67cj5
Man On a Mission
Last year I bought 5 pairs of Baffin Boots and 5 pairs of Sorels and I thought it was about time I test them out, With both brands being premier cold weather boots I noticed that each brand has it's own merits which some will like and some won't,
First off comfort and fit, The first pair I bought back in 2013 and they were the Baffin Impact, The first thing you notice is the size of the Impacts, compaired to a normal Hiking boot the Impacts are Huge with a Capital "H" due to the amount of insulation they measure 5 and a half inches wide or 140mm and around 14" long or 350mm based on a size 12 US or size 11 UK,
The Impacts have a Foot hugging 8 layer insulation system which moulds it's self to fit your foot, I was advised by the retailer to size up going from a US 11 to a US 12 which works Spot On because of the excess of Insulation I can wear 2 pairs of socks and still have some wiggle room or I can wear one pair of socks and the lining will adjust to suit my foot resulting in something that feels like putting your foot in to a close fitting sleeping bag, This Up Sizing works with 4 out of the 5 pairs I bought due to the thick liners they have, The Boots in question are the Baffin Impacts, Baffin Crossfire's, Baffin Snow Monster's and the Baffin Titans, But the one model that sizing up is not a good Idea it the Baffin Trapper rated down to -60*c / -76*f which is a very nice light boot compaired to the other 4 but the liner is much thinner than the others,
Another good thing about the thick liners in the other 4 pairs is that there is less Heel Slip that is found in other brands due to how they hug your foot,
Then I bought 5 pairs of Sorel Boots, Here my first lesson was "Don't Size Up" on their Glacier XT and their Caribou XT's, Because with either of these Boots I can wear 2 pairs of medium thickness Socks and no matter how tight I lace them up there is still an annoying amount of Heel Slip, No doubt I can off set this by buying Thicker Socks, On the up side the Felt type liners in the Sorels are very comfortable but due to the heel slip when you take a step it feels like the Heel is Flexing under your foot when you step on a hard surface which makes the Boot feel looser than it really is So what ever you do forget sizing up in these two models,
Next came the Sorel Conquests whick are really nice boot, I bought one pair in US 11 / UK 10 and another pair in US 12 / UK 11, I like every thing about these boots, I take a US 11 / UK 10 in all other footwear but I found that wearing the US 11 gave me survere Cramp type pain in the Toe's of my right foot when sitting still after a couple of hours, So then I tested the US 12 and that was Great but then I noticed that it also did the same after a few hours, I am hoping that this is a breaking In Issue because they are a great Boot and the only pair out of all of the Sorels that can be worn for Driving,
The Conquests do not have a removable Liner like the XT's or the Baffin's which I am undecided about what I think of that, Rated down to -40*c / -40*f I think might a walking rating not a sitting still rating because when you Compare it to the -40 * Baffin Crossfire which has over 1" / 25mm of insulation I very much doubt if the Sorel Conquests can match the Cold Weather performance of the -40* Crossfire and as much as I like the Conquests I would rather wear the Baffin Crossfire's when the weather turns bad,
Out of all 10 pairs of Boots the only ones made in Canada are the Baffin Titan's and the Baffin Trapper's and all the others are made Over seas and All the Liners are made over seas also, Regardless of where they are made Both the Baffin's and the Sorels are the Best Extreme Cold Weather Boots money can Buy,
My favourite Boots has to be the Sorel Glacier XT's and the Baffin Impacts, These boots are all but Bomb Proof and If the Liners are Dry and you get cold feet wearing the Impacts you need to get to the Doctors real Quick,
For Winter everyday City, Town, Work and Hunting etc the Baffin Crossfire -40* boot is a real winner and is fast becoming my Go to Boot, But if you want a medium Mid Shin height Boot that is water proof right to the top, rated down to -70*c / -94*f then take a look at the Baffin Snow Monster, The Snow Monster is a nice balance between the Impact -100*c / -148*f and the Crossfire -40 Boot,
The Baffin Titan is an Awesome Wellington Boot Rated down to -100*c / -148*f I find it too narrow to wear 2 pairs of socks and due to the design It has a little more heel slip than all the others, Lastly The Baffin Trapper it's a really nice light weight Wellington Boot, Rated down to -60*c / -76*f but what ever you decide I personally would order my True size in the Trapper,
