Talk me out of cabrios?

[DoWork]

I’ve been in Pinnacle 130s for probably 10yrs. They are great boots but they’re packed out, leaky, showing hot spots and they’re heavier than bricks.

I’m a freeride coach these days so I’d love to get into a boot that’s a little more comfy, playful and lighter. All signs seem to point to Cabrio boots, but what is my best option? I have a pretty forward/natural stance, wide insteps/6th toe bones that require punches and I am an Aquarius.

I’ve been eyeballing the K2 Revolve Team 120s and the older FT First Chair 130s. My biggest questions are thusly:

1). That 99 last going to be moldable enough to blow out my freakish insteps/6th toe bones or do I need to look for a wider last boot? They won’t be comfortable no matter what if I can’t make space for my gnarled hooves.

2). Are these boots a familiar enough form of beefcake to rip variable garbage conditions chasing freakish groms through extreme terrain or should I stick with a 2 piece? Some seem to love the progressive flex for bumps and stomping airs but does it have real backbone or am I just burying my shins to china on a stomp? Can’t I just swap out for a stiffer tongue if I feel it isn’t enough?? I feel like I’ll probably love it but I am not sure what to honestly expect to be difference between them in all reality.

TIA!


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[m2711c]

Roxa



https://www.roxa.com/ski-boots/freeride/


fact.

[MagnificentUnicorn]

If it’s just for lift served I would go Element over R3. That third buckle would add some beef. I love my R3 130 ti but they aren’t as stout as my Lupo 130 ti. I really like the last on the Roxa.


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[Sylvan]

I would try and find a previous gen Krypton 130 and grab a B Tonque from Dalbello. I spent about 250 days in that setup and was very happy, with an aftermarket liner. I bottomed the b Tonque on big mistakes, but never when hauling through surprises (195#).
Flex wise, I find they’re on level with a two piece 130 (RS etc), maybe a little stiffer. Now in a Dobie 5S, and they do ski better. Good luck with the fit.

[wantriot]

+1 for the Krypton. As for transitioning to a three piece, go cabrio and never look back. Totally worth the experimentation.

[GSinister]

If you just want to experiment, I have some older Krypton’s with Intuition liners that might have one more mold in them. Size 27.5. Free, but you pay shipping.

[nickwm21]

If you get a cabrio that fits your foot, with the stiffest tongue option, and shim the forward lean to your liking - you will be happy and have no performance qualms.

There are cabrio boots with wider lasts on the market:
- Dalbello Panterra or Cabrio MV
- Some of the K2s…
- The new “Phaenom” boots.


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[turnfarmer]

Don’t know about the Phaenoms, but the Dalbellos with PU clogs/shell are the burliest and most similar to a rec race boot construction. The Roxas are the thinnest/lightest while still capable of being stiff. The K2s are in between. But Stance/Fit matters the most. Unlike many, I feel fit is easier to adjust than stance. Find the one that best works for you. I love my R3s, found the Dalbellos overedged for ME. But I’m not you. I wanted to love the Dalbello Lupo HD, but wasn’t’t willing to deal with the overedged feel for me.

[iriponsnow]

Skied both FT options for a bit. Too wobbly for EC charging.

Lupos / KryptoLupos were my go to for years, but I got pulled into more technical skiing / coaching and a 4 buckle carves better.

However, I missed my cabrio- so this year I’m using a 4 buckle, but for scrambles / AT / early season, I grabbed the Fischer Trans Alp. It feels money & has a tour Vibram sole I can drive in or use in a MNC / Dynafit style binder: worth a look.

[MyNameIsAugustWest]

I've loved skiing in my Scarpa Mobes (cabrio touring boot) over the years. Thought I would never go back to an overlap until MilesToGo gifted me some Lange RX120s. What a revelation. Like Irip said, I use those Mobes mostly for touring nowadays but I still really like skiing in them.

You won't hate a cabrio boot if it fits.

