Men's Zephyr GTX Mid TF vs Men Mephisto Curt Mt SNEAKER: which is safer?
Men Mephisto Curt Mt SNEAKER is our pick: better on PFAS and on the overall hazard picture.
Lowa
Men's Zephyr GTX Mid TF
PFAS grade
Bad 20/100
Overall grade
Bad 6/100
Verdict
Skip
Hazard flags
⚑ 2
Material
Textile upper with Gore-Tex GTX membrane, likely water-repellent coating-treated
Confidence
45%
Possiblewater-repellent coating (water-repellent coating) fluorinated chemistry
ReportedGore-Tex membrane degradation and microplastic shedding
Our pick
Mephisto
Men Mephisto Curt Mt SNEAKER
PFAS grade
Good 65/100
Overall grade
Good 59/100
Verdict
Skip
Hazard flags
⚑ 1
Material
leather, textile, rubber sole
Confidence
55%
PossibleVolatile organic compounds (VOC) off-gassing from adhesives
Where these two actually differ
- We flag DWR (Durable Water-Repellent) fluorinated chemistry and Gore-Tex membrane degradation and microplastic shedding on the Lowa and not on the Mephisto.
- We flag Volatile organic compounds (VOC) off-gassing from adhesives on the Mephisto and not on the Lowa.
- The Lowa is Textile upper with Gore-Tex GTX membrane, likely DWR-treated where the Mephisto is leather, textile, rubber sole, which is most of the difference in these two grades.
- The gap is 45 points, wide enough that this is not a close call, and the Mephisto is the one to buy.
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