REASONS TO BUY
Ultra warm
Removable liner
Thick rubber outsole
Impressive waterproofing
Great traction
REASONS TO AVOID
Somewhat heavy
Bulkier design
Baffin Chloe Review
A comfortable, true to fit, ultra-warm and waterproof winter boot with a durable and structured exterior
Credit: Sara James
RELATED: The Best Winter Boots for Women
Our Verdict
The Baffin Chloe is an impressive boot in our winter boot lineup. Its casual appearance is accentuated by exceptional performance in the traction, construction quality, and weather protection categories. We felt confident and comfortable walking up snow-laden hills and icy driveways. The boot's membrane helps to maintain breathability through various temperature changes, and a thick rubber outsole helps to insulate and protect from wet snow and water. This is a seriously warm and comfortable boot. All in all, the Chloe has been impressively engineered to satisfy all your winter walking needs. Check out how it compares to the competition in our review of winter boots for women.
Compare to Similar Products
 This Product
Baffin Chloe | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awards |  Best Overall Winter Boot for Women |  Best Protection for Wet Winters | Best Lightweight Coverage | Best for Winter Hiking |  Best Bang for the Buck |
| Price | $145.93 at REI Compare at 3 sellers | $205 List $153.23 at Amazon | $164.95 at Backcountry Compare at 2 sellers | $190.00 at REI Compare at 3 sellers | $82.46 at Backcountry Compare at 3 sellers |
Overall Score  |
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| Star Rating | |||||
| Bottom Line | This stellar winter boot excels in the warmth, weather protection, durability, and traction categories | Highly protective, this easy to use boot has impressive traction and insulation | A featherweight boot that is ultra warm and offers an impressive amount of leg coverage | A versatile winter hiking boot that boasts excellent traction and warmth and kept us protected in ultra-snowy conditions and uneven terrain | Not the most durable or fashionable, but this boot is warm, waterproof, easy to use, and has solid traction |
| Rating Categories | Baffin Chloe | Muck Boot Arctic Ic... | Baffin Escalate - W... | Keen Revel IV Polar... | Kamik Momentum 3 |
| Warmth (25%) | |||||
| Weather Protection (25%) | |||||
| Comfort and Fit (20%) | |||||
| Traction (15%) | |||||
| Quality of Construction (15%) | |||||
| Specifications | Baffin Chloe | Muck Boot Arctic Ic... | Baffin Escalate - W... | Keen Revel IV Polar... | Kamik Momentum 3 |
| Maximum Puddle Depth Before Major Leaking | 9.5" | 17" | 11.5" | 7" | 3" |
| Measured Shaft Height (from bottom of sole to top of shaft) | 11" | 17" | 12" | 7" | 10" |
| Measured Weight (per pair, size 7) | 2 lbs 8 oz | 4 lbs 8 oz | 2 lbs 6 oz | 2 lbs 4 oz | |
| Measured Weight (per pair, size 9) | 3lbs 3 oz | 5 lbs 1 oz | 1lb 9 oz | 2 lbs 10 oz | |
| Type of Boot | All-around winter wear | Winter workwear | All-around winter | Winter hiking | Casual winter wear |
| Fit Details | True to size | Runs big | True to size | True to size, wide | True to size (wide) |
| Lining/Insulation | Comfort-Fit multilayer foam | Fleece | Fixed-Fit multi-layer inner boot system incluging, hollow-fibre insulation form-fitting foam and Thermaplush lining. | 200 grams KEEN.WARM Recycled PET | Synthetic Heat-MX Insulation |
| Removable Liner | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| Footbed | EVA | bioDEWIX | EVA | Removal EVA | |
| Upper Material | Suede leather | Rubber | Nylon | Mesh and Leather | Waterproof nylon |
| Toe Box | Rubber | Rubber | Reinforced Hex | Leather | Rubber |
| Outsole | Polar Rubber | Vibram Arctic Grip A.T. | Polar Rubber and Icebite Grip | KEEN Polar Traction | ICEKISS rubber outsole |
| Company Claimed Cold Weather Rating | -40°C/-40°F | Not stated | -30°C/-22°F | -32°C/-25°F | -40 °F |
| Temp Drop in Ice Bath | -4.1°F | -9.5°F | -3.8°F | -9.7°F | |
| Animal Products | Yes | No | No | Yes | No |
| Sizes Available | 6 - 11 | 5 - 11 | 6 - 11 | 5 - 12 | 5 - 11 |
Our Analysis and Test Results
The Baffin Chloe is a sturdy and robust winter boot that performed well in all of our field tests, earning top marks for its superb warmth, traction, coverage, and waterproofness. Baffin's B-Tek Heat and Polywool insulation paired with Diamond Net layering in the liner managed warmth and moisture throughout the day, keeping our feet warm and dry. The 11-inch suede shaft offers plenty of coverage to keep snow or rain out of the boot's interior. The Chloe is snug, stable, and grippy when marching down slick or snowy slopes. Overall, this boot impressed us in all testing categories and would be our top pick for those in need of an ultra-warm, durable, and reliable boot for the coldest climates and deepest of winters.
Baffin now offers replacement liners. This is one way to get extra life out of your boots.
