The Skis: Surface Walk Free

With 100mm underfoot and an early-rise tip, the 176cm Surface Walk Free’s are shorter and narrower than the Live Life’s I’ve been touring on for the past two seasons, but I’m anxious to have a little more liveliness and versatility in all conditions. MSRP: $574 – buy now

The Bindings: Dynafit TLT Radical ST

My first go at Tech bindings is the all-new Dynafit TLT Radical ST. This year, the heel lifters don’t require the pole-breaking twist process and they also feature new Side Towers in the toepiece for easier entry (with Dynafit boots — thank goodness I have my Titans). MSRP: $489 – buy now

The Skins: G3 Alpinist

G3 has been quietly making great backcountry products for a long time out of North Vancouver, BC. And, their Alpinist Skins feature a unique double-clip system that works with today’s super-wide tips (something that gives my BD skins fits). MSRP: $154-169 – buy now

The Boots (1): Garmont Delirium

Burly inbounds and solid in the backcountry, the new Garmont Delirium has interchangeable soles for alpine binders and are also Tech-compatible for touring. Though swappable soles seem like a great idea on paper, I’ve yet to find a pair that executes it flawlessly. Perhaps the new Delirium will break that curse. MSRP: $799 – buy now

The Boots (2): Scarpa Mobe

The Mobe is Scarpa’s answer to “total mountain domination” backcountry. The Mobe (say it Mo Bay) is on par with the Hurricane Pro in stiffness, but yet remains lightweight and capable for both inbounds and out. This is a backcountry boot with enough burls to tackle the fattest skis and gnarliest terrain you can dish out. MSRP: $749 – buy now

Alas, now all I need is some actual snow in the Wasatch. Stay tuned for updates. In the meantime, I’m out trail running, road biking and mountain biking.

Salomon Shogun Ski Boots Feature:

• World cup advanced shell technology
• Shock absorbing footboards
• Double dismantle canting
• My Custom Fit Race Sensitive liner
• 3D lower buckle allows custom placement
• 2 micro-adjust aluminum buckles
• Weight: 4200 grams (26.5)
• Flex Index: 100
• Last: 98mm
• MSRP: $625

Salomon Shogun Men’s Ski Boots Review

Sporting a simple, two-buckle design, the Salomon Shogun boots are aimed at “big mountain” riders. The industry gravitated from hot doggin’ to extreme skiing and then from freeride to freeskiing and now big mountain… it’s all the same thing. Let me translate for you… these boots are meant for skiers who ski hard, want a responsive boot yet still demand comfort and simplicity. Capesh? We do have really big mountains here in Utah, so I gave these boots a whirl at both Deer Valley Resort and Alta on a couple of deep days… here’s what I think.

First off… I’m really digging having only two buckles. They are burly buckles, mind you, so don’t think of them as two wimpy buckles. These things are big, wide and they provide even closure with no noticeable buckle gaps.  Not once did I feel like I was “only skiing a two-buckle boot”, in fact, it had me wondering why we insist on four buckles. I was stoked to have ample toe wiggle room for warmth and feel while maintaining a locked-in heel and lower-leg.

The flex of these boots is pretty soft and I knew that going into it. I’m typically riding a 120 flex boot at a minimum, but I wanted to try a bit softer boot for tooling around with the kids and for overall comfort. Believe me, I’ve pushed my fair share of race boots around all day and while these do feel soft under certain circumstances, not once did I long for my uber-stiff race boots of yore.

My narrow and flat feet were quite at home in the 98mm last. I did have a little bit of a pressure point with my left foot that I’ll need to address by punching out the boot just a tad, but other than that, I had no problems as the liner quickly molded to my feet with no other fit issues. To enhance the fit and performance of these boots, I opted for Superfeet Red Hot insoles. I’ve had great luck with them in my Dynafit Titan’s and loved the support and comfort they provided in these boots.

Unfortunately, I didn’t have an all-groomer day to push these around. But fortunately, I was able to ski some epic days to test the soft snow capabilities of the Shogun’s. In soft snow, the flex pattern was just right as the smooth flex allowed me to progress smoothly from turn-to-turn. The only time I felt like I overflexed the boot was if I hit an unexpected dip in the terrain and flexed the boots with all my 170 lb frame could muster.

