K2 Pinnacle 110 & 130

[Timberridge]

Weights?

How does it hike with the lack of rocker?

How does it tour? As well as a Titan? Or a Skookum?

No issues getting into a tech binding?

I think you know the answers here.

90% of the time this boot will ride a chairlift, and the other 10% of the time it will be able to see a chairlift.

[DoWork]

I think you know the answers here.

90% of the time this boot will ride a chairlift, and the other 10% of the time it will be able to see a chairlift.

That is actually a pretty good assessment of what this boot is trying to do, or maybe for people looking to rip big lines or something perhaps. It feels like an alpine boot in every sense of the meaning. The buckles, plastic, cuff and sole all feel exactly like a really nice, competent an alpine boot. The liner felt eerily good right out of the box- like, almost makes me scared it will pack out too big good, but having shell fit them ad nauseum I know this isn't the case.

Lamothe you are absolutely right in that having DIN + tech all in one is really nice... At this time you must give up quite a bit in terms of touring comfort and range to have them, but I think it's a decent give-and-take considering how well it seems to have executed its on-piste relevancy. I think if the Maestrale RS or Vulcan offered a DIN sole, I'd have bought either instead given their better walk mode and obvious weight advantage. Alas that is not the case. Maybe next year. As for Cochises, they seemed really nice but the fit for me at least was much better in the Pinnacle and it feels very familiar.

LeeLau I would expect this boot to behave exactly like an alpine boot in terms of hiking and weight- the walk mode really is minimal. I think probably 20-30 degrees? It's sad but it's there. Slightly more if you really loosen buckles. Have to give a nod to the walk locking mechanism though- it is probably the best I've ever seen. I can tell the way it interfaces interferes with the range of the walk mode, but hey... You can't have it all I guess. At least not this year

Phil- great breakdown, Lange-like fit is pretty accurate. Really impressed with how well the whole boot hugs my particular foot and leg.

Also I just wanted to point out that although they don't have full on vibram hiking soles, they do have a grip type sole just about everywhere but the DIN sole & forward. The whole instep/arch area is covered in it and would probably serve well for climbing ladders or rocks and isn't the hard shell plug boot plastic you might be envisioning.

[gregL]

Weights?

How does it hike with the lack of rocker?

How does it tour? As well as a Titan? Or a Skookum?

No issues getting into a tech binding?

The pair I skied last year weighed 2318 grams per boot in a 26.5, the pair I got this year weigh 2307 grams. It hikes like an alpine boot with a flexible cuff, not quite as well as a rockered sole. It tours OK, not as well as a Titan (never tried a Skookum) mostly due to restricted rearward mobility, but I think the goal was to not reduce skiability ala the Lange XT (and I think they succeeded, they ski and fit like a softer version of my RS 130's). They work just fine in my Plum Guides, no issues in the very limited amount of touring I've done in them.

[Lindahl]

Wonder what the shell/liners weigh separately. The Cochise 130 Pro liners weigh about 1lb each, so switching to intuitions drops a shitload of weight. Guessing not quite as good of a gain since it's a PU shell and the Cochise uses the lighter Triax.

[LeeLau]

yeah i suspected the K2 boot would be of that character but its nice to get impressions. Greg - how did it ski compared to the Scarpa Freedom SL which has swappable soles?

[DoWork]

Wonder what the shell/liners weigh separately. The Cochise 130 Pro liners weigh about 1lb each, so switching to intuitions drops a shitload of weight. Guessing not quite as good of a gain since it's a PU shell and the Cochise uses the lighter Triax.

I will find out for you as soon as I get them home. The liners already have an intuition foam lower, but the upper is clad in stiffer bits. Might be able to save some weight by going full Intuition but it may also lose some stiffness depending on which liner... That and it was developed specifically for this boot by Intuition to do have both the conformable liner and stiffer cuff and still articulate a little so I'm not sure how much of an advantage swapping would really be given how heavy the shell already is.

In any case I'l get you those numbers and we can start nerding out proper-like

[Timberridge]

yeah i suspected the K2 boot would be of that character but its nice to get impressions.

Certainly. I do think this boot is a very good effort and will appeal to a large swath of skiers. It also scores a direct hit in the Cochise hull. I'd also bet that most buyers never even click into a tech binding, but for very little incremental development cost on a new design, K2 grabs a bit of the tech crowd's $. From a business standpoint, I wonder if a company of K2's size can even move their income needle selling Vibram soled, weight watcher boots.

[Shorty_J]

Anyone know if they use actual Dynafit toe inserts... so as to avoid a situation like Thin Cover's nasty fall in the old Quest boot?

[Judo Chop!]

.... The designer even chimes in why they didn't give the Vulcan swappable soles.

I can't find this. I'd be curious to know the answer. Link? thnx
I would have LOVED if the Vulcan had DIN swappable soles.


BTW> Another possible alternative to the Pinnacle is the Roxa X-Ride.

