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Reviews > Footwear > Camp Shoes > Baffin Cush Slippers > Owner Review by Kathleen Waters

BAFFIN CUSH SLIPPERS - UNISEX
BY KATHLEEN WATERS
Baffin Logo
March 13, 2012

OWNER REVIEW

TESTER INFORMATION

NAME: Kathleen Waters
EMAIL: kathy@backpackgeartest.com
AGE: 61
LOCATION: Canon City, Colorado, USA
GENDER: F
HEIGHT: 5' 4" (1.60 m)
WEIGHT: 125 lb (56.70 kg)

Living in Colorado and being self-employed, I have ample opportunities to backpack. There are over 700,000 acres/280,000 hectares of public land bordering my 71-acre/29-hectare "backyard" in addition to all the other gorgeous locations which abound in Colorado. Over the past 15 years, my husband John and I have also had the good fortune to hike/snowshoe glaciers, rain forests, mountains and deserts in exotic locations, including New Zealand, Iceland, Costa Rica, Slovenia and Death Valley. My hiking style is comfortable, aiming for lightweight. I use a tent (rainfly if needed). Current pack averages 25 lb (11 kg) excluding food and water.

PRODUCT INFORMATION

Manufacturer: Baffin
Year of Manufacture: 2011
Manufacturer's Website: http://www.baffin.com
MSRP: CN$ 23.99
Listed Weight: N/A
Measured Weight: 4.5 oz (128 g)
Colors Available: Mango, Pink Camo, Purple, Black, Navy, Fern, Espresso, Merlot, Dusk, Brown Camo, Charcoal
Color Reviewed: Black and Navy
Sizes Available: Youth Small to Youth Large, Small, Medium, Large, X-Large and XX-Large
Size Reviewed: Medium
My Foot Size: 7.5 or 8 women's depending on style

Description: (from the Manufacturer's website)
Cush Slipper
Picture Courtesy of Baffin

"Baffin Cush slippers are like perfect pillows for your feet, and the ultimate answer after a day outside, Warm, yet also sleek and breathable for all-day (and night) use; wonderfully comfortable, with micro-grip bottom for traction on any surface; quick-pull front closure for secure fit. Slip into a pair of Cush slippers, and be set for whatever apres-snow brings."

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

On first sight, the Baffin Cush Slippers appeared to me to be odd-looking... They are relatively large and flat with little definition or shape. While they may look "odd", they sure are functional!

The Baffin Cush Slippers are one of three products in the Baffin Cush line. The heel portion of the slipper covers more than a "slide" slipper but doesn't not come up as high as a "bootie" slipper. My heel is completely, but just barely, covered by the slipper's back. Over the topside of my foot, the Cush encases almost all of it to just under the front of my ankle. Three sets of baffles add structure to the slipper's upper insulation, keeping the insulation in place horizontally. There is a top "channel" which creates an adjustable cuff via a corded drawstring. This drawstring when pulled outward tightens the slipper. A push-lock plastic piece then holds the cord in place. A nice-sized "Baffin" bit of embroidery is positioned just under the drawstring channel on the front outer side of each slipper.

Inside the slipper, the sides and top are covered with the same material as the outside of the slipper. The insole though is a very cushy, textured fabric similar in feel to a boiled wool. There is slightly more stuffing in the middle of the sole versus the outer edges of the sole.
Cush Slippers on my Feet
Relaxing at Night
Inside lining
Inside Lining

A sturdy, non-treaded, but slightly textured sole completes the construction of the Baffin Cush Slipper nicely.

FIELD USE AND PERFORMANCE

I've worn these Cush Slippers all over Colorado on various nights in weather ranging from 70 F (21 C) down to 20 F (-7 C). I've worn them walking on dusty, sandy surfaces, gravelly broken shale and wet granite. I've even worn them tippy-toeing over some snow when absolutely necessary. Once, I was very grateful to have the slippers to wear while sleeping on an especially cold, windy night. Mostly though, I've worn them while comfortably resting at night after a long day outdoors!

