Another one got offshored...

[Svengalli]

Well another good boot manufacturer (last one?) has outsourced their manufacturing to good old China.  Sorel, Muck, Lacrosse and now Baffins.

I own Sorels and Baffins from when they were made here and they are hands down an awesome boot with my Sorels being some 15 years old or more.  Reports I heard were that when Sorel moved offshore the quality went to the garbage so I have been plugging Baffin more.

My wife called this afternoon and asked if Baffins were a good boot as she was looking at a pair she liked right that moment, I said yeah they're made here.  So she dropped nearly a couple of hundred bucks without a thought and brought them home.  I just looked at them and "Made in China" and you can tell as it's a shoddy job on the sole.

It wouldn't be as bad if the quality and price had a reciprocal relationship (one goes down, the other goes down and vice versa) but heck no.  Price is the same, quality is not.

   

[da man cave shack]

Man that sucks but typical big bussines only looking out for themselves not the people that keep them afloat. Are going to call and complain to them? If so I hope they do.something for you.

[Burtess]

I think as with Kamik that Baffin does make some of its models offshore.  I believe most of the molded rubber models etc. are manufactured in Canada and the more stitched and foam soled etc. are made in China.  My Titans are made in Canada and the pair of Zone lightweight boots I just bought are made in China. 

What model did she buy???


This is an article from last year when they were further expanding manufacturing capacity in Hamilton:

http://www.thespec.com/news-story/3858704-at-baffin-these-boots-are-made-for-helping/

Too bad that on the Baffin website it doesn't identify the manufacturing location like Kamik does on theirs.....

Burt

[Svengalli]

Man that sucks but typical big bussines only looking out for themselves not the people that keep them afloat. Are going to call and complain to them? If so I hope they do.something for you.

I'll write them and likely post to their FB page but it won't be for something in return, but to let them know the boots are being returned.  Funny, after plugging them for the last few years I almost feel let down...  As "Canada's Largest Boot Manufacturer" it's disappointing. While it may not be false advertising, after all if no one else makes them here anymore than technically the guy who makes one pair here would be "Canada's Largest Boot Manufacturer", it is misleading.

I think as with Kamik that Baffin does make some of its models offshore.  I believe most of the molded rubber models etc. are manufactured in Canada and the more stitched and foam soled etc. are made in China.  My Titans are made in Canada and the pair of Zone lightweight boots I just bought are made in China. 

What model did she buy???


This is an article from last year when they were further expanding manufacturing capacity in Hamilton:

http://www.thespec.com/news-story/3858704-at-baffin-these-boots-are-made-for-helping/

Too bad that on the Baffin website it doesn't identify the manufacturing location like Kamik does on theirs.....

Burt

The model was Chloe or Resolute, I saw China and put them down.  I wouldn't be so sure about all of the Titan boot being manufactured here still, the outers possibly but the liner, not so sure.  The article mentions building success on the made-in-Canada label but the cold weather boots aren't made in Canada  .  It also mentions moving the production of the heritage boot back to Canada, but the heritage boot was a limited edition boot which appears to never have been made elsewhere and is no longer available.   

[kasilofchrisn]

Extra tuff rubber boots is another American made product that was outsourced to Chinese production.
They were know as a comfortable and quality boot. The first batch from China weren't lasting guys a month before falling completely apart.
They blamed a lack of sufficient training in their Chinese work force. In reality they shot themselves in the foot and lost a ton of customers.
I hope it bankrupts them!
That's too bad that Baffin has gone the same route or is starting too.

[Caseman]

That sucks.   I was going to pull the trigger on some baffin impacts or apex.   

Anybody know if these were always made in China.   Impacts and apex...

[UFCreel]

My Apex have held up good. My second pair of boots is Bata Mickey boots.

[SnoHam13]

check thees out  http://www.mukluks.com/

they work great to keep your feet warm

I wouldn't wade in water with them but they are great for snow and ice

SnoHam13

[mawaukee]

Where did it say Made In China? On the boot? The box? The tag? Just curious -- I just bought a pair of Eiger Polars and I can't find anything.

[Clear_Ice]

Its unfortunate that while a company is lowering it's own costs to produce it's own goods, they aren't lowering costs to the consumer as well.. Oh well I guess that's just Capitalism

[Svengalli]

Where did it say Made In China? On the boot? The box? The tag? Just curious -- I just bought a pair of Eiger Polars and I can't find anything.

The boots say "Made in China" it on the boot liners on the size chart tag.  The box says "Box made in China".

Find it now?

[thomasthepikehunter]

Try finding a made in usa winter boot in size 15 wide or 16. I have not found one. The best I've found is mickey/bunny boots, and I plan to get some when I can. I even looked at boots made in canada, and other quality boots not made in china. I found a couple, but they were out of this world expensive.

[Svengalli]

Try finding a made in usa winter boot in size 15 wide or 16. I have not found one. The best I've found is mickey/bunny boots, and I plan to get some when I can. I even looked at boots made in canada, and other quality boots not made in china. I found a couple, but they were out of this world expensive.

Yeah I am almost in the same boat.  I am not quite a 15 but a solid 14 for my winter boots.  My Sorels are 14 and were made here, once.  Not sure about out of this world expensive but anything around 200 is fine by me if I can count on the quality.  Like I said before I have 15 years into my old Sorels and they've still got a few solid years left in them.

[Rebelss]

Whaddya expect from people who wear thong sandals? 

[IceBalls]

You guys go ahead and buy those Mickeys (get the "Bada" brand).... best darn boots I've ever owned.  You can get them for about $35 to $50 on line at E-Bay.

[Svengalli]

You guys go ahead and buy those Mickeys (get the "Bada" brand).... best darn boots I've ever owned.  You can get them for about $35 to $50 on line at E-Bay.

Not berating them but the black mickeys are for sure not warm enough here and the whites likely aren't either.  -30 to -40C is a regular event here and my feet get way too sweaty in an all rubber boot.  The Baffins I have are an all rubber (Titans) but I save their use for when I'm headed into a slush topped lake or when the spring melt begins otherwise I stick with the boots that breathe.

[kasilofchrisn]

I had a pair of the white bunny boots and they are the warmest out there.
I now have the black mickey boots as I got them locally at a good price($30 brand new) and my white bunny boots were wore out( I got them used).
What's nice about them is if they do get wet inside you can just wipe them dry with a paper towel and you are good to go again with dry boots.
I know the bunny boots from BATA are the warmest out there and definitely the go to boot in arctic Alaska. Even down to -50*F they keep your feet warm.
I'm not sure there is a better arctic boot made. At least by Alaska standards and people here have tried them all.
The white Bunny boots or the black Mickeys are the most popular winter boot here.
If I remember correctly the white BATA boots were made for the airforce for high elevation flying and the black mickeys were made for the US army and are not quite as warm.