Women's Fresh Foam Arishi v4 Shoes vs Women's Waterproof Cloudrunner 2: which is safer?
New Balance Women's Fresh Foam Arishi v4 Shoes is our pick: better on PFAS and on the overall hazard picture.
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
On Running
Women's Waterproof Cloudrunner 2
PFAS grade
Bad 20/100
Overall grade
Bad 12/100
Verdict
Skip
Hazard flags
⚑ 2
Material
textile with waterproof water-repellent coating
Confidence
45%
PossibleAntimony in polyester components
PossibleDegradation of water-repellent coating releasing microparticles or additives
Where these two actually differ
- We flag Azo dyes and color-based toxins and Antimony in polyester on the New Balance and not on the On Running.
- We flag Antimony in polyester components and Degradation of DWR coating releasing microparticles or additives on the On Running and not on the New Balance.
- The New Balance is Mesh upper, Fresh Foam midsole, rubber outsole where the On Running is textile with waterproof DWR coating, 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 On Running 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