TX5 GTX Men's vs Hiking shoes Vasque Women's Horizon Mid: 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
Vasque
Hiking shoes Vasque Women's Horizon Mid
PFAS grade
Overall grade
Verdict
Hazard flags
Material
Confidence
Reportedwater-repellent coating degradation and unknown composition
PossibleFormaldehyde resins in leather tanning and finishing
PossibleSynthetic overlays and adhesive offgassing
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 Vasque.
- We flag DWR coating degradation and unknown composition, Formaldehyde resins in leather tanning and finishing, Synthetic overlays and adhesive offgassing and Azo dye residues in leather and synthetic dyes on the Vasque and not on the La Sportiva.
- The La Sportiva is synthetic textile with Gore-Tex membrane waterproof layer where the Vasque is Leather/nubuck upper, synthetic/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