I was comfortable bombing the chunky, bumpy groomers at mach speed while the boots quietly absorbed the terrain. Lateral stiffness and overall edge-to-edge response was as expected with a consistent edge feel and smooth performance. The burly power strap adds to the smooth flex and acts almost like a third buckle.

Walking around in the Shogun’s isn’t bad, but a walk mode would be nice (however it adds complexity and price). I’m also a bit disappointed in the outsole of  these boots. It’s entirely hard plastic from toe-to-heel. Other boots feature DIN-compatible Vibram® soles for improved grip and I’d like to see those on these boots.

Good Shogun

• Simple two-buckle design
• Smooth, even flex
• Love the burly power strap
• Excellent fit right out of the box
• Shock-absorbing footboards soften hard impacts
• Excellent warmth
• Versatile boots that are great for cruising with kids and capable enough to drive big skis

Bad Shogun

• A full rubber outsole would improve grip
• You can overflex these when pushed hard (I can forget about my World Cup dreams)

Bottom Line: Salomon Shogun Ski Boots

With just two buckles (and a burly power strap), the Salomon Shogun boots are smooth performers on soft snow, tight trees and cut-up crud. The overall comfort and feel of these boots is solid with only a few small gripes.

Buy Now: Search for Salomon Shogun Boots

About the Salomon Quest Pebax Pro

The king of the new Salomon Quest line, the Pebax Pro is lightweight and powerful. The Pebax shell offers stiffness and better flex consistency across temperature variations–all in a lighter-weight (but pricier) package. Out the chute, the Pebax Pro includes A/T blocks with Dynafit-compatibility. Should you wish to go full-alpine, you can purchase DIN blocks for carving up Deer Valley’s finest corduroy.

Features

• 3-buckle design
• Magnesium backbone for walk/tour switching (patent-pending)
• Burly power strap
• Swappable DIN or Dynafit Touring blocks
• Ultralight Quicklace liner
• Contagrip soles
• 110 flex index
• Available Fall 2010 (Quest 12 is available now)
• Weight: 7.72 lbs (pair)
• MSRP: $810

Salomon Quest Pebax Pro Ski Boot Review

Lucky enough to get one of Salomon’s few available Pebax Pro boots, I was determined to head out and make the best of it. Since I don’t doubt the inbounds ability of these boots, my focus has been touring. Yes, some burly, hard-charging, cliff-hucking skiers will want to know how these boots handle the burl of the gnar-gnar, but that’s not what most skiers do and I’m way past those days. I want a burly boot that’s dependable and powerful on the down yet is still 100% walkable for the long skintrack assault.

My foot shape is fairly narrow with low arches. I really don’t have anything in particular to challenge Surefoot’s best bootfitters, so my intent was to ski these out-of-the-box. The initial fit seemed OK, so off I went.

The three buckle design is more than sufficient for touring and most inbounds duties. In fact, the forefoot buckle is most often there for show as it does little to impact the ski-ability of the boot. I kept that buckle just tight enough so as not to pop open, while keeping the instep and lower buckles snug and secure.

On the uphill, I was very impressed with the walkability of these boots. The Contagrip sole provides excellent rocker and the Magnesium Backbone allows the rear cuff to “unlock” and flex in a fairly natural stride. The stride is best with the uppermost buckle in the touring latch with the powerstrap loose, but remains acceptable when buckled to skiing snugness.

While I didn’t get the liner heat molded, I did at least swap out the standard (flimsy) insoles for Superfeet Red ski-specific insoles, which provided more support and better feel. I opted for the size 27.5 since they didn’t have 27.0′s and the 26.5′s would require some minor bootwork. As it was, the 27.5′s were a little large in the forefoot, which did impact the downhill feel of the boots. I also had a pressure-point in one boot, but I think this would largely be eliminated by a smaller size and a quick trip to the bootfitter.

Speaking of the down, these boots are solid. Flip the Magnesium Backbone in place, snug up the buckles and proceed to rip. The flex pattern is solid without any mushiness whatsoever. I felt like these were just as powerful as any alpine boot on the market, but way more versatile. As mentioned above, the forefoot volume in the test size was a tad large, but I suspect a more proper fit would eliminate that complaint.

NOTE: Every foot is different, so get to your local shop and try these on. While the fit will need some work for me to be slipper-like, you may have better or worse luck depending on your foot shape.

