Chuck Taylor All Star Cx Exp2 4.5 Men A07199C vs Men's Nova 4: 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

Converse

Chuck Taylor All Star Cx Exp2 4.5 Men A07199C

PFAS grade

Good 65/100

Overall grade

Good 57/100

Verdict

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Hazard flags

⚑ 2

Material

Canvas upper, rubber sole

Confidence

72%

PossibleAzo dyes in canvas

PossibleFormaldehyde resin finishing on canvas

Merrell Men's Nova 4

Merrell

Men's Nova 4

PFAS grade

Bad 20/100

Overall grade

Bad 12/100

Verdict

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Hazard flags

⚑ 2

Material

Mesh/textile upper with waterproof coating, unspecified

Confidence

35%

PossibleWaterproof coating degradation and unknown chemistry

PossibleMicroparticle shedding from coating wear

Where these two actually differ

  • We flag Azo dyes in canvas and Formaldehyde resin finishing on canvas on the Converse and not on the Merrell.
  • We flag Waterproof coating degradation and unknown chemistry and Microparticle shedding from coating wear on the Merrell and not on the Converse.
  • The Converse is Canvas upper, rubber sole where the Merrell is Mesh/textile upper with 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 Merrell 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 →

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