1kg Boot thread

[NWFlow]

That means one who is willing to ignore Scarpa's specific instructions not to heat or punch the carbon-reinforced scaffo at all . . . they punch OK, but still not anywhere near as well as an F1 or Maestrale.

Yeah that's my concern. The work wouldn't be too substantial, but it's just stressing me to buy the boots site unseen. Guess I should just wait.

[swissiphic]

Anyone else wear out pin sockets? Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

I've seen the pin sockets worn in a coupla buddies high mileage boots. In their boots the specific issue was the sockets were notched/grooved vertically in the hole...can't recall exactly at what part of the radius; I think it was the bottom. I suspected it was due to inconsistent clearing of ice/packed snow in toepiece so that after stepping into bindings, there was enough play in the interface during enough ski tours to wear that groove. In their cases the symptom was premature binding release at toe.

Just curious; is the wear pattern your boots have similar to this, or a different wear pattern issue?

[XXX-er]

Just before stomping into the heel I ALWAYS move the ski back and forth a few times on the snow

Pick up the ski and looking from the side you will see slots in the pin at 3 and 9 o'clock which auger out smoo from the boot sockets when the boot is moved,

the slots can't be seen looking down from above & many users don't know about them or what they do

This part of the down ritual may look funny but my skis never pre-release

[mall walker]

I have limited accessibility to shops, but have been able to try on the alien in a 27 and 29 and would need the 28. In the 29 the heel pocket was way too big and felt a little tight across the metatarsals. I haven't been able to try the Travers's but am curious if people have found them to have better heel hold? I am fairly sure I can get the aliens to be fine with slight metatarsal punches if I would need them at all, but before I go that route am curious if the Travers might be a better fit?

I went with the Travers over the Alien RS because of the inadequate heel hold in the RS. For my foot, the Travers is great everywhere including the heel. That's just one data point and ymmv of course. I've also been thrilled with the boots, which took over 400k' of climbing last year and are still in great shape.

[NWFlow]

I went with the Travers over the Alien RS because of the inadequate heel hold in the RS. For my foot, the Travers is great everywhere including the heel. That's just one data point and ymmv of course. I've also been thrilled with the boots, which took over 400k' of climbing last year and are still in great shape.

Yeah, thanks, I'd seen your posts earlier in this and other threads and was hoping you'd chime in. In general, I don't care if boots are bit baggy out beyond the midfoot but hate a loose heel pocket. Do you feel that instep on the Travers was lower than on the Alien?

[mall walker]

Yeah, thanks, I'd seen your posts earlier in this and other threads and was hoping you'd chime in. In general, I don't care if boots are bit baggy out beyond the midfoot but hate a loose heel pocket. Do you feel that instep on the Travers was lower than on the Alien?

Hmm... I don't honestly recall the Alien instep. I do recall thinking that the way the BOA closed (directly on top of your foot) was less comfortable when tightened than the way the Travers closed, but it's been a while since I tried them on honestly. Mostly it was the baggy heel, on my foot anyway.

[rangerjake]

A longtime TLT 5P and 6P lover. I buy every nice pair in my size. I have one pair of MTNs that I use for the mellowest and earliest season, just to save wear on my other boots- a 5P and 6P. Have never found a better fit:flex:tour ratio in any other boot. And lord have I tried.
Mtn lab
Hawx xtd
Vulcan
ZGTP

So if anyone has other ideas. Liking the idea of trying a Fischer. Except I’d want stiffness/downhill feel
To be a touch better not worse. Last scarpa I owned was 1st gen mastrale.

[DGamms]

No experience with the Fischer Travers, but like I posted in a different thread, I tried on the new Atomic Backland Carbon boots and was impressed. No longer need tongues, ROM walk mode was frictionless and awesome, BOA for lower seemed nice, legit 100-110 flex, nice power strap, around 1100gm in a 27.5.

[mall walker]

I haven’t tried them but there’s a new carbon-cuffed Travers this season, might add some stiffness. I’m too happy to bother with the expense to upgrade but when my current ones eventually die I’ll certainly at least give the CC a try.

[auvgeek]

Bumping this thread. Anyone else with more info/thoughts? Been skiing my Vulcans without the tongue and booster more and more often because I rarely need the stiffness and I don't want to take the time to fiddle. Thinking about a light boot to pair with something like the 180 ZeroG 105. Mostly just trying to compensate for my lack of fitness since pretty much all my touring partners are faster than me on the uphill...

- Travers CC: was recalled for the carbon cuff cracking. Dang. Really wanted to try this one.
- Sportiva Skorpius: seems sick -- nice walk mode and quite stiff, but would prefer closer to 1kg than 1200g
- TLT8 Carbonio: I thought ROM, especially forward, was lacking for that light of a boot. Honestly didn't feel that different than my Vulcans. Plus I'm between sizes.
- Alien RS: too narrow for my fat foot. Hard to punch. Likely will have a similar issue with the new F1.
- X-alp: super frictionless walk mode but has far too much fwd lean for my anatomy
- Backland: decent walk mode but not very stiff for the weight (compared to the Skorpius)

Other thoughts? Might just suck it up and go with the Skorpius.

[mall walker]

Skorpius is probably my next boot. Or the next year Scarpa F1 LT. If you can get em cheap don’t sleep on the regular Travers Carbon tho (obligatory very biased fanboy recommendation)

[cravenmorhead]

Have you tried the F1s? I have wide, flat feet and they fit better out of the box than any other boots I've worn.

