Both brands design footwear to keep people warm, but each one handles that goal in their own way. They also differ in the other products they manufacture.
Sorel is a stylish brand that also makes sandals, slippers, and slip-ons. You’d often find heels and decorative straps in their product line, including these items made for the ultra cold season.
Whereas Baffin is an adventurous brand that takes inspiration from nature. They design footwear, clothes, and apparel to keep people warm. Imagine that they even tested their boots in the North and South poles, to make sure they’re effective!
Here’s a point by point comparison of Baffin vs Sorel, let’s see which one is better for you?
Overview
Both companies have a colorful history, interesting core values, and products worth considering as the winter approaches.
Since they only overlap in winter boots, then that’s what we’ll focus on.
Baffin
The first Baffin boots saw the light in 1979, in Stoney Creek, Canada. The core values of the up-and-coming manufacturer were making “technically advanced, high quality Footwear and Apparel”.
Their rigorous production process includes drafting maximum efficiency designs, then testing them under the most extreme conditions. Next, they develop their products to reach the highest possible parameters of comfort, safety, warmth, and utility.
They also sell clothes, hiking jackets, caps, and other apparel. To make sure that the warmth created by their footwear extends to the whole body. These products are also listed on the Baffin website in a separate category based on the kind of activity users are planning to do.
The outdoors are apparently very important for Baffin.
Sorel
In 1962, Arthur Ratz Kaufman founded Kaufman Rubber Company in Ontario, Canada. It was in the business of making winter boots and sports footwear. The product line remained successful for decades, until 2000, when the company declared bankruptcy.
The second chapter for these products started when Columbia Sportswear bought the line, relocated it to Portland, and recreated it as a subsidiary brand: Sorel.
The designs also reflected the new age fast-paced and restless mood of the new millennium. The innovative styling of the boots is constantly inspiring people to push the boundaries. And to change the general perception of what’s regular.
Which One Is More Comfortable?
Comfort is king when you buy footwear. Staying warm and feeling that your boots have a perfect fit, is the ultimate goal.
Baffin
This is actually the strongest suit for Baffin. Style is often relegated to the backstage when they design their boots. Considering the extreme temperatures these boots are expected to take on, that becomes understandable.
Generally speaking these boots are easy-to-wear, and they’ll keep your feet toasty and happy. There’s even a nice feature in the Impact Women’s Boots, where there’s a snow collar to keep off the powdered snow from entering the boots.
These boots have a temperature rating of -100ºC/-148ºF, and they come with double B-tek, insulation, an Arctic Rubber Shell, a Polar Rubber Outsole, and an EVA Midsole. In addition to a double aluminum insole, a waterproof upper, and Double-buckle fastening.
This pretty much sums up the technology, philosophy, and unbelievable comfort level in these boots.
Sorel
The Sorel boots didn’t claim to be made for the extreme outdoor adventurous life. On the contrary, they’re fancy city dwellers, made for keeping people warm and chic.
The Women’s Joan of Arctic Boots are the closest match to Baffin’s Impact. Here’s a case-in-point for these boots: while they’re rated as waterproof, the uppers are made from suede topped with faux-fur. This makes them functional only for ‘light-rain’, as indicated by the manufacturer.
They do look so cute though!
What We Think
If you want elegant boots to keep you relatively warm, then Sorel is best. But if you’re out hiking with 10 inches of slush around you, then your best choice is, hands down, a Baffin.
Are the Baffin or Sorel Boots More Stylish?
This is really a rhetoric question. But we can give a few examples to demonstrate our point of view.
Baffin
The Marli and Denmark women’s boots are the top of the crop for Baffin. And as for the men’s line, the Control Max and Snow Monster are the best on display.
All these models are great boots, and they do have some elements of chic on them. But that’s not the main concern for Baffin, and it doesn’t come across in the boots.
Sorel
Here’s a disclaimer first: The styling of Sorel could be a little avant-garde for many people. So when you take a look at the Lexie Wedge Women’s Boots, or the famous Women’s Joan of Arctic Boots, you’d see definite signs of a Runway.
The men’s line also has some eye-catching stuff, like the Caribou Stack, and the Buxton. You wouldn’t take either one of them on a fishing trip though.
What We Think
Style goes to Sorel, but not entirely. The simplicity and ruggedness of the Baffin boots is quite endearing too.
Stability Is a Thing Too
This is definitely an important point when you shop for winter boots.
Baffin
Baffin takes the outdoors very seriously. And when you’re walking on snow, you’d need boots that hold on to the ground, and keep you steady. They did just that, in pretty much all of their models.
Sorel
These good-lookers don’t really pay much attention to such matters. But they’re not slippery or wobbly. They do offer sufficient grip and ergonomics.
What We Think
Baffin is great for stability and everything that comes out of careful design and development.
The Final Verdict
There’s no right or wrong choice here. As you can see, Baffin and Sorel boots serve very different purposes.
So really, the bottom line is, that we like them both!