Women's Bottom Turn Racerback Bikini Top vs Women's Rip Curl Classic Surf Swimsuit: which is safer?
Patagonia Women's Bottom Turn Racerback Bikini Top is the clear pick. Women's Rip Curl Classic Surf Swimsuit carries a failing PFAS grade, and we never recommend buying a failing product.
Our pick
Patagonia
Women's Bottom Turn Racerback Bikini Top
PFAS grade
Overall grade
Verdict
Hazard flags
Material
Confidence
PossibleElastane (spandex) degradation under heat or chlorine
Rip Curl
Women's Rip Curl Classic Surf Swimsuit
PFAS grade
Overall grade
Verdict
Hazard flags
Material
Confidence
Reportedwater-repellent coating finish (PFAS or fluorinated polymer) leaching and bioaccumulation
PossibleFormaldehyde resins in fabric finishing
PossibleAzo dyes in color fastness
Where these two actually differ
- We flag Elastane (spandex) degradation under heat or chlorine on the Patagonia and not on the Rip Curl.
- We flag DWR finish (PFAS or fluorinated polymer) leaching and bioaccumulation, Formaldehyde resins in fabric finishing, Azo dyes in color fastness and Microplastic shedding from fiber degradation on the Rip Curl and not on the Patagonia.
- The Patagonia is Nylon/polyester blend with elastane (standard swimwear) where the Rip Curl is Nylon/polyester blend with DWR finish, 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 Rip Curl grade, at 42% 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 →
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