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Reviews > Footwear > Camp Shoes > Baffin Cush Base Camp Booties > Test Report by David Wyman
Baffin Base Camp Booties
Test Series by David Wyman  (image from Baffin's website) Test Phases: Initial Report - January 9, 2012 Field Report - March 24, 2012 Long Term Report - May 29, 2012 Tester Information
While I've been camping for years, I've only been backpacking for a short time. I'm trying to find the right equipment, alternating between tent and hammock. My dog usually comes along on the longer hikes, and my wife and toddler join me on the shorter ones. I tend to carry more gear than I need resulting in a heavier pack, but I'm working on that. When I hike with my dog and/or my wife and son, we take it a bit slower, stopping frequently to enjoy the forest. I rarely hike fast unless I'm trying to make up time. Initial Report - January 9, 2012 Product Information
Initial Impressions My first impression was that the booties are solidly constructed and well thought out. The sides are made of a thinner, light-weight nylon and the bottom out of a heftier piece of nylon. The "Polar Proven" phrase appears numerous times on the bottom in the form of raised grip pads that provide some traction. There are two cinch straps on each bootie - one at the ankle and one at the top. Both have a standard draw cord and allow the boot to be snugged down very comfortably. The insoles are not removable and are made of a fleece-like material. The booties are well insulated though it's not evident what type of insulation is used. Trying It Out There hasn't been much snow and even less ice but there was a solid stretch of cold weather (20 F, -7 C). I was able to get out in the backyard with the kids for an hour and a half and the insulation was more than sufficient to keep my feet warm. The cinch straps allowed me to loosen and tighten the boots as needed to help keep my feet from being too hot or cold. The material was easy to wipe off and they were breathable enough that they weren't sweaty inside. Field Report - March 24, 2012 Trips Taken January 13 - 15: 3 days, 2 nights in Raccoon Creek State Park, Pennsylvania Temps ranged from 23 F (-5 C) during the day to 16 F (-9 C) at night. Periodic bursts of light snow the entire trip. February 18 - 21: 4 days, 3 nights in Allegheny National Forest, Pennsylvania Temps ranged from 40 F (5 C) during the day to 20 F (-7 C) at night. Thoughts and Impressions I've become a big fan of these camp shoes. They've seen 5 nights so far, two of which got pretty cold, and my feet are happy to have had them.  Side view showing logo The January trip was a good test of the camp shoes. This was my first trip since the fall and my feet were definitely feeling it after the first few miles. Getting to camp and being able to take my boots off and slip my feet into the Baffin camp shoes was wonderful. Normally I have to sit up close to the fire and prop my sock-covered feet by the fire to keep them warm. But with the camp shoes, I could sit a little further back and not get roasted. They also came in handy at night. Not having to pull my boots out of their bag in the base of my sleeping bag was awesome. All I had to do was grab the Baffins and slip them on - I could hop out, walk a bit from camp to take care of business, and come back with warm, dry feet.  Both shoes in the snow Storing them was easy as well - the first trip all I did was compress them down, bungee them together, and strap them to the outside of my pack. They got just a bit damp this way but after wearing them for a few minutes, they felt just fine. The second trip I crammed them into a small, water resistant stuff sack to help keep them completely dry. This was the ideal way to store them and I will continue to do it this way. The Baffin camp shoes got a little dirty after two trips, but nothing that a quick wipe with a wet cloth couldn't fix. There were no care instructions available but asking around revealed that putting them in the washing machine can ruin them. The person who found that out contacted their customer service department and was told "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." I'll have to keep that in mind if these get dirty enough for a real washing. Long Term Report - May 29, 2012 Trips Taken March 24 - 25: 2 days, 1 night in Allegheny National Forest, Pennsylvania Temps ranged from 51 F (11 C) during the day to 42 F (6 C) at night. No precipitation, weather was excellent. Thoughts and Impressions I took a nice little overnight trip for my birthday. The weather was excellent - cool enough to keep the sweating down, warm enough that I wasn't constantly swapping layers. The night got mildly chilly but not enough that the Baffin camp shoes were really needed. When I had them on, I had to loosen everything up as much as possible to keep my feet from sweating. They still came in handy to keep my feet clean and dry around camp and during a late night bathroom break but they definitely were overkill. In the future, I think I'll leave these at home unless the temperature is going to get down below 40 F (4 C) and bring smaller, less insulated camp shoes if it's above that. After six nights of varying temperatures/conditions, I think it's safe to say that I'm very pleased with the Baffin Camp Shoes and will definitely keep them on my cold weather packing list. Summary Likes:
Thanks to BackpackGearTest.org and Baffin for this opportunity.
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