FootJoy · Golf Balls & Equipment
FootJoy RainGrip Golf Gloves
Water-repellent golf gloves; water-repellent coating treatment PFAS risk unclear.
Golf glove with synthetic leather or microfiber and water-repellent coating typical of performance gear. FootJoy does not disclose PFAS status or treatment specifics.
The better-graded swap
Honma
HONMA D1 Golf Balls 1-Dozen Multi
85/100 safety
Same rubric that flunked this product. The swap earned Excellent.
Still want this one anyway? Check the price on Amazon. We’d swap it.
Material
Synthetic leather or microfiber with water-repellent treatment
Brand disclosure
Brand is silent on PFAS
Lab data
No public lab test
What’s concerning
No PFAS disclosure
No public statement from the brand about PFAS in this product.
Category baseline
The starting point for this type of product, before anything specific to this product is counted.
Waterproof / stain-resistant treatment
Water-repellent coating treatments have historically used PFAS.
Coating degradation and leachates from water-repellent coating finish
Water-repellent coatings can degrade with washing and wear, potentially releasing coating particles or residues. If the water-repellent coating is fluorinated, prolonged skin contact after coating breakdown is an unquantified but plausible exposure pathway, though acute risk from brief glove wear is low.
What’s reassuring
Formaldehyde / VOCs
No documented formaldehyde-release hazards specific to FootJoy RainGrip gloves or typical microfiber/synthetic leather golf apparel. Standard synthetic leather used in gloves is not a recognized source of formaldehyde emissions during wear.
Source, ATSDR ↗Azo dyes
FootJoy gloves are typically dyed neutral colors (black, white, tan) and microfiber substrates do not inherently use restricted azo dyes. No public reports of azo dye issues in this product line.
Microplastic shedding from synthetic substrate
Microfiber itself does not shed significantly during normal hand wear; microplastic concern is primarily a laundry issue for textiles. Golf glove hand contact is low-friction and poses minimal shedding risk during use.
Heavy metals
No documented heavy metal contamination in FootJoy glove dyes or finishes. Synthetic leather colorants in sports gloves are not a recognized source of lead, cadmium, or other heavy metals in published safety literature.
Source, FDA ↗The full breakdown
What it's made of and why it matters
FootJoy RainGrip gloves use synthetic leather or microfiber, petroleum-derived polymers designed to mimic leather durability, paired with a water-repellent coating (water-repellent coating) coating. The water-repellent coating finish is the critical unknown, traditional water-repellent coating treatments use fluorinated compounds (PFAS family) to create water-shedding properties essential for golf in wet conditions. Modern microfiber substrates themselves are stable and unlikely to shed microplastics during normal wear, but the coating's long-term durability and composition remain unclear from public sources.
The brand's record and disclosure
FootJoy, owned by Acushnet Holdings, has not published specific environmental disclosures or PFAS phase-out commitments on its website or in accessible sustainability reporting. The brand is silent on water-repellent coating chemistry and textile chemical management, which is common in the golf equipment sector but limits consumer confidence. No major recalls or chemical safety controversies specific to FootJoy gloves have been documented in public health databases.
How it compares in its category
Golf gloves inherently require water resistance, which most mid-range and premium brands achieve via fluorinated water-repellent coating finishes; PFAS-free alternatives (e.g., wax-based or polyurethane coatings) exist but are rare and often marketed at premium price points. FootJoy is positioned as a performance-first brand and does not emphasize chemical transparency as a competitive feature. Compared to typical synthetic gloves without water-repellent treatment, this product trades chemical unknowns for functional water performance in its intended use case.
If you buy it
Wash gloves in cool water with mild soap and air-dry; avoid heat sources and bleach, which can degrade coatings and increase any leaching risk. Replace gloves when water-repellency noticeably declines (typically 1-2 seasons of regular play). Store in a dry area to prevent mold; moisture-trapped gloves may off-gas or degrade faster. Consider contacting FootJoy directly to request water-repellent coating composition details if chemical transparency is a priority for your purchase decision.
What we don’t know
- Basis
- Model estimate, 45% confidence, not a lab result
- Lab test
- None on record for this exact product
- Brand statement
- FootJoy has made none
Formulations change between production runs, so check the current label. How we grade.
Better-graded alternatives in Golf Balls & Equipment
Vice Golf
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synthetic polymer core with urethane/elastomer cover
PFAS unlikely. Brand silent on composition details.
⚠Brand says nothing about PFAS
Bridgestone
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Leather, synthetic leather, or textile blend
Chromium in leather tanning residue
Limited concern
Azo dyes in colored leather or synthetic components
Limited concern
Heavy metals
Limited concern
Lower PFAS concern, but brand provides no transparency.
⚠Brand says nothing about PFAS
Bridgestone
Lady Golf Glove
Synthetic leather or leather with standard stitching
Formaldehyde / VOCs
Limited concern
Microplastic shedding from synthetic leather
Limited concern
Golf glove with typical materials, lower concern profile.
⚠Brand says nothing about PFAS
More golf balls & equipment 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.