Women's Arctic Peak Gloves vs R4 Yulex Regulator Three Finger Mitts: which is safer?
Patagonia R4 Yulex Regulator Three Finger Mitts is the clear pick. Columbia Women's Arctic Peak Gloves carries a failing PFAS grade, and we never recommend buying a failing product.
Columbia
Women's Arctic Peak Gloves
PFAS grade
Overall grade
Verdict
Hazard flags
Material
Confidence
PossibleSynthetic textile degradation and microparticle shedding
Possiblewater-repellent coating leaching into skin or sweat
Our pick
Patagonia
R4 Yulex Regulator Three Finger Mitts
PFAS grade
Overall grade
Verdict
Hazard flags
Material
Confidence
PossibleCoating degradation and water-repellency loss
PossibleAllergen potential from Yulex itself
Where these two actually differ
- We flag Synthetic textile degradation and microparticle shedding and DWR coating leaching into skin or sweat on the Columbia and not on the Patagonia.
- We flag Coating degradation and water-repellency loss and Allergen potential from Yulex itself on the Patagonia and not on the Columbia.
- The Columbia is Nylon/polyester with DWR water-repellent finish where the Patagonia is Yulex (synthetic rubber), neoprene-free alternative, 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 Columbia 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 waterproof winter gloves: see the full ranking