Baffin Borealis Lightweight Double Winter boot

What’s the verdict, Stephen? Reading between the lines on sectionhiker’s review I get the impression that they are undersized, and perhaps a bit narrow for winter use in a D width.

They were far too narrow Stuart, I made sure to try them in the evening after being on my feet all day.

Oh well, it was worth a try.

My feet are a bit on the wide side, not terribly, but anything less that medium volume footwear just does not fit, and I typically need to size up. I have not worn these outside the house yet so take my opinion with a grain of salt, but I tried them on in the house for half an hour after a day of hiking. I have not tried the fit more because I am not certain I will keep them. I am typically a size 11.5, and most of my shoes are in that 11.5 to 12 range. I ordered a 12 and a 13 on these. I tried them with a midweight wool hiking sock. The 12 was too narrow. The 13 felt also too narrow in the toe box area, but after a few minutes on them they started to feel comfortable, so I am guessing the liner was comforting to my foot, to the point that for the last ten minutes, I was starting to think I was going to keep them.

What is holding me back from keeping them is that I have a concern about wearing these with gaiters. The sole doesn’t have the indentation between the heel and the rest of the sole where the gaiter instep strap typically goes. Sorry, I do not know the technical terms. So I am worried the gaiter strap on my OR Crocodiles will wear prematurely with these. I wrote to Philip, so I am waiting to see what his experience is.

If you are still interested Stuart, both Amazon and Zappos offer free returns on these…

Hi Iago,

I sent mine back after trying them on a second time.

Nice winter boot. Remember to use knee-high GTX gaiters for more warmth and to keep snow out of the boots.

A  winter boot with a removable liner is (IMO) the only way to go. The liner goes into your sleeping bag at night for warm feet in the morning. Telescope the outer boot shells together to keep out soon drift snow when stored in the tent vestibule.

*Again, (with feeling) using 3 mm thick neoprene diver’s sox as a VBL for a boot like this will extend the temperature range by at least 15 F. and keep the liner dry and warm all day. I use it with all my winter boots with thin poly liner socks under the VBLs.

My Scarpa-3 backcountry ski boots (similar to the Borealis, w/ removable liner) work well even when I’m not skiing but just hiking or snowshoeing. Of course it the temps are below zero I’m wearing my Sorel felt pacs.

A very interesting boot and I wonder if the design has been tweaked in the past three years. They now offer a replacement liner so you can bring a dry one to use day two.  It appears to me that the strap/cord of a gaiter that goes under the boot might fit.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aV2Qar4Wvt4

I just stumbled across this thread  I think the boots were too narrow. I do need to get another pair of boots as my Keen winter boots are not great.

Whatever winter boot you get be sure to get one with a removable liner liner so it can be placed in the foot of your sleeping bag to stay warm for morning. That is a critical factor in a winter boot, especially one used for camping.

** And to keep that liner dry I suggest wearing 3 mm closed cell neoprene foam diver’s socks over a thin poly liner as a VBL to keep the insulating liner dry. I’ve found US Divers brand 3 mm socks the best VBLs as they are made with a Left and Right foot (and so marked) and factory seam sealed. Yes, you need to remove them every night, turn them inside-out to dry foe a while then put them into your sleeping bag overnight.

Take a spare pare of thin poly liner socks and put stinky, sweaty ones in a Ziplock bag each night. Use thick wool “sleep” socks over the fresh poly liner socks.

<p style=”text-align: left;”>Thanks Eric for the reply, I have not found a pair of boots yet. I do like the idea of getting ones with a liner.</p>