Men Mephisto Curt Mt SNEAKER vs Women's Offtrail Hike LT Mid Gore-Tex Hiking Boots: 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
Overall grade
Verdict
Hazard flags
Material
Confidence
PossibleVolatile organic compounds (VOC) off-gassing from adhesives
The North Face
Women's Offtrail Hike LT Mid Gore-Tex Hiking Boots
PFAS grade
Overall grade
Verdict
Hazard flags
Material
Confidence
PossibleTeflon-type coating/Teflon-family coating degradation and microparticle release
PossibleAdhesive and polyurethane off-gassing
PossibleMold and bacterial growth in insole padding or collar
Where these two actually differ
- We flag Volatile organic compounds (VOC) off-gassing from adhesives on the Mephisto and not on the The North Face.
- We flag PTFE/fluoropolymer degradation and microparticle release, Adhesive and polyurethane off-gassing and Mold and bacterial growth in insole padding or collar on the The North Face and not on the Mephisto.
- The Mephisto is leather, textile, rubber sole where the The North Face is Gore-Tex membrane (fluoropolymer-based waterproof layer), 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 →
More waterproof boots, see the full ranking