Dalbello Quantum '20-'21

[grinch]

Yes good to know. Pretty much dashed my hopes. ZGTP still looks to be the one

Sent from my SM-G950W using TGR Forums mobile app

[jacob_dbu]

Dang, significantly more volume in the 26.5 Quantum than the 27.5 ZGTP? Good to know

I have to say I completely disagree with this assessment. I ski a 26.5 ZGTP. I tried on the 26.5 and 27.5 Quantums. I just bought the 27.5 on here. The 26.5 felt a little too on the snug side for me. The 27.5 is definitely a little big, but I think I could go with either. I would not ski the ZGTP in a 27.5

[NorCalNomad]

I have to say I completely disagree with this assessment. I ski a 26.5 ZGTP. I tried on the 26.5 and 27.5 Quantums. I just bought the 27.5 on here. The 26.5 felt a little too on the snug side for me. The 27.5 is definitely a little big, but I think I could go with either. I would not ski the ZGTP in a 27.5

Might be good to qualify your experience with what your foot size and shape is like.

[ExoticSkis]

Pulled the trigger on a pair of Dalbello Quantum Free 130... hopefully they will show up before the weekend arrives...will report on sizing and first impressions.... Currently in a 26.5 Salomon X-Max 130 carbon for on-piste runs.. hoping the advice to go to 27.5 in the Quantum Free 130 works out... stay tuned

[ExoticSkis]

UPS-Santa came today bearing Italian footwear....
Quick pics of new 2021-2022 Quantum Free Asolo Factory 130 . Will do first runs tomorrow..hopefully.
Initial fit out of the box: My piste boot is 26.5 Salomon X-Max 130 Carbon...fits like a glove.
I have normal-proportion medium-sized feet..no oddities in arch, heel, forefoot, toes...etc...pretty boring.
Upsized to 27.5 in the Dalbello touring boot... pretty much the same glove-like fit. The 26.5 would definitely be too small for me in this boot. Have not had liner heated yet. Decent built-in gaiter, buckles/cables are easy to use. Powerstrap definitely the key to getting support to the cuff when locked into downhill mode. Stated 98mm last.
,
Measured weight: 1319 grams and 3122 grams (size 27.5) without the volume reduction sole inserts (stock footbed).

[jacob_dbu]

Sweet! Excited to hear how they ski. I’ve been loving my Asolo Factories but I would trade off a little weight for some beef

[JRainey]

Why wouldn't the lite/asolo factory be the way to go, then beef up with liner and booster? Vs going with the Free.

It seems like the Lite would be the perfect stiff/light shell that we can add our own (preferred) weight to.

[jacob_dbu]

Why wouldn't the lite/asolo factory be the way to go, then beef up with liner and booster? Vs going with the Free.

It seems like the Lite would be the perfect stiff/light shell that we can add our own (preferred) weight to.

Apparently the last is slightly different? But I would also say that if you want to avoid BOA / similar nonsense.

[NorCalNomad]

Man if these even have a nice true 120 flex with that weight and what looks like some amazing uphill characteristics this will be a REAL good boot. That lower shell and buckle are going to be doing some serious work keeping the pivots from bowing outwards.

[ExoticSkis]

Quick report on the Quantum Free Osolo Factory 130 after a couple skinning trips at resort trails (backcountry right now is garbage near the homestead here in VT...will have to go way up in altitude to get anything decent right now...no new snow in weeks and too many thaw-refreeze cycles).

Fit for my normal feet is nice and snug in the the lower shell (claimed 98mm last) with good toebox room and no slop, really good center-foot hold with lots of headroom in the soft zone above the arch for high-arch people. Heel pocket snug and well-shaped. Upper cuff fit in uphill mode (unbuckled for the most part) is roomy with good ROM and ankle hinge point seems right on for my feet. Good gaiter keeps the corn out this time of year. Conditions are too warm to rule on warmth of the boot at this point. Walk-ski mode lever works easy and pretty foolproof. Footbed is pretty stock (nothing special...why can't they include nicer footbeds in boots these days?...plenty of off-the-shelf options out there)..I'll be seeing my bootfitter buddy to get some support and help for neuroma pressure relief. No movement hotspots, even on relatively steep uphills with full ankle motion. They feel pretty damn light when you get underway. I have not cooked the heat-moldable liners yet. Doesn't feel like I will get a huge improvement from it since the out-of-the-box fit is good for my feet.

