Men Mephisto Curt Mt SNEAKER vs Hiking shoes Vasque Women's Horizon Mid: 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
Vasque
Hiking shoes Vasque Women's Horizon Mid
PFAS grade
Good 65/100
Overall grade
Poor 49/100
Verdict
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Hazard flags
⚑ 4
Material
Leather/nubuck upper, synthetic/rubber sole, no coating disclosed
Confidence
45%
PossibleAzo dyes (leather/textile coloring)
PossibleHeavy metals in leather tanning (chromium III, iron oxide pigments)
PossibleDegradation of synthetic components over time
Where these two actually differ
- We flag Volatile organic compounds (VOC) off-gassing from adhesives on the Mephisto and not on the Vasque.
- We flag Azo dyes (leather/textile coloring), Heavy metals in leather tanning (chromium III, iron oxide pigments), Degradation of synthetic components over time and Bacterial or fungal growth from moisture retention on the Vasque and not on the Mephisto.
- The Mephisto is leather, textile, rubber sole where the Vasque is Leather/nubuck upper, synthetic/rubber sole, no coating disclosed, 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.
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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