Trailgate Gear Bin Green 140 L vs Summit Series Advanced Mountain Kit 55L Pack: which is safer?
REI Co-op Trailgate Gear Bin Green 140 L is our pick: better on PFAS and on the overall hazard picture.
Our pick
REI Co-op
Trailgate Gear Bin Green 140 L
PFAS grade
Overall grade
Verdict
Hazard flags
Material
Confidence
PossibleUV degradation and additive leaching
PossibleMicroplastics from mechanical wear
PossibleOdor and volatile organic compounds from manufacturing
The North Face
Summit Series Advanced Mountain Kit 55L Pack
PFAS grade
Overall grade
Verdict
Hazard flags
Material
Confidence
Likelywater-repellent coating (water-repellent coating) coating chemistry
PossibleFormaldehyde in textile resins and finishes
PossibleAntimony in polyester fiber
Where these two actually differ
- We flag UV degradation and additive leaching, Microplastics from mechanical wear and Odor and volatile organic compounds from manufacturing on the REI Co-op and not on the The North Face.
- We flag Durable Water Repellent (DWR) coating chemistry, Formaldehyde in textile resins and finishes, Antimony in polyester fiber and Coating degradation and leaching over time on the The North Face and not on the REI Co-op.
- The REI Co-op is Polypropylene storage bin, no water-resistant coating mentioned where the The North Face is nylon/polyester with DWR treatment, which is most of the difference in these two grades.
- The gap is 45 points, wide enough that this is not a close call, and the REI Co-op is the one to buy.
- We are less certain about the The North Face grade, at 45% confidence against 78%, 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 outdoor gear storage bags: see the full ranking