TX5 GTX Men's vs Terminator High: which is safer?
La Sportiva TX5 GTX Men's is our pick: better on PFAS and on the overall hazard picture.
Our pick
La Sportiva
TX5 GTX Men's
PFAS grade
Overall grade
Verdict
Hazard flags
Material
Confidence
PossibleAzo dyes
PossibleFormaldehyde-releasing resins in finishing
PossibleAntimony in polyester
Nike
Terminator High
PFAS grade
Overall grade
Verdict
Hazard flags
Material
Confidence
LikelyPFAS in water-repellent coating (water-repellent) finish
PossibleAzo dyes in textile and leather coloring
PossibleFormaldehyde resins in adhesives and finishes
Where these two actually differ
- We flag Azo dyes, Formaldehyde-releasing resins in finishing and Antimony in polyester on the La Sportiva and not on the Nike.
- We flag PFAS in DWR (water-repellent) finish, Azo dyes in textile and leather coloring, Formaldehyde resins in adhesives and finishes and Heavy metals in pigments and leather finish on the Nike and not on the La Sportiva.
- The La Sportiva is synthetic textile with Gore-Tex membrane waterproof layer where the Nike is Leather and textile upper with rubber sole, likely DWR-treated, which is most of the difference in these two grades.
- These two are level, close enough that price and fit should decide it rather than our grade.
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 boots: see the full ranking