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  1. #1
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    What are mags choosing for new boots these days?

    Long time listener. Long time since posting poser.

    With kids getting old enough to be somewhat independent I'm looking at getting back to real skiing on a more regular basis. The problem is that I'm eyeing all my gear and I stopped hoarding and upgrading ski tech about 8 years ago.

    The first item on my list is new boots, and I'm running headfirst into the new ISO standards and binding tech. I've got a stable of old skis/bindings that I'd like to be able to use which I think means I'm stuck with Alpine soles. The first issue is that Alpine only seems to be on the way out if my local ski shop's selection is to be believed. The second is that I do have to admit that the newer stiffer AT boots with GripWalk are alluring to me. The dream has always been a stiff AT boot for inbounds and shorter tours with something lighter for longer missions.

    So what are mags choosing for boots these days? AT style GripWalk for resort? Sticking with Alpine? Locking the shit out of pin bindings and hucking 60 feet to flat?

  2. #2
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    A ski boot should fit your foot well and satisfy the needs of your application be it alpine/ touring/ freeride hucking/

    either that or get the red ones
    Lee Lau - xxx-er is the laziest Asian canuck I know

  3. #3
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    What bindings are you trying to use? A bunch of older models do work work with GW soles.

  4. #4
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    Red ones are a good call. Racing stripes are a must, but I figure I can add those after the fact.

    I should also note my feet are pretty easy to fit. I've never required more than footbeds and a heat mold. Salomon in general fit me well and I'm looking at QSTs and S/Pros. The Atomic Hawx also fit quite nicely.

    For bindings its mainly PX14s and Pivots, but all pre-date GripWalk.

    I think the real question is if Alpine only is on the way out and its worth it just to bite the bullet and re-mount now, or if this is a fad I should wait around to die off. If the harder charging folks around here are able to make it work in the stiffer AT boots for inbounds then I might need to just get with the times and ask the wife to ignore all the new ski shaped boxes showing up.

  5. #5
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    What are mags choosing for new boots these days?

    I’m in somewhat of the same boat, minus the kids part.

    Would really like to get my foot into a Lange XT3 boot. At this point in time I don’t tour enough to warrant a full on AT boot, as in one of the “xt3 tour” series boots, but think an xt3 130 or 120 may be perfect for what I’m looking for.

    Most of my newer ski purchases have binders that are grip walk compatible, though I still do have a fair amount of binders that aren’t. Was thinking of picking up a cheaper set of resort only boots to compliment an XT3 style boot.


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  6. #6
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
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    Santa Cruz, CA
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    I don't mind GripWalk soles, pins, and walk modes showing up everywhere. If you're okay with the weight and/or performance trade-offs I think there are a lot of boots out there these days that work reasonably well as a do-everything-pretty-well, one-boot-quiver.

    Specifically I've been very happy with my Dalbello Lupo 130Cs (I prefer 3-piece boots) with the exception of the durability of the Grilamid clog. I don't mind the loss in damping between Grilamid and PU, but they have gotten really beat up in just a couple years despite not doing a ton of aggressive mountaineering, rock scrambling, etc. I just bought a new set of Intuition liners to hopefully get another season or two out of them before a full replacement is in order. If you do want a PU clog Dalbello makes the Lupo Pro HD now, too (or those weird Kryptons with pin toes but no walk mode WTF.)

    That said, if I continue to find myself touring more and more as I have lately I would definitely consider the switch to having a pair of dedicated lightweight touring boots (with a lighter ski/binding setup to accompany them) and a pair of beefier alpine only boots.

  7. #7
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    I have yet to see an overlap AT boot that matches the performance and feel of a real alpine boot. Some are closer than others. The extent to which the sacrifices in performance will be worth it is an entirely individual question, and if you ask 10 different strangers on the internet, you're going to get 10 different answers.

    The other issue you'll run into is that fit still matters more than anything. But if you start shopping for crossover boots according to features, you're likely going to narrow your search down to 1 or 2 viable boot options, but those boots may or may not fit you well. My advice: a boot that fits well but doesn't have the exact features you want is better than the boot with perfect features that only fits you ok.

  8. #8
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    Roxa R3 130
    https://blisterreview.com/gear-revie...oxa-r3-130-t-i

    Soles: Grip Walk or Alpine (swappable)

    Light, stiff, progressive flex.
    Fits narrower heel, 99 mm last.
    Merde De Glace On the Freak When Ski
    >>>200 cm Black Bamboo Sidewalled DPS Lotus 120 : Best Skis Ever <<<

  9. #9
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    gregL, matt and others can chime in as industry nerds, but my TT nerd take:

    I don't think alpine boots are on the "way out," but rather the industry continues to push the cross over/50-50/all-in-one concept of including touring-ish features in alpine gear. No doubt that adding a GW sole is a boon for many people walking around the base/parking lot/hiking the ridge, but real energy is from marketing depts looking to sell do-it-all ski/boot/binding to tantalized buyers. As burrito states, the ultimate decision comes down to weight and if you're ok losing mass and some measure of performance for other upsides.

