Danner · Hiking Shoes & Trail Runners
Danner Men's Trail Field ID Low
Skip until Danner discloses waterproof treatment chemistry.
Danner makes quality outdoor footwear but does not publicly disclose PFAS status or waterproofing agent type. Waterproof coatings on hiking boots often contain PFAS; no independent lab data available.
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Material
leather/textile upper with waterproof treatment
Brand disclosure
Brand is silent on PFAS
Lab data
No public lab test
Why this grade
Waterproof / stain-resistant treatment
water-repellent coating treatments have historically used PFAS.
Category baseline
clothing is a category where PFAS exposure is more common.
No PFAS disclosure
No public statement about PFAS in this product.
The full breakdown
What it's made of and why it matters
The Danner Trail Field ID Low combines leather uppers with textile panels, likely treated with a water-repellent finish to meet hiking boot performance standards. Leather tanning historically uses chromium salts, which is safe if properly processed, but the waterproof treatment chemistry is not publicly disclosed by Danner. Textile components may carry formaldehyde-based dyes or finishing resins used in standard fabric dyeing and shrink-resistance treatments. These materials are functional for outdoor durability but introduce multiple chemical exposure pathways, especially during break-in when new finishes can off-gas or transfer to skin.
The brand's record and disclosure
Danner is a long-established outdoor footwear manufacturer owned by Timberland Company (itself owned by VF Corporation) but does not publicly disclose the chemistry of its waterproofing treatments on product pages or sustainability documents. No major product recalls or chemical safety controversies are on public record for Danner footwear. The brand has not signed the ZDHC Gateway or similar chemical disclosure frameworks that would identify PFAS-free alternatives or alternatives with known safety profiles. This silence on waterproof treatment chemistry is typical for the hiking boot category but represents a gap in transparency.
How it compares in its category
Most mid-tier hiking boots in Danner's price range (USD 130-180) rely on fluorocarbon-based durable water repellents (water-repellent coating) or undisclosed polymer coatings. Brands like Salomon, Merrell, and KEEN follow the same non-disclosure pattern. Higher-end or sustainability-focused competitors (e.g., Patagonia, some REI-brand boots) increasingly specify PFOA/PFOS-free or wax-based treatments, but Danner has not adopted this positioning. The Danner Trail Field ID is competitively standard but lags transparency expectations for a premium outdoor brand.
If you buy it
Wear new boots outdoors in ventilated conditions for the first several hours to allow volatile compounds from finishes to disperse rather than accumulating in a closet. Wash your feet and the boots' interior after the break-in period to remove surface finish residues and any loose dyes. Reapply aftermarket wax-based or PFOA-free water-repellent coating products (e.g., Grangers G-Wax) if water beading diminishes, reducing reliance on the factory treatment. Store in a cool, dry place and replace when the sole or waterproof integrity fails, typically 300-500 miles for hiking boots.
Beyond PFAS: other things we checked
Established hazard classes for this product type, assessed from public information. These never change the PFAS grade; a Likely flag caps the Verdict at “Buy with care.”
Formaldehyde resins in textile finishing
Danner does not disclose whether the textile panels use formaldehyde-based shrink-resist or antimicrobial finishes, standard practice in footwear manufacturing. Off-gassing typically decreases after initial wear but can irritate sensitive skin or respiratory tracts during break-in.
Azo dyes or heavy metal dyes in leather and textiles
Leather tanning and fabric dyeing both use dyes that may contain heavy metals (cadmium, lead) or azo compounds, depending on tannery and dye supplier standards. Danner does not certify against these; skin contact during wet conditions could theoretically mobilize dyes, though risk is low under normal use.
Chromium in leather tanning
Chromium III (trivalent), the standard tanning salt, is considered safe in properly processed leather and does not leach significantly during normal wear. No evidence of mishandling or Cr(VI) contamination in Danner products is on public record.
Undisclosed waterproof coating durability and leachables
Fluorocarbon-based water-repellent coating coatings (suspected here, unconfirmed by Danner) degrade within 6-12 months of regular use and can release microparticles or residual fluorinated compounds into soil and water during washing. The absence of product-specific disclosure prevents detailed assessment.
Adhesive and insole off-gassing
Boot construction involves polyurethane or solvent-based adhesives that may off-gas volatile organic compounds (VOCs) during the first weeks of use. Insole foam may also contain formaldehyde or isocyanate residues. These typically dissipate with ventilation but are not independently tested by Danner.
What we don’t know
This grade is a model-based estimate from public materials, coatings, and brand disclosure at 35% confidence. It is not a lab result.
No independent PFAS lab test is on record for this exact product. A lab test could move the score in either direction.
The brand has not made a specific, verifiable PFAS-free statement, so part of this score reflects that missing disclosure rather than a confirmed material.
Formulations and coatings change between production runs. Always check the current label before buying.
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.