another rediculous claim

BAFFIN BOOTS

For several years I have been asked how my footwear in general compares with the Baffin footwear and did I ever try to sell them Lamilite. I did meet with I believe the owner several years ago at a shoe trade show in Las Vegas. It was interesting and he wanted some samples, but when I got back home I chose not to sell them to him. The Lamilite would not have worked very well with their manufacturing process and I also did not trust him.

I am looking at an advertisement in the industry publication ‘INSIDEOUTDOOR” that has a full page ad for their newest winter boot. The headline is “Clearly. Our Most Technologically Advanced Winter Boot”. The upper is noted as completely waterproof. The liner is noted as highly breathable. The information posted in the ad also states a “Temperature Rating: 5C/42F to -30C/-22F”. I believe the waterproof part of the boot, but the highly breathable is not so. I expect this liner will perform like a sponge.

One thing I have heard consistently from people who have purchase Baffin boots is a simple fact, all have had cold feet. That does not surprise me. When I went to their web site I saw an ad for boots made for -100 C or -148 F. Those numbers are truly astounding to me but I am not surprised. Until I requested the USA manufacturers when they were advertising -100 degrees F they then stopped advertising temperature rating completely. Not even the Eskimo population goes out when the temperature is -60F unless it is absolutely necessary. So where did they test their boots when these temperatures are rare even in Antarctica.

As for this new boot I do not believe for one moment that you can be out in -20 degree F temperatures for very long before you have cold feet. ALL of the moisture coming out of your feet will stay inside the boot and when the cold air settles on the surface of the boot that cold air will permeate the upper and chill the moisture trapped in the boot leading the wearer to have cold feet. Why do they think that their boots will perform any differently than all of the other pack boots on the market that have felt liners versus the Sunwalkers that came in my pack boots.

This company functions just like the rest of the boot makers. They refuse to acknowledge the negative or outright dangerous effect of moisture trapped in their boots. What I have learned and made effort to inform people of is the need to cover your body to certainly include feet with materials and insulation that does not inhibit the movement of moisture coming out of the body’s pore away from your skin surface. Feet are the most vital area to not stifle that movement.

If one wants to guarantee not having cold feet they should wear the Lamilite socks, Lamilite insulated boots and then depending upon the temperature the over boots to -30 and the mukluks to – 70 F. while I do expect the mukluks will keep your feet warm even in colder conditions if you are dressed for colder conditions. As for -148F show me where it is that cold!

Even in other countries the manufacturers like to embellish and exaggerate the performance capability of the products they make, it is not isolated to the USA companies.

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