Griots Garage Track Spray - 22oz vs Waterproofing Wax for Leather: which is safer?

Nikwax Waterproofing Wax for Leather is our pick: better on PFAS and on the overall hazard picture.

Griots Garage Track Spray - 22oz

Griot's Garage

Griots Garage Track Spray - 22oz

PFAS grade

Poor 40/100

Overall grade

Bad 0/100

Verdict

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Hazard flags

⚑ 5

Material

acrylate polymer spray coating, likely water-based

Confidence

35%

PossibleVolatile Organic Compound (VOC) off-gassing

ReportedInhalation risk from spray aerosol

LikelySkin and eye contact irritation

Our pick

Nikwax Waterproofing Wax for Leather

Nikwax

Waterproofing Wax for Leather

PFAS grade

Good 65/100

Overall grade

Good 51/100

Verdict

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Hazard flags

⚑ 2

Material

wax-based waterproofing

Confidence

78%

PossibleRespiratory irritation or fume inhalation during application

ReportedPFAS in water repellency treatment

Where these two actually differ

  • We flag Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) off-gassing, Inhalation risk from spray aerosol, Skin and eye contact irritation and Fluorinated additives (performance surfactants or water-resistance agents) on the Griot's Garage and not on the Nikwax.
  • We flag Respiratory irritation or fume inhalation during application and PFAS in water repellency treatment on the Nikwax and not on the Griot's Garage.
  • The Griot's Garage is acrylate polymer spray coating, likely water-based where the Nikwax is wax-based 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 Nikwax is the one to buy.
  • We are less certain about the Griot's Garage grade, at 35% confidence against 78%, 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 →

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