My personal favourites, 1st Sorel Glacier XT's, 2nd Baffin Impact, 3rd Baffin Crossfire, 4th Baffin Snow Monster's, 5th Baffin Trapper's,
Anyway I hope that helps,
First off comfort and fit, The first pair I bought back in 2013 and they were the Baffin Impact, The first thing you notice is the size of the Impacts, compaired to a normal Hiking boot the Impacts are Huge with a Capital "H" due to the amount of insulation they measure 5 and a half inches wide or 140mm and around 14" long or 350mm based on a size 12 US or size 11 UK,
The Impacts have a Foot hugging 8 layer insulation system which moulds it's self to fit your foot, I was advised by the retailer to size up going from a US 11 to a US 12 which works Spot On because of the excess of Insulation I can wear 2 pairs of socks and still have some wiggle room or I can wear one pair of socks and the lining will adjust to suit my foot resulting in something that feels like putting your foot in to a close fitting sleeping bag, This Up Sizing works with 4 out of the 5 pairs I bought due to the thick liners they have, The Boots in question are the Baffin Impacts, Baffin Crossfire's, Baffin Snow Monster's and the Baffin Titans, But the one model that sizing up is not a good Idea it the Baffin Trapper rated down to -60*c / -76*f which is a very nice light boot compaired to the other 4 but the liner is much thinner than the others,
Another good thing about the thick liners in the other 4 pairs is that there is less Heel Slip that is found in other brands due to how they hug your foot,
Then I bought 5 pairs of Sorel Boots, Here my first lesson was "Don't Size Up" on their Glacier XT and their Caribou XT's, Because with either of these Boots I can wear 2 pairs of medium thickness Socks and no matter how tight I lace them up there is still an annoying amount of Heel Slip, No doubt I can off set this by buying Thicker Socks, On the up side the Felt type liners in the Sorels are very comfortable but due to the heel slip when you take a step it feels like the Heel is Flexing under your foot when you step on a hard surface which makes the Boot feel looser than it really is So what ever you do forget sizing up in these two models,
Next came the Sorel Conquests whick are really nice boot, I bought one pair in US 11 / UK 10 and another pair in US 12 / UK 11, I like every thing about these boots, I take a US 11 / UK 10 in all other footwear but I found that wearing the US 11 gave me survere Cramp type pain in the Toe's of my right foot when sitting still after a couple of hours, So then I tested the US 12 and that was Great but then I noticed that it also did the same after a few hours, I am hoping that this is a breaking In Issue because they are a great Boot and the only pair out of all of the Sorels that can be worn for Driving,
The Conquests do not have a removable Liner like the XT's or the Baffin's which I am undecided about what I think of that, Rated down to -40*c / -40*f I think might a walking rating not a sitting still rating because when you Compare it to the -40 * Baffin Crossfire which has over 1" / 25mm of insulation I very much doubt if the Sorel Conquests can match the Cold Weather performance of the -40* Crossfire and as much as I like the Conquests I would rather wear the Baffin Crossfire's when the weather turns bad,
Out of all 10 pairs of Boots the only ones made in Canada are the Baffin Titan's and the Baffin Trapper's and all the others are made Over seas and All the Liners are made over seas also, Regardless of where they are made Both the Baffin's and the Sorels are the Best Extreme Cold Weather Boots money can Buy,
My favourite Boots has to be the Sorel Glacier XT's and the Baffin Impacts, These boots are all but Bomb Proof and If the Liners are Dry and you get cold feet wearing the Impacts you need to get to the Doctors real Quick,
For Winter everyday City, Town, Work and Hunting etc the Baffin Crossfire -40* boot is a real winner and is fast becoming my Go to Boot, But if you want a medium Mid Shin height Boot that is water proof right to the top, rated down to -70*c / -94*f then take a look at the Baffin Snow Monster, The Snow Monster is a nice balance between the Impact -100*c / -148*f and the Crossfire -40 Boot,
The Baffin Titan is an Awesome Wellington Boot Rated down to -100*c / -148*f I find it too narrow to wear 2 pairs of socks and due to the design It has a little more heel slip than all the others, Lastly The Baffin Trapper it's a really nice light weight Wellington Boot, Rated down to -60*c / -76*f but what ever you decide I personally would order my True size in the Trapper,
My personal favourites, 1st Sorel Glacier XT's, 2nd Baffin Impact, 3rd Baffin Crossfire, 4th Baffin Snow Monster's, 5th Baffin Trapper's,
Anyway I hope that helps,
Last edited: