Chuck Taylor All Star Cx Exp2 4.5 Men A07199C vs Women's Saucony Ride TR2 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

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Hazard flags

⚑ 2

Material

Canvas upper, rubber sole

Confidence

72%

PossibleAzo dyes in canvas

PossibleFormaldehyde resin finishing on canvas

Women's Saucony Ride TR2 GTX

Saucony

Women's Saucony Ride TR2 GTX

PFAS grade

Bad 20/100

Overall grade

Bad 0/100

Verdict

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Hazard flags

⚑ 4

Material

Textile with GTX waterproof membrane

Confidence

45%

LikelyPFAS in waterproof membrane (GTX)

PossibleAzo dyes in textile

PossibleFormaldehyde resin finishes on textile

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 PFAS in waterproof membrane (GTX), Azo dyes in textile, Formaldehyde resin finishes on textile and Membrane delamination and microplastic shedding on the Saucony and not on the Converse.
  • The Converse is Canvas upper, rubber sole where the Saucony is Textile with GTX 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.
  • We are less certain about the Saucony 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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