Danner Men's Traverser 600
Skip until Danner discloses waterproof treatment chemistry.
Danner Traverser 600 is a leather hiking boot with water-repellent treatment, likely water-repellent coating-coated. Brand does not disclose treatment composition or PFAS status.
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Material
Leather upper, rubber sole, water-repellent treatment
Brand disclosure
Brand is silent on PFAS
Lab data
No public lab test
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What Danner Men's Traverser 600 is made of, ingredients and materials
The Traverser 600 pairs a leather upper with a rubber sole and an applied water-repellent treatment. Leather itself is a processed animal hide with minimal inherent chemical risk if tanned conventionally, but the water-repellent coating is where hazard lives, Danner does not publicly disclose whether this uses PFAS-based hydrophobic agents (common in outdoor footwear) or alternative chemistries. The rubber sole is unlikely to leach problematic compounds under normal foot-temperature use, but prolonged heat exposure is not a footwear concern.
What’s concerning
Waterproof / stain-resistant treatment
Water-repellent coating treatments have historically used PFAS.
Category baseline
The starting point for this type of product, before anything specific to this product is counted.
No PFAS disclosure
No public statement from the brand about PFAS in this product.
Water-repellent coating chemistry (undisclosed)
Danner has not disclosed whether this boot uses PFAS-based or alternative hydrophobic agents. Water-repellent treatments on footwear frequently contain long-chain fluorinated compounds (PFOA, PFOS analogs) that persist in the body and environment. The 20/100 PFAS grade for this product reflects this known treatment class risk.
Adhesive or binding material off-gassing
Boot construction involves adhesives between sole and upper and in seams. If solvent-based adhesives are used without full cure before shipment, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) may off-gas slightly during initial wear. This typically dissipates within hours to days and is not a retained hazard.
What’s reassuring
Formaldehyde / VOCs
No specific formaldehyde complaints or recalls are on record for Danner leather boots. Conventional chrome-tanned or vegetable-tanned leather carries minimal formaldehyde risk if water-based finishes are used, but Danner does not publish tanning or finish chemistry.
Source, ATSDR ↗Azo dyes in leather or textile elements
No reported azo-dye safety incidents are documented for Danner boots. Leather dyes and any fabric lining components could theoretically contain restricted azo compounds, but no evidence of non-compliance is on record.
Antimony in rubber sole
Rubber soles may theoretically contain antimony oxide as a flame-retardant filler in some manufacturing processes. No specific antimony concern or recall for Danner boots is on record; regulatory limits in footwear are not strict in most markets.
The full breakdown
The brand's record and disclosure
Danner has not made public commitments to PFAS-free water treatments or disclosed the specific chemistry of coatings on this model. The company has not published a restricted substance list or third-party certifications (such as bluesign or OEKO-TEX) for this boot. This silence, combined with the known PFAS grade of 20/100, reflects an industry-wide gap, many heritage outdoor boot brands have not transitioned away from fluorinated water repellents. No product recalls or formaldehyde/azo-dye issues specific to Danner boots are on record.
How it compares in its category
Hiking and work boots commonly receive water-repellent treatments; the Traverser 600's lack of transparency is typical of many mid-range outdoor footwear brands. Higher-end alternatives (Salomon, LOWA, some Scarpa models) increasingly market PFAS-free treatments or publish treatment chemistry. Budget alternatives may use untested or undisclosed treatments as well. Leather upper and rubber sole are standard, lower-concern materials; the coating transparency gap is the differentiator.
If you buy it
Wear the boots normally; foot temperature will not degrade the sole or cause leaching. Avoid intentional heat exposure (oven drying, direct flame). Clean with plain water and mild soap; avoid strong solvents that may strip the water-repellent layer prematurely. If you are pregnant, nursing, or concerned about PFAS exposure pathways (skin contact, dust in home), contact Danner directly and request treatment documentation before purchase. Consider rotating with untreated leather boots to limit cumulative exposure to unknown coating chemistry.
What we don’t know
- Basis
- Model estimate, 35% confidence, not a lab result
- Lab test
- None on record for this exact product
- Brand statement
- Danner has made none
Formulations change between production runs, so check the current label. How we grade.
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Find an alternative on AmazonMore waterproof boots grades
How we score, every product runs through the same public 0-100 rubric based on materials, coatings, brand disclosure, lab findings, and recalls. See the full methodology → Spotted a mistake? Report an error.