Good Pebax Pro

• Pebax shell offers lightness and consistent flex
• Magnesium Backbone really makes these ski like burly alpine boots
• Walk mode offers a smooth, comfortable stride
• Dynafit or A/T compatibility gives you plenty of binding options
• Beefy power strap
• Contagrip outsole provides excellent traction
• Weight-to-power ratio is very good

Bad Pebax Pro

• Expensive pricepoint, but it is a “do-it-all boot”
• First production year should be solid, but you never know
• Swappable soles are really a gimmick that not many will actually use

Bottom Line: Salomon Quest Pebax Pro

With a lightweight Pebax shell and burly Contagrip outsoles, the new Salomon Quest Pebax Pro touring boots nail it with a powerful flex and superb walkability. Three buckles are all you’ll need to drive your skis inbounds and in the backcountry.

Buy Now: Search for Salomon Quest Ski Boots

Built as an alpine/backcountry crossover boot, the Titan is able to drive today’s fat skis in a variety of conditions. The Titan TF-X comes with the ability to use Dynafit, alpine  or alpine bindings (with quick sole change)–all with the same boot. Construction is burly with alpine-esque construction.

Features of the Dynafit Titan TF-X Ski Boot

The Dynafit Titan is the new king of the Dynafit ski boot lineup. Aimed at the crossover crowd who prefers a beefy booth for inbounds and backcountry, the Titan delivers a lightweight, functional package with swappable DIN soles for either A/T or alpine use.

Features:

• Lightweight PU shell
• Magnesium buckles
• Weight: 8.8 lbs per pair (touring mode)
• Bindings: ISO Alpine, A/T, Dynafit (Tech)
• Liner: Heat-moldable
• Forward lean: 15 or 21-degrees
• Sole: Dynagrip or ISO Alpine
• MSRP: $760

Dynafit Titan TF-X Review

With the Storm Trooper-esque Dynafit Titan’s underfoot this season, I’ve been pleasantly surprised by their overall performance. While I had no doubt they would crush the downhill, I was a little nervous about the walkability of these freeride touring boots. When they arrived, the size 27.0 seemed just right. It was a little snug, but I knew that a quick heat mold would reduce some of that volume. After a trip to Surefoot at The Canyons, I was dialed in for a lightweight (not ultrathin) sock, like the Lorpen Tri-Layer lightweight sock.

Once the liners were custom-molded these babies felt extremely comfortable. I decided to try out the new Superfeet REDhot insoles ($49) with these boots and have had great success in support, comfort and power transfer. The only modification I had to do was move the buckle latches in one slot on the upper cuff. After only a couple of extra minutes and an Allen wrench, these babies were dialed in.

With several tours and a day inbounds at Alta, I must say I’m very impressed with these boots. Without question, they can ski downhill with the best alpine boots. I can feel an instant power transfer as I transition from turn-to-turn. I’ve not felt that kind of smoothness and power in a touring boot very often, but the Titan’s definitely are as good or better than every other similar AT boot on the market.

Like most people, I’ve yet to switch out for the Alpine DIN blocks. While it seems great on paper, it’s really not a practical option to do on a regular basis. Yes, there are many boots on the market with swappable soles (Garmont Endorphin, Black Diamond Factor, Salomon Quest Pebax Pro, etc), but I’m guessing most skiers choose one sole and stick with it. I can stick with the AT soles for alpine and backcountry because my “inbounds” skis are mounted with Marker Baron’s. If you have traditional alpine bindings, you may have to swap the blocks more regularly.

In the backcountry, I’ve been using the Titan’s with the venerable Fritschi Freeride bindings. I know, I know… Dynafit boots with Fritschis? Yes, indeed, I still prefer Fritschi’s but will try to round out the review this Spring with a Dynafit-on-Dynafit test (stay tuned). As it was with the Fritschi’s, the Titan’s were an excellent match. I found the bindings easy to engage with a solid, locked-in feel.

For touring, the Titan’s have felt lightweight and provided ample range-of-motion for a comfortable stride. There are several boots now on the market with more range of motion, but I never felt inhibited in any way while skinning or walking around. Yeah, a little more flex would have been nice, but I didn’t find it absolutely detrimental to this boot. I found myself skinning up with the forefoot snug (but not ski-mode tight) and the upper cuff buckles engaged in touring mode. This provided ample flex and still kept my foot in place for a chaff-free stride.

