Looking for a narrow overlap (ISO alpine/Dynafit) boot - suggestions?

[steventy]

Hi All,

I’m a complete novice to skiing (I skied once over 10 years go.) I’m jumping into it in a big way with a goal of getting into alpine touring as quickly as possible. I don’t have an urge to go very fast down steep slopes – I just want to be able to use skis instead of snowshoes to travel to huts and explore the backcountry.

Based on a lot of advice, I’ve decided to start at the resort. I picked up a seasons pass for a local hill and some used skis/bindings ($525 total for the pass, skis and bindings!)

I’m now trying to choose a boot. I had considered buying separate resort and backcountry boots but based on the price, I’d prefer to get a boot that can do both jobs. I’d like to have the option of using a Dynafit binding when I get my backcountry skis so I’m looking for a boot with interchangeable soles that can fit ISO alpine DIN, ISO touring or tech bindings.

The challenge is that I have a narrow fit. When looking for resort boots, two independent boot-fitters at two different stores put me in a Tecnica Inferno Blaze (98mm last) and it felt great. A Lange RX 110 (100mm last) also worked.

Other relevant info: My size is somewhere between a 27.5 and 28.5. I’m 6’, 180lbs. I’m on the coast so we get lots of snow and it’s not that cold. That said, I do tend to get cold feet when snowboarding and snowshoeing so an intuition liner sounds like a great idea.


Some boots I have looked at online (haven’t tried them on yet):
Scarpa Mobe – 104mm last
Black Diamond Factor 110 – 102mm last
Dynafit Titan Ultralight TF, Titan TF-X, or ZZeus TF-X – unknown last
Garmont Delirium FR 130+, or Mystic FR 120 – unkown last


Does anyone know what the last is on the Dynafit or Garmont boots? I can find the Dynafit boots locally so it would be great if they were reasonably narrow.

Have I overlooked any other options?

Thanks in advice for any advice.

Cheers,
Steve

[The Duke of Hurl]

Titans run narrow. (Edit to add: 102mm in the 27, from backcountry.com, 10 second search)

You sure you want to go straight to Dynafit? Your dental practice must be thriving despite the current economic woes. No fluoride where you live?

[steventy]

Titans run narrow. (Edit to add: 102mm in the 27, from , 10 second search)

You sure you want to go straight to Dynafit? Your dental practice must be thriving despite the current economic woes. No fluoride where you live?

Thanks - I will take a closer look at the Titans.

It is a chunk of change to go straight for the Dynafit boots but it's cheaper than buying a reasonable pair of downhill boots followed by a reasonable pair of AT boots, especially if I need to pay for any custom boot fitting.

[D(C)]

I'd go with the Zzeus if you're just starting out. It's the same fit as the Titan but a bit softer. It's hard to learn on very stiff boots. The Zzeus, while softer, should still be plenty supportive even once you improve.

[gregL]

Is there some reason every boot on your list is the stiffest, burliest boot in the company's line? If you're not already an expert skier looking for a certain level of performance for the skiing part, there's no reason to go there. I would try boots "lower" down in the range, they'll be more comfortable to skin with and won't hamper your learning curve.

Dynafit last in your size is probably 103, but as a group they fit narrower than the others listed, especially in the instep. I would try on the Zzero 4 or Zzero 3 boots (carbon not necessary) and save some money.

[wasatchback]

Hi All,

I’m a complete novice to skiing (I skied once over 10 years go.) I’m jumping into it in a big way with a goal of getting into alpine touring as quickly as possible. I don’t have an urge to go very fast down steep slopes – I just want to be able to use skis instead of snowshoes to travel to huts and explore the backcountry.

Based on a lot of advice, I’ve decided to start at the resort. I picked up a seasons pass for a local hill and some used skis/bindings ($525 total for the pass, skis and bindings!)

