Men's Stealth Spring Chino Pants vs Men's Houdini Rock Climbing Pants: 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)
Patagonia
Men's Houdini Rock Climbing Pants
PFAS grade
Poor 45/100
Overall grade
Poor 27/100
Verdict
Skip
Hazard flags
⚑ 3
Material
Nylon with water-repellent coating finish
Confidence
45%
PossibleFormaldehyde-based dyes and resins in nylon finishing
PossibleSkin sensitization from finish residues
ReportedMicrofiber shedding during wear and washing
Where these two actually differ
- We flag Azo dyes (synthetic colorants) on the Columbia and not on the Patagonia.
- We flag Formaldehyde-based dyes and resins in nylon finishing, Skin sensitization from finish residues and Microfiber shedding during wear and washing on the Patagonia and not on the Columbia.
- The Columbia is cotton-blend chino twill (no water-repellent treatment noted) where the Patagonia is Nylon with DWR finish, which is most of the difference in these two grades.
- We are less certain about the Patagonia grade, at 45% confidence against 72%, 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 →
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