Downhill (resort trails, shallow spring corn and icy hardpack underneath): Tightened down the forefoot cable one more notch for downhill mode...shell seems to wrap pretty well around the liner without weird distortions and keeps the foot planted on the baseboard of the boot well. Upper cuff single buckle wrap is pretty good. Ski mode places you in a semi-aggro stance, but not like a piste carving boot..so good for backcountry in most cases I think. Powerstrap is the icing on the cake to get this boot to respond and transmit some power to the ski. The "130" flex rating is be a bit generous if you compare to an alpine piste 130 boot (I think it's a mistake to compare the backcountry tour boot flex to a frontside piste boot anyway...but that's another discussion). When tightened for downhill runs, the Q-Free Asolo Factory 130 has a bit of delay in power transmission to the ski, but hits the "stiff spot" pretty quick where you can pressure it and it doesn't mush out on you. Not sure how it would compare to a Tecnica Zero G Pro Tour 130 (about the same weight, but with 4 buckles...never skied a pair...I hear nothing but good things about that boot). When compared to my S-Max 130 carbon piste boot, the Q-Free has about 65-70% of the fore-aft power ability, probably 50% as strong laterally on first impression on really icy patches trying to get a carving power bite into the surface....but then again, I'm comparing the tour boot to a pretty damn laterally rigid high-end piste boot. Seems like it's got a pretty wide comfort zone between skiing lazy and pressing hard for such a light boot with a soft-top lower boot. So far, so good.

[NorCalNomad]

(nothing special...why can't they include nicer footbeds in boots these days?...plenty of off-the-shelf options out there)

I don't work for a ski boot manufacture but I can share why you don't get say even something like a generic superfoot insert in boots.

The footbed is one of the quickest ways that could drive up cost of the boot for eveyone with the potential that a lot of consumers will gain nothing from it. Not at all because a good footbed isn't important. But because an footbed, other than heat molding a liner, is one of the top things that people get custom work on.

Would you rather buy a boot for $700 dollars then on top of that pay $50-300 for better footbeds. Or buy a boot for $750 dollars and then have to spend that same $50-300 because the stock one doesn't work for you anyways?

I know for my high instep foot a lot of superfeet/sole/ "stock" higher end footbeds take up precious mm's and I'd not run them anyways.

[Benneke10]

footbeds also add weight

[jski171]

What’s the boot sole length on the free 130 boots in your 27.5?

[ExoticSkis]

What’s the boot sole length on the free 130 boots in your 27.5?

Stamp on the side of the sole says 305mm... I measured it and it's pretty much 305 mm (+- a mil) (I usually don't trust the molding stamp measurements)

[jski171]

Thanks. Would you say the internal length is similar to your 26.5 Salomons? Or bigger?

[japanada]

I've got some new 28 shell Quantum factories. Too short for me

Sent from my SM-G998U using Tapatalk

[ExoticSkis]

Thanks. Would you say the internal length is similar to your 26.5 Salomons? Or bigger?

Pretty darn similar to my 26.5 Salomons... both needed a touch of widening of the toebox for my feet... maybe a slight big-toe lengthwise punch for optimal fit... but yes... internally, the 2021-2022 27.5 Quantum Free Asolo 130 is pretty much right-on for a 26.5 Salmon piste boot for me anyway. Had my local bootfitter heat the ID Liner...clamped in for 15 minutes in the shop... release and let cool... the liner fits pretty darn well without any fitting aids for my feet.

I definitely miss the lateral stiffness of the S-Max 130 carbon when I'm in the Q-Free 130s on hard surfaces... but hey, it's a touring boot...fore-and-aft stiffness is pretty good (not really equal to 130 piste boot)... Have to wait until next season to see if my feet stay warm in them...

[japanada]

Thanks. Would you say the internal length is similar to your 26.5 Salomons? Or bigger?

My 28.5s felt like a 27.5, felt much shorter.

Sent from my SM-G998U using Tapatalk

[fasa]

Pretty darn similar to my 26.5 Salomons... both needed a touch of widening of the toebox for my feet... maybe a slight big-toe lengthwise punch for optimal fit... but yes... internally, the 2021-2022 27.5 Quantum Free Asolo 130 is pretty much right-on for a 26.5 Salmon piste boot for me anyway. Had my local bootfitter heat the ID Liner...clamped in for 15 minutes in the shop... release and let cool... the liner fits pretty darn well without any fitting aids for my feet.