Earlier in the thread you were wishing for a F1 updated with Alien tech. That's happening next season. Basically the upper from a F1, lower from the Alien RS: http://www.skintrack.com/gear-tech/s...ison-alien-rs/

[auvgeek]

Have you tried the F1s? I have wide, flat feet and they fit better out of the box than any other boots I've worn.

yes, and the La Sportiva Skorpius is better, at least in carpet testing. Little lighter, stiffer, with a better stride. I thought the stride was better than the TLT8, too.

Earlier in the thread you were wishing for a F1 updated with Alien tech. That's happening next season. Basically the upper from a F1, lower from the Alien RS: http://www.skintrack.com/gear-tech/s...ison-alien-rs/

I know and that's great for many people, except the lower from the Alien RS doesn't fit me and it's pretty hard to punch. I'm scared to drop money on a boot that may or may not work out depending on how much room they can get. Wasted too much money that way and messed up my feet in the process.

[gregL]

The new Dalbello Quantum Asolo Factory might be worth a look. I've been skiing them the past 2 weeks and like them a lot, but coming off my Lange RS 130's with a not-yet-healed new ACL makes the transition a bit of a challenge and I can't fully comment on how well they ski yet.

[MyNameIsAugustWest]

My $0.02 on fit for the boots I tried on last fall.

I have average to wide-ish forefoot, fairly narrow heels, very low instep.

Backland Carbon - instep too high, stock liner was pathetic, too soft, cuff is very short
Hawx XTD 130 - not really the class everybody is looking for but I tried them on - instep too high
Travers Carbon - liked everything about this boot but the high (for me) instep. Coldn't stop the upward movement of my forefoot without really cranking them down
ZeroG Pro - again, a great boot but the instep was too high for my feet. Didn't think the liner would last
F1 - yes the heel is pretty wide, but the way the rest of my foot is locked in, I don't get any heel lift. I bought these and am happy with the up and down

[auvgeek]

^^ Have you tried bontex shims for instep volume?

[trogdortheburninator]

I have really low vol feet, and hate high insteps boots. For the backland carbon, I agree with above that stock liner is too soft. To make it fit I was adding multiple layers of foam on top, plus two shims on the bottom. I replaced the stock liner with a maestrale intuition liner and now get a good fit and better ski performance without a lot of extra padding. On the skorpius I tested last year, I used an alien RS liner with a thick insole + lots of foam padding to deal with instep volume issues. Shell wise, I think skorpius and BL carbon are great.

[plugboots]

The new Dalbello Quantum Asolo Factory might be worth a look. I've been skiing them the past 2 weeks and like them a lot, but coming off my Lange RS 130's with a not-yet-healed new ACL makes the transition a bit of a challenge and I can't fully comment on how well they ski yet.

Nice design.

[mall walker]

^ that looks neat. I wonder about not just using the very proven BOA, but I'd try that out.

[plugboots]

^ that looks neat. I wonder about not just using the very proven BOA, but I'd try that out.

True. But then Sidi uses their own version of a wire tightener thing, (non-BOA brand). They say it's because BOA doesn't work in sandy environments. Whatever, BOA works for me. But maybe again, this is one of those not-in-the-first -year things. New F1 LT looks very good.

[dcpnz]

The new Dalbello Quantum Asolo Factory might be worth a look. I've been skiing them the past 2 weeks and like them a lot, but coming off my Lange RS 130's with a not-yet-healed new ACL makes the transition a bit of a challenge and I can't fully comment on how well they ski yet.

This boot looks pretty innovative and interesting.
Awaiting comments on ski performance but in meantime how about fit?
Also is the cuff as low as it appears or are pics and video deceptive?

[nickel]

Subscribing. Nothing to add other than I want in on this segment. Is the consensus still that the alien RS is the best skiing boot in this class provided it fits? Looks like potential for that to change next year when I would be in the market anyways.

[plugboots]

Subscribing. Nothing to add other than I want in on this segment. Is the consensus still that the alien RS is the best skiing boot in this class provided it fits? Looks like potential for that to change next year when I would be in the market anyways.

I'm interested in opinions here as well. I thought the overall consensus was that the TLT 6 was the best, but that fiddling with the tongue got to be a pain. Anyway, it ain't around anymore, so maybe Alien RS it is.

[gregL]

This boot looks pretty innovative and interesting.
Awaiting comments on ski performance but in meantime how about fit?
Also is the cuff as low as it appears or are pics and video deceptive?

Claimed last is 99mm, and it seems pretty accurate, but I sized up from my normal 26.5 alpine boot fit to a 27.5 (I also sized up to 27.5 in the TLT5, first gen TLT6 and Arc'teryx Procline FWIW). I was able to make it quite a bit wider in several places, but you want a bootfitter who's experienced in punching thin PA plastics to do the work, not the "new" guy. There's no tongue, so instep height is what you make it by turning the dial. Heel is fairly wide. LIner is very plush compared to other sub-kilo boots, and quite comfy. Cuff seems a bit taller than my previous light boot (Backland Carbon), but not enough difference to matter much.

[kootenayskier]

I have really low vol feet, and hate high insteps boots. For the backland carbon, I agree with above that stock liner is too soft. To make it fit I was adding multiple layers of foam on top, plus two shims on the bottom. I replaced the stock liner with a maestrale intuition liner and now get a good fit and better ski performance without a lot of extra padding. On the skorpius I tested last year, I used an alien RS liner with a thick insole + lots of foam padding to deal with instep volume issues. Shell wise, I think skorpius and BL carbon are great.

The Salomon S/Lab X-Alp boot with a medium volume Intuition Pro-tour liner could be what you’re looking for. I have a low instep, and am very sensitive to just the right amount of pressure across the top of my foot, and can dial these in to perfection.