Chuck Taylor All Star Cx Exp2 4.5 Men A07199C vs Men's ZigWild Trail 6 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
Reebok
Men's ZigWild Trail 6 Shoes
PFAS grade
Bad 20/100
Overall grade
Bad 0/100
Verdict
Skip
Hazard flags
⚑ 4
Material
Mesh textile upper, synthetic rubber outsole, likely water-repellent coating-treated
Confidence
45%
PossibleFormaldehyde resins in textile finishes
PossibleAzo dyes and colorfast issues
PossibleAntimony in polyester fabric
Where these two actually differ
- We flag Azo dyes in canvas and Formaldehyde resin finishing on canvas on the Converse and not on the Reebok.
- We flag Formaldehyde resins in textile finishes, Azo dyes and colorfast issues, Antimony in polyester fabric and DWR coating degradation and particulate shedding on the Reebok and not on the Converse.
- The Converse is Canvas upper, rubber sole where the Reebok is Mesh textile upper, synthetic rubber outsole, likely DWR-treated, 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 Reebok 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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