Men's Fresh Foam Arishi v4 GTX Running vs Women's Fresh Foam Arishi v4 Shoes: which is safer?
New Balance Women's Fresh Foam Arishi v4 Shoes is our pick: better on PFAS and on the overall hazard picture.
New Balance
Men's Fresh Foam Arishi v4 GTX Running
PFAS grade
Bad 20/100
Overall grade
Bad 0/100
Verdict
Skip
Hazard flags
⚑ 5
Material
Mesh/textile upper with GTX waterproof membrane
Confidence
45%
LikelyPFAS in waterproof membrane
PossibleFormaldehyde resins in textile finishing
PossibleAzo dyes in colored mesh
Our pick
New Balance
Women's Fresh Foam Arishi v4 Shoes
PFAS grade
Good 65/100
Overall grade
Good 57/100
Verdict
Skip
Hazard flags
⚑ 2
Material
Mesh upper, Fresh Foam midsole, rubber outsole
Confidence
72%
PossibleAzo dyes and color-based toxins
PossibleAntimony in polyester
Where these two actually differ
- We flag PFAS in waterproof membrane, Formaldehyde resins in textile finishing, Azo dyes in colored mesh and Adhesive and glue off-gassing on the New Balance and not on the New Balance.
- We flag Azo dyes and color-based toxins on the New Balance and not on the New Balance.
- Both carry a flag for Antimony in polyester, so neither choice avoids it.
- The New Balance is Mesh/textile upper with GTX waterproof membrane where the New Balance is Mesh upper, Fresh Foam midsole, rubber outsole, 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 New Balance is the one to buy.
- We are less certain about the New Balance grade, at 45% confidence against 72%, because it discloses less.
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 running & athletic shoes: see the full ranking