Dalbello Quantum '20-'21

[dub_xion]

Wow, hadn’t known that about short v long posts. You posted a new thread? Link to it here when it’s up!


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[wilcox510]

Hello everyone! I bought the Dalbello Quantum Free 130 some days ago and wrote a text with my first impressions yesterday. I hope, it'll appear soon (a message told me that my posting will be checked before being published). Is it always like this: Short posting are published at once, long postings are checked before? (Sorry for this stupid question, I'm new in this forum.)

I'm very curious to hear thoughts about the Quantum Free 130. If your post won't show up try sending it to me as a private message and I'll post it for you.

[jacob_dbu]

Hello everyone! I bought the Dalbello Quantum Free 130 some days ago and wrote a text with my first impressions yesterday. I hope, it'll appear soon (a message told me that my posting will be checked before being published). Is it always like this: Short posting are published at once, long postings are checked before? (Sorry for this stupid question, I'm new in this forum.)

Also, where did you pick them up? I would hop on a pair ASAP.

[wilcox510]

I've seen them listed for sale a few places online in Europe

[jacob_dbu]

I've seen them listed for sale a few places online in Europe

Link?

[wilcox510]

https://www.sport-conrad.com/en/prod...ctory-130.html

[Shortturn]

That's exactly where I bought them.

[dub_xion]

Anyone have success in getting sport-conrad to ship to US?


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[wilcox510]

Shortturn sent me what he attempted to post about the Quantum Free 130, here it is.


DALBELLO QUANTUM FREE 130
I got my Dalbello Quantum Free 130 boots on Saturday.

Here are some numbers (size 27.5):
- Weight: 1318g (shell + cuff: 1020g, liner: 298g), optional size adapter insole (27.5 à 27.0): 14g, optional spoiler: 32g
- Boot sole length: 305mm, max. boot sole width: 8,7cm
- Stated last: 100mm
- Height: 34,5cm (without liner: 29,5cm)
- Front cuff: height in the front: 7cm, thickness: 2mm in the middle, 1mm on the sides

On Monday, I made my first ski tour with them (without the liner laces). Today my second.

General impressions:
- The two buckles and the ski/walk lever are solid and easy to use, only the strap is a bit fiddly.
- The boot looks and feels very slim and elegant (my father said, “It looks like a women’s boot”). I guess this is due to the bonded shell technology, which allows Dalbello to make the shell thinner than normal shells.
- The liner is a real liner, not such an ultrathin and soft sock you can find in some touring boots!
- At first, because of the tongueless design and the front cuff that looks so thin, I had fear to break the front cuff while testing the flex! Of course, it didn’t break. It’s simply a really unique design.

Fit:
Right out of the box, it fits my left foot well, my right foot a bit less, but that’s no surprise, because my right foot is a bit smaller, especially in the rear part (ankle and heel). Even in my Atomic Hawx Ultra 130 alpine boot with its 98mm last and rather narrow fit, I use the size adapter and a heel frame in the right boot (the left one fits perfectly without both items).
For my second tour, I inserted the size adapter sole and the laces in the right boot. Nevertheless, upper buckle opened, my right heel lifted up a little bit on the uphill. On the downhill – everything closed - the heel didn’t lift up. So the fit is not perfect for my right foot, but ok. In addition, when shops will open again (actually they’re closed because of Covid-19), I could have the liners heat molded and buy a pair of custom or orthopedic insoles. IMO the fit is ideal for rather normal feet - but perhaps not snug enough for really narrow feet.
Uphill performance:
Really great! When you open the upper buckle and the power strap completely, forward ROM is not at all limited by the boot (only by your ankles, of course). Even with upper buckle and power strap closed, forward ROM is still impressive. Backward ROM is also fine. At steep and icy passages and traverses, I recommend closing the upper buckle to gain more lateral stability (as with all light boots). Walking is also very easy and comfortable (due to the good padding of the liner).
Having only used heavier boots before, I was fascinated how well these boots walk and how comfortable they are. Often, the feet need some tours to get used to touring boots, but this wasn’t the case with this boots. My feet liked them at once.

Downhill performance:
As expected, the flex is not comparable to a 130 alpine boot flex. Nevertheless, considering the low weight and the excellent uphill performance, these boots ski really well. I’m really surprised that’s possible to ski aggressively with boots whose shell looks so thin and which walk so well. If you insert the spoiler, downhill performance will perhaps be even better. With the 84mm waist skis I used, there was no need to use the laces or the spoiler; stability and control were more than sufficient without them. Thanks to the low weight and the thin shell and cuff, agility and reactivity are great, and the power transfer is direct.

In sum, my first impressions are very positive and I am happy to have the boots because they fit my needs perfectly. I cannot say if they are stable enough for these 110mm waist skis, some Northern American girls and guys use in the backcountry (I’ve never skied with such wide skis!), but for European needs they offer enough stability and flex.

[NorCalNomad]

Shortturn thanks for the "flash review" of the 130's! These seem like they'd bring some of the much better touring performance of 1kg boots and taking on a little weight for much better skiing than 1kg boots.

I still need to find a pair of Asolo Factory boots to try and slip my foot into as my 1st Gen Atomic Backland Carbon's are only probably good for a season or maybe two more. Have yet to see any good pictures of the Quantum Lites that have a carbon front cuff. Only this small guy from MDV touring site.

