Baffin Escalate - Women's Review

We were impressed with the performance of the Baffin Escalate in many of our tests. It is among the tallest boots in our review, and it keeps the lower extremities warm and dry. The cinched bungee laces help to keep snow out of the interior, and we remained upright on tricky snow-laden terrain. While the boot delivers warmth, coverage, and comfort, it isn't the toughest option in the durability category, and the lack of stability in the upper made us a little hesitant to go off on more intense adventures. That said, we thought the Escalate held its own against some strong competitors in this category, and we would recommend it to anyone in colder, more intense winter climates.

Performance Comparison

Warmth

In our submergence tests, I found that the Escalate was one of the front runners in retaining warmth over long periods of cold exposure. Baffin gives this model their “tundra” rating for temperatures down to -40°F. The coldest temperature we could test in was the mid-teens, which I remained plenty warm in, though I'm not quite sure how well the boot would work in sub-zero temps.

During a long-exposure test in snow, I found the interior of the Escalate remained incredibly warm, losing only 4°F over 2 hours of snow exposure. During our ice bucket test, the boot lost just 5.6°F in temperature. Pretty impressive! Heat retention is noticeably the Escalate's leading attribute. I highly recommend this boot for those who find themselves standing around at winter football games or supervising sledding sessions with the kids.

Weather Protection

With one of the highest shaft heights in the lineup, the Escalate offers up a full coverage boot in a lightweight, comfortable construction. The beauty of the Escalate is the bungee lace system that not only allows for a tight fit but also creates a sealed closure on the shin and calf to seal snow out of the boot's interior.

In wet conditions, namely rain or slushy snow, the nylon upper of the Escalate retained some moisture and felt damp by the time we took off the boot. In our water submergence test, we found the Escalate sealed out water up to 11.5 inches high and once again retained a damp exterior but a dry interior. The dampness made it difficult to take off the boot and put it back on without sitting down, which was slightly frustrating. However, this boot gave me all the protection I was looking for.

Once wet inside, it was exceptionally difficult to dry these boots out as the internal insulation absorbs water, and the soft uppers don't naturally hold a wide opening when left on their own accord.

Comfort and Fit

The built-in liner of the Escalate is soft, cozy, and warm. I was very pleased with the unending warmth delivered by this boot. The Escalate is lightweight thanks to a nylon upper, and the bungee lace design allows for a tight or loose fit without having to deal with traditional laces coming undone. That said, the bungee lace is long enough that it flings around if you don't tuck it in.

I also enjoyed the footbed of this boot. While stock footbeds often tend to be thin and lack shape or support throughout, this one feels soft and cushy. However, the footbed is built into the interior, so I couldn't take out the footbed liner and evaluate it beyond its' subjective feel.

Out of the box, the space in the forefoot felt noticeably tight, and the insulation over the toes felt a bit suffocating. Luckily, the notion of tightness dissipated after about 5 minutes of wear. The boot feels true to size, but at my normal shoe size, it wasn't the perfect fit. I would suggest sizing up a half size in this boot, particularly if you have wide feet or like to wear thick socks.

The Escalate is not the easiest boot to slip into if you're in a rush, but it's quite easy to loosen up and kick off with your other foot, so long as it's dry. Once wet, this became a little more of an issue. Overall, I enjoyed wearing this boot and would recommend it to anyone prioritizing warmth, comfort, and coverage.

Traction

The updated Escalate boasts improved traction thanks to the proprietary Ice-Bite Grip sole. The hexagon-shaped lugs boast a similar design to a Van's shoe or a mountain biking flat. Yet out in the field, the Escalate had no problem charging up, down, and through fresh snowbanks.

This boot felt grippy walking down my wet and slushy neighborhood streets. It also felt grippy on icy pavement, which is a noted improvement compared to the original version.

Quality of Construction

The construction of the Escalate is not as focused on durability as it is on warmth and coverage. The upper is made primarily of synthetic textiles, which are more prone to tearing on rocks, branches, ice, etc. Although, during our durability test, where we whacked and scraped the boots against rocks, trees, pavement, and ice, the upper only experienced some light scratching and discoloration with no large cuts or abrasions.

The rubber toe stopper is minimal but does the job of protecting toes, though it's not the beefiest option if you're looking for a more heavy-duty boot. While it held up in the thrash tests, several other boots are more effectively designed for the long haul.

Should You Buy the Baffin Escalate?

The price tag for the Escalate feels reasonable based on the boot's performance throughout our testing period. It sits in the middle of the price range of the products in this review. The Escalate is quite comfortable and will undoubtedly keep your shins, calves, and feet dry in blizzardy conditions, but the boot isn't necessarily multi-functional. If you're looking for a one-stop shop, do-it-all boot, there may be better options. But if you're looking for a boot that provides maximum warmth, this is a top-tier choice.

What Other Winter Boots Should You Consider?