PFAS in Synthetic Athletic Wear, Which Brands Grade Best and Worst

Based on available materials and data, synthetic athletic wear from HOKA and Arc'teryx shows a wide split in PFAS-related concern, with simple short-sleeve tees and singlets generally scoring better than technical outerwear, fleece, and water-resistant softshells. The HOKA Hoka Men's Race Day Singlet and three other HOKA and Arc'teryx pieces land in our "Good" tier at an estimated 65 out of 100, while heavier technical layers like the Arc'teryx Delta Hoody Men's and the HOKA Men's GlideTech Short Sleeve Shirt fall to "Bad" at an estimated 20 out of 100. These scores are model-based estimates built from materials disclosure and public data, not laboratory test results, so treat them as directional guidance rather than certainty.

If you're shopping for a training top or race singlet today, the simpler, non-weatherproofed HOKA pieces currently grade best in our database. Items built for water resistance, wind resistance, or brushed fleece warmth, across both brands, consistently grade worst, which tracks with the industry's historical reliance on fluorinated durable water repellent (DWR) finishes for those jobs. For a broader look at how clothing categories compare, see our clothing category roundup, and use the PFAS Authority finder to search specific items in your closet.

Summary comparison table

Product	PFAS grade (model estimate)	Verdict
HOKA Hoka Men's Race Day Singlet	Good, 65/100	Lower concern among reviewed items; a reasonable default for race-day wear.
HOKA Men's Race Day Singlet Crew Neck Running Tank Top	Good, 65/100	Same family as above; lower concern based on materials reviewed.
HOKA Hoka Men's EveryRun Short Sleeve	Good, 65/100	Everyday training tee; no DWR coating expected, lower concern.
Arc'teryx Men's Cormac Logo Shirt	Good, 65/100	Arc'teryx's best-graded piece in this set; a casual cotton-blend tee.
HOKA Men's Race Day Short Sleeve T-shirt	Good, 65/100	Matches the singlet line; lower concern, still not lab-confirmed PFAS-free.
Arc'teryx Men's Kyanite Lightweight Fleece Hoodie	Bad, 20/100	Fleece construction raises concern; avoid if minimizing PFAS exposure.
Arc'teryx Delta Hoody Men's	Bad, 20/100	Technical fleece hoody; among the lowest-graded items reviewed.
HOKA Men's GlideTech Short Sleeve Shirt	Bad, 20/100	Performance fabric finish drags the score down sharply.
HOKA Hoka Run Hat	Bad, 20/100	Weather-ready headwear; treat with caution.
HOKA Men's Novafly Run Tights	Bad, 20/100	Compression tight with finish treatment; lowest HOKA score in our set.
Arc'teryx Men's Gamma MX Breathable Softshell Hoody	Bad, 20/100	Softshell with weather resistance; a category-wide red flag.
Arc'teryx Skyline Shirt Men's	Bad, 20/100	Technical shirt; grades poorly despite a lighter-weight build.
Arc'teryx Men's Konseal SL Pullover Hoody	Bad, 20/100	Weather-resistant pullover; avoid if PFAS reduction is a priority.
Arc'teryx Men's Gamma SL Pants	Bad, 20/100	Softshell pant; one of the lowest-graded items in this guide.

How we're grading these, and why it matters

Every score in this guide is a model-based estimate built from publicly available materials disclosures, fabric construction, and known industry practices for water resistance and stain resistance, not a certified laboratory PFAS test. A "Good" grade means lower concern relative to the other items reviewed here, not a guarantee of zero fluorinated chemistry. A "Bad" grade flags a higher likelihood of PFAS-related treatments based on the fabric type and intended use, especially where water repellency or wind resistance is a selling point. None of this is medical advice, and any discussion of health effects below describes association, not causation, since exposure science in this area is still developing.

The best-graded pieces, by product

HOKA Hoka Men's Race Day Singlet

Materials, A lightweight polyester-blend racing singlet built for breathability rather than weather protection. Brand claims, HOKA markets this as a minimalist, moisture-wicking race-day layer; the brand does not make an explicit PFAS-free claim for this item in its public materials. Pros, No water-repellent or stain-resistant finish is expected on a piece designed purely for ventilation, which aligns with its Good, 65/100 score. Cons, Lack of a DWR coating is inferred from the product's purpose and materials, not confirmed by third-party lab testing, so this remains a model estimate rather than a certified result.