I’m now trying to choose a boot. I had considered buying separate resort and backcountry boots but based on the price, I’d prefer to get a boot that can do both jobs. I’d like to have the option of using a Dynafit binding when I get my backcountry skis so I’m looking for a boot with interchangeable soles that can fit ISO alpine DIN, ISO touring or tech bindings.

The challenge is that I have a narrow fit. When looking for resort boots, two independent boot-fitters at two different stores put me in a Tecnica Inferno Blaze (98mm last) and it felt great. A Lange RX 110 (100mm last) also worked.

Other relevant info: My size is somewhere between a 27.5 and 28.5. I’m 6’, 180lbs. I’m on the coast so we get lots of snow and it’s not that cold. That said, I do tend to get cold feet when snowboarding and snowshoeing so an intuition liner sounds like a great idea.


Some boots I have looked at online (haven’t tried them on yet):
Scarpa Mobe – 104mm last
Black Diamond Factor 110 – 102mm last
Dynafit Titan Ultralight TF, Titan TF-X, or ZZeus TF-X – unknown last
Garmont Delirium FR 130+, or Mystic FR 120 – unkown last


Does anyone know what the last is on the Dynafit or Garmont boots? I can find the Dynafit boots locally so it would be great if they were reasonably narrow.

Have I overlooked any other options?

Thanks in advice for any advice.

Cheers,
Steve

If the Tecnica Blaze and Lange RX 100 fit your foot well you might want to consider the Cochise from Tecnica. They're a 100mm last and have a 120 flex. They have
completely interchangeable soles. Cochise comes with Tech/Dynafit compatable
soles and you can buy the DIN soles seperate for an extra $40 retail. They do
have a little more instep volume than the Dynafits but if the Blaze and RX100 fit
your foot well then you most likely have a higher instep as those boots have more
instep room than similar boots from Nordica, Salomon, Atomic, etc.

[another skier]

I have very narrow feet. My normal boots are an Atomic Ti, and even they are slightly large over the instep. I have tried on a few of the boots mentioned, and I would say that I found the Dynafit Titans to be considerable narrower than any of the others.

That said they certainly did not feel soft for a touring boot, and so if you are just starting out I would second the suggestion to look slightly lower down the range.

[PappaG]

Add the Scarpa Maestrale to your list. Fantastic boot if it fits (definitely on the narrow side).

[steventy]

Thanks all, I will look into the other suggestions.

As for going lower down the range: The AT boots I listed are the only boots from those manufacturers that have interchangable touring/alpine DIN soles and that is a requirement for me. Perhaps there isn't a such thing as a novice narrow combination boot.

The downhill boots at the stores were chosen for me by bootfitters who knew I hadn't skied before. I agree that they seem aggressive for my skill level, especially the Tecnia Inferno Blaze. The bootfitters did mention that it was frustrating that the ski boot companies didn't have many options for narrow footed novices. One of them had me in a Full Tilt Classic and that seemed a little more reasonable.

[gregL]

The AT boots I listed are the only boots from those manufacturers that have interchangable touring/alpine DIN soles and that is a requirement for me.

Why? How many pair of skis are you buying? And even if you have several pair of skis, changing over the boot soles is a PITA; most people who buy these boots eventually just pick one or the other. Just get AT bindings to start, even if you don't go Dynafit right away.

FWIW, Cochise is wide and really high volume; Maestrale is medium wide and medium volume. Both fit my foot pretty well out of the box, and I wear a D width.

[steventy]

Why? How many pair of skis are you buying? And even if you have several pair of skis, changing over the boot soles is a PITA; most people who buy these boots eventually just pick one or the other. Just get AT bindings to start, even if you don't go Dynafit right away.

FWIW, Cochise is wide and really high volume; Maestrale is medium wide and medium volume. Both fit my foot pretty well out of the box, and I wear a D width.

I'm interested in any ideas for how I can do this more effectively.

