Beta SL Jacket for Men Black Sapphire / M vs Men's R2 TechFace Hoody: which is safer?
Patagonia Men's R2 TechFace Hoody is our pick, better on PFAS and on the overall hazard picture.
Arc'teryx
Beta SL Jacket for Men Black Sapphire / M
PFAS grade
Overall grade
Verdict
Hazard flags
Material
Confidence
Possiblewater-repellent coating (water-repellent coating) formulation unknown, potential PFAS exposure
PossibleCoating degradation and microplastic shedding
Our pick
Patagonia
Men's R2 TechFace Hoody
PFAS grade
Overall grade
Verdict
Hazard flags
Material
Confidence
Possiblewater-repellent coating treatment chemistry (non-PFAS)
ReportedPolyester microfiber shedding
PossibleHeat sensitivity and thermal decomposition
Where these two actually differ
- We flag DWR (durable water repellent) formulation unknown, potential PFAS exposure and Coating degradation and microplastic shedding on the Arc'teryx and not on the Patagonia.
- We flag DWR treatment chemistry (non-PFAS), Polyester microfiber shedding and Heat sensitivity and thermal decomposition on the Patagonia and not on the Arc'teryx.
- The Arc'teryx is Nylon shell with durable water repellent (DWR) treatment where the Patagonia is Polyester shell with DWR treatment, which is most of the difference in these two grades.
- The gap is 25 points, wide enough that this is not a close call, and the Patagonia is the one to buy.
- We are less certain about the Arc'teryx grade, at 45% confidence against 78%, because it discloses less.
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 softshell jackets, see the full ranking