Skibotn Flex1 Gloves vs Better Sweater Gloves Patagonia Women's: which is safer?

Better Sweater Gloves Patagonia Women's is the clear pick. Skibotn Flex1 Gloves carries a failing PFAS grade, and we never recommend buying a failing product.

Skibotn Flex1 Gloves

Norrona

Skibotn Flex1 Gloves

PFAS grade

Bad 20/100

Overall grade

Bad 0/100

Verdict

Skip

Hazard flags

⚑ 3

Material

Synthetic glove shell with water-resistant treatment

Confidence

42%

LikelyPFAS in water-resistant coating (water-repellent coating)

PossibleMicroplastic shedding from synthetic shell or coating

PossibleSkin irritation from coating or seam finishes

Our pick

Better Sweater Gloves Patagonia Women's

Patagonia

Better Sweater Gloves Patagonia Women's

PFAS grade

Excellent 90/100

Overall grade

Excellent 82/100

Verdict

Buy

Hazard flags

⚑ 2

Material

Polyester fleece (recycled)

Confidence

72%

PossibleAzo dyes and heavy metal pigments

PossibleMicroplastic shedding during wash

Where these two actually differ

  • We flag PFAS in water-resistant coating (DWR), Microplastic shedding from synthetic shell or coating and Skin irritation from coating or seam finishes on the Norrona and not on the Patagonia.
  • We flag Azo dyes and heavy metal pigments and Microplastic shedding during wash on the Patagonia and not on the Norrona.
  • The Norrona is Synthetic glove shell with water-resistant treatment where the Patagonia is Polyester fleece (recycled), which is most of the difference in these two grades.
  • The gap is 70 points, wide enough that this is not a close call, and the Patagonia is the one to buy.
  • We are less certain about the Norrona grade, at 42% 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 waterproof winter gloves: see the full ranking