Arc'teryx Beta Jacket Men's vs REI Co-op Men's First Chair GTX Jacket: which is safer?

Arc'teryx Beta Jacket Men's is our pick: better on PFAS and on the overall hazard picture.

Our pick

Gore-Tex

Arc'teryx Beta Jacket Men's

PFAS grade

F 10/100

Overall grade

F 2/100

Verdict

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Hazard flags

⚑ 2

Material

GORE-TEX membrane (expanded Teflon-type coating) with water-repellent coating treatment

Confidence

72%

Possiblewater-repellent coating degradation and reapplication toxicity

PossibleMicroplastics shedding

Why this grade

Gore-Tex

REI Co-op Men's First Chair GTX Jacket

PFAS grade

F 10/100

Overall grade

F 0/100

Verdict

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Hazard flags

⚑ 3

Material

GORE-TEX membrane (ePTFE-based Teflon-family coating) with water-repellent coating treatment

Confidence

72%

PossibleTeflon-type coating fume risk (ePTFE membrane)

ReportedFluorinated water-repellent coating finish degradation and leaching

PossibleMicroplastic shedding from synthetic fabrics

Why this grade

Both products run through the same public rubric: materials, coatings, brand disclosure, lab findings, and recalls, plus a beyond-PFAS hazard analysis. Grades are model-based estimates, not lab tests. How grades work →

More rain jackets: see the full ranking