Chuck Taylor All Star Cx Exp2 4.5 Men A07199C vs Men's Fresh Foam X Hierro v9: 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

New Balance Men's Fresh Foam X Hierro v9

New Balance

Men's Fresh Foam X Hierro v9

PFAS grade

Good 65/100

Overall grade

Good 53/100

Verdict

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Hazard flags

⚑ 3

Material

Knit textile upper, foam midsole, rubber outsole

Confidence

45%

PossibleAzo dyes and textile colorants

PossibleFoam off-gassing (midsole)

PossibleAntimony in polyester components

Where these two actually differ

  • We flag Azo dyes in canvas and Formaldehyde resin finishing on canvas on the Converse and not on the New Balance.
  • We flag Azo dyes and textile colorants, Foam off-gassing (midsole) and Antimony in polyester components on the New Balance and not on the Converse.
  • The Converse is Canvas upper, rubber sole where the New Balance is Knit textile upper, foam midsole, rubber outsole, which is most of the difference in these two grades.
  • These two are level, close enough that price and fit should decide it rather than our grade.
  • We are less certain about the New Balance 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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