail MNT GTX at 20/100.
- Which Garmont products should I avoid?
- The lowest-graded Garmont products we have scored are Dragontail MNT Evo GTX Approach Shoes, Garmont Men's Groove G-Dry Hiking Shoes, Men Hiking shoes Garmont 9.81 Onyx GTX. Each one links to the evidence behind its grade.
Every grade uses the same public rubric. How grades work →