Women's Quarter Crew Socks (6 Pairs) vs Men's Performance Tech Mesh Boxer Briefs: which is safer?
Under Armour Men's Performance Tech Mesh Boxer Briefs is our pick: better on PFAS and on the overall hazard picture.
Puma
Women's Quarter Crew Socks (6 Pairs)
PFAS grade
Overall grade
Verdict
Hazard flags
Material
Confidence
PossibleAzo dyes
PossibleFormaldehyde resins (finishing agents)
ReportedMicroplastic shedding
Our pick
Under Armour
Men's Performance Tech Mesh Boxer Briefs
PFAS grade
Overall grade
Verdict
Hazard flags
Material
Confidence
PossibleFormaldehyde resins (durable-press finishes, wrinkle resistance)
PossibleMicroplastics shedding from mesh degradation
Where these two actually differ
- We flag Azo dyes, Formaldehyde resins (finishing agents) and Microplastic shedding on the Puma and not on the Under Armour.
- We flag Formaldehyde resins (durable-press finishes, wrinkle resistance) and Microplastics shedding from mesh degradation on the Under Armour and not on the Puma.
- The Puma is Cotton/polyester blend socks, no waterproofing where the Under Armour is polyester/nylon mesh blend, no water-resistant treatment disclosed, 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 →
More sports performance undergarments: see the full ranking