Women's Sol Searcher 50 UPF Long Sleeve Rashguard vs Women's Bottom Turn Racerback Bikini Top: which is safer?
Patagonia Women's Bottom Turn Racerback Bikini Top is the clear pick. Billabong Women's Sol Searcher 50 UPF Long Sleeve Rashguard carries a failing PFAS grade, and we never recommend buying a failing product.
Billabong
Women's Sol Searcher 50 UPF Long Sleeve Rashguard
PFAS grade
Overall grade
Verdict
Hazard flags
Material
Confidence
Possiblewater-repellent coating finish chemicals (PFAS status unknown)
PossibleMicroplastics shedding during care
Our pick
Patagonia
Women's Bottom Turn Racerback Bikini Top
PFAS grade
Overall grade
Verdict
Hazard flags
Material
Confidence
PossibleElastane (spandex) degradation under heat or chlorine
Where these two actually differ
- We flag DWR finish chemicals (PFAS status unknown) and Microplastics shedding during care on the Billabong and not on the Patagonia.
- We flag Elastane (spandex) degradation under heat or chlorine on the Patagonia and not on the Billabong.
- The Billabong is Polyester with UPF/DWR treatment where the Patagonia is Nylon/polyester blend with elastane (standard swimwear), which is most of the difference in these two grades.
- The gap is 70 points, wide enough that this is not a close call, and the Patagonia is the one to buy.
- We are less certain about the Billabong grade, at 42% 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 swimwear: see the full ranking