Switching from tour to ski mode was easy. A quick flip of the light switch on the back while flexed and I was dialed into the maximum forward lean setting. The switch is considerably less beefy than other boots on the market (which makes me nervous), but has continued to perform well. I can tell you that skiing in walk mode is not recommended. No matter how much I try to remember, I always do that at least once during the season. A few turns in and you’ll notice and flip the switch.

The lugged AT sole provides excellent traction for slippery parking lots and ridgeline scrambles alike. They are even nimble enough for a little Irish jig at the end of the day–if you’re so inclined.

Good Titan

• Ultra-precise downhill performance
• Lateral stiffness
• Flexible soles for AT or alpine use
• Thermo-moldable liner provides personalized comfort
• Grippy outsole
• Aggressive forward lean position
• Excellent walkability when using buckle extensions
• Great on groomers or off-piste
• Lightweight feel

Bad Titan

• Once molded, the liner packs out considerably
• Could provide a little better walking stride when buckled
• Occasionally, the left boot would “catch” while in walk mode and not flex as it should
• Swappable Alpine/AT blocks are a good idea, but are unnecessary

Bottom Line: Dynafit Titan TF-X

The Titan is indeed one of the best of the “do-it-all” AT ski boots on the market. With excellent crossover ability to ski both the frontside with power and tour up the backside with ease, the Titan is a great option for those wanting a no-compromise downhill performer.

Buy Now: Search for Dynafit Titan Boots

Salomon Quest AT Ski Boots

Tucked in the back corner of the Salomon booth was a little-known product release for the backcountry skiing crowd–Salomon’s first backcountry ski boots. The new Quest boot line features all the downhill goodness Salomon is known for, all wrapped in a touring-friendly design.

While these aren’t for long-range backcountry ski tours, they are for hard-charging inbounds and out in all conditions. For my type of skiing, these may just be the single boot to rule them all. Yeah, they are going to be a little heavier than dedicated touring boots, but if you ski both front side and backside and only have the funds for a single boot, these will likely be a safe choice for overall performance.

A few key features of the Salomon Quest ski boot line:

• 3 buckle design
• Burly powerstrap
• Interchangeable Contagrip soles (DIN or AT/Dynafit Blocks)
• Thermo formable liner
• 3.86 lbs each (Quest Pro Pebax)
• Magnesium Backbone for improved power
• Tour/ski mode

I slipped into the Quest Pebax Pro (shown below) for a walkabout and I must say I’m impressed with the fit and power of these boots. The walk mode is surprisingly capable and the overall fit is nice and comfy (101mm last). These compete directly with the Black Diamond Factor boot and will find homes in mountain towns all across the Rockies. With Salomon’s solid ski boot reputation and distribution, they will be a force to be reckoned with, for sure.

Prices are TBA and availability will be Fall 2010 at a ski shop near you.

Scarpa Mobe AT Ski Boots

Coming in at a respectable 7 lbs 14 oz, the new Scarpa Mobe (mo-bay) freeride AT ski boot builds on the popular and solid Skookum boot with the new Powerblock Tour mechanism. What this does is mimic the performance of a fixed-cuff boot design as closely as possible yet still offers excellent walking capability. Another cool feature are the spring-like metal bands holding the buckles on the lowers. When open, they are kept away from the tongue so they don’t interfere with entry/exit and closure of the tongue.

This is a burly 4-buckle boot for hard-charging inbounds or in the backcountry. I like that they don’t offer DIN blocks here (to go full alpine, you can select the Hurricane, which gets a walk mode for Fall 2010) because the reality is that you will likely never swap them out–in spite of what the marketing hype says. As usual, the Intuition liner is standard for a glove-like fit.

The Scarpa Mobe will be for those who either want a single boot and ski Marker Duke or Fritschi Freeride bindings or for those who charge hard in the backcountry and want no-compromise kicks.

Look for these boots this Fall. They will cost you $759.

None of these boots are intended to be crossover alpine/backcountry boots–they are dedicated backcountry ski boots for soft snow and fast ascents.

Dynafit TLT 5 Mountain & Carbon

Available in two versions (Mountain or Carbon), this new platform is amazingly-light and comfortable. These were the only ones of the bunch that I was able to try on and I can’t tell you how impressed I am. They are minimalistic in design with a form-fitting shell, two buckles, a removable tongue and the best walkability of any backcountry ski boot I’ve ever worn.

