Men's Workout Essentials Base Woven Shorts vs Men's Outdoor Everyday Shorts: which is safer?
adidas Men's Workout Essentials Base Woven Shorts is our pick, better on PFAS and on the overall hazard picture.
Our pick
Adidas
Men's Workout Essentials Base Woven Shorts
PFAS grade
Overall grade
Verdict
Hazard flags
Material
Confidence
PossibleAzo dyes and heavy metal colorants
ReportedMicrofiber shedding from synthetic blend
PossibleFormaldehyde resins in finishing
Patagonia
Men's Outdoor Everyday Shorts
PFAS grade
Overall grade
Verdict
Hazard flags
Material
Confidence
PossibleAntimony in polyester
PossibleSynthetic water-repellent coating leaching or off-gassing
ReportedMicroplastic shedding from synthetic fibers
Where these two actually differ
- We flag Azo dyes and heavy metal colorants, Microfiber shedding from synthetic blend and Formaldehyde resins in finishing on the Adidas and not on the Patagonia.
- We flag Antimony in polyester, Synthetic DWR coating leaching or off-gassing and Microplastic shedding from synthetic fibers on the Patagonia and not on the Adidas.
- The Adidas is Woven polyester/nylon blend, no waterproof or stain-resistant treatment specified where the Patagonia is nylon/polyester blend with DWR treatment, which is most of the difference in these two grades.
Both products run through the same public rubric, which covers materials, coatings, brand disclosure, lab findings, and recalls, plus a beyond-PFAS hazard analysis. Grades are model-based estimates, not lab tests. How grades work →
More waterproof sports gear, see the full ranking