Men's Ballast GORE-TEX 2L Pants vs Men's Powder Town Pants: which is safer?
Patagonia Men's Powder Town Pants is our pick, better on PFAS and on the overall hazard picture.
Burton
Men's Ballast GORE-TEX 2L Pants
PFAS grade
Overall grade
Verdict
Hazard flags
Material
Confidence
PossibleTeflon-type coating thermal decomposition (fume risk)
ReportedCoating or membrane degradation over time
Our pick
Patagonia
Men's Powder Town Pants
PFAS grade
Overall grade
Verdict
Hazard flags
Material
Confidence
Possiblewater-repellent coating chemistry (unspecified)
PossibleFormaldehyde-resin finishing agents
PossibleMicrofiber shedding from coating degradation
Where these two actually differ
- We flag PTFE thermal decomposition (fume risk) and Coating or membrane degradation over time on the Burton and not on the Patagonia.
- We flag DWR coating chemistry (unspecified), Formaldehyde-resin finishing agents and Microfiber shedding from coating degradation on the Patagonia and not on the Burton.
- The Burton is GORE-TEX 2L membrane laminate (polytetrafluoroethylene-based) where the Patagonia is nylon blend with DWR water-repellent 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.
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 →
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