Chuck Taylor All Star Cx Exp2 4.5 Men A07199C vs INOV8 Trailtalon Men's Trail Running Shoes: which is safer?
Converse Chuck Taylor All Star Cx Exp2 4.5 Men A07199C is our pick: better on PFAS and on the overall hazard picture.
Our pick
Converse
Chuck Taylor All Star Cx Exp2 4.5 Men A07199C
PFAS grade
Good 65/100
Overall grade
Good 57/100
Verdict
Skip
Hazard flags
⚑ 2
Material
Canvas upper, rubber sole
Confidence
72%
PossibleAzo dyes in canvas
PossibleFormaldehyde resin finishing on canvas
Inov-8
INOV8 Trailtalon Men's Trail Running Shoes
PFAS grade
Bad 20/100
Overall grade
Bad 0/100
Verdict
Skip
Hazard flags
⚑ 3
Material
Synthetic uppers, midsole, waterproof coating unspecified
Confidence
35%
LikelyPFAS in waterproof coating
PossibleAntimony in polyester
ReportedCoating degradation and migration
Where these two actually differ
- We flag Azo dyes in canvas and Formaldehyde resin finishing on canvas on the Converse and not on the Inov-8.
- We flag PFAS in waterproof coating, Antimony in polyester and Coating degradation and migration on the Inov-8 and not on the Converse.
- The Converse is Canvas upper, rubber sole where the Inov-8 is Synthetic uppers, midsole, waterproof coating unspecified, 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 Converse is the one to buy.
- We are less certain about the Inov-8 grade, at 35% 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 running & athletic shoes: see the full ranking