Baffin Impact Review

We have never worn a warmer pair of winter boots, but also have never worn boots that are so heavy and bulky. Don't plan on doing anything that involves foot precision while wearing these boots, including driving or hiking.

Performance Comparison

Warmth

The Baffin Impact is a very warm boot. It has two significant layers of insulation, one being the removable synthetically insulated liner and the other being the thinner fixed lining on the inside of the shell. The sole features a honeycomb pattern platform to capture air underneath the foot, making this well-insulated boot even warmer. We never felt cold feet while wearing these boots and we can't imagine the temperatures necessary to defeat the insulation here.

The inner liner is removable for drying purposes, but don't try to wear these boots without the liner, as the foot cavity is too large to be useful. The insulation fixed to the shell is about the thickness of the neoprene layers on the inside of most slip-on winter work boots. Combined, the two insulation layers make the warmest boot we've ever tested. But they also make the boot thick, unwieldy, and heavy.

Weather Protection

Upon first glance, these boots look extremely waterproof. They feature a rubber shell around the foot and an incredible shaft height of 13.25 inches. They even have a drawcord hem at the top of the shaft to seal out snow and cold temperatures from above. In the well-below freezing temperatures that this boot is meant for, these boots effectively shield the foot and calf from snow and wind.

A closer inspection of the boot's construction revealed a major flaw in the waterproofing, which was verified when we submerged these boots in water. The seam between the rubber shell and the leather panel around the ankles isn't sealed, and the stitching isn't tight enough to pull the leather close to the rubber and make it waterproof. After about ten seconds of submersion, we started to feel a leak, and after a minute, the water had fully soaked through the removable liner.

Comfort and Fit

Unsurprisingly, the Impact are a chore to wear. The insulating liner is soft and cozy, and our feet never felt uncomfortable or pressured. Due to the huge amount of insulation and thick shell materials, these boots are wide and unwieldy, like an equivalent to space boots. They also weigh nearly six and a half pounds per pair, which is over three pounds per boot, making them very difficult to wear if walking any distance. The shaft has two tightening straps secured by large plastic clips, and these clips do an ok job of making the boot feel tighter but don't provide much support. Since the boots are so wide already, we rarely took the time to tighten them, instead choosing to slip our feet inside and start walking.

It's not that the fit of the Impact is off, instead our feet felt cocooned, cozy, and didn't slide around much. These boots are so wide, however, that it is hard to imagine doing anything other than standing around when ice fishing or performing very basic work or chores like brief shoveling missions. Users in the coldest winter climates at arctic latitudes may need these boots, but for anyone else, they are so bulky that they are hard to use.

Traction

The Impact has a good tread pattern with sharp lugs that bite into snow effectively. There is enough negative space to provide purchase in powder, but not enough to absorb dry surface irregularities like rocks and gravel if used off-trail. We didn't slip on any surface covered with snow, which is a good sign for those hoping to use these boots for shoveling the drive or for highway work.

There is a circular lug pattern on the heel and ball of each foot, which may be to prevent spinning when planted. We also noticed there is no tread under the foot's arch, only negative space. We would like to see full-length tread with patterns like those seen on snow tires, which would improve this boot's traction on unpaved surfaces.

Quality of Construction

Overall, this boot is built to last. They feature thick rubber lugs that won't wear down anytime soon, especially in the deep snow that they are designed for. The seams are all double-stitched for redundancy, and a toe cap helps protect the front of the boot from premature wear.

The weak spot in the armor is the plastic hardware used for the front clips and the cinch cord at the top of the boot shaft. These components are flimsy and will be the first things to go, especially in the frigid temperatures. We've all broken plastic clips before, and it's no fun to deal with, and these clips are in a high-impact area of the boot. One side of the front clip is fixed, so if that clip breaks, you'll have to send the boots in to get professionally repaired. The drawcord itself that seals the boot cuff is also a weakness. Over time, drawcords get frayed from the sliding cinch mechanism from scratching along the surface and they can eventually snap.

Should You Buy the Baffin Impact?

The Baffin Impact is an incredibly warm winter Pac boot, but it isn't waterproof. It's also so large that it makes walking very challenging. It is cozy and comfortable against the foot, but we can't imagine using these boots unless temperatures drop below zero and we had to spend a lot of time standing around outside. For extreme cold, however, they are the best option we have used. Also of note, these boots are expensive! If you need boots this warm they could be lifesavers and are probably worth the money, but that is such a small segment of the population that we have a hard time saying that these are a good value.

What Other Winter Boots Should You Consider?