Honestly, these boots are like a good-fitting pair of hiking boots as the fore-aft flex in walk mode is truly uninhibited (a full 60-degrees). Lifting my foot up in the air, I could flex the boot through its range of motion simply by pushing and pulling with my toes–try that with other touring boots!

The walk mode is engaged and disengaged by the dual-purpose upper buckle. There is a notch on the buckle that slips into the back of the shell to lock into ski mode. This dual-purpose buckle reduces weight and all-but eliminates the likelihood of skiing in walk mode (we’ve all done that).

Lateral stiffness is ample for pushing today’s lightweight fat skis and forward flex is sufficient, but make no mistake… these aren’t made to bomb groomers. They are made to take you to the goods. That being said, the Carbon version will provide more stiffness at a lighter weight (and an increased cost).

Liners are thermo-fit for customized foot-snugging comfort and the soles are Dynafit-only (the only bummer) for use with Dynafit’s full line of bindings.

Weight is just over 4 lbs per pair and MSRP will be $720 for the Mountain and $989 for the Carbon version. Availability will be Fall 2010.

The Dynafit TLT5 Mountain

Dynafit TLT5 Carbon

Black Diamond Quadrant

The Quadrant headlines the new Efficient Series from Black Diamond. These boots are still pretty substantial, but compared to the BD Factor, they are decidedly backcountry-specific. While the color scheme might put off some, the technology built into these boots for the price ($649) is astounding.

Sporting a full 40-degrees range of motion, the Quadrant’s will be walkable and with a 120 flex rating, they will also be skiable in powder, hardpack and everything in between. Liners are cinched with a quieter and more efficient BOA system. Binding compatibility out-of-the-box will be with all backcountry ski bindings on the market–no DIN blocks here.

This is a really great new boot from BD and will compete with the likes of the Garmont Radium–meaning its’ definitely the burliest of this bunch. Tipping the scales at 7 lbs 10 oz, they are light, but not uber-light like the other boots you see here.

Black Diamond Quadrant

Garmont Masterlite

With a design that took its cues from Spiderman, the web-like shell design (Pebax Webframe) has been strategically-designed for support and stiffness while reducing overall weight (4.8 lbs per pair). Developed by Garmont engineers over the past two seasons, the Masterlite is intended for those seeking efficient uphill and dependable downhill travel.

I find it odd that the powerstrap is optional, but it is, so I’ll get over it. The new Light Thermo Liner should provide solid comfort for your foot with ample room for your digits. Forward lean is an aggressive 24 degrees and walkability should be superb. Speaking of that, the walk/ski mode toggle is a little different than most boots as it utilizes a little pulltab to engage the walk mode instead of the typical lever of sorts.

I didn’t have a ton of time to look these over, but they appear to be along similar lines as the Dynafit TLT5 series above. MSRP is $819.

Garmont Masterlite - Spiderman-Approved

Scarpa Maestrale

Scarpa is completely switching things up for 2010/2011 by ditching the Spirit 3/4 in favor of an entirely-new boot platform called the Maestrale (GEA for Women). Tipping the scales at a respectable 6.75 lbs per pair, the Maestrale splits the difference between the Garmont Masterlite and the BD Quadrant while promising adequate power to drive today’s fatty fat touring skis.

A unique feature of these boots is the asymmetrical hinged tongue that flips out of the way for easy entry and exit. It also simplifies the buckling process by reducing overlapping plastic. This boot looks to be the everyman boot with enough power to drive any ski on the market, but with excellent walkability. Another great change is the new Active Power Strap that provides the same function as the previous ones, but in a simplified design.

As is typical with Scarpa’s boots, these come with the killer Intuition Pro Flex G liner and the price is unbelievably only $599–definitely the best value in the bunch!

Scarpa Maestrale AT Ski Boots - The Ones to Beat

Garmont Radium Alpine Touring ski boots

While I’ve still got some big lines to ski this spring as ski mountaineering season kicks in, it’s time for a proper review from what has so far been a great season of backcountry skiing here in Utah.

Garmont Radium Ski Boot Overview

In January 2008 we had our first look at the Radium while at the Winter Outdoor Retailer show and Jason did a quick overview of the Radium and its features based on checking it out at the show. The Radium is a new style of backcountry ski boot that combines elements of what you need in the backcountry with the comfort and performance of the overlap plastic–which is common in alpine ski boots (unless you’re still rocking the rear entry classics).

Sure I was excited to slip my foot into the Radium but I was a little hesitant as this was the first backcountry ski boot with a traditional overlap and four buckle that I had skied in. The dual Pebax plastic with Garmont’s overlap boot technology takes a traditional mold but the tradition pretty much stops there. The standard part of the boot is normal height but in front of the tongue is a tall extension of the overlap plastic. This is only one sided as the under layer of wrapped plastic stops about mid shin. This combination provides just enough additional flex strength when you’re headed downhill but keeps the boot light and nimble. At 6’4″ and just over 200 pounds these are important for me.

One other thing that had me was the additional weight I would be taking on. I have been used to lightweight 3 buckle designs (Scarpa Spirit 3) and have shaved weight by switching to Dynafit bindings a few years ago. The Radium comes in at 4 pounds each on the 27.0 (which is only 6 ounces heavier than my Scarpa Spirit 3′s that I’ve been using for long tours and mountaineering adventures). My hope was that the 6 ounces would be worth the stability and extra support. I wasn’t disappointed.

Garmont Radium Review

Literally there was no period of getting “used to” the Radium. Fresh out of the box and after a session at our favorite boot shop Surefoot at The Canyons I was skinning on long tours without any fickle fit or comfort issues. With the anatomical fit of the shell, I was sure to have the boys at Surefoot put a toe tap on my feet when doing the heat fit of the liner so that I had ample room. I’d recommend this as I now have a perfect fitting boot.

In the field I first noticed that the walk mode provided ample flex for even the long Uinta tours I’m accustomed to. Easy kick and glide performance as well as booting up a steep ridge–the flexibility was nice. For skinning I typically unbuckle the buckles leaving the power strap engaged. The patented locking mechanism on the two upper buckles did their job to keep the buckles engaged but open. It’s a cool feature but by the same token I’ve done this before with other boots without much worry of them coming fully unbuckled.

On thing I saw with the liner is that down near the toe there is little if no overlap of the tongue and sides of the liner. I thought for sure this would be a leak point from outside water but the Radium has what’s called a “G-Water Seal” which is the addition of some VERY small ridges on the bottom layer of plastic where the overlap takes place. These ridges kept the water out and not once did I get leaking in 22 days on the Radiums.

As for the downhill, the strength from the overlap construction let me open things up like I was skiing in alpine boots. Case in point – just a few weeks ago when at The Canyons I headed up 9990 and was going to get out the gate into the backcountry. The lifts had barely opened and with 22″ of new, so I dropped my pack at the top of the lift and spun 3 quick laps–hitting the steep headwall and a Mr. Roper to Fantasy gate just as I would on my alpine set up. It was cool to be making the same exact turns, choosing the same lines I would charge on my alpine boots but this time in an AT setup. The result – big smiles and charging it just like old times.

After that we headed out the gate doing 2 quick laps off the bootpack, two skins up Dutches, a trio of Desolation laps (image above) and two Square Top laps coming back through the resort each time. Typically a day like that of lifts, in-bounds powder skiing, skin tracks, booting and groomers would mean you have a boot that is deficient in one or more of those scenarios, but not with the Radium.

One thing that seemed different from the Garmont Axon or the Scarpa boots that I’ve skied is the Dynafit toe attachment points seemed farther forward on the boot. Aside from throwing me off while stepping in a few times, I didn’t notice a decrease or increase in performance or efficiency while skinning. Perhaps it was just me.

As the season is coming to a close, for the first time in a few seasons I know that going into next season I have ZERO need to upgrade my backcountry ski boots. It’s that kind of season-to-season confidence and longevity that I think all of us seek when making a substantial purchase that is ski boots these days.