Thanks to the draw cord adjustment, the slippers are very easy to don and doff! I pack them with the draw cord at its loosest which lets me quickly slide my feet into the slippers without any trouble at all. Then it's a quick push of the plastic cord-lock gadget and a pull of the draw cord and, voila! - secure, fitting slippers are the results. To remove, again, a quick push of the tightener, then an outward pull and the slippers slip off!

In all cases, the slippers kept me comfortably warm. I did not experience the sweating feet I often get with other slippers even when it's cold and that was a particularly pleasant surprise when wearing them at higher temperatures. Yet I feel the slippers did a stellar job of keeping my tootsies warm in the lowest temperatures I encountered. I did wear socks though when it was below 60 F (16 C) or so.

And speaking of sweating, the slippers never gained a wet or offensive smell.

The soles of the Cush Slippers are tough enough for me to wear outside in the field for short distances. I never did nor would I ever try, walking any great distance in them. No shards of shale have punctured my feet as of yet, but I've not and will not, "push it". While it hasn't happened yet due to my care in where I've gone, I have no doubt, a cactus spine would penetrate the sole and there's tons of those nasty critters where I generally roam. Also, there is no inner support for my arches, so as is advertised, I've worn the Baffin Cush Slipper AFTER outdoors activities, not during. And they are great for that purpose!

One thing that is very important to me when deciding what goes into my backpack is the size/weight-to-usability ratio. I rarely take items because I "may" need them and when it comes to clothing, I would rather spend the entire trip in the same clothes than use up valuable pack space for a clean pair of pants or a shirt. Before I got the Baffin Cush Slippers, I would either wear my boots at night in camp until I went to bed or sit around with often-cold feet in just my socks. I just couldn't bear to clutter up my pack with camp shoes. However, as can be seen in the picture below, the slippers really don't take up much room and they are so worth having one or two less food bars!
One Cush Slipper vs Clif Bar
One Cush Slipper vs Clif Bar


After 6 months of on the trail and at home use - approximately 300 hours - I decided it was about time these babies got a bath! Not that they were disgustingly dirty or smelly, just on principle. I threw the Cush slippers into an HD automatic washer in cold water, on delicate cycle with other tech clothing using a tech wash soap. Overnight, I allowed the slippers to air-dry, flat on a towel.

The next morning, I grabbed the Cush slippers and was very, very disappointed to find the cushioning in the insoles/soles had shifted during washing, forming a ridge down the center and making the bottoms of the slippers so lumpy as to be uncomfortable, no, not uncomfortable, but actually painful! I tried to "knead" out the lump to no avail. Now I was very sad! My favorite cold weather camp slippers were ruined.

I immediately went to the Baffin website to ask Customer Service what I did wrong - I should have checked with them for care instructions in the first place - and was there any remedy. Very promptly within a matter of a couple of hours, I had the following response: "Hi Kathy
We recommend...Gently hand wash our Cush collection with mild soap and water. Lay flat to dry. This helps keep its shape. We do not recommend the washer or dryer." Dang!

Not all was lost though as the very nice rep offered me another pair as a replacement! Great customer service! I couldn't wait to get them and within a matter of just a couple of weeks, I had a brand new pair. Yay! My feet are happy again!

STARRING ATTRACTIONS

1.) So comfy and warm without being too warm
2.) Squish to a very small mass with the ability to be crammed into my pack
3.) Can be worn on a variety of surfaces from indoors to dirt, wet and snow outdoors

MAJOR DISTRACTION

1.) I ruined the slippers the very first time I washed them. Now I know to hand wash and dry them, not machine wash!

SUMMARY

The Baffin Cush Slippers are just the best cold weather slippers I own - and I have several other pairs of slippers! They squish to a small mass when needed and I will always find room for them in my pack when I'm going out on the trail in cold weather. I love the comfort of the baffled uppers and the warmth of the insoles. Bonus points are awarded for the outdoor-friendly outer soles which allow me to use them outside my tent, if I need to do so.

I heartily recommend the Cush Slippers as great camp shoes and thank Baffin for providing me with my now-favorite slippers!

Kathleen (Kathy) Waters

This report was created with the BackpackGearTest.org Report Writer Version 1.5 Copyright 2012. All rights reserved.

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