PFAS Regulation - An Opinion of What to Consider

Having gear with effective water-repellency and waterproofness to accompany you on a given hunting adventure is critical. Whether that adventure involves a morning sit from a treestand or a multi-day trip into the Far North, there are few things worse than exposure to moisture and the saturation that follows. With the PFAS (perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances) regulations that are quickly manifesting and will soon take effect in 2025 (if not already), the only certainty with the water-repellency and waterproofness of the technical clothing and shelters to come is uncertainty itself. 

PFAS - Over Simplified

Per the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, PFAS are a large, complex group of synthetic chemicals that have long been used in consumer products around the world since about the 1950s, and some scientific studies suggest PFAS exposure can lead to a variety of health effects. For greater detail pertaining to PFAS, I’d encourage you to perform further research online or elsewhere to better suit your personal, desired level of understanding. 

What Gear May Have PFAS?

Traditionally, PFAS may be found in certain outdoor products such as footwear, technical clothing, and shelters where water-repellency and/or waterproofness are a necessary design specification. Additionally, PFAS may be found in non-stick cookware, certain food packaging materials, and even in some electronics. This isn’t always the case, but these are common areas where previous PFAS use during manufacturing has lended the product to perform more favorably in the field

What To Consider - Opinion

When it comes to the water-repellency and waterproofness of your favorite technical clothing and shelter, there’s a good possibility that your positive experiences there stem from the use of PFAS by their manufacturers. With the PFAS regulations at-hand, there’s also a fair reason to expect that future variants of that same technical clothing and those same shelters may not perform so favorably when exposed to the same use conditions as before. So, should you further research the potential health effects of PFAS on your own and soon? There, I will let each of you decide for yourselves and rightfully so. But, should you consider purchasing new technical clothing and shelters before the end of the year? Potentially, based on your pending research and the decisions made there. At least for some, having the confidence to withstand the elements through the use of tested and proven gear, on the few hunting adventures most have each year, may outweigh the potential health risks. Again, the research and decisions to be made with concern to PFAS are personal and unique to each individual with no clear right or wrong technique implied here.

Have a gear-related question? Give us a call at (435) 263-0207 or shoot us an email at info@gearfool.com today and we’d be happy to help where we can!