Refugio Day Pack 30L vs Jester Luxe Backpack: which is safer?

These two grade almost identically. Pick on price and preference; neither has a PFAS edge.

Patagonia Refugio Day Pack 30L

Patagonia

Refugio Day Pack 30L

PFAS grade

Bad 20/100

Overall grade

Bad 12/100

Verdict

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Hazard flags

⚑ 2

Material

Nylon/polyester blend with water-repellent coating (water-repellent coating) treatment

Confidence

62%

PossiblePFAS in water-repellent coating

PossibleMicroplastics shedding

The North Face Jester Luxe Backpack

The North Face

Jester Luxe Backpack

PFAS grade

Bad 20/100

Overall grade

Bad 12/100

Verdict

Skip

Hazard flags

⚑ 2

Material

Nylon/polyester with water-repellent coating (water-repellent coating) coating

Confidence

45%

Possiblewater-repellent coating composition (PFAS candidate)

PossibleMicroplastic shedding from synthetic fibers

Where these two actually differ

  • We flag PFAS in DWR coating and Microplastics shedding on the Patagonia and not on the The North Face.
  • We flag DWR coating composition (PFAS candidate) and Microplastic shedding from synthetic fibers on the The North Face and not on the Patagonia.
  • The Patagonia is Nylon/polyester blend with DWR (durable water repellent) treatment where the The North Face is Nylon/polyester with durable water-repellent (DWR) coating, which is most of the difference in these two grades.
  • These two are level, close enough that price and fit should decide it rather than our grade.

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 →

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