    Most boots being marketed with GW soles come with Alpine DIN (ISO 5355) soles as well, for use with your existing binders. If you're only looking to do short tours and primarily alpine skiing, I'd stay away from true AT boots to keep the best performance, durability, warmth. Cochise, XT130, Ranger 130 and the Lupo would be the main in-between boots that are trying to do both, and would be better for an alpine focus.

    I ski the Hawx Ultra and it's been a great compromise for my skiing and hiking day-to-day reality (no touring in them). Also should look at Nordica Promachine, Lange RX, Technica Mach1, Rossi Alltrack/Track, Krypton/Panterra having great reviews and similar features. That set would be the main stock of freeride boots that the non-race boot chargers are skiing.

  10. #10
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    Mar 2012
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    For what you're talking about the 21/22 Technica Cochise looks like the bees knees. If I was buying a single boot to do mostly inbounds w/some touring I'd be getting that one for sure.

  11. #11
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    Oct 2017
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    I would not remount your skis to fit GripWalk unless you also plan on using the same boots as your touring boots and the skis for the occasional tour / side country mission. I would not remount for your resort specific setup unless walking to and from the lift is an insurmountable bother with alpine soles.

    Good contenders for modern AT boots that do both resorts and touring well, are Lange XT3 130, Atomic Hawx XTD 130, Technica Cochise, or some similarly "burly" touring/freeride boot. Try on and see what fits you the best - they all ski well and tour well, for what they are.

    As for what is very nice in my opinion -> Lange - RS for full on solide sole alpine soles or RX (same shell) for slightly more comfy liner and replacable soles between GripWalk and alpine. Your choice of fit (97mm or 100mm) and flex rating - shell material differs between flexes. XT3s also ski very well, if not like a full on alpine boot - especially for heavier, stronger skiers.

    that being said, most boots are so good nowadays that fit is by far the more important factor imho - not X brand's tech - so visit your local boot place of wonder and see what you like the best.

  12. #12
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    The main thing throwing me/pissing me off is it seems that the swappable soles aren't being offered on the boots I like and that fit me. Maybe industry folks here can confirm, but it seems like the current year's boots are coming with GW only soles with no option to buy Alpine ones. I'd really like to not have to re-mount a whole bunch of skis for an industry fad.

    Given that I'm leaning towards sticking to what I've always done - Alpine boots for inbounds. Touring boot for touring. Wait for the mythical "one boot quiver". Repeat.

  13. #13
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    Though they will come with GripWalk soles, there are very few "hybrid" (alpine-like performance with a walk mode good enough to tour on) boots that can't be swapped over to an ISO 5355 alpine sole (most don't come in the box, though). Actually laying your hands on the alpine soles might be more challenging. Which boots are you talking about?

    Alpine is not dead (you won't see GripWalk on race boots), but the industry as a whole is moving in the direction of GripWalk for "consumer" boots, including performance non-walk mode models (plus rentals) in the interest of easier walking and better traction when not on skis.

    PS The QST Pro has been phased out and replaced with the Shift Pro (same fit, more of less, as the S/Pro). The Atomic Hawx Prime XTD is the direct competition from the other Amer bootmaker, also a great product.

  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by ey_allen View Post
    The main thing throwing me/pissing me off is it seems that the swappable soles aren't being offered on the boots I like and that fit me. Maybe industry folks here can confirm, but it seems like the current year's boots are coming with GW only soles with no option to buy Alpine ones. I'd really like to not have to re-mount a whole bunch of skis for an industry fad.

    Given that I'm leaning towards sticking to what I've always done - Alpine boots for inbounds. Touring boot for touring. Wait for the mythical "one boot quiver". Repeat.
    Depending on what bindings you have, you might be able to just swap to a gripwalk AFD.

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by gregL View Post
    Though they will come with GripWalk soles, there are very few "hybrid" (alpine-like performance with a walk mode good enough to tour on) boots that can't be swapped over to an ISO 5355 alpine sole (most don't come in the box, though). Actually laying your hands on the alpine soles might be more challenging. Which boots are you talking about?

    Alpine is not dead (you won't see GripWalk on race boots), but the industry as a whole is moving in the direction of GripWalk for "consumer" boots, including performance non-walk mode models (plus rentals) in the interest of easier walking and better traction when not on skis.

