Chuck Taylor All Star Cx Exp2 4.5 Men A07199C vs Men's Saucony Peregrine 16 GTX: 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

Skip

Hazard flags

⚑ 2

Material

Canvas upper, rubber sole

Confidence

72%

PossibleAzo dyes in canvas

PossibleFormaldehyde resin finishing on canvas

Men's Saucony Peregrine 16 GTX

Saucony

Men's Saucony Peregrine 16 GTX

PFAS grade

Bad 20/100

Overall grade

Bad 0/100

Verdict

Skip

Hazard flags

⚑ 5

Material

textile upper with GTX (Teflon-type coating-based) waterproof membrane

Confidence

65%

PossibleFormaldehyde resins (dyes and finishes)

PossibleAzo dyes

PossibleAntimony in polyester

Where these two actually differ

  • We flag Azo dyes in canvas and Formaldehyde resin finishing on canvas on the Converse and not on the Saucony.
  • We flag Formaldehyde resins (dyes and finishes), Azo dyes, Antimony in polyester and PTFE fume risk from membrane degradation on the Saucony and not on the Converse.
  • The Converse is Canvas upper, rubber sole where the Saucony is textile upper with GTX (PTFE-based) waterproof membrane, 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.

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 →

More running & athletic shoes, see the full ranking