R4 Yulex Regulator Three Finger Mitts vs Women's Osito Etip Glove: which is safer?
Patagonia R4 Yulex Regulator Three Finger Mitts is the clear pick. The North Face Women's Osito Etip Glove carries a failing PFAS grade, and we never recommend buying a failing product.
Our pick
Patagonia
R4 Yulex Regulator Three Finger Mitts
PFAS grade
Overall grade
Verdict
Hazard flags
Material
Confidence
PossibleCoating degradation and water-repellency loss
PossibleAllergen potential from Yulex itself
The North Face
Women's Osito Etip Glove
PFAS grade
Overall grade
Verdict
Hazard flags
Material
Confidence
LikelyFluorinated water-repellent coating (PFAS-class compounds)
PossiblePolyester microfiber shedding
PossibleCoating degradation and leaching from heat exposure
Where these two actually differ
- We flag Coating degradation and water-repellency loss and Allergen potential from Yulex itself on the Patagonia and not on the The North Face.
- We flag Fluorinated DWR coating (PFAS-class compounds), Polyester microfiber shedding and Coating degradation and leaching from heat exposure on the The North Face and not on the Patagonia.
- The Patagonia is Yulex (synthetic rubber), neoprene-free alternative where the The North Face is Polyester shell with DWR finish; fleece lining, 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 The North Face 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 waterproof winter gloves: see the full ranking