The North Face Men's Sprag 5-Pocket Pants
High risk; skip until North Face commits to PFAS-free water-repellent coating or transparent testing.
These cotton/nylon outdoor pants feature a water-repellent coating treatment historically based on PFAS. The North Face does not publicly disclose PFAS status or PFAS-free alternatives.
Still want this one anyway? Check the price on Amazon. We’d swap it.
Material
Cotton/nylon blend with water-repellent coating finish (likely fluorocarbon-based)
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.
PFAS
Fluorocarbon water-repellent coating is standard for this product class and era; North Face has not disclosed whether legacy PFAS or alternatives are used. Skin contact and wash-water leaching are the primary routes.
Source: ATSDR ↗Coating degradation and microparticle shedding
Fluorocarbon water-repellent coating coatings can shed fine particles during washing and wear, especially after multiple cycles. Extent and health relevance remain understudied for consumer textiles, but microparticle inhalation is a theoretical concern in frequent laundering.
What’s reassuring
Formaldehyde / VOCs
No formaldehyde-release complaints or recalls on record for this product. Cotton and nylon blends typically require minimal formaldehyde resin; standard industrial washing during manufacturing should reduce residual levels to safe thresholds.
Source: ATSDR ↗Azo dyes and colorant toxicity
No specific color-fastness issues or azo-dye health incidents documented for this model. North Face uses mainstream textile dyers; restricted azo dyes are largely phased out in major apparel supply chains, though full transparency is not universal.
Antimony in polyester (nylon component)
Nylon is not a polyester; antimony catalyst concerns apply to polyester only. This blend does not involve polyester, eliminating this hazard class.
The full breakdown
What it's made of and why it matters
The Sprag pants blend cotton and nylon with a water-repellent coating (water-repellent coating) finish, almost certainly fluorocarbon-based given North Face's silent stance on alternatives. The cotton component is inherently low-hazard; nylon itself is chemically stable. The water-repellent coating is the critical variable: fluorocarbon water-repellent coating formulations have historically relied on PFAS compounds that resist degradation and water uptake. No public testing or certification data exists for this specific product's water-repellent coating composition.
The brand's record and disclosure
The North Face has not published transparent commitments to PFAS-free water-repellent coating, nor has it disclosed testing results for individual products. The parent company, VF Corp, signed the AFIRM pledge in 2022 but set targets for 2025 onward without interim transparency. No recalls or safety notices specific to this model are documented. The brand's silence on water-repellent coating chemistry is the defining gap for consumer assessment.
How it compares in its category
Most performance hiking pants at this price point use fluorocarbon or unknown water-repellent coating finishes. Competitors like Patagonia and Arc'teryx have published more detailed sustainability commitments, though Arc'teryx similarly avoids explicit PFAS bans. Budget brands often omit water-repellent coating entirely or use wax-based alternatives. The Sprag occupies mid-tier terrain with mid-tier transparency, making it neither standout nor outlier.
If you buy it
Wash in cool water with gentle detergent to minimize any potential leaching from the water-repellent coating finish; avoid high heat dryers, as heat may accelerate coating breakdown and off-gassing. Do not use fabric softeners, which can degrade water repellency and may interact unpredictably with fluorocarbon coatings. Plan to replace once water-repellent coating visibly fails (water no longer beads), typically 2-4 years of regular use. Request PFAS testing transparency from North Face before purchase if this is a concern.
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.
Safer alternatives in Hiking Pants
Columbia
Women's All Seasons Pull-On Pants
Nylon/polyester blend knit, no stated water-repellent finish
Formaldehyde / VOCs
Limited concern
Microplastics
Moderate concern
Antimony in polyester
Limited concern
Low-medium risk due to basic textile construction without brand transparency.
⚠Risky category by default
Columbia
Men's Stealth Spring Chino Pants
cotton-blend chino twill (no water-repellent treatment noted)
Azo dyes (synthetic colorants)
Limited concern
Low-medium risk; basic chino without reported water or stain treatment and no PFAS disclosure.
⚠Risky category by default
More hiking 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.