Women's Moab 3 vs Men's Killington Trekker Sneaker Boots: which is safer?

These two grade almost identically. Pick on price and preference; neither has a PFAS edge.

Merrell Women's Moab 3

Merrell

Women's Moab 3

PFAS grade

Bad 20/100

Overall grade

Bad 0/100

Verdict

Skip

Hazard flags

⚑ 3

Material

Mesh textile upper, rubber sole, likely water-repellent coating-treated

Confidence

45%

Likelywater-repellent coating (water-repellent coating) coating chemistry - PFAS likely but unconfirmed

PossibleAzo dyes in mesh and overlay materials

PossibleAdhesive off-gassing and polyurethane breakdown

Timberland Men's Killington Trekker Sneaker Boots

Timberland

Men's Killington Trekker Sneaker Boots

PFAS grade

Bad 20/100

Overall grade

Bad 0/100

Verdict

Skip

Hazard flags

⚑ 4

Material

Leather, nubuck, rubber sole with waterproof treatment

Confidence

45%

LikelyTeflon-type coating and fluorocarbon microparticle shedding

PossibleFormaldehyde resins in leather tanning and finishing

PossibleAzo dye residues in nubuck finish

Where these two actually differ

  • We flag Durable water repellent (DWR) coating chemistry - PFAS likely but unconfirmed, Azo dyes in mesh and overlay materials and Adhesive off-gassing and polyurethane breakdown on the Merrell and not on the Timberland.
  • We flag PTFE and fluorocarbon microparticle shedding, Formaldehyde resins in leather tanning and finishing, Azo dye residues in nubuck finish and Adhesive and glue volatiles at seams on the Timberland and not on the Merrell.
  • The Merrell is Mesh textile upper, rubber sole, likely DWR-treated where the Timberland is Leather, nubuck, rubber sole with waterproof treatment, 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: 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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