[Name Redacted]

My Lupos are my boots for when my feet are fucked from Gout and arthritis flare ups. I like the Lupos, but my Lange 140's are my go to everyday boots. Getting in and out of them requires heating most days mid-winter.
Really like the Lupos when skiing my ON3P Billygoats though. Allows for a more centered stance that those skis like.

[oltrepiave]

being lighter weight and enjoying softer skis/not-so-aggressive stances I have loved the feeling of cabrio. It just didn't fit my foot as well as other overlap options especially in terms of instep height and cuff snugness.

as others have said cabrios are great if your foot agrees with this statement and feels cozy and snug in them

[PeachesNCream]

I have some 28.5 krypton’s if interested


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[iriponsnow]

I have 24.5 Lupos ya can have.

[XXX-er]

I got buddy who is a REALLY good skier, he has used a what-ever-size he uses in a Lange for 25yrs so he just orders a new pair online from the alpine Canada site and gets a deal, this even works for Lange AT boot, if you know your size in your boot why would you change that ?

[FloridaSnow]

https://www.evo.com/alpine-ski-boots...oots-2025-.jpg

the new Phaenoms are getting solid reviews so far from users. If you need a walk mode the 130 version has it.

[SoVT Joey]

I had FT first with the 12 tongue, they were ok. Like Irip said, they are terrible on hard snow. The flex of the boot was still stupid soft with the 12 tongue, felt like a Lange 110. I went back to my lange 140 quickly. I ordered Lupos and they were stupid roomy for me. They skied a lot better than the FT though for sure.

I’d only be looking at a dabello or roxa.


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[oetk2]

I had FT first with the 12 tongue, they were ok. Like Irip said, they are terrible on hard snow. The flex of the boot was still stupid soft with the 12 tongue, felt like a Lange 110. I went back to my lange 140 quickly. I ordered Lupos and they were stupid roomy for me. They skied a lot better than the FT though for sure.

I’d only be looking at a dabello or roxa.


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This is my experience as well. My too big hawx ultra 120s were higher performing than my well fit, stiff as I could make them FTs. No experience with Kryptons

[CYJ]

1.) If you want to go the K2 flex route, sounds like your feet will be better served in their 102 last boots (Methods) with a 10 or 12 tongue. I have heard their cuff/tongue height runs a bit short though.

2.) I don’t send it nearly as hard as you do it sounds, so can’t speak on folding the tongues on big impacts. But, I tried the Drop Kick Pros (now Revolve Pro) a few years ago with a 10 tongue and pro tongue liners. Mainly ski off piste and bumps out West, felt like they handled just fine, and definitely a lot better laterally than the FC 10s I had before. Imo I attribute this to 2 things.

Pro tongue liners having the reinforced cuff around the top and just being a better, closer fit to my leg (vs a wrap liner with all that foam).

Shell material being thicker and stiffer (guessing it was needed since the drop kicks dont have replaceable soles). FCs also just had a little extra volume than I needed, plus this was back when their liners had foam underfoot which I felt really messed with the fit and performance.



I’m usually on not too demanding, progressive mounted skis off piste and out west so my setup above still may not be enough for someone on frontside chargers out east. But, I also haven’t found another boot shape that fit my feet as well as the Revolve/Drop Kicks do. Lastly, Dalbello also makes some wide lasted cabrios with an actual wrap around cuff so wouldn’t hurt to look in to those.

[scratchskier321]

I spent all last season on 130 cabrio. I like the B flex tongue way more than the A. It skis way nicer with the "blocco-flex" insert in the rear. The aftermarket intuition downhill wrap high density is WAY better than the stock wrap. as you can see it took alot of mods, but it's my favorite krypton of out all the last 2 versions. really happy with it after i got it dialed.

[JRainey]

There are oodles or lupos available 2nd hand for use or frankenparts.

I gotta have a real cabrio, deeper forward flex while super stiff in all other directions. I've felt lupos were too upright at certain times but with the right binding ramp and the correct flex stiffness I like them in their stock lean. Upright, but easy to get steep cuff angle on flex.

Lupo HD is my goto now. There's a mod to reduce the instep and midfoot volume by squeezing the lower shell sides together under heat, that made the boots for me. I went from a 25.5 Lupo Carbon OG (first year when bsl was like 4mm shorter) to a 26.5 HD. Much more comfort, but same grip it and rip it performance. Percentage on groomers is like 2% and I'm mostly bashing refrozen avi debris under 6" of fresh in the alps.

I would still ride Lupos if I skied at Snowbird or Jhole though. Worldwide cabrio domination.

I'm skeptical of the new Dalbello "Cabrio" blocco-flex, as I like the smoothest flex possible. But I'll admit that the Lupos aren't quite as smooth as the OG Krytpons I had, but enjoy the increased stiffness. Maybe blocco-flex is where's it's at. I just don't understand why the tongue can't do the work on it's own.

[SnowMachine]

I'm sorta Cabrio curious, also. I moved from Lange RX's to Atomic Hawx Ultra XTD last year. It's a really good boot, but just didn't hold up. I was either going to do the plain Hawx this year or a Dalbello boot (not sure which). I've tried Roxa on before and didn't gel with the fit. Right now, I think the Atomic foam liner is one of the best in the game. Great fit and didn't pack out. I heard the new Dalbello wrap is really nice, too. Outside of not holding up, I also found the Atomic boot to be a bitch to put on when cold. Could have partly been my foot beds that were made for my plugs. They're kinda sticky and don't let your foot slide past the instep well. I've skied FT before and love how easy they are to step into.

We're getting pretty close to that time of year. Almost time to go spend some quality time at the boot shop.

[SoVT Joey]

There are oodles or lupos available 2nd hand for use or frankenparts.

I gotta have a real cabrio, deeper forward flex while super stiff in all other directions. I've felt lupos were too upright at certain times but with the right binding ramp and the correct flex stiffness I like them in their stock lean. Upright, but easy to get steep cuff angle on flex.

Lupo HD is my goto now. There's a mod to reduce the instep and midfoot volume by squeezing the lower shell sides together under heat, that made the boots for me. I went from a 25.5 Lupo Carbon OG (first year when bsl was like 4mm shorter) to a 26.5 HD. Much more comfort, but same grip it and rip it performance. Percentage on groomers is like 2% and I'm mostly bashing refrozen avi debris under 6" of fresh in the alps.

I would still ride Lupos if I skied at Snowbird or Jhole though. Worldwide cabrio domination.

I'm skeptical of the new Dalbello "Cabrio" blocco-flex, as I like the smoothest flex possible. But I'll admit that the Lupos aren't quite as smooth as the OG Krytpons I had, but enjoy the increased stiffness. Maybe blocco-flex is where's it's at. I just don't understand why the tongue can't do the work on it's own.

“Percentage on groomers is like 2% and I'm mostly bashing refrozen avi debris under 6" of fresh in the alps.”

It snows over there still?


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[JRainey]

Much precip, little snow. Great powder gets rained on, slides, freezes, then the storm ends cold with light dust.

Call in the Dalbellos and BlackOps...

If the North Atlantic current breaks down, Europe could hopefully enter the Ice Age once again.

[CYJ]

If it’s just for lift served I would go Element over R3. That third buckle would add some beef. I love my R3 130 ti but they aren’t as stout as my Lupo 130 ti. I really like the last on the Roxa.


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Few questions for the folks who've owned Roxas:

1.) Does anyone have issues with their liners in regards to the foam underneath your feet? It really messed with my fit when FT used to do that, but then again they were using much softer and thicker foam.

2.) How is their grilamid shell inbounds? Asking as I only ski inbounds and been on thiccc boi PUs my whole life.

3.) Fit vs Kryptons? (NOT their new Cabrio lasts, which sadly do not work for my feet)