The North Face Men's Chakal Pant
Avoid until The North Face reveals what water-repellent coating is used or switches to PFAS-free options.
This pant's water-repellent coating water-repellent finish likely contains PFAS-based fluorochemicals, but The North Face remains silent on what chemistry is actually used. No third-party verification exists for this product.
Still want this one anyway? Check the price on Amazon. We’d swap it.
Material
nylon with water-repellent coating water-repellent finish
Brand disclosure
Brand is silent on PFAS
Lab data
No public lab test
What’s concerning
Waterproof / stain-resistant treatment
Water-repellent treatments have historically contained PFAS chemicals.
Category baseline
PFAS exposure happens more often with clothing products.
No PFAS disclosure
The company has not publicly discussed PFAS in this product.
Microfiber shedding during wear and wash
Nylon sheds microfibers when abraded or washed. This is not a direct toxicity hazard to the wearer but contributes to microplastic pollution. Washing less frequently and gently reduces shedding volume.
water-repellent coating durability and reapplication exposure
As the water-repellent coating finish wears, users may reapply aftermarket water-repellent sprays (often PFAS-containing). Guidance to replace rather than retreat avoids consumer-driven PFAS exposure downstream.
What’s reassuring
Azo dyes in nylon dyeing
No public reports of restricted azo dyes in The North Face nylon apparel. Nylon typically uses non-azo disperse dyes, but full colorant disclosure is not standard industry practice.
Formaldehyde / VOCs
Not a typical hazard in nylon snow pants. Formaldehyde resins are more common in cotton and wool finishing; no evidence of formaldehyde-based treatments in this product line.
Source: ATSDR ↗Antimony in polyester components (if present)
The Chakal Pant is nylon-primary; if any polyester blend or lining is present, antimony oxide (a catalyst residue) could theoretically remain, but no recalls or reports exist for this product.
The full breakdown
What it's made of and why it matters
The Chakal Pant is constructed from nylon fabric with a water-repellent coating (water-repellent coating) finish. The nylon itself is a synthetic polyamide with low chemical leaching risk during normal wear. The water-repellent coating is the critical unknown: traditional formulations relied on PFAS compounds, but many brands have begun transitioning to PFAS-free alternatives without always advertising the switch. The North Face has not publicly disclosed which chemistry is used in this specific product.
The brand's record and disclosure
The North Face (owned by VF Corporation) has committed to sustainability goals but has been notably opaque about water-repellent coating chemistry across most product lines. The brand has not published a comprehensive list of PFAS-free products or a timeline for phasing out PFAS in apparel. In contrast, some competitors (Arc'teryx, Patagonia) have begun labeling PFAS-free gear or committing to phase-out targets. The lack of transparent labeling on the Chakal Pant suggests water-repellent coating composition remains either unresolved or deliberately unmarketed.
How it compares in its category
Most mainstream snow pants (The North Face, Columbia, Salomon) rely on similar nylon-plus-water-repellent coating construction. Products explicitly marketed as PFAS-free (notably some Patagonia and Mammut lines) command premium pricing but offer clarity on treatment chemistry. Budget brands often omit water-repellent coating entirely or use generic labeling. The Chakal Pant sits in the mid-to-premium segment but without the transparency of leading PFAS-conscious competitors, making comparative risk assessment difficult.
If you buy it
Wash infrequently and by hand or gentle cycle; each wash degrades the water-repellent coating finish and may mobilize any residual coating chemicals into wastewater. Air dry at room temperature; never tumble dry or expose to high heat, as this can stress the nylon-coating interface. Replace when water-repellent coating performance noticeably declines (water beads less, fabric wets through) rather than attempting to reapply generic water-repellent coating products. Store dry and away from direct sunlight to prevent polymer degradation.
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
- The North Face has made none
Formulations change between production runs, so check the current label. How we grade.
More snow pants 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.