Baffin Boots - anyone have exprience/ opinions on them?

[Hiking Quest]

Just realized they are Canadian and fairly close to where I live. Anyone have any exp with them (realize that as a pac boot not everyone will use that style.)

[Undersky]

Hello Hiking Quest,

Here is one NSH opinion. ;-)

I've worn out two pairs of Baffin boots.
Both pairs have been good quality for the money.
As you know they have a zillion designs that change annually, it seems.
What model are you considering? And what do you want them to do?
My experience has been with the bigger, thicker, colder-rated models.

Couple of thoughts:
To keep your foot warm, the insulation around your foot has to stay dry. Like every type of boot with a rubber rand and coated nylon upper, the bigger Baffin boots do not breathe. Instead they rely on having enough internal volume, and appropriate materials in the liners and insoles, to channel and absorb moisture away from your skin.
Of course, in sub-0C (or sub -18F) this is a race against the time you are outside in the cold: If you have enough moisture absorbance before you can take the boot off and dry out the liners, and insoles, and the inside surface of the outer boot, then likely you'll be comfy. If there isn't, your feet start getting damp, then clammy, then cold. Activity levels, fitness, fatigue, food, hydration, alcohol, etc. are all factors, too, but let's assume those are all "normal for this discussion.

Bottom line is that we've got to dry this type of boot out well, between wearings, if it is to stay comfortable.
Hot tents are great for drying boots if you can pull the entire boot apart, so choose a boot that has no sewn-in insulation, where all of the insulation and insoles can be removed for drying.

After that decision, thicker soles, thicker insoles, deeper toe-boxes, and removeable thicker uppers all have more insulating and moisture-absorption ability, so these qualities can let you stay comfortable out in the cold longer.

Lastly, I have no idea where they come up with the "ratings", such as " -90C!! " What does that mean?
I'll bet another member of this Forum can provide that info.

[Justin P.]

I've never worn a pair but about a month ago I picked up a pair in a sporting goods store I stopped at, I don't remember the model though.
My initial thought was the soles were way to stiff, but in Baffin's defense ......... I tend to think that about damn near every pair of boots.

[Bothwell Voyageur]

Hello Hiking Quest,

Here is one NSH opinion. ;-)

I've worn out two pairs of Baffin boots.
Both pairs have been good quality for the money.
As you know they have a zillion designs that change annually, it seems.
What model are you considering? And what do you want them to do?
My experience has been with the bigger, thicker, colder-rated models.

Couple of thoughts:
To keep your foot warm, the insulation around your foot has to stay dry. Like every type of boot with a rubber rand and coated nylon upper, the bigger Baffin boots do not breathe. Instead they rely on having enough internal volume, and appropriate materials in the liners and insoles, to channel and absorb moisture away from your skin.
Of course, in sub-0C (or sub -18F) this is a race against the time you are outside in the cold: If you have enough moisture absorbance before you can take the boot off and dry out the liners, and insoles, and the inside surface of the outer boot, then likely you'll be comfy. If there isn't, your feet start getting damp, then clammy, then cold. Activity levels, fitness, fatigue, food, hydration, alcohol, etc. are all factors, too, but let's assume those are all "normal for this discussion.

Bottom line is that we've got to dry this type of boot out well, between wearings, if it is to stay comfortable.
Hot tents are great for drying boots if you can pull the entire boot apart, so choose a boot that has no sewn-in insulation, where all of the insulation and insoles can be removed for drying.

After that decision, thicker soles, thicker insoles, deeper toe-boxes, and removeable thicker uppers all have more insulating and moisture-absorption ability, so these qualities can let you stay comfortable out in the cold longer.

Lastly, I have no idea where they come up with the "ratings", such as " -90C!! " What does that mean?
I'll bet another member of this Forum can provide that info.

You could always use a vapour barrier sock to keep the insulation dry. I generally don’t believe the temperature ratings on anything but the monster boots. I spent a fortune on winter work boots (from another manufacturer) and they are nowhere near as warm as claimed. I recently bought a pair of Keen Polar IV boots and they have been very warm so far.

[bushedbushman]

I used the Baffin Oarprene model boots for building a floating ice air strip in the arctic. Flooding ice and drilling holes at -45C for 12 hour shifts and I have to say that my feet never got cold. The insulation is thick enough, as mentioned by Undersky, that my socks never felt wet. I wouldn't wear them for snowshoeing but for less strenuous activities they could work.

[Hiking Quest]

Hello Hiking Quest,

Here is one NSH opinion. ;-)

I've worn out two pairs of Baffin boots.
Both pairs have been good quality for the money.
As you know they have a zillion designs that change annually, it seems.
What model are you considering? And what do you want them to do?
My experience has been with the bigger, thicker, colder-rated models.

Thanks for that response - I happened to see a deeply discounted pair ("colorado" I think) and thought at that price they would be worth trying out. Since I don't do a lot of winter camping (yet) they would get mixed use so they are as likely to be used in wet sloppy environments as super dry and cold environments. And often for a couple of hours and then back home vs all day and hten in a hot tent. But I would like them to be useful for that on occasion as well.

Again. the fact that they were on sale got my attention - easier to acquire and evaluate gear when you aren't breaking the bank. Then if you've made a mistake it doesn't feel so bad from a "sunk cost" perspective.

[Hiking Quest]

I used the Baffin Oarprene model boots for building a floating ice air strip in the arctic. Flooding ice and drilling holes at -45C for 12 hour shifts and I have to say that my feet never got cold. The insulation is thick enough, as mentioned by Undersky, that my socks never felt wet. I wouldn't wear them for snowshoeing but for less strenuous activities they could work.

Do you recall if they fit "true to size" or did you have to size up/down for a good fit?

[bushedbushman]

I normally wear size 9 but the Oarprenes in size 10 are very comfortable with 2 pairs of thick wool socks. The insulating liner is so thick and cushy that I could probably wear a size 9 but then the insulation would be compressed and probably not as warm. I should add that this model has a hard safety toe and along with being a size larger than I normally wear it does feel a bit cluncky.

[Undersky]

Bushedbushman, I agree. In synthetic, rubber-bottomed boots the trade-off for warmest is a bit big and clunky. If you want lighter and more agile for walking all day, for example, you're going to sacrifice insulation and warmth.

As BV says, a vapour barrier definitely works to keep insulation much dryer, and feet subsequently warmer, the longer the boots are worn without thorough drying out.

[Old MukR]

Went from Sorel to Baffin earlier in life. Baffin were warmer. I currently have Baffin extreme cold liners in my Mukluks- I don’t wear pac boots any longer.

[Wayland]

I have a pair of Baffin boots that serve me very well.

Can't say the same for the UK distributors though.

Contacted them about getting another set of liners and they completely ignored me. Eventually got through on the phone and they tried to sell me another pair of boots instead.

Ended up replacing the liners with thick felt ones from the US which were far better in the end.

[Old MukR]

I have a pair of Baffin boots that serve me very well.

Can't say the same for the UK distributors though.

Contacted them about getting another set of liners and they completely ignored me. Eventually got through on the phone and they tried to sell me another pair of boots instead.

I have had somewhat less than stellar customer service with several Canadian companies over the years. Good products, not so good customer relations. The attitude that they don’t want to bother, or your order can wait until they are ready to get around to it LOL.

That said, still good products, and will still deal with them.

PS- As a comparison, customer service from the U.K. has always been outstanding. I mean ‘jump to it, answer all questions, get it done yesterday’ type service.