Just found your channel yesterday (yay algo) and binge watched through. Liked it all very much, some very interesting stuff and presented very well. Thanks!
I picked a less commented video to help with you Y-Tube algorithm. The sense of humor (dry and sacastic with a touch of the laconic) in your updates is great. Keep up the awsome work. And I would second the motion that your voice, intonation, and humor would make for great Audio Books. Keep it up from Alaska.
This was a very elegant and scientific approach for reviewing boot liners. I am impressed that you have so much real world experience with boots in arctic conditions. It would be very interesting to see how these liners compare in heat retention. Especially when wet. Thanks again for a great episode! Cheers from Juneau Alaska, Greg Chaney
Alex - Love your videos! Funny how my mothers advice in 1970's Buffalo NY for using plastic bags between socks still holds true. Nothing worked better for keeping your feet warm. Looking forward to your posts.
Nice little video. I'm living in the far north now, working construction on remote mountain tops and noticed that my badass mew baffin workhorse boots blew my mind for the first few days and then over the week I've owned them, grew to be almost as cold as the the clapped out old steel toe leather boots that I finally threw away! For whatever reason it never crossed my mind to give the boot liner a tug to see that it comes out and sure enough, I've got ice inside the bottom of my boot below the liner! Granted a small film of ice to the sole and relative moisture, not a lot but enough to make my toes sting throughout the day hahaha Thanks for the test, I'll be looking into alternative boot liners to carry with me, maybe I could just have 2-3 pairs to cycle through
Love it. I lived in -40 outside for extended periods of time in the military. Wish they were smarter about basic issue gear. I always ran Reichle soft snowboard boots inside the issue wet weather boots...so they didn’t see my boots.
I love your videos. I'm spent plenty of time in the cold - but under conditions where I can always dry my boot liners over the stove in the evening; typically while having some coffee and rum, lol. I don't think many people can conceive of just how hard core your expeditions are.
Only anecdotes from third parties, and I've handled them. My experience is that issued boots tend to be robust, heavy and a little behind in terms of technology as the procurement process is so slow. I'm not great fan of thick wool liners (either Scandi, Russian or Canadian) unless there's a serious opportunity to dry them regularly. I'm not under the impression any armed forces routinely recommend or offer VBLs to limit moisture.
@@AlexHibbertOriginals The US Military actually issues/issued boots with integrated vapor barrier, called "Bunny Boots". You're likely aware of them; they have rubber interior and exterior, sandwiching wool felt. Apparently production stopped in 1992, and in 2018 the US Army began a replacement program. Supposedly the originals were good to -60F / -50C, but the authentic ones are now old enough that they may be experiencing rubber rot.
@@aaronclair4489 Yes it's not a dissimilar principle, but the keeping socks dry part of it still requires another VBL solution, like the one I outline.
I have never thought just how much of your time before you leave, you spend in preparation to leave. I guess that makes the difference between those who do and those who talk about it. And also once on the trip, who makes it and who doesn't
Really interesting and informative review. Going to buy a pair of the Baffin Eigers. Love the velcro straps. Will definitely have a bunch of Hippo sacks on my winter camping excursions.
Very good job of keeping to the facts. Thanks I'm thinking that for the price 2 extra pair of Baffin would be an option ( to allow for the drying out of the first) just my opinion, your mileage may vary
Are you familiar with the work of Tom Sachs? I don’t know how engaged you are in the world of modern art, but his work feels much more like conceptual engineering. He also has a crowdsourced shoe wear-testing campaign running at the moment. Love your content, keep up the good work.
I have never been in temperatures below -50f . but when I was in extreme cold I wore what were called bunny boots . they were made of white rubber and inflatable. the air was the insulation. I remember they were designed for the military and you had to go open the air valve when you change altitudes . but they were rated for 90-100 below zero. my feet sweated in them but never ever got cold. igor holes in them but they were easily patched
Bunny boots are legendary. I've never talked to anyone who walked in them for long distances for many days like an expedition but they might work. I was on an over night winter backpacking trip and they were fine. Cheers from Alaska, Greg Chaney
@@airshipguys I'd work in them all day everyday when I had to be out in the crap. I never had a issue when not on snow they are a bitch like wearing clown shoes. I never hiked in. them but worked in the woods wearing them .
@@timerickson7056 Agreed, they are excellent for walking or standing around in the EXTREME cold. I just wonder how well they would work out for long distance trekking. The boots I had didn't have very good treads.
Don't companies put special coatings on textiles sometimes? That may skew your results. I wonder if you'd learn anything new if you broke them in for a bit.
Dryness is 90% of what affects warmth. The 'loft' of both are approximately the same, so it'll be down to small differences in the types of foam and the effect of the reflective foil (if any). I could do a followup test perhaps for heat loss - dry and damp.
Who knew my grocery store gave me expedition gear every time I bought food!?!? They use hippo sacks! They're not entirely like the regular cheap plastic grocery bags.
@@williamavery9185 im from Minnesota, the northern part.. no long distance hiking trails over the ocean or id have walked my happy arse there already lol... im in a fairly unique possession of being one of the very very very few blind folks (mostly not completely) doing big things... ive hiked 10k+ miles of long distance hiking trails kayaked source to sea down the Mississippi river etc.... all told ive hiked biked or or kayaked across 25 states some several times. was lead to this channel because im preparing to take a deep dive into sailing (most learn everything the hard way on my own as nobody will teach a blind guy or allow me in a class... figure ill have to set out on the great lakes witch means learning to sail in cold cold water..
@@anonpers0n wow my sort of guy. You got more balls than 1000s of able men, well done sir! I once had a sailboat when i lived in the UK. I bought it on impulse....because it was pretty! Then taught myself to sail it. Back then no navigation equipment only a compass. First time out of sight of land was the scariest ive ever been, but got to France...eventually. i really wish you all the best, but PLEASE get some navigation experience. Some sailboats can be set up for single handed use. I now have a fishing boat, with engine..... a d compass, lol take care i wish you well.
I piss myself over the idea, folks now wearing scuba socks in town🤣 In civilisation, you want quite the opposite effect. Dry feets and all the sweat end up in the material, away from your skin. Becaus, after the day, you can dry your boots pretty fine with the help of technology, which is a grow ligth fixture in my case😎 I love warm and bone dry boots in the morning, leaving cold soggy boots a thing of the past and for you😁
You are right. The membranes, both PTFE and PU work best in frezing temperature and avove 10 C not at all. Now what is the point of having watertigtness, when the water is frozen solid anyway😏 For my case, i has there knitted gloves and the performance has me blown out of the water. But i have a very narrow usecase, where the allmost never came in contact with dirt. The membrane looks a little bit fragile to me.
I literally just bought a new pair of Baffins that were made in Canada. It’s a newer style as well (Baffin Whitehorse). I don’t think the quality has decreased significantly but I do think it’s an insult to their customers and Canadian works. As a Canadian I went out of my way to buy a Canadian built boot. I try to as much as possible made in Canada to try to support Canadian industry.
@@DMSparky no sorry, they admit most made in China, I got a pair in 2017,by 2019 junk. See link they admit on Amazon www.amazon.com/ask/questions/Tx1ZKI0M8KWGOJ6/?
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