For my brother’s 40th birthday party, I decided to take him and some of our friends to a cabin in the woods for a hunting trip.
This would be our first hunting trip in the winter, so we needed the right gear to keep warm. His wife would be angry if I brought him to the woods to freeze to death, so I bought him some boots as well.
I ended up selecting these Baffin Men’s Snow Monster Insulated All-Weather Boots as part of his birthday present.
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Contents
About The Baffin Company
The Baffin company was established in 1997.
The founder and president of Baffin is Paul Hubner who grew up around his dad, who spent time in the Canadian Arctic sourcing seal skin boots for the local Inuit.
They believe that you shouldn’t worry about your gear when you are out on an adventure. They want you to focus on the adventure.
Overall Look At The Features
Adjustable Cuff – The adjustable cuff has a bungee closure, which will stop snow and ice from slipping into the top of the boot.
Heel Pull – You don’t want to spend hours struggling to pull your boots on, or remove them.
Temp Rating – The Baffin has one of the lowest temperature ratings of all winter boots at -70C/ -94F.
Low Weight – These won’t be bulky boots at 2.8 pounds per boot.
Removable Liner – The interior of the boot has a removable liner, so it can be dried quickly for the next adventure.
Waffle Insole – The insole provides incredible comfort, as well as great support for your feet.
Insulation
While most manufacturers use grams to rate the liners they use inside their boots, Baffin does not.
They use a multi-layer liner as insulation, but it’s equivalent to 800 grams of insulation versus other manufacturers.
Along with the multiple layers, there is also an inner foam that keeps the sole from touching the foot.
My Experience with the Warmth
As mentioned above, I was taking my brother hunting for his birthday. We’d never been hunting in the winter, so we were a bit concerned about the gear we’d chosen.
We didn’t have to worry about the boots. After hours quietly moving to our location and digging in to wait, I never once thought about my feet.
All I was concerned with was waiting for our prey.
Are they Waterproof or Water Resistant?
These boots are considered waterproof by the manufacturer. They have a seam-sealed upper, with a snow collar that will keep snow from breaching the integrity of the boot.
The heel is 1 and 1/2 inches while the shaft is 11 inches. This gives almost 13 inches of height for keeping the snow out of the top of the boots, but they also have the bungee for cinching the top, too.
It’s unlikely that snow will invade the top of the boot.
Fit and Comfort Level
The boot is true to size, which means that if you normally wear a size 11, you can safely purchase an 11.
In the case of my trip to the woods, I wanted to be sure I had enough warmth, so I purchased a size larger to accommodate my thick wool socks.
It wasn’t necessary, but it allowed me to wear two pairs of socks, which were also not necessary for the trek through the woods and the snow.
Traction on Snow and Ice
The outsole is equipped with Icepaw, which is a proprietary technology of Baffin. It’s meant to give you incredible grip on various slippery terrains.
It’s actually inspired by the way a polar bear can have such a surefooted grip on icy terrain.
With this in mind, Baffin used pads on the bottom of the boots with a compound that provides increased gripping power.
What Other Considerations Before Purchase?
The top of the boots have a clip that lets you attach snow pants, which is incredibly convenient for keeping the pant legs from rising.
Keep in mind the sizing, as well as the purpose of the boots when you order.
The sole and midsole are molded in one piece, which will provide more warmth and comfort.
If you’re wondering about the result of the trip, my brother had a great time and his wife was happy to have him back in one piece.
It was one of our most successful hunting trips, too. Since that trip, I’ve found myself turning to this boot again and again for my winter needs.
One of my favorite parts of the boot is the cinch top with bungee cord. It’s an easy way to get a tight seal around my leg. It keeps out the snow as well as the cold air.
Watch this video review of the Baffin Snow Monsters Boots by GetOutThereGear.