Timberland · Hiking Shoes & Trail Runners
Timberland Men's Killington Trekker Mid Sneaker
water-repellent coating-treated upper with no brand PFAS disclosure or testing on record.
These hiking boots have a water-repellent coating finish applied to the leather and textile upper. Timberland has no PFAS statement on record for this product, and no independent testing or certifications are on file.
Still want this one anyway? Check the price on Amazon. We’d swap it.
Material
Leather/textile upper with water-repellent coating-treated finish
Brand disclosure
Brand is silent on PFAS
Lab data
No public lab test
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What Timberland Men's Killington Mid Sneaker is made of, ingredients and materials
The Killington Trekker Mid combines leather and textile uppers with a water-repellent coating (water-repellent coating) finish. water-repellent coating coatings on outdoor footwear historically rely on PFAS chemistry to achieve water resistance; this product shows no public commitment to using non-PFAS alternatives. Leather tanning and synthetic textile dyeing introduce formaldehyde-based resins and potential azo dye residues, both of which can leach with moisture and friction against skin over time.
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.
Formaldehyde / VOCs
Leather and synthetic textiles routinely undergo formaldehyde-based cross-linking during manufacture. Low residual levels are typical, but skin contact during wear (especially in warm/moist conditions inside the shoe) can mobilize traces. No specific testing of this Timberland model is on record.
Source, ATSDR ↗Azo dyes and dye breakdown products
Textile and leather dyeing may involve azo dyes that can degrade into aromatic amines under friction and perspiration. Timberland has not disclosed dye chemistry for this shoe. Risk is low if dye fixation is high-quality, but unknown quality increases uncertainty.
water-repellent coating finish degradation and re-application chemical exposure
PFAS-based water-repellent coating coatings on outdoor footwear are well-documented to degrade with washing and wear. Consumers often re-treat with consumer-grade water-repellent coating sprays containing additional PFAS or volatile organics, creating iterative chemical exposure cycles over the shoe's life.
Antimony in polyester components
If this shoe includes polyester textile inserts or linings, antimony trioxide (used as a catalyst in polyester synthesis) may be present at trace levels. Migration into skin is unlikely unless the shoe is worn in high heat or gets broken down extensively, but the risk pathway exists.
What’s reassuring
Heavy metals
No specific recalls or test data for this model indicate heavy metal contamination in colorants. Regulatory standards for footwear dyes are less strict than for apparel intended for infants, but major brands generally avoid high-risk metals like cadmium and lead in visible dyes.
Source, FDA ↗How is this PFAS grade calculated?
The brand's record and disclosure
Timberland has not publicly disclosed PFAS phase-out plans or material certifications for this specific product line. The brand maintains some sustainability messaging but lacks transparency on chemical inputs in footwear finishes. No recall history or specific chemical violations are on record for this model, but the lack of disclosure is itself a signal that ingredient transparency is not a priority.
How it compares in its category
Mid-range hiking shoes at this price point typically use untreated or PFAS-free water-repellent coating alternatives (some brands now offer fluorocarbon-free wax-based repellency). Timberland's silence on finish chemistry puts this shoe behind disclosed alternatives from competitors like Salomon or Merrell in the transparency category. Leather/textile construction is standard and not inherently higher-risk than synthetic uppers, provided tannery practices are sound (unknown here).
If you buy it
Break in gradually to minimize abrasion and skin contact with dyes and finish chemicals in the first 10-20 wears. Avoid machine washing; clean with soft brush and water only, then air-dry away from direct heat. Re-apply commercial water-repellent coating treatments sparingly and only if the original finish visibly degrades (water beading loss); each reapplication adds chemical exposure. Replace when structural integrity fails (sole separation, upper tears), not arbitrarily, to justify the embedded chemical load.
What is not known about PFAS in this product?
- Basis
- Model estimate, 35% confidence, not a lab result
- Lab test
- None on record for this exact product
- Brand statement
- Timberland has made none
Formulations change between production runs, so check the current label. How we grade.
More hiking shoes & trail runners 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.