Men's Mesh No Fly Boxer vs Women's Quarter Crew Socks (6 Pairs): which is safer?
New Balance Men's Mesh No Fly Boxer is our pick: better on PFAS and on the overall hazard picture.
Our pick
New Balance
Men's Mesh No Fly Boxer
PFAS grade
Good 65/100
Overall grade
Good 53/100
Verdict
Skip
Hazard flags
⚑ 3
Material
Mesh polyester/nylon blend
Confidence
72%
PossibleAzo dyes and color fastness
PossibleMicroplastic shedding from degradation
PossibleSkin irritation from residual lubricants or dyes
Puma
Women's Quarter Crew Socks (6 Pairs)
PFAS grade
Good 65/100
Overall grade
Poor 47/100
Verdict
Skip
Hazard flags
⚑ 3
Material
Cotton/polyester blend socks, no waterproofing
Confidence
82%
PossibleAzo dyes
PossibleFormaldehyde resins (finishing agents)
ReportedMicroplastic shedding
Where these two actually differ
- We flag Azo dyes and color fastness, Microplastic shedding from degradation and Skin irritation from residual lubricants or dyes on the New Balance and not on the Puma.
- We flag Azo dyes, Formaldehyde resins (finishing agents) and Microplastic shedding on the Puma and not on the New Balance.
- The New Balance is Mesh polyester/nylon blend where the Puma is Cotton/polyester blend socks, no waterproofing, 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 →
More sports performance undergarments: see the full ranking