TX5 GTX Men's vs Men's X Ultra 5 Mid GTX: which is safer?

These two grade almost identically. Pick on price and preference; neither has a PFAS edge.

La Sportiva TX5 GTX Men's

La Sportiva

TX5 GTX Men's

PFAS grade

Bad 20/100

Overall grade

Bad 8/100

Verdict

Skip

Hazard flags

⚑ 3

Material

synthetic textile with Gore-Tex membrane waterproof layer

Confidence

45%

PossibleAzo dyes

PossibleFormaldehyde-releasing resins in finishing

PossibleAntimony in polyester

Salomon Men's X Ultra 5 Mid GTX

Salomon

Men's X Ultra 5 Mid GTX

PFAS grade

Bad 20/100

Overall grade

Bad 8/100

Verdict

Skip

Hazard flags

⚑ 3

Material

Gore-Tex membrane (polyurethane laminate with Teflon-type coating)

Confidence

45%

PossibleTeflon-type coating membrane degradation and inhalation risk

PossibleAdhesive off-gassing (volatile organic compounds)

PossibleMicroplastic shedding from synthetic materials

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 Salomon.
  • We flag PTFE membrane degradation and inhalation risk, Adhesive off-gassing (volatile organic compounds) and Microplastic shedding from synthetic materials on the Salomon and not on the La Sportiva.
  • The La Sportiva is synthetic textile with Gore-Tex membrane waterproof layer where the Salomon is Gore-Tex membrane (polyurethane laminate with PTFE), 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 →

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