Here was my thinking:
- Buy a cheap pair of skis/bindings for the resort (I've done this now - $200 for some reasonable used gear)
- Buy a new pair of combination boots and use them in Alpine DIN mode for a few months
- Change the soles once to touring/tech mode and pick up a pair of used backcountry gear.
- Never go back to the resort.

I figured that would be the best combination of used/new purchases to minimize my overall cost without making too many compromises.

Of course, there are a lot of other ways to do this.

Here is another option:
- Buy new AT boots and AT bindings and a good learner resort ski
- After learning at the resort, throw my AT bindings on a good backcountry ski

Or another one:
- Buy a resort setup (skis, bindings, boots)
- After learning, buy a backcountry setup (skis, binding, boots)

[gregL]

Sorry, re-read you original post and see that rental skis are included in your pass package. I'd still be inclined to buy my own skis and see if you can get some money back, the rental skis will start being a liability after a few weeks if you have reasonable athletic ability (maybe sooner if they're poorly maintained). My feeling is that many mid-fat AT skis (say 85mm to 95mm waists), even the ones suited to experienced skiers, are so easy to ski that most beginners would do fine on them.

[steventy]

Sorry, re-read you original post and see that rental skis are included in your pass package. I'd still be inclined to buy my own skis and see if you can get some money back, the rental skis will start being a liability after a few weeks if you have reasonable athletic ability (maybe sooner if they're poorly maintained). My feeling is that many mid-fat AT skis (say 85mm to 95mm waists), even the ones suited to experienced skiers, are so easy to ski that most beginners would do fine on them.

Sorry - I didn't make that clear. They aren't rental skis. They are a pair of 2008 Head 78 Monster skis with Rossignal bindings that I bought for $200 at a gear swap.

[gregL]

If your goal is to learn to ski at the ski area while simultaneously dabbling in touring you'd be better off buying an entire AT setup to start and re-selling the Heads. There's nothing about an AT rig that will inhibit your learning process (as long as you have the heels and walking hinge locked down) and you can start doing easy rolling terrain on skins right away. Only weird thing might be if you take lessons and get some 17 year-old instructor who's never seen a touring binding. Dealing with two pair of boots? It's hard enough to get one pair that's right . . .

[Kire2008]

If your serious about learning to ski you will need to spend more time at the resort than your thinking. Lot easier to practice with an effortless lift than having to skin your ass up the slope.

If your goal is to just travel on a set of skis than why dont you get a set of skis with some naxo's or silverettas that you can use full shank mountaineering boots or plastic boots. You will ski like crap on any downhill due to the lack of support.

[PNWbrit]

Post a question on Turns all Year.

That place is (almost) full of people who can't ski but chose to tour.

[gregL]

Post a question on Turns all Year.

That place is (almost) full of people who can't ski but chose to tour.

It's full of a lot of the same people (PNWbrit being the exception) but I'd give you the same answer there.

[time2clmb]

skis with some naxo's or silverettas that you can use full shank mountaineering boots

Sending a beginner down a slope on skis with mountaineering boots on sounds like a perfect recipe for a broken bone. Yeah yeah....back in the day blah blah blah.

[harpo-the-skier]

Your original plan sounds good to me. Having a boot with both din and tech soles is a good idea wether you are just learning or not. If you haven't been skiing since 3, it is always good to spend time at the resort to maintain your technique, and if u spend more than a few days a year at the resort, it is good to have an alpine binding in addition to dynafits. Look at the sollyfit plate. The Zeus has identical fit to the Titan, interchangeable soles, a softer flex, and a cheaper price.


I'm interested in any ideas for how I can do this more effectively.

Here was my thinking:
- Buy a cheap pair of skis/bindings for the resort (I've done this now - $200 for some reasonable used gear)
- Buy a new pair of combination boots and use them in Alpine DIN mode for a few months
- Change the soles once to touring/tech mode and pick up a pair of used backcountry gear.
- Never go back to the resort.