I definitely miss the lateral stiffness of the S-Max 130 carbon when I'm in the Q-Free 130s on hard surfaces... but hey, it's a touring boot...fore-and-aft stiffness is pretty good (not really equal to 130 piste boot)... Have to wait until next season to see if my feet stay warm in them...

Any chance you can measure the internal length of the shell?
I have a 28.5 ordered but think I should maybe size up...
Been in a 28.5 Krypton and Lupo for years but am fit pretty aggressively in there... ended up sizing up on the Hoji Free due to a short BSL and am concerned I should be doing the same here...
Would appreciate it if you can get a tape in there. Or if anyone else has info on how the fit compares to the Krypton/Lupo in terms of length?

[japanada]

My Quantums in 28.5 fit like a 27.5 at best. I've had 27.5 lupos and they feel better than the 28.5 Quantums. Mine are brand new if anyone wants em

Sent from my SM-G998U using Tapatalk

[fasa]

I've skied the Quantum Asolo in a 28.5 (same size as my Krypton/Lupo), it was tight for sure... I feel like just punching the toe (as I do on the Lupo/Krypton) would maybe be fine? But I got very limited use and the liner was unmolded with a footbed from another boot (that was too thick) so I didn't get a good bearing. Kicking myself for not taking an internal measurement of the length.

Apparently this new Factory 130 version uses a slightly different last (more generous) and thicker liner than the version I tried though?
Also kinda nervous about how far I can punch that plastic... Those walls are thin and that carbon reinforced PA scares me a lil.
May just be best size up and drop an intuition in to eat some volume...
But curious on the internal length to give me a bearing.

[ExoticSkis]

Any chance you can measure the internal length of the shell?
I have a 28.5 ordered but think I should maybe size up...
Been in a 28.5 Krypton and Lupo for years but am fit pretty aggressively in there... ended up sizing up on the Hoji Free due to a short BSL and am concerned I should be doing the same here...
Would appreciate it if you can get a tape in there. Or if anyone else has info on how the fit compares to the Krypton/Lupo in terms of length?

Here ya go... 27.5 shell - Right Boot


I had my trusty bootfitter do a *gentle* big toe punch (lengthwise) on the new shell material to get it to fit better...seemed to work just fine... don't get aggressive with it, especially with this new half-n-half shell mold and material mix until more fitters get experience with it.

[fasa]

Brilliant! Thanks for the measurement.

Sounds like overall you are pretty happy with the downhill performance?

[ExoticSkis]

Happy to help...dunno if it will be what you need or not to help with sizing decisions...best bet is try 'em on first....

If you manage your expectations and accept the fact these relatively lightweight "130" touring boots ski downhill more like a 100-110 alpine boot, with less lateral rigidity...they ski down pretty well. I like the uphill weight, fit and performance more than the downhill oomph. I have not skied a boot like the 4-buckle Tecnica Zero-G Tour or Zero-G Tour Pro...which I hear most people really, really like downhill... and my previous tour boot was a La Sportiva Spectre 2.0... so not a lot to compare to.... I will say the Quantum Free Asolo Factory 130 skis better downhill than the Spectre's did.

[gregL]

If you manage your expectations and accept the fact these relatively lightweight "130" touring boots ski downhill more like a 100-110 alpine boot, with less lateral rigidity...they ski down pretty well. I like the uphill weight, fit and performance more than the downhill oomph. I have not skied a boot like the 4-buckle Tecnica Zero-G Tour or Zero-G Tour Pro...which I hear most people really, really like downhill... and my previous tour boot was a La Sportiva Spectre 2.0... so not a lot to compare to.... I will say the Quantum Free Asolo Factory 130 skis better downhill than the Spectre's did.

The Spectre set a pretty low bar - it collapsed as you loaded it up due to the bellows in the tongue. I own the Zero G Tour Pro and while it does ski better than the Free Factory 130, it doesn't tour as well even with the top two buckles undone and no power strap. In two days of touring, I have yet to feel a need to undo the power strap or top buckle on the Free Factory 130, the walk mode is that good.

As for length, the 27.5 Dalbello Quantums feel like a 26.8 (and sticking in a footbed made for a 26.5 alpine boot confirms this). Main problem was filling volume, I have a 1/8" foam pad over the toebox at present and might add more.