Good Garmont Radium

• ALL around performance – the Radium lives up to the hype and is a performer in and out of bounds, including long tours and mountaineering.
• G-Fit liner is comfy and the easiest on/off boot I’ve had.
• The Garmont proprietary sole is bomber for scrambling and ridge walking.
• Anatomical foot design gets rid of excess space but still gives ample room for even wide forefeet like mine (I typically wear a 101mm alpine boot width and didn’t have to do anything to the boot after heat molding the liner)

Bad Garmont Radium

• I’d add just a little width and length to the plastic on the tongue of the liner to give it a bit more forward flex stability for the big guys
• The Walk/Ski mode flip is tough to move from ski to walk with gloves on. I’d make a slight change to this by giving it a little more angle at the end of the lever

The Bottom Line: Garmont Radium

Garmont was able to take the backcountry skiers needs of a lightweight, Dynafit-compatible boot and combine it with a 4 buckle overlap design that was still nimble enough for the long dedicated ski tours but could still rock the down in any condition. A tall order to fill. I’d say that the Radium is going to be a tough act to follow for Garmont or any other boot manufacturer looking to keep backcountry skiers happy while adding performance for the folks that like to mix in a few laps on the swings.

Buy Now: Search for Garmont Radium Boots

With the less-than-perfect experience I had last season on the Scarpa Tornado boots, the folks at Scarpa were anxious to get me into the new Skookum touring boot this season–determined to make a believer out of me. My experience last season seemed odd to me, so I was up to the challenge and ready to try out these new boots. I realize going into this that each person’s feet varies and there’s no absolute “right” boot for every foot out of the box. To get the right fit always requires a visit to your local ski boot fitter. Surefoot is always my choice, but there are plenty of reputable ski boot fitters all across the country.

About the Scarpa Skookum Alpine Touring Ski Boots

Officially introduced for the 2008/2009 season, the Scarpa Skookum alpine touring ski boots are built to both ascend and descend with power and authority. The lower shell is derived from the popular Spirit 3/4 boot, but modified to meet the needs of an agressive skier who wants one boot to ski both at the resort and in the backcountry.  Built with dual-density Pebax® materials, the Skookum keeps weight at a minimum yet still provides powerful performance.

Features of the Scarpa Skookum Boots:

• Liner: Intuition Speed Pro
• Weight: 8 lbs. 4 oz (pair)
• Bindings: A/T (Fritschi, Naxo) or Dynafit
• Sole: Skywalk lugged
• Forward Lean: 19-23 degrees
• MSRP: $770

Scarpa Skookum Alpine Touring Ski Boots Review

I’ve really been looking forward to skiing the Scarpa Skookum boots since their introduction a year ago. With the Skookum, you get a proven lower shell design that provides excellent comfort, binding compatibility and walkability. As one of the most popular backcountry ski boots, Scarpa knows their stuff and the Skookum has been heralded by many as one of the most versatile boots on the market. After a month of backcountry abuse, these boots are solid.

Fit out of the box is perfect with the 27.0 shell size accommodating my pancake-flat and normal width size 10 feet without any issues. Instead of swapping out my Surefoot orthotics, I simply trimmed down a stock SOLE footbed and have been extremely pleased with the overall fit and comfort–even with my super-flat feet. Though I’d highly recommend getting the Intuition liners custom molded, I didn’t have time to do so and have found them to adapt to my feet after 2-3 days on the hill. These are now a very comfortable boot.

For those who are stepping into alpine touring from a strong alpine background, or those who want to have one boot for inbounds and out, the Skookum can easily do the trick.  Though I only made a few token inbounds turns with the Skookum’s, I’m pretty confident they can push just about any ski inbounds. Though they do have a swappable tongue for dedicated alpine use, do keep in mind that these boots are not DIN rated, so your binding options are limited to A/T only. They may fit in your alpine bindings, but that is definitely NOT recommended.

From a pure touring perspective, these boots are comfortable. The range of motion provided by the ski/tour mode was just enough to take the edge off on the climbs. There are better boots for touring with more range of motion (Garmont Radium), but the Skookums have been quiet performers for over a month now.

If you’re a weight weenie, you may scoff at the weight of the Skookum’s at first blush. But, if you compare them to the venerable Scarpa Spirit 3, they are only 1/2 lb. heavier–not really a big deal in my book.  I’d say opting for the Dynafit bindings in place of Fritschis or Naxos is a better way to shave a few pounds.  But, if a 1/4 lb. per boot is a big deal to you, then the Spirit 3′s should be money, but you’ll sacrifice sheer stiffness.

