Men Mephisto Curt Mt SNEAKER vs Women's X Ultra 5 Mid Gore-Tex: which is safer?
Men Mephisto Curt Mt SNEAKER is our pick, better on PFAS and on the overall hazard picture.
Our pick
Mephisto
Men Mephisto Curt Mt SNEAKER
PFAS grade
Good 65/100
Overall grade
Good 59/100
Verdict
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Hazard flags
⚑ 1
Material
leather, textile, rubber sole
Confidence
55%
PossibleVolatile organic compounds (VOC) off-gassing from adhesives
Salomon
Women's X Ultra 5 Mid Gore-Tex
PFAS grade
Bad 20/100
Overall grade
Bad 8/100
Verdict
Skip
Hazard flags
⚑ 3
Material
Gore-Tex membrane with textile upper
Confidence
45%
PossibleAzo dyes and synthetic colorants in textile upper
PossiblePFC water repellents in fabric finish
PossibleAdhesive and laminate off-gassing during break-in
Where these two actually differ
- We flag Volatile organic compounds (VOC) off-gassing from adhesives on the Mephisto and not on the Salomon.
- We flag Azo dyes and synthetic colorants in textile upper, PFC water repellents in fabric finish and Adhesive and laminate off-gassing during break-in on the Salomon and not on the Mephisto.
- The Mephisto is leather, textile, rubber sole where the Salomon is Gore-Tex membrane with textile upper, 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, which covers 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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