Pearl Izumi · Cycling Rain Jackets
Men's Pearl Izumi PRO Rain Jacket
Skip until brand discloses water-repellent coating chemistry or certifies PFAS-free.
Pearl Izumi does not publicly disclose PFAS status or water-repellent coating treatment chemicals used in this rain jacket. Standard water-repellent coating finishes often contain PFAS, but absence of disclosure prevents confident assessment.
Still want this one anyway? Check the price on Amazon. We’d swap it.
Material
Polyester with water-repellent coating water-repellent finish
Brand disclosure
Brand is silent on PFAS
Lab data
No public lab test
You may also be interested in
Top-graded picks in the categories readers replace first, every one scored on the same rubric.
Aqua Pure
3M Aqua-Pure AP802B Whole House Filter Housing
- polypropylene filter housing, carbon/sediment cartridge
- We found no PFAS statement from the brand
- Bacterial growth in spent cartridges
3 hazards checked on this product. See all of them.
Aquasure
Premier Series 75 GPD Under Sink Reverse Osmosis Water Filtration System
- RO membrane, carbon filters, stainless steel housing
- We found no PFAS statement from the brand
- Bacterial and microbial growth in housing and filters
4 hazards checked on this product. See all of them.
Avocado
Vegan Mattress
- organic cotton, natural latex, coconut coir, recycled steel coils
- The brand calls it PFAS-free, which we have not verified
- Heavy metals
2 hazards checked on this product. See all of them.
What Men's Pearl Izumi PRO Rain Jacket is made of, ingredients and materials
Pearl Izumi PRO Rain Jacket is polyester with a water-repellent coating (water-repellent coating) finish applied to the outer fabric. The water-repellent coating is the critical unknown, most traditional water-repellent coating treatments use fluorochemical-based compounds (PFAS), though some newer alternatives exist. Polyester itself is chemically stable once manufactured and does not leach monomers like BPA, making the base fabric lower-risk than the finish applied to it.
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 (water-repellent coating) finish chemistry - fluorochemical content
Traditional water-repellent coating finishes typically contain PFAS compounds; Pearl Izumi does not publicly specify whether this jacket uses legacy or fluorine-free water-repellent coating, making exposure likely unless independently verified otherwise.
Polyester fiber shedding and microplastic release
Polyester textiles shed microfibers during washing and wear, particularly with abrasion or agitation; a rain jacket worn frequently will shed fibers that enter waterways. This is inherent to polyester construction and not specific to Pearl Izumi, but worth acknowledging as a lifecycle concern.
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) off-gassing from fabric treatments
Water-repellent coating-treated polyester fabrics may off-gas volatile compounds during storage, first wear, or heat exposure; risk is lower than unfinished materials but not zero. Airing the jacket outdoors before first wear may reduce exposure.
What’s reassuring
Formaldehyde / VOCs
No public record indicates Pearl Izumi uses formaldehyde-based resins in their polyester finishes; modern athletic polyester typically avoids such treatments. However, without full chemical disclosure, this remains unconfirmed.
Source, ATSDR ↗Heavy metals
Pearl Izumi is an established athletic brand and has no documented recalls or complaints related to azo dye or heavy metal contamination in their apparel. Standard QA practices in their tier of manufacture suggest low risk, but independent testing data is not publicly available.
Source, FDA ↗The full breakdown
The brand's record and disclosure
Pearl Izumi does not publicly disclose the specific chemistry of their water-repellent coating water-repellent finishes or commit to PFAS-free formulations on their website or product documentation. The brand has no established third-party certifications (such as bluesign or Cradle to Cradle) that would independently verify finish composition. Without direct communication from the manufacturer, the water-repellent coating treatment remains a black box regarding fluorochemical content.
How it compares in its category
Most mainstream athletic rain jackets from large brands (Arc'teryx, The North Face, Patagonia) use similar polyester-plus-water-repellent coating constructions; only a minority publicly commit to PFAS-free finishes. Brands like Patagonia and Columbia have begun disclosing water-repellent coating chemistry or phasing toward fluorine-free alternatives, making them more transparent. Pearl Izumi's silence on this issue places it in the middle of the market in terms of environmental and health accountability, neither leading nor notably behind peer companies.
If you buy it
Wash separately from other clothes to minimize any potential finish migration; use cold water and mild detergent, as hot water may accelerate water-repellent coating degradation or off-gassing. Avoid machine drying on high heat; air-dry or low heat only, as polyester can release volatile organic compounds under prolonged high temperature. water-repellent coating coatings degrade with use and washing; expect the water-repellency to decline after 20-30 wash cycles, at which point re-treatment products are commercially available. Do not dry-clean, as solvent exposure may strip or alter the finish unpredictably.
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
- Pearl Izumi has made none
Formulations change between production runs, so check the current label. How we grade.
Better-graded alternatives in Cycling Rain Jackets
Patagonia
Women's Dirt Roamer Storm Jacket
- polyester shell with water-repellent coating finish
- The brand calls it PFAS-free, which we have not verified
- Azo dyes and color fastness
4 hazards checked on this product. See all of them.
Find an alternative on Amazon
Patagonia
Men's Dirt Roamer Storm Jacket
- nylon/polyester with water-repellent coating water treatment
- The brand calls it PFAS-free, which we have not verified
- PFAS
3 hazards checked on this product. See all of them.
Find an alternative on Amazon
Patagonia
Men's Trail Craft Jacket
- Nylon with water-repellent coating water-repellent coating finish
- The brand calls it PFAS-free, which we have not verified
- water-repellent coating chemistry opacity (fluorinated vs. non-fluorinated)
3 hazards checked on this product. See all of them.
Find an alternative on AmazonMore cycling rain jackets 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.