MacGregor · Sports Equipment Padding
MacGregor B61 Double Knee Varsity Leg Guard
Skip due to likely water-repellent coating treatment and no PFAS disclosure.
Sports leg guards typically use water-resistant coatings often containing PFAS. MacGregor provides no PFAS risk information or material details.
Still want this one anyway? Check the price on Amazon. We’d swap it.
Material
nylon/polyester blend with water-resistant treatment
Brand disclosure
Brand is silent on PFAS
Lab data
No public lab test
What’s concerning
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.
Waterproof / stain-resistant treatment
Water-repellent coating treatments have historically used PFAS.
PFAS
MacGregor does not disclose whether the water-repellent coating is PFAS-based, fluorocarbon-free, or wax-based. Non-PFAS alternatives exist but may include other fluorinated polymers or silicone resins; composition unknown here creates uncertainty around skin contact and laundry off-gassing.
Source, ATSDR ↗Microplastic shedding during washing
Nylon/polyester blended textiles shed microfibers, especially in early washes. This is a laundry-to-environment hazard rather than direct consumer harm, but relevant to product lifecycle. Newer fabrics shed more; frequency decreases after 5-10 washes.
What’s reassuring
Azo dyes and colorfast pigments
No documented azo-dye violations or heavy-metal pigment issues for MacGregor apparel in public records. Nylon and polyester dyes used in mainstream athletic wear typically meet CPSIA limits, but no third-party testing is publicly available for this specific product.
Formaldehyde / VOCs
Formaldehyde resins are uncommon in nylon/polyester blends used for leg guards; the primary finish concern is the water-repellent coating treatment, not formaldehyde. Standard athletic textiles of this type do not typically require formaldehyde cross-linking.
Source, ATSDR ↗Antimony in polyester fiber
Antimony trioxide is a catalyst used in polyester synthesis but is tightly bound in the polymer matrix and does not migrate during normal wear or washing. No health concerns have been established for end consumers from polyester apparel antimony residue.
The full breakdown
What it's made of and why it matters
The B61 uses a nylon/polyester blend, a common athletic textile that is durable and moisture-wicking but requires chemical treatment to achieve water resistance. The water-resistant finish applied to this product is not specified by MacGregor in publicly available documentation. Nylon and polyester fibers themselves are stable polymers with low inherent toxicity, but the treatment chemistry is the actual hazard surface here. Without disclosure, you cannot rule out legacy or modern PFAS-based water-repellent coating (water-repellent coating) coatings, which are the most common industrial choice for leg guard protection.
The brand's record and disclosure
MacGregor is a heritage sporting goods brand (now owned by Russell Athletic under Berkshire Hathaway) with minimal public disclosure on chemical composition or testing certification for apparel. No published PFAS policy, restricted substance list, or third-party safety certifications (e.g., OEKO-TEX, bluesign) are evident for this product line. The brand has not made commitments to phasing out PFAS in textiles, which is a red flag given industry movement toward non-PFAS alternatives since 2015.
How it compares in its category
Athletic leg guards in this price range typically use either untreated nylon/polyester (lower water resistance but no water-repellent coating risk) or water-repellent coating-treated versions like the B61. Competitors such as Shock Doctor or McDavid similarly do not routinely disclose coating chemistry. Budget and mid-tier athletic brands overall lag behind outdoor/premium segments (Arc'teryx, Patagonia) in chemical transparency. This product sits in the opaque middle, functional and affordable, but lacking the disclosure standard that allows informed PFAS avoidance.
If you buy it
Wash in cold water with mild detergent and avoid chlorine bleach, which can degrade the water-repellent coating prematurely and potentially release coating particles. Do not tumble dry at high heat; air dry or low heat only, as excessive heat can accelerate polymer degradation. Replace when seams separate, elastic fails, or the water-resistant finish visibly flakes or peels. If water no longer beads on the surface after 1-2 seasons, the water-repellent coating has worn off naturally and the product has reached end-of-life; do not attempt to re-treat at home without knowing the coating type.
What we don’t know
- Basis
- Model estimate, 42% confidence, not a lab result
- Lab test
- None on record for this exact product
- Brand statement
- MacGregor has made none
Formulations change between production runs, so check the current label. How we grade.
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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.