I figured that would be the best combination of used/new purchases to minimize my overall cost without making too many compromises.

Of course, there are a lot of other ways to do this.

Here is another option:
- Buy new AT boots and AT bindings and a good learner resort ski
- After learning at the resort, throw my AT bindings on a good backcountry ski

Or another one:
- Buy a resort setup (skis, bindings, boots)
- After learning, buy a backcountry setup (skis, binding, boots)

[TahooDeals]

Hi Steve, I'm in the same situation. Did you find what you were looking for? What was your experience trying the remaining boots options?
Thanks,
TahooDeals.

[Caucasian Asian]

Tecnica Cochise 130 or Pro is a 98mm last IIRC.

Tech fittings, Vibram soles, and a walk mode.

[gregL]

I'm in the same situation.

If you haven't purchased yet, I'd look seriously at the 97mm lasted K2 Pinnacle boots. Solid boot, skis well, not as stiff as the numbers on the cuff seem to indicate, one sole fits all bindings . . . should start rolling in around July, knowing K2.

[Lindahl]

If you haven't purchased yet, I'd look seriously at the 97mm lasted K2 Pinnacle boots. Solid boot, skis well, not as stiff as the numbers on the cuff seem to indicate, one sole fits all bindings . . . should start rolling in around July, knowing K2.

What'd you think of the Pinnacle 130 compared to the Cochise? Both last, stiffness and skiability? I've heard its a brick (weightwise).

[Skihuckster]

Boots are by far the most important thing to be picky about. I disagree that ability And boot type should be linked. Plenty of experts on soft boots, plenty of beginners in stiff. A well-fitting boot can make skiing fun for the newest novice, and a poor-fitting boot can give the hardest-core skier a bad day.

I alpine, tour, and tele. I have narrow feet with low arches. Before I started tele 10 yrs ago I had a pair of Atomic boots form fitted and I thought it couldn't get better. Then I got into tele and couldn't stand the discomfort of alpine boots.

I recently got the dynafit titans after trying on all the options you've listed. With custom foot beds. Now I can't stand my tele boots. Fit is different for everyone but if your foot fits the titans I offer the following advantages of the Titan:
1. You can swap the soles (included with boot) to use them in alpine or touring gear including dynafit bindings. A good thing if you'll be spending more time in bounds
2. The liners are as warm as I've ever had
3. The ski/walk feature is the BEST of any boot I've worn. I mean superb! Extremely easy to switch even with mittens on and a world of difference when you're walking, riding the lift, or touring
4. Haven't had as many issues with blisters when touring with these boots. Seem to give good range of motion while locking the foot in
5. They seem to be pretty bomb proof and hold up to resort skiing. I've been skiing some 197 cm Katanas (that's a lot of ski) and they've held up to that torque and weight like a dedicated alpine boot
6. The buckles seem to be well placed for avoiding damage

[gregL]

What'd you think of the Pinnacle 130 compared to the Cochise? Both last, stiffness and skiability? I've heard its a brick (weightwise).

I skied the 100mm-lasted Pinnacle 130 and liked it a lot - as an alpine boot that you might tour on a few times a season. It fits like a Lange RX, maybe just a tiny bit lower over the instep - very slightly lower in volume than the Cochise 120 (the regular one). The flex is nowhere near 130 (at least the 130 of my RS 130 Langes) but it's very smooth, progressive and predictable. I skied them full speed from the first run on Sunnyside Sliders reunion day (including a couple of runs with a retired fireman who shares your last name) without any issues - skiing-wise it's on the same level as the Cochise; if you like Langes the transition will be seamless. Walk mode is maybe a little better in the forward direction than the Cochise and a little worse in the rearward direction, and the hinge mechanism is solid. And yes, it's heavy - 2318 grams per boot in a 26.5 on my scale (Cochise 120 is 2047 in a 26.5). I think they'll sell a bunch of boots just because of the sole's compatibililty with any binding.