[Benneke10]

Thank you Shortturn for the review! Could you provide a direct fit comparison to the Hawx Ultra? I tour in the Ultra XTD because its got a narrow fit but would love something lighter

[jacob_dbu]

Benneke - I slipped on the Asolo Factorys and my thought is they fit somewhere between an XTD and a ZGTP. More anatomic than the XTD, but not as much as ZGTP. It definitely is a decently narrow fit. I think the instep and toebox is lower than the XTD IIRC, but the heel is more anatomic IMO.

[Benneke10]

Benneke - I slipped on the Asolo Factorys and my thought is they fit somewhere between an XTD and a ZGTP. More anatomic than the XTD, but not as much as ZGTP. It definitely is a decently narrow fit. I think the instep and toebox is lower than the XTD IIRC, but the heel is more anatomic IMO.

Thanks, might have to go try on a pair that sounds good..

[gregL]

Benneke - I slipped on the Asolo Factorys and my thought is they fit somewhere between an XTD and a ZGTP. More anatomic than the XTD, but not as much as ZGTP. It definitely is a decently narrow fit. I think the instep and toebox is lower than the XTD IIRC, but the heel is more anatomic IMO.

This applies to the Quantum Asolo Factory; the Quantum Free 130 is roomier.

[Benneke10]

This applies to the Quantum Asolo Factory; the Quantum Free 130 is roomier.

Thank you GregL, dreams are dashed but glad to have the info. I will hold onto my Roxa RX Tour, the tightest heel and cuff of any ~1300g boot I could find

[dcpnz]

New Quantum Asolo Lite vs Quantum Asolo Factory???

Carbon front upper cuff, lighter. Anything else? Is liner even more minimal thin wet sock like? Seems like ‘Lite’ is bordering on skimo race boot territory. Can it ski a bit better than those and be viable for long, fast slog-fest tours?

[Shortturn]

Yes, like GregL worte, the QF130 is not as narrow as the Hawx Ultra.

[NorCalNomad]

Got an appointment to try the Asolo Factory on Saturday. I normally wear ZGTP and Atomic Backlands (have also been in TLT6's, Titans, BD's, and Salomon Xpros for inbounds), have a narrowish foot but a really high instep so I'll report back.

Also the Freeskier virtual gear show roundup has a better picture of the Lite along with a blurb confirming it's more in the "speed tour" ie not quite a skimo race boot category.

":Quantum Lite: For the longest, most demanding tours, weight savings are at a premium—and that’s where the Quantum Lite comes into play. Weighing just 825 grams/boot (in size 26.5), this boot features the same Bonded Shell Construction and two-piece cuff as others in the Quantum lineup, but offers a minimalist liner, coined ID Touring Lite, that significantly reduces the boot’s weight without sacrificing comfort thanks to honeycomb-shaped padding around the calf and a thermo-welded toe box. Skiers who demand featherweight boots for grueling ascents should keep this all-new offering top of mind."

[Benneke10]

Looks like they're targeting the Wasatch Skimo Dad demographic. They will pair them with Movement Alp Tracks 85, Camp Skin Pack, and BD Vapor helmets

[dub_xion]

Looks like they're targeting the Wasatch Skimo Dad demographic. They will pair them with Movement Alp Tracks 85, Camp Skin Pack, and BD Vapor helmets

And stem-christies


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[STLHD]

I have a pair of Quantum Factory Asolos, 27.5, that are too big. Would like to get around $300 for them.

Skied 3 days. No boot work or heat molding to liner. Awesome boot, so much better than the Fischer Carbon Traverse, but just too big. I gambled on the size hoping I wouldn't have to redrill two sets of BMTs but can't make it work.

ETA: these are now sold.

[Lord Thomas]

Tentative dibs on Quantums. PM inbound. I have two pair of BMT's that won't need to be redrilled

[japanada]

I've got some bnib 28 shell quantum asolo factories. Special ordered them and they are too short for me. I don't need a race boot fit for a bc rig. Shoot me a PM if interested


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[NorCalNomad]

Ok tried on the Quantum Asolo Factories in a 26.5. MAN is there a lot of volume in that boot, like Spinal Tap "it goes to 11" amount of volume. TONS of room in the heel, lots of room in the forefoot, lots of room in the calf. Maybe I could have gone down to a 25.5 but they didn't have one. Since it was so far off, and they didn't have the 25.5 I forgot to check shell fit. With their version of BOA cinched all the way down, on the edge of thinking I might break it, my arch to heel was still lifting, not just my heel...so definitely plenty of instep room. That liner is definitely on the thin side. Think this is the boot for those people with block feet who want a really light weight touring boot.

Personal Foot notes/ boots:
Right foot 9.125 Brannock
Left foot 9.3ish Brannock
Both have large insteps but overall are narrow width wise both in the forefoot and heel (Salomon S-Lab Ultra fit me like a custom glove). Some 6th toe action but not usually an issue with boot fit. Salomon 9, Nike need 9.5 if I want to run in them but casual can be 9, TNF 9, Adidas 9-9.5 depending on model, Sportiva TX series 42
-ZeroG Tour Pro 27.5 with Intuition Tour Pro's (sized up to 27.5 to get room for my instep)
-Backland Carbon 1st Gen with ZGTP liners (could size down to a 26.5, got these super cheap used and made them work. Will get a 26.5 in my next pair if F1LT doesn't fit me well)
-Salomon XPro 26.5 stock with some heat in the liners and feels great.

[Benneke10]

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