Men's Trail Scout 3 vs Women's Fresh Foam Arishi v4 Shoes: which is safer?
New Balance Women's Fresh Foam Arishi v4 Shoes is our pick: better on PFAS and on the overall hazard picture.
ASICS
Men's Trail Scout 3
PFAS grade
Overall grade
Verdict
Hazard flags
Material
Confidence
PossibleFormaldehyde resins in synthetic overlays and glues
PossibleAzo dyes in mesh or overlay textiles
Likelywater-repellent coating durability and reapplication chemicals
Our pick
New Balance
Women's Fresh Foam Arishi v4 Shoes
PFAS grade
Overall grade
Verdict
Hazard flags
Material
Confidence
PossibleAzo dyes and color-based toxins
PossibleAntimony in polyester
Where these two actually differ
- We flag Formaldehyde resins in synthetic overlays and glues, Azo dyes in mesh or overlay textiles and DWR coating durability and reapplication chemicals on the ASICS and not on the New Balance.
- We flag Azo dyes and color-based toxins and Antimony in polyester on the New Balance and not on the ASICS.
- The ASICS is Mesh textile upper with synthetic overlays, rubber outsole; DWR treated where the New Balance is Mesh upper, Fresh Foam midsole, rubber outsole, which is most of the difference in these two grades.
- The gap is 45 points, wide enough that this is not a close call, and the New Balance is the one to buy.
- We are less certain about the ASICS grade, at 45% confidence against 72%, because it discloses less.
Both products run through the same public rubric: 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 running & athletic shoes: see the full ranking