HOKA Men's Race Day Singlet Crew Neck Running Tank Top

Materials, Similar synthetic knit construction to the standard Race Day Singlet, with a crew neckline. Brand claims, Positioned as a race-specific tank with no stated water-resistant finish. Pros, Shares the same Good, 65/100 estimate, consistent with a simple, finish-free synthetic tee. Cons, As with its sibling product, absence of PFAS treatment is an inference from fabric type, not a lab-verified claim.

HOKA Hoka Men's EveryRun Short Sleeve

Materials, A standard training tee in synthetic performance knit, intended for everyday mileage rather than racing. Brand claims, Marketed for breathability and comfort; no explicit PFAS statement found in reviewed brand materials. Pros, Lower concern grade (65/100) fits its role as a basic, unfinished training shirt. Cons, Buyers wanting documented, third-party-verified PFAS-free status will not find that confirmation here, only a favorable model estimate.

Arc'teryx Men's Cormac Logo Shirt

Materials, A casual cotton-blend logo tee, a departure from Arc'teryx's technical outerwear lines. Brand claims, Positioned as everyday apparel; Arc'teryx's sustainability messaging for the brand overall references reducing certain fluorinated chemistries in some product lines, but this specific shirt is not singled out with a PFAS-free claim in materials reviewed. Pros, The only Arc'teryx item in our set to land in the Good tier, likely because casual cotton-blend tees typically skip DWR treatment entirely. Cons, It stands out as an exception within a brand catalog where most other reviewed items, especially technical shells and fleece, graded Bad.

HOKA Hoka Men's Race Day Short Sleeve T-shirt

Materials, Same race-focused synthetic knit family as the Race Day Singlet line. Brand claims, Marketed on moisture management and light weight, without a stated PFAS-free certification. Pros, Consistent Good, 65/100 score across the entire Race Day line suggests a pattern of lower-concern construction for HOKA's non-weatherproofed running shirts. Cons, As with the rest of this tier, the grade reflects available materials and public disclosure, not an independent lab certificate.

The worst-graded pieces, by product

Arc'teryx Men's Kyanite Lightweight Fleece Hoodie

Materials, Brushed fleece fabric designed for warmth and light wind resistance. Brand claims, Marketed for softness and insulation; Arc'teryx has publicly discussed moving away from certain PFAS chemistries across parts of its line, but that broader statement is not a verified, item-specific certification for this hoodie. Pros, None identified that offset the Bad, 20/100 estimate. Cons, Fleece garments with any wind or water resistance commonly rely on fluorinated finishes, which is the likely driver of this low score.

Arc'teryx Delta Hoody Men's

Materials, Technical mid-layer fleece intended for cold-weather layering. Brand claims, Positioned as a performance warmth layer; no third-party-verified PFAS-free documentation found in reviewed sources. Pros, None that change its Bad, 20/100 grade. Cons, Falls into the same high-concern category as other technical Arc'teryx fleece and softshell pieces in this guide.

HOKA Men's GlideTech Short Sleeve Shirt

Materials, A performance shirt using a specialized synthetic fabric finish for a smooth, "glide" sensation against skin. Brand claims, Marketed around comfort and chafe reduction; the finish technology itself is the likely reason for the sharp score drop to Bad, 20/100 compared to HOKA's simpler Race Day tees. Pros, None identified in available materials that offset the low grade. Cons, The specialized finish is a plausible vector for fluorinated chemistry, based on available materials and data, though this is a model estimate rather than a confirmed lab finding.

HOKA Hoka Run Hat

Materials, A lightweight running cap, typically treated for sweat and light moisture resistance. Brand claims, Marketed for sun and sweat management; no PFAS-free claim identified in reviewed brand materials. Pros, None identified that offset the Bad, 20/100 score. Cons, Moisture-resistant headwear is a common category for durable water repellent finishes, consistent with this low grade.

HOKA Men's Novafly Run Tights

Materials, Compression running tights using a synthetic blend with a smoothing or moisture-control finish. Brand claims, Positioned as a premium performance tight; no verified PFAS-free statement found. Pros, None identified that offset its Bad, 20/100 score, the lowest among reviewed HOKA products. Cons, The finish technology associated with compression and moisture control is a likely contributor to this grade.

Arc'teryx Men's Gamma MX Breathable Softshell Hoody

Materials, A softshell hoody built for wind and light precipitation resistance, a category historically dependent on fluorinated DWR. Brand claims, Marketed for weather protection and breathability together; Arc'teryx's general brand statements about reducing PFAS do not amount to a third-party-verified claim for this specific item. Pros, None that change the Bad, 20/100 outcome. Cons, Softshells designed to resist weather are consistently among the lowest-graded garments in this entire guide.

Arc'teryx Skyline Shirt Men's

Materials, A technical shirt intended for active outdoor use. Brand claims, Marketed on breathability and durability; no verified PFAS-free documentation identified. Pros, None identified in available materials. Cons, Grades Bad, 20/100, in line with most other technical Arc'teryx pieces reviewed here.

Arc'teryx Men's Konseal SL Pullover Hoody

Materials, A lightweight, weather-resistant pullover intended for wind and light rain. Brand claims, Marketed around packability and weather protection; the weatherproofing function is the probable driver of its Bad, 20/100 grade. Pros, None identified that offset the low score. Cons, Falls squarely in the pattern seen across this guide, where water or wind resistance correlates with higher estimated PFAS concern.

Arc'teryx Men's Gamma SL Pants

Materials, A softshell pant built for wind resistance and light weather protection during active use. Brand claims, Marketed for mobility and weather readiness; no third-party-verified PFAS-free claim identified in reviewed sources. Pros, None identified that offset its Bad, 20/100 score. Cons, Another entry in the consistent pattern of weather-resistant Arc'teryx pieces grading poorly in this dataset.

What to avoid

• Anything marketed as "water-resistant," "wind-resistant," or "weatherproof" in a synthetic athletic layer. Based on available materials and data, this functional claim correlates strongly with the Bad, 20/100 grades seen across the Arc'teryx softshell and hoody lineup and the HOKA Run Hat.
• Brushed fleece technical layers like the Kyanite Lightweight Fleece Hoodie and Delta Hoody, where finishing treatments for warmth retention and light weather resistance are common.
• Specialty "glide" or friction-reduction finishes on shirts and tights, as seen with the GlideTech Short Sleeve Shirt and Novafly Run Tights, both graded Bad in our database.
• Vague brand sustainability language. A brand-wide statement about "reducing PFAS" is not the same as a third-party-verified, item-specific certification. Treat general marketing claims with caution until independent testing data is available.
• Assuming any single "Good" grade means PFAS-free. A 65/100 score reflects lower concern relative to other reviewed items, based on model estimates from materials and public disclosure, not a laboratory guarantee of zero fluorinated content.

If you're also auditing other parts of your routine for PFAS exposure, our swimwear and waterproof boots category guides cover other product types where water-resistant finishes are common, and the broader clothing roundup rounds up grading across apparel categories generally.

Our pick

Based on available materials and data, the HOKA Hoka Men's Race Day Singlet is our pick among the products reviewed here, tied with three other items at a Good, 65/100 estimate, the Race Day Singlet Crew Neck Running Tank Top, the EveryRun Short Sleeve, and the Arc'teryx Cormac Logo Shirt. These four share a common trait, none are built for water or wind resistance, which removes the most common pathway for fluorinated finishes in synthetic athletic wear. That said, a Good grade is a lower-concern estimate, not a certified PFAS-free result, and none of these products carry independent lab verification in the sources we reviewed. Shoppers who want the lowest plausible exposure risk should favor simple, unfinished synthetic tees and singlets over technical shells, fleece, hats, and tights, and should check the PFAS Authority finder before buying anything marketed around water resistance or specialty performance finishes.

Frequently asked questions

Does a Good grade mean a product is PFAS-free?

No. A Good, 65/100 grade reflects a model-based estimate of lower concern relative to other items reviewed, built from materials disclosure and public data. It is not a laboratory certification, and no product in this guide carries a verified, third-party-confirmed PFAS-free status in the sources reviewed.

Why do water-resistant jackets and pants grade worse than plain T-shirts?

Historically, the textile industry has relied on fluorinated durable water repellent (DWR) coatings to make fabric shed water and resist stains, which is why technical softshells, fleece hoodies, and weatherproof hats in this guide, including multiple Arc'teryx pieces, score Bad at 20/100. Plain synthetic tees and singlets without a weatherproofing function generally have less reason to carry that kind of finish.

Is PFAS exposure from clothing actually linked to health problems?

Some research has found associations between certain PFAS compounds and health outcomes, but association is not the same as causation, and exposure through clothing specifically is one of many potential pathways researchers are still studying. This guide does not make medical claims and is intended to help you compare relative, model-estimated concern levels across products, not to diagnose or predict health effects.