POLL: Alpine or AT boot inbounds?

[wolfelot]

Garmont Endorphins for everything.

[neonorchid]

I wish someone would do an article and take apart all of the AT boots and explain how each of them work because there are so many different methods out there and you really need to see the boots taken apart to understand the differences between them all. Why some are softer, some are stiffer, some have more ROM, etc.

That would be a really cool project. Blister Gear Review... can you hear this?

Lou did some of that on his blog - http://www.wildsnow.com/9401/freerid...-skiing-boots/

[XXX-er]

Garmont Endorphins for everything.

5-6 years ago I did that and while the endorphin will ski alpine or AT with a sole swap, the technology has changed so the new AT boots like IME the mercury are a big leap in AT performance

[Tye 1on]

did two years of Titans inbounds and out, just went back to OG Flexon Comps. Fuck it. I'm a hack, need all the help i can get, going full battle mode on the lift-served...

[wolfelot]

5-6 years ago I did that and while the endorphin will ski alpine or AT with a sole swap, the technology has changed so the new AT boots like IME the mercury are a big leap in AT performance

Noted. I'm starting to look around for an upgrade is 1 pair does it all.

[the_flying_v]

Dynafit Zeus. The old school gold and black ones.

[stuckathuntermtn]

Well that was informative. Thanks.

[Charmander]

Totally agree. I really hope the rumors of the slightly smaller last for ankle/calf is true, so many more people can experience just how great this boot is (luckily I don't need it and punching works for 'too small'). A lot of people don't get to experience it's power because those areas are just a bit too big for some of the population. Similar to how Dynafits are too narrow, especially in the heel.

That'd be awesome, I need just a hair less volume in the heel, but they're working OK so far.

fwiw I think my Cochise 130s are probably 90% as stiff as my old x3 130s with an extra rivet which salomon sas makes em a "150".. i guess haha

I think the Cochise is a great compromise for guys that only want one boot and ski inbounds more often than not.

[Lindahl]

I think the Cochise is a great compromise for guys that only want one boot and ski inbounds more often than not.

Totally agree - also good for someone who wants to take their inbounds performance into the backcountry for the occassion when things might be pushed. I found it pretty interesting to see Ian Macintosh sporting the Cochise Pro in AK, filming for Way of Life - which, relevant to that other thread, was using Tech soles with Marker Jester Pros actually (which have a fixed AFD).

[Below Zero]

Man, I'm so out of the tech game. What's the difference between "tech" soles and "DIN" soles?

[Lindahl]

The Cochise as well as a few other boots have swappable soles.

Tech = Dynafit, DIN = alpine

Tech also has thicker and more rubber for rocks/dirt/ice/etc. You can use either in some in AT frame bindings like Dukes.

[Ski to Be]

Cochise with tech soles with Sollys inbounds and Dynafits touring. Only time I put the Din soles on is for racing league as those bindings don't have adjustable toe heights like the sollys. 3 seasons with this setup. I have Power Wraps in the winter & ProTour liners in the spring and summer

[icelanticskier]

just found out I have scarpa maestrale rs on the way. so I guess i'll be skiing them for everything. tried a pair on in the shop and they felt/seem like a brilliant boot. what next, dynafit speeds?

I ski marker so that my tech buds can almost keep up. how are tech binders for the up?

rog

[nunatak211]

Just started skiing this year. Picked up TLT 5s and have enjoyed them for learning in bounds; have to say I would like to try something stiffer. Maybe the scarpa maestraele rs, TLT 6, or the LS Specter.

[LeeLau]

just found out I have scarpa maestrale rs on the way. so I guess i'll be skiing them for everything. tried a pair on in the shop and they felt/seem like a brilliant boot. what next, dynafit speeds?

I ski marker so that my tech buds can almost keep up. how are tech binders for the up?

rog

Good! They really are eye opening boots

[icelanticskier]

Thanx lee!

So 10k climbing days in markers and alpine boots should allow for 15k days in the rs and speeds?

Rog

[userA]

yes indeed.
b

[Lindahl]

Wow... is it the end of the world or something?

[LeeLau]

Thanx lee!

So 10k climbing days in markers and alpine boots should allow for 15k days in the rs and speeds?

Rog

What I find is that heavy gear doesn't really hurt you that badly in one day trips if you're doing moderate days. Say 1500m, 10k days for example or 5000ft 6 mile days.

Where it can compromise you is if you're doing back to back outings over many days where fatigue catches up. Then again you've got a serious amount of time already touring so its more the case that you're probably accustomed to multiple days. And if you're doing 10k climbing days in heavy gear the lighter gear probably doesn't significantly increase your range. It just decreases your fatigue. Thats JMO though

BTW - I don't always mold my Intuition liners too. Depending on which boot shell they're in often it seems you can let your feet heat mold them slowly. Try that with the Maestrale RS liners

[userA]

Wow... is it the end of the world or something?

not yet the end but a new year is upon us and gear just keeps evolving.
b

[Lindahl]

What I find is that heavy gear doesn't really hurt you that badly in one day trips if you're doing moderate days. Say 1500m, 10k days for example or 5000ft 6 mile days.

Where it can compromise you is if you're doing back to back outings over many days where fatigue catches up. Then again you've got a serious amount of time already touring so its more the case that you're probably accustomed to multiple days. And if you're doing 10k climbing days in heavy gear the lighter gear probably doesn't significantly increase your range. It just decreases your fatigue.

I can see that. I've noticed I still do similar days between the Cochises and TLT5s. It's more about how tired I am at the top, or end of the day. This isn't necessarily a trivial thing though. Skiing is more fun when you're not tired.

[LeeLau]

I can see that. I've noticed I still do similar days between the Cochises and TLT5s. It's more about how tired I am at the top, or end of the day. This isn't necessarily a trivial thing though. Skiing is more fun when you're not tired.

Yah. I try to skin at a pace where I'm not sweating much or working super hard. I might go say 5 - 10% faster on the lighter gear but when you're touring you frankly don't move that fast so I think its definitely more the case of fatigue. At least that's it for me

[Stairmaster]

This.

For people using AT binders like Dukes or Guardians that walk mode is about as good as you're going to get. IMO it's only a matter of time before most all mountain and freeride alpine boots come with tech fittings.

I really want to try the Rossi Alltrack Pros.

The range of motion on the Alltrack is piss poor. Techinca still has the best range of motion for a alpine boot with walk mode IMO.

[GeezerSteve]

IME the advantage of light gear is also about the nature of the tour, i.e., lots of kick turns and/or covering lots of horizontal ground vs. slogging straight up a yoyo pitch. Also IME the increased ROM of the new Dynafits and Maestrales saves me as much energy as the lighter weight on tours with significant low/medium angle ascending and/or booting. I notice a significant advantage of the TLT5/TLT6/One cuff ROM over the Maestrale, and also miss the wee bit o' forefoot flex of the TLT5s.

[LeeLau]

IME the advantage of light gear is also about the nature of the tour, i.e., lots of kick turns and/or covering lots of horizontal ground vs. slogging straight up a yoyo pitch. Also IME the increased ROM of the new Dynafits and Maestrales saves me as much energy as the lighter weight on tours with significant low/medium angle ascending and/or booting. I notice a significant advantage of the TLT5/TLT6/One cuff ROM over the Maestrale, and also miss the wee bit o' forefoot flex of the TLT5s.

Rainy day - lots of replies. Yah - especially for the flat long glacier approaches I get a ton of benefit out of the long walk modes in various AT boots where you get a bit more distance out of each stride. Not to geek out but say 10cms more each stride multipled by 1000s of strides is a lot more distance covered