It also has the Tech inserts molded in to the boot itself, and soles are swappable between DIN and rockered (meaning you keep the tech inserts with both). Intuition lace-up liners. 3-piece boot.
I have a pair, which I upgraded to the stiffest tongue. I did a brief tour and ski (although only with Guardian bindings, not tech) this weekend and they felt like they toured well and skiied well... although it was my first day for the season so give me some more time before a comprehensive review.

[DoWork]

Anyone know if they use actual Dynafit toe inserts... so as to avoid a situation like Thin Cover's nasty fall in the old Quest boot?

Oh yeah. They're beefy. You can see the thick plate that connects them through the clear plastic AND they're completely encased in the hard sole as well. They are most definitely not coming out.

[gregL]

Greg - how did it ski compared to the Scarpa Freedom SL which has swappable soles?

Sorry, Lee, can't compare them as I've only had the Freedom SL on in the store.

[gregL]

Anyone know if they use actual Dynafit toe inserts... so as to avoid a situation like Thin Cover's nasty fall in the old Quest boot?

They did not source the inserts from Dynafit, but as DoWork says, you can see them through the translucent green plastic and the construction seems very solid.

[Shorty_J]

Oh yeah. They're beefy. You can see the thick plate that connects them through the clear plastic AND they're completely encased in the hard sole as well. They are most definitely not coming out.

They did not source the inserts from Dynafit, but as DoWork says, you can see them through the translucent green plastic and the construction seems very solid.

Good enough for me... thanks!

[DoWork]

Good enough for me... thanks!

I will post a bunch of pics later on while I'm doing laundry and whatnot. It's got some cool features for sure that I think people might like to see in greater detail.

[Shorty_J]

Tried a pair on in my size and they were a performance fit but felt good right out of the box.

Flex is not as stuff as I would have thought for a 130 flex, but I actually really liked it. A bit of give that increased with pressure, no hard stop.

I will reiterate what has been said about a solid walk/ski mode switch, a great execution of the power strap (with a latch closure for those of you who loosen your boots after every run), a comfortable liner with no moulding (for me, at least), and a walk mode that has fairly minimal range.

Very good heel hold for me right out of the box, as well.

Sent from my SGH-I717D using TGR Forums

[Bird Blaster]

Just got my boots in the mail, normally wear a 28.5 and went with 130LV in 28.5. They fit a bit longer than Langes, but the last in the LV is a very comparable last in Langes. Give them a try this season, hopefully I don't regret not getting 27.5....


Can't wait to get them home to do a side-by-side check....

[murph]

Tried a pair on in my size and they were a performance fit but felt good right out of the box.

a great execution of the power strap (with a latch closure for those of you who loosen your boots after every run)

Strangely this is only available on the 130, not the 110.

[DoWork]

Strangely this is only available on the 130, not the 110.

You can always add it yourself if you feel like you need it... Or you could just buy the 130.

[Bird Blaster]

well I rushed home at lunch to do a side-by-side with my Lange Banshee Pro's. Well the last is pretty much spot on. The BSL is both listed as 326mm, but the K2 feels like there is a few mm more length, but it is probably pretty close!! There does seem to have more forefoot volume in the k2 than the lange. The lange with 2 upper buckles and booster almost felt like a more even flex across the front of my tibia - I have to play with the k2 power strap more.

Intuition in the k2 - can you heat mold these in a conventional oven like my NORMAL intuitions??? Anybody know?

BB

[Timberridge]

^^^ They feel more Dreamliner-ish than Powerwrap-ish to me. In which case I'd use the rice/sock method on them.

[Bird Blaster]

I never had any luck with the rice method - perhaps I just always did it bad.... I always tended to cook them in the oven. I just worry that I might screw them up.

[Timberridge]

I never had any luck with the rice method - perhaps I just always did it bad.... I always tended to cook them in the oven. I just worry that I might screw them up.

Which liners did you rice? I prefer the oven for p-wraps, race liners, med+high vol lux's as they need more even heating in an oven-rather than just inside out. I just dunno that I'd go as high on temp with these as the p-wraps, b/c if they are Dreamliner, they don't need the same amount of heat. And I'm not sure what the other bits on the K2 liner will do in an oven. I'd try emailing Crystal to be sure.

[skime]

130s Lv 26,5 in just arrived. Heatfitted them just to be sure. Seem like awesome boots. Put them in a cold car for some hours and suddenly they felt more like a real 130 flex boots. Tried the Lupo and Panterra in a shop and they had both a stronger shop flex (warm shop!). Now for the on snow comparison. If it only could snow now....

[SNWGHST]

Got about 1/2 a dozen days on a pair of 27.5 Lv 130's and I'm really diggin' them. Skied everything from pow to ice on the chair, and have been on one slackcountry tour with them. Been in Langes for years, most recently the Rx 130, and these seem to keep up no problem. I find them more comfy, with having more room in the toe box, and no shitty Lange draft freezing your toes off. Skinning around in them was great, I mean there not light, but if your not doing huge days in them, you should be fine. Walk mode worked great, tech fittings didn't rip out and the upper strap is nice. Impressed so far, can't wait to lock them in the Cast system.

[Bird Blaster]

good to hear SNWGHST!!!!

Can't wait for the CAST bindings either...1/2 the reason I ordered the k2's.