Quechua Hiking Backpack 23L vs Goforth Dry Duffel: which is safer?

Watershed Goforth Dry Duffel is our pick: better on PFAS and on the overall hazard picture.

Decathlon Quechua Hiking Backpack 23L

Decathlon

Quechua Hiking Backpack 23L

PFAS grade

Bad 20/100

Overall grade

Bad 12/100

Verdict

Skip

Hazard flags

⚑ 2

Material

polyester/nylon with water-repellent coating

Confidence

35%

PossiblePFAS in water-repellent coating

PossibleMicroplastic shedding during use and washing

Our pick

Watershed Goforth Dry Duffel

Watershed

Goforth Dry Duffel

PFAS grade

Poor 45/100

Overall grade

Poor 33/100

Verdict

Skip

Hazard flags

⚑ 3

Material

Naturally textured cotton blend with proprietary waterproofing

Confidence

72%

PossibleAzo dyes and hazardous colorants

PossibleCoating degradation and microparticle shedding

PossibleResidual processing chemicals (waterproofing treatment)

Where these two actually differ

  • We flag PFAS in durable water repellent coating and Microplastic shedding during use and washing on the Decathlon and not on the Watershed.
  • We flag Azo dyes and hazardous colorants, Coating degradation and microparticle shedding and Residual processing chemicals (waterproofing treatment) on the Watershed and not on the Decathlon.
  • The Decathlon is polyester/nylon with durable water repellent coating where the Watershed is Naturally textured cotton blend with proprietary waterproofing, which is most of the difference in these two grades.
  • The gap is 25 points, wide enough that this is not a close call, and the Watershed is the one to buy.
  • We are less certain about the Decathlon 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 →

More waterproof bags & luggage: see the full ranking