Men's Stealth Spring Chino Pants vs Fjällräven Men's Keb GTX Waterproof Shell Trousers: which is safer?
Columbia Men's Stealth Spring Chino Pants is our pick, better on PFAS and on the overall hazard picture.
Our pick
Columbia
Men's Stealth Spring Chino Pants
PFAS grade
Good 65/100
Overall grade
Good 59/100
Verdict
Skip
Hazard flags
⚑ 1
Material
cotton-blend chino twill (no water-repellent treatment noted)
Confidence
72%
PossibleAzo dyes (synthetic colorants)
Fjallraven
Fjällräven Men's Keb GTX Waterproof Shell Trousers
PFAS grade
Bad 20/100
Overall grade
Bad 6/100
Verdict
Skip
Hazard flags
⚑ 2
Material
GORE-TEX laminate membrane (polytetrafluoroethylene-based)
Confidence
72%
PossibleFormaldehyde resins in fabric finishing
ReportedMicroplastic shedding from synthetic fibers
Where these two actually differ
- We flag Azo dyes (synthetic colorants) on the Columbia and not on the Fjallraven.
- We flag Formaldehyde resins in fabric finishing and Microplastic shedding from synthetic fibers on the Fjallraven and not on the Columbia.
- The Columbia is cotton-blend chino twill (no water-repellent treatment noted) where the Fjallraven is GORE-TEX laminate membrane (polytetrafluoroethylene-based), 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 Columbia 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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