Walk Mode Boot with the Best Forward Flex?

[Mudfoot]

Most of the boots with a walk mode have a locking metal bar up the back, although some of the ones out in the last couple years have been experimenting with other mechanisms. I am looking for the best boot for ripping alpine on-area in all conditions (including bumps) that has a walk mode. I don't care about comfort when skinning or climbing.

Has anyone tried a wide enough range of top line AT crossover boots to have some insight into which ones actually have the sweetest flex when locked? The question has generally been are they stiff enough, but how about forward flex quality? Lots of candidates seem to have enough overall stiffness, but do any of them actally have a nice progessive flex approaching something like a Krypton?

[skimaxpower]

I don't care about comfort when skinning or climbing.

If this is true, why do you need an AT boot? If all you want is a stiff cuff, go get some race boots.

[pfluffenmeister]

^^^ for rockin' apres ski, man.

[PNWbrit]

I don't care about comfort when skinning or climbing.

That's easy to say in theory but less so in practice.

[Wired2theT]

^^^ for rockin' apres ski, man.

Unfortunately that is the initial reaction of 90% of the people who try them on. I intentionally don't mention it until the very end unless somebody is looking for walk features specifically.

[Buster Highmen]

search "Maestrale" in tech talk. The Maestrale., Maestrale RS and the Dalbello Viruses (virae?) have good attributes. Or you could just stick with Flexons.

I ski flexons, the original prog flex boot and I have a pair of the Maestrales. The Maestrales are softer than the flexons but have the prog flex and enough beef to drive my 200 cm DPS lotae and are wonderfully light with a really choice walk mode.

[Mudfoot]

Kryptons with the top buckle undone work pretty well for walking and climbing, and the boots ski great for me, but because of strange fit and punch out issues I have come to the conclusion that I need a traditional 2-piece shell.

Yeah, I want to be able to unlock them for climbing, getting them on and off more easily, long side country traverses, and walking, but I am not concerned with their unlocked flex as much as when they are locked and being worked. So the traditional AT concerns of light weight and climbing comfort are not my primary focus. If they don't ski well then the other stuff really doesn't matter. I have light weight AT boots for the backcounty.

I can live with a heavy boot that does not feel like a slipper when climbing if I can at least unlock the cuffs and get some decent progressive when they are locked. If the Maestrales are softer than Flexons they they may not be enough boot for every day on area skiing. I don't want a "stiff cuff" or an apres ski marshmellow, I'm looking for something that feels and skis like a top line alpine boot with some progressive flex, but with and unlockable cuff. I realize that "unlockable" and "progressive flex" do not go together, but I am tying to tap the collective wisdom here to get as close as possible. I am a pretty big guy so I need a fairly heavy duty AT boot for skiing on-area, and I probably need to limit it to 2-piece shell boots.

I appreciate everyone's comments, but I know what I want and why I want it, I am just trying to figure out if such a boot exists. I like the BD Factor 130s, but the forward flex could be better. It sounds like the Maestrales may have what I am looking for, but how about something that is stiffer overall?

[Fun Consultant]

The Dalbello Virus comes to mind first, but I think it's got a similar fit to the flexon, but not exactly, might be worth sticking your foot in a pair if you're near some, I've got friends who like theirs, unfortunately I think the feel you're looking for is a result of that three piece shell. The new Lange Xt has great ski performance, plenty o' power, but a totally different feel than the flexon. It might even come in two last widths.
Good luck
Edit
And walk mode

[bfree]

Haven't skied them, but from flexing in the shop, I like the Cochise flex better than the factor, titan, and mobe. I own maestrales and they're far from a downhill boot flex.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using TGR Forums

[Jethro]

I have the BD factors (green ones), and found the flex ok from a stiffness standpoint. When I put in Powerwraps, they were different boots. If you want stiffer than the Maestrales, try the Mobe.

[turnfarmer]

Paging Verbier for more info/release date- the Dalbello Lupo is probably what you're after, new Krypton with 98mm Scorpion last and a walk mode.

[pfluffenmeister]

Cochise 120 skied like an alpine boot for me, but i'm a lightweight (150#), and the walk mode was good (i thought it was better than the Titan).

Maestrale RS is noticeably stiffer than the non-RS, but if you want an inbounds ripper tech-only is probably out.

[rob stokes]

Paging Verbier for more info/release date- the Dalbello Lupo is probably what you're after, new Krypton with 98mm Scorpion last and a walk mode.

Wooooahh hold the phone, the Lupo?

[turnfarmer]

more info on Lupo here- http://coreshot.tumblr.com/post/17375784767

Lange Xt with the third buckle shaved for more flex range might work, but I can't provide any real feedback on that boot,

Supposedly the Maestrale has a Flexon type feel, maybe the RS version would be what your looking for; second page to Verbier, think I saw his review of the RS somewhere.

[verbier61]

The maestrale rs which I have skied all last winter is at least as stiff as my old flexon. The flex is also very smooth and progressive. Have not skied the lupo yet, but have heard it will be released in a few weeks in a limited number of sizes, likely 26.5-27.5. It's made with the mold of the krypton2, which my dalbello friend report as greatly improved over the old krypton

[verbier61]

Forgot to mention... Lupo's colors will be different from the black seen at ispo, and it will be named as the pro model of a hot one

[I've seen black diamonds!]

The Maestrale has the most progressive flex of any AT boot I've used. Can't wait to ski the RS, but the original skis so well (I generally prefer it downhill to the Titan despite the Maestrale being much softer soft) that I'm content to wait for someone to sell a pair cheap after buying them off the internet and finding they don't fit.

[Pegleg]

Lange Xt with the third buckle shaved for more flex range might work, but I can't provide any real feedback on that boot

Blister's review is up for the Lange XT130. Not super positive; sounds like it's really more of an alpine boot than AT (walk mode isn't as good as a true AT boot, no tech soles) but it doesn't perform like a true alpine boot either. I almost bought the XT130 because it's a good out-of-the-box fit on my foot, but the more I learn about it the less excited for it I am.

[Kim Jong-un]

Forgot to mention... Lupo's colors will be different from the black seen at ispo, and it will be named as the pro model of a hot one

I think they make decent boots, but it would be nice if Dalbello toned it down a bit with the graphics.

[Mudfoot]

It sounds like the Maestrale is the mostly likely candidate for the best progressive flex. Is anyone running them with a Booster Strap? Any other ideas on stiffening them up, other than a flex killing Intuition Power Wrap liner?

[bfree]

What? If by progressive you mean "blows through the first 10 degrees of lean with no effort whatsoever, then stiffens up" then sure. They're far from an alpine boot flex. (This is for the regular, I haven't tried the RS. And they come with a pretty good stretchy powerstrap.)

Don't get me wrong, I really like mine. But I like them because they're super comfortable, light, and stride quite well on the way up, while maintaining acceptable downhill performance. That doesn't sound like what you're looking for though. They're no way I would consider using them as a daily resort driver on big skis.

Start looking at Cochise, XT 130, Titan, Mobe, Virus and get what fits.