Baffin Flare Women's Winter Boots - Calf Height Snow Boots for Women in Grey/Sangria, Black, Charcoal/Teal | Waterproof & Insulated for Snowy Conditions | Perfect for Hiking, Snowshoeing & Cold Weather Activities

So far so good!I've yet to really wear these boots out in the actual cold so this review is based on first impressions.I'm headed to Jukkasjärvi in Sweden to stay at the Ice Hotel for a few days (about 200 km north of the Arctic Circle). My travel buddy has a pair of Baffin Selkirk boots. (I really love the orange colour but it's only available for men). He said that he really loves his boots and after doing a little bit of fact-finding online and in my local sporting good shops, I decided I wanted to invest in a pair of quality boots rather than use the ones they lend you upon arrival at the hotel.After some online research, I decided I wanted to look at the Flare or the Icefield in person and try them on my feet. Unfortunately all the stores were sold out (Winter sale time) and I was out of luck. I suppose that means that they really are popular or something.I was able to try on a winter boot from another brand (Northface) and I found I could wear a 7.5 with my winter wicking socks on - but their boot did feel a little snug. (Normally I wear a size 6.5 and I have somewhat narrow feet). The sales guy let me try on a pair that were size 8 and those seemed to fit better since he also explained to me about wanting some room in the boot for circulation. I liked the boots but I was still looking for something with a little taller shaft.Elsewhere, I was also able to try on a pair of Sorel boots in size 7.5 (Joan of Arctic). They were the knit ones that were a dark pink/majenta with grey and brown and I personally thought they looked fugly. The salesman kept trying to tell me how great pink was on me and that just bugged me even more. They were shorter than what I wanted (just over the ankle) and didn't seem to offer the type of protection I was looking for. Plus, the boot seemed a little on the snug/perfect-fit-albeit-not-really-roomy-enough-for-lots-of-toe-wiggle-space. I wasn't into the hard sales push so I ran out of the store even more determined to get a pair of Baffins on my feet.When it came time to ordering, Baffin doesn't do half-sizes so I went for the size 8 and since I really didn't feel like going the pink or purple (I'm not a fan of pink if you haven't been able to tell yet), I chose the teal/charcoal combo. Originally I was going for the the Icefield boot in blue but as I was about to 'add to my cart' it suddenly became unavailable! Of course the pink ones were available. AHHHHHH!!!. So I went for the Flare! I quickly got that added to my cart and clicked all the right buttons and then proceeded to check the shipping status every day!Well the day came! What a gorgeous colour combination. To say that I am happy with my choice is putting it mildly - obviously this is all personal preference but I'm really freakin' excited about this! I still need to buy some mid-layer items and now I'm looking to match the boot accent colour cuz it's so awesome.The boots are also light, as far as boots go! This is also something I was concerned about since I'm trying to keep my luggage to a minimum and I don't have personal sherpas and slaves around to carry my personal belongings to and fro.Fit: I think the fit is perfect. From the advice I was given from various sources, the boots should allow for circulation and shouldn't be too snug a fit. The heavy winter socks that wick away moisture need a little space to work properly as well. That way your feet actually stay warmer.As far as comfort goes, I wore the boots around my house for a little while (with the thick winter socks on) and they didn't seem too rigid. I didn't get the impression I was wearing ski or snowboarding boots (but then it's been ages since I've worn those types of things). I imagine the boot would have to have a little bit of stiffness in it since it's meant to protect your feet from the elements.That's pretty much all I can say for now. I leave in 2 weeks and I'll add to my review after I put them to the test while stumbling across the ice fields of Lapland! :-DNOTE: On the BAFFIN website and on the boot tags it says that these BOOTS ARE RATED to -50C/-58F so the product INFO ABOVE MIGHT be INCORRECT: "Comfort range between 41 degrees fahrenheit and negative 20 degrees fahrenheit".-----------------------post-trip review:So I'm back from Swedish Lapland and I've just gotta say that these boots worked out great! They looked good AND kept my feet warm and protected. However you need the right type of socks. I bought 2 different kinds of socks for this trip - I thought I could get away with using smartwool snowboarding socks which were a little thinner (these for example: http://smile.amazon.com/dp/B00HE9SWP0 ) but I started to notice the cold in my toes during a nighttime excursion. For shorter periods of time, those socks were fine. I also got a pair of super thick Wigwam socks in wool for wicking and these worked out a lot better if you knew you were going to be out in the cold for some time. Plus, the thickness gave your feet some cushion to walk on! My feet were able to feel quite content walking across the frozen lake to watch giant slabs of ice being harvested as well as hunting for the northern lights at night (though mostly I was sitting on a snow-mobile).So yeah - great boots. I'm happy I got them and I can't wait to wear them again on my next visit to the cold. I really wanted to jump into piles of snow each time I saw them, however I was able to restrain myself. Most of the time! :-D