Men Mephisto Curt Mt SNEAKER vs Men's Mt. Maddsen Waterproof Mid Hiking Boot: 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
Skip
Hazard flags
⚑ 1
Material
leather, textile, rubber sole
Confidence
55%
PossibleVolatile organic compounds (VOC) off-gassing from adhesives
Timberland
Men's Mt. Maddsen Waterproof Mid Hiking Boot
PFAS grade
Bad 20/100
Overall grade
Bad 0/100
Verdict
Skip
Hazard flags
⚑ 4
Material
leather and textile with unspecified waterproof treatment
Confidence
42%
PossibleFormaldehyde in textile finishes and dyes
PossibleAzo dyes in textile and leather colorants
PossibleHeavy metals in leather tanning and dyes
Where these two actually differ
- We flag Volatile organic compounds (VOC) off-gassing from adhesives on the Mephisto and not on the Timberland.
- We flag Formaldehyde in textile finishes and dyes, Azo dyes in textile and leather colorants, Heavy metals in leather tanning and dyes and Coating and adhesive degradation over time on the Timberland and not on the Mephisto.
- The Mephisto is leather, textile, rubber sole where the Timberland is leather and textile with unspecified waterproof treatment, 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