    PS The QST Pro has been phased out and replaced with the Shift Pro (same fit, more of less, as the S/Pro). The Atomic Hawx Prime XTD is the direct competition from the other Amer bootmaker, also a great product.
    Very interesting. Looks like I was wrong and the boot I liked was the Shift Pro 130. I was told by my local shop they aren't supplying the Alpine soles. Could be that they just can't source them right now or that they didn't plan to order them.

    My main worry about Alpine only was also what you stated - if the industry is moving to GW, then its likely in my future self's best interest to go that route now.

  16. #16
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    Have Lange rs 130’s and free tour 130’s and they ski night and day. I’m a big proponent of fuck the sales people pushing “quiver of one” everything. If you never really tour and ski blue groomers I guess it all works….,


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    I rip the groomed on tele gear

  17. #17
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    Quote Originally Posted by ey_allen View Post
    Given that I'm leaning towards sticking to what I've always done - Alpine boots for inbounds. Touring boot for touring. Wait for the mythical "one boot quiver". Repeat.
    This is still what people who are serious about both alpine skiing and touring tend to do.

  18. #18
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    Quote Originally Posted by ey_allen View Post
    Very interesting. Looks like I was wrong and the boot I liked was the Shift Pro 130. I was told by my local shop they aren't supplying the Alpine soles. Could be that they just can't source them right now or that they didn't plan to order them.

    My main worry about Alpine only was also what you stated - if the industry is moving to GW, then its likely in my future self's best interest to go that route now.
    I'm looking at the Salomon spare parts catalog now, and I only see GripWalk soles available for the Shift Pro. If you fit that boot there's no reason you can't fit an XT3, Cochise, Strider, etc. 99-100mm shell with some decent bootfitting. All offer alpine sole replacements.

    If you are actually touring much in such a boot, you'll likely want to keep the GripWalk soles. If you want to stick with Pivots, you won't have to re-drill, but you will have to spend a bunch of money on new GripWalk-compatible Pivots (any that say Dual WTR or GW) . . .

  19. #19
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    Quote Originally Posted by ey_allen View Post
    The main thing throwing me/pissing me off is it seems that the swappable soles aren't being offered on the boots I like and that fit me. Maybe industry folks here can confirm, but it seems like the current year's boots are coming with GW only soles with no option to buy Alpine ones. I'd really like to not have to re-mount a whole bunch of skis for an industry fad.

    Given that I'm leaning towards sticking to what I've always done - Alpine boots for inbounds. Touring boot for touring. Wait for the mythical "one boot quiver". Repeat.
    ah yes the red unicorn boots

    I had swapable soles on garmonts > 10 yrs ago, 9 screws in each boot I could swap them in 15min with a screw gun but I didnt really want to swap them very often so it didnt really work for me

    like toast2266 is sayin get a real alpine boot and a real AT boot

    warren miller used to say " if you don't get them now you will just be another year older when you finally do get alpine / AT specific boots "

    and that's how it worked for me too
    Lee Lau - xxx-er is the laziest Asian canuck I know

  20. #20
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    Well turns out if I buy last year's boots I can both save money and avoid the whole GripWalk conundrum for the time being. Decision made.

    Glad to know that I won't be the out only of touch old guy in the lift line wearing Alpine boots when everyone else has fancy grippy soles that levitate in the parking lot.

    Maybe next year will be the year of the single boot quiver. Right?

  21. #21
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    And YES Virginia there is a santa claus !
    Lee Lau - xxx-er is the laziest Asian canuck I know

  22. #22
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    As someone with high volume feet and therefore, hard-to-fit boots; I envy your ability to fit into many boots. And with that said; another strong recommendation to get what fits best.

    I'm also in the two-boots camp. I tried the one-quiver boot and found it too lacking in both areas I needed it; aggressive lift-served, and long-distance touring. It's a bit cost to go for both, but if you're serious about either discipline of skiing - it's worth it.

  23. #23
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    Quote Originally Posted by gregL View Post
    If you are actually touring much in such a boot, you'll likely want to keep the GripWalk soles. If you want to stick with Pivots, you won't have to re-drill, but you will have to spend a bunch of money on new GripWalk-compatible Pivots (any that say Dual WTR or GW) . . .
    I don't believe the whole binding needs to be replaced. You can just do a little bit of modification to some replacement Gripwalk AFDs to get them to fit older style Pivots. Although I think it depends on the exact model of the older Pivots.

    Discussed here:
    https://www.tetongravity.com/forums/...vot-conversion

  24. #24
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    Quote Originally Posted by detrusor View Post
    Have Lange rs 130’s and free tour 130’s and they ski night and day. I’m a big proponent of fuck the sales people pushing “quiver of one” everything. If you never really tour and ski blue groomers I guess it all works….,


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    Best 50/50 boot available lol. You hit the nail on the head. Tailoring a boot to the application is the best principle if you want the best boot for the activity.



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  25. #25
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    atomic xtd series with mimic liners

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