Men's R2 TechFace Hoody vs Men's Mountain Flex Hybrid Jacket: which is safer?

Patagonia Men's R2 TechFace Hoody is our pick, better on PFAS and on the overall hazard picture.

Our pick

Patagonia Men's R2 TechFace Hoody

Patagonia

Men's R2 TechFace Hoody

PFAS grade

Poor 45/100

Overall grade

Poor 27/100

Verdict

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Hazard flags

⚑ 3

Material

Polyester shell with water-repellent coating treatment

Confidence

78%

Possiblewater-repellent coating treatment chemistry (non-PFAS)

ReportedPolyester microfiber shedding

PossibleHeat sensitivity and thermal decomposition

Salomon Men's Mountain Flex Hybrid Jacket

Salomon

Men's Mountain Flex Hybrid Jacket

PFAS grade

Bad 20/100

Overall grade

Bad 0/100

Verdict

Skip

Hazard flags

⚑ 2

Material

Hybrid nylon/polyester with water-repellent coating water-repellent coating

Confidence

45%

Possiblewater-repellent coating chemistry (fluorocarbon vs. alternatives)

LikelyMicrofiber shedding from synthetic blend

Where these two actually differ

  • We flag DWR treatment chemistry (non-PFAS), Polyester microfiber shedding and Heat sensitivity and thermal decomposition on the Patagonia and not on the Salomon.
  • We flag DWR coating chemistry (fluorocarbon vs. alternatives) and Microfiber shedding from synthetic blend on the Salomon and not on the Patagonia.
  • The Patagonia is Polyester shell with DWR treatment where the Salomon is Hybrid nylon/polyester with DWR water-repellent coating, which is most of the difference in these two grades.
  • The gap is 25 points, wide enough that this is not a close call, and the Patagonia is the one to buy.
  • We are less certain about the Salomon grade, at 45% confidence against 78%, 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 →

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