Tool Box vs Trailgate Gear Bin Green 140 L: which is safer?
REI Co-op Trailgate Gear Bin Green 140 L is our pick: better on PFAS and on the overall hazard picture.
Marmot
Tool Box
PFAS grade
Overall grade
Verdict
Hazard flags
Material
Confidence
PossibleVolatile organic compounds (VOCs) from polyester and nylon manufacturing
Reportedwater-repellent coating (water-repellent coating) coating chemistry unknown
PossibleFormaldehyde-resin finishes in synthetic textiles
Our pick
REI Co-op
Trailgate Gear Bin Green 140 L
PFAS grade
Overall grade
Verdict
Hazard flags
Material
Confidence
PossibleUV degradation and additive leaching
PossibleMicroplastics from mechanical wear
PossibleOdor and volatile organic compounds from manufacturing
Where these two actually differ
- We flag Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from polyester and nylon manufacturing, Durable water repellent (DWR) coating chemistry unknown, Formaldehyde-resin finishes in synthetic textiles and Azo dyes in colored polyester components on the Marmot and not on the REI Co-op.
- We flag UV degradation and additive leaching, Microplastics from mechanical wear and Odor and volatile organic compounds from manufacturing on the REI Co-op and not on the Marmot.
- The Marmot is Nylon, polyester, cotton blend; details unspecified where the REI Co-op is Polypropylene storage bin, no water-resistant coating mentioned, 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.
- We are less certain about the Marmot grade, at 45% 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 →
More waterproof outdoor gear storage bags: see the full ranking