Better Sweater Gloves Patagonia Women's vs LeMieux Sealskinz Waterproof Glove: which is safer?
Better Sweater Gloves Patagonia Women's is the clear pick. LeMieux Sealskinz Waterproof Glove carries a failing PFAS grade, and we never recommend buying a failing product.
Our pick
Patagonia
Better Sweater Gloves Patagonia Women's
PFAS grade
Overall grade
Verdict
Hazard flags
Material
Confidence
PossibleAzo dyes and heavy metal pigments
PossibleMicroplastic shedding during wash
Sealskinz
LeMieux Sealskinz Waterproof Glove
PFAS grade
Overall grade
Verdict
Hazard flags
Material
Confidence
LikelyPFAS in waterproof coating (water-repellent coating)
PossibleMicroplastic shedding from degraded coating
PossibleVOC off-gassing from synthetic membranes
Where these two actually differ
- We flag Azo dyes and heavy metal pigments and Microplastic shedding during wash on the Patagonia and not on the Sealskinz.
- We flag PFAS in waterproof coating (DWR), Microplastic shedding from degraded coating and VOC off-gassing from synthetic membranes on the Sealskinz and not on the Patagonia.
- The Patagonia is Polyester fleece (recycled) where the Sealskinz is Waterproof membrane (DWR coating, unspecified chemistry), 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 Sealskinz grade, at 35% confidence against 72%, because it discloses less.
Both products run through the same public rubric, which covers 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