I’ve liked the traditional 4-buckles in place of what I affectionately call the “Rollerblade strap” that’s found on many other models in the line. The micro-adjustments are nice to have and I just feel like the fit and performance is more alpine-like with 4 buckles.  The burly powerstrap is a bit of a hassle to adjust on-the-fly and it does sometimes get in the way of entry, but it does provide a solid feel that I’ve not had with other AT boots.

I did not use the boots with Dynafit bindings, so I can’t speak to how well they work with that binding platform. I can say that with Fritschi Freeride bindings, everything worked flawlessly. A quick adjustment for toe height and I was golden.

After completing the review and slipping back into my Garmont Endorphins (which I love), I felt a little off balance and missed the overall feel of the Skookums–that says a lot about how well these boots perform.

NOTE: If you’re interested in a more sidecountry boot, the Scarpa Typhoon is the same as the Skookum except it has a walkable DIN sole for use in Alpine or A/T bindings.

Good Skookum

• Capable and versatile enough for inbounds or backcountry use
• Smooth flex and confidence-inspiring downhill performance
• Traditional 4-buckle design
• Intuition liner is one of the best on the market
• Flat footboard for instant power transfer
• Dynafit or A/T compatibility in a single boot
• Skywalk sole is grippy and durable
• Reversed lower buckles for sreamlined bushwhacking

Bad Skookum

• Tour mode could provide a tad more walkability
• Power strap got in the way of entry and was difficult to adjust on-the-fly

The Bottom Line on the Skookum Backcountry Ski Boots

A solid performer for people looking for a burly backcountry boot that will still tour well. At a slight weight disadvantage, the Skookum still shines in its versatility and overall comfort. Walk up, crank ‘em down and start making turns with these performance touring ski boots.

Buy Now: Search for Scarpa Ski Boots

When it comes to shopping for alpine touring ski boots having selection should be the name of the game and thankfully this year (and in anticipation of next year) the selection of 4 buckle boots that feature Dynafit binding compatibility has exploded. One of the first boots introduced as a mid season release in this expanding category was the Garmont Axon which hit stores like Backcountry.com in early February. With the Axon, Garmont wet the appetite for many backcountry skiers who like me have switched to Dynafit but are still looking for a solid 4 buckle boot.

Although Garmont has quite the line up of 4 buckle boots that will hit the market next winter (boots like the Radium that is also Dynafit compatible) the Axon is the first Dynafit compatible boot in their Free Ride category that keeps the downhill ride somewhat stiff while keeping the up mostly light. Since it is Dynafit compatible it was on my radar for a couple of months prior to getting my hands on them. After putting about 20 days on these boots I’m stoked to give them a full review.

About the Garmont Axon Alpine Touring Ski Boot

I’ve had more than a couple of people ask me if the Axon is essentially the same boot as the Garmont Endorphin but with Dynafit compatibility. Garmont describes the Axon as a mix between the Endorphin and the Adrenalin. While I haven’t skied either, the mold of the Axon appears to be almost identical with the Endorphin, with the Endorphin coming in just under a 1/4 of a pound lighter than the Axon due to some carbon fiber in the upper shell of the Endorphin.

One feature of the Axon is the anatomical toe box, seen below as a taper from the big toe side of the shell to the pinky toe side, giving it a more correct fit for the forefoot.

The Axon is designed as a mix between a lighter boot for skinning/hiking uphill with the stability of downhill performance. One thing that helps to accomplish this is the High G-fit thermo-moldable liner that employs a firm liner tongue similar to those found in downhill boots. Of this liner Garmont says:

The Axon’s new G-Fit liner is the most refined thermoformable liner on the market, using different thicknesses and densities of foam in key areas for the best comfort and function. Its new separately sewn sole design sits flatter inside the boot shell to get the most width and comfort out of the shell without increasing the volume.

One additional customization that they’ve added is the magnesium buckles which help to keep the boot light. Even so, the Garmont Axon is powerful enough to ski inbounds or out of bounds on just about any ski you’ve got in your quiver.

Details of the Axon include:

• Use: Alpine skiing, Freeriding, Ski Mountaineering
• Shell Materials: Select Polymers
• Liner Type: new and improved High G-Fit
• Buckles: 4 Magnesium – Aluminum buckles + wide power strap
• Height: 36.5 cm
• Weight (1/2 pr size 27.5): 2075 grams (4.57 lbs)
• Sizes