PFAS in Waterproof Boots, 103 Share One Grade and One Breaks the Pattern

We graded 103 waterproof hiking boots and shoes from The North Face, Salomon, Merrell, SOREL, Oboz, La Sportiva, Vasque, New Balance, Adidas and Nike. 44 of them grade 20 out of 100. Each keeps water out with a GORE-TEX or house-brand membrane, or a water-repellent treatment, and none of these brands names the chemistry or makes a PFAS statement on record. The one exception is the Vasque Horizon Mid, which grades 65 because no coating is actually disclosed for it.

So our grade will not choose between waterproof boots. What it does tell you is that the waterproofing is the part to ask about, and that a non-waterproof boot or a waxed leather boot avoids the question.

Summary comparison table

Product	PFAS grade	Upper as recorded
Salomon X Ultra 5 Mid GTX	Bad, 20/100	GORE-TEX membrane
Merrell Moab 3 Mid Waterproof	Bad, 20/100	Waterproof membrane, chemistry not stated
The North Face Hedgehog 3 Mid Waterproof	Bad, 20/100	Waterproof membrane, chemistry not stated
Oboz Sawtooth Ascent Mid B-DRY	Bad, 20/100	B-DRY waterproof membrane
SOREL Caribou Horizon GTX	Bad, 20/100	GORE-TEX membrane
La Sportiva TX5 GTX	Bad, 20/100	GORE-TEX membrane
Adidas Terrex AnyLander Leather Mid Climaproof	Bad, 20/100	Climaproof water-repellent coating
Vasque Talus AT UltraDry	Bad, 20/100	UltraDry waterproof coating
Vasque Horizon Mid	Good, 65/100	Leather/nubuck upper, no coating disclosed

How we graded these

Every grade here is a model-based estimate built from publicly available product information and manufacturer disclosures, not a lab test performed by our team. A high score means lower concern based on reviewed sources, never PFAS-free and never safe. 44 of the 45 boots grade 20, the footwear baseline of 30, plus 35 for a waterproof membrane or treatment of unstated chemistry, plus 15 because no maker here has a PFAS statement on record. The Vasque Horizon Mid grades 65 because its listing does not actually describe a coating. Sneakers and a non-waterproof shoe filed under this category are excluded. Look up any boot in our PFAS product finder.

Membranes, house brands and what they are made of

The traditional GORE-TEX membrane is expanded PTFE, a fluoropolymer in the PFAS family. Gore has also introduced a membrane made of expanded polyethylene, ePE, and our records do not say which one each of these boots uses. House-brand membranes such as Oboz B-DRY, Vasque UltraDry, Merrell's waterproof membrane and The North Face's waterproof lining are not described by chemistry in the listings we reviewed. Water-repellent finishes on leather and fabric uppers have historically often been fluorinated. When none of that is named, our model counts the waterproofing, which is why every boot here lands on the same number.

A grade of 20 is not a finding that a boot contains PFAS. It reflects waterproofing whose chemistry nobody states.

A correction to this guide

An earlier version of this guide ranked boot brands from best to worst. Every waterproof boot in our data grades the same, and on 17 September 2026 we rewrote this guide to say so. We also removed a Nike basketball sneaker and the non-waterproof Merrell Moab 3 from this category, both of which had carried a water-repellent treatment their listings do not describe. The Vasque Horizon Mid had the same problem, a "likely DWR-treated" guess with no actual coating named, and we corrected it the same day, which is why it now grades 65 instead of 20.

What to avoid

• Waterproof boots whose membrane or treatment chemistry is not named, if avoiding PFAS matters more to you than waterproofing. That is 44 of the 45 here.
• Re-waterproofing boots with a spray whose chemistry is not named. Nikwax says it has never used PFAS in any of its products, and our stain guard spray guide covers the others.
• Reading 20 as proof of PFAS.

For running shoes, see our athletic shoes guide.

Our pick

Based on available materials and data, the Vasque Horizon Mid is the one boot here that grades better than the rest, at 65, because no coating is disclosed for it. Among the other 44, none grades better than another. If you need waterproofing, ask the brand which membrane and water repellent the specific boot uses, and whether either contains PFAS. If you do not, a non-waterproof leather boot maintained with a wax you apply yourself avoids a factory treatment altogether. These grades are estimates built from disclosed materials, not laboratory proof, and nothing here is being called PFAS-free or safe by us.

FAQ

Do waterproof boots contain PFAS?

44 of the 45 waterproof boots we graded carry a membrane or water-repellent treatment whose chemistry is not stated, so our data cannot confirm either way. Traditional GORE-TEX membranes are expanded PTFE, which is a fluoropolymer. The one exception, the Vasque Horizon Mid, has no coating disclosed at all.

Are Merrell Moab boots PFAS-free?

Merrell has no PFAS statement on record for the Moab 3 waterproof boots we graded, and their membrane chemistry is not stated, so they grade 20. We do not call any product PFAS-free ourselves.

How do I waterproof boots without PFAS?

Waxes and waterproofing products whose makers state they contain no PFAS are the option our data can point to. Nikwax says it has never used PFAS in any of its products. We record brand statements as unverified.