Performance Comparison
Credit: Sara James
Warmth
The Baffin Chloe is “tundra-rated,” the company's temperature rating for their ultra-warm boots. While I couldn't test this in tundra temps, I found it to be noticeably warm on single-digit days. The suede leather upper paired with B-Tek Heat and a Polywool insulation blend provides 4-channel hollow-fiber insulation for breathability in a wide range of temperatures. The vaporizing aluminum membrane in the upper helps with energy reflection and heat regulation to keep your feet from sweating.
During our snow submergence and ice bath tests, the internal temperature of the Chloe only changed 8°F and 4.5°F, leading the lineup in cold resistance. Despite the mega-warm insulation, the liner also kept our feet dry thanks to the breathable Hydromax aluminum membrane that manages moisture and regulates heat. All in all, the Chloe is truly a toasty winter boot that I reached for over and over again.
Excellent design features allow this boot to retain heat like a champ.
Credit: Sara James
Weather Protection
A Polar rubber outsole backed by an Arctic Rubber shell provides about 3 inches of moisture protection around the foot. More importantly, it acts as a thick insulator from cold temps below. During our water submergence tests, the Chloe remained watertight up to the faux fur collar, translating to roughly 10 inches of water and snow resistance. The Chloe also had the lowest temperature change in our ice bucket and snow bank tests, meaning it is above average at retaining warmth and dryness.
With a little help from the gaiter in our snow pants, almost no snow entered this boot, though deeper, knee-high snow walks caused snow to clump onto the exterior. The Polar rubber outsole and Arctic rubber midsole provide 3 inches of insulation from icy ground temps while adding a watertight layer that sludges through slop.
After stomping into the lake we found the Chloe is waterproof all the way up to the faux fur cuff.
Credit: Guy Eriksen
Comfort and Fit
The Baffin Chloe blends a light and cozy fit with a protective and durable design. At 3 pounds 3 ounces for the pair in a size 9, this boot is one of the heavier ones in our lineup, yet it keeps a snug fit around the foot, so it moves with you rather than against you. The Chloe feels true to size with a plush liner that is super comfortable around the foot. An elastic drawstring fastens the material around the arch, shin, and calf, maintaining a form-fitting hold around the foot and ankle.
The B-Tek foam and Polywool blend insulation in the liner are soft and breathable. A Hydromax and Diamond Net insulating layer is built into the liner to help with moisture management and wind resistance to keep your feet warm and dry. The rubber on the outsole makes up the bulk of the weight on this boot, providing a more flexible and nimble feel to the upper. For those who like to keep the interior fresh, the liner is removable, which means you can preserve the structure, smell, and insulation over time. We gave the Chloe one of the highest scores in this category and were ultimately delighted to wear it around town for the winter.
Thanks to a warm liner, great lacing system, and a tall shaft height, this boot has got you covered.
Credit: Liz Chamberlain
Traction
The Chloe does not have a noticeably unique tread profile on the outsole, but the Arctic rubber kept me stable on icy pavement. I stomped over chewed-up snow conditions on the trail and knee-deep powder on Donner Summit in Truckee, CA. I powered through a fresh two feet of snow on backyard trails, and while there were steep slopes to take on, these boots maintained a solid grip along the way.
The tread profile is not clearly unique or intricate, though Baffin's Polar rubber kept me right side up. I slipped a little bit here and there on icy pavement, but overall, I was pleased because this boot performed well above average when compared to most of the boots in our lineup.
The exterior edges of the Chloe splay out with each step to increase surface area and traction.
Credit: Liz Chamberlain
Quality of Construction
The heavy-duty rubber compound on the outsole of the Chloe proved sturdy and protective. It maintained structure around the foot, giving me comfort and safety reassurance when hiking up and down snowy inclines.
I banged and scraped this boot against rocks, trees, pavement, and ice hundreds of times and found the only real damage to the boot was some light scrapes and discoloration on the upper. I even got the Chloe wet and left it out overnight to see if it would lose some structure from moisture and freezing, but the boot shed the moisture once warmed and showed no signs of wilting or sagging in the upper. We threw a lot at this boot and it impressed us at every turn.
Credit: Sara James
Should You Buy the Baffin Chloe?
We give our GearLab stamp of approval to the Baffin Chloe. It's surprisingly tough, has great coverage, and kept our feet warm in single-digit temperatures. The style and fit are multi-functional, showing potential for a wide variety of uses. The price is around average compared to the other boots in our lineup, and ultimately this is a great value for its superb performance out in wintery terrain and conditions. We don't think anyone who ends up owning this boot will be disappointed.
Credit: Sara James
What Other Winter Boot Should You Consider?
The Ugg Adirondack III is a great alternative to the Baffin Chloe. Everything from the design and fit to the boot's performance is comparable, particularly the warmth and comfort ratings, though it is more expensive. Another option to consider if you prefer the Pac boot style is the Sorel Caribou. This boot doesn't have as nice a fit and is heavier, but it's burly and warm, and the thick rubber outsole provides solid all-around traction. Finally, if you want ultimate protection in high snow drifts or mucky weather, the Muck Boot Arctic Ice Tall AGAT is a fantastic choice. All told, if warmth, coverage, and protection are your main priorities, any of these impressive boots will get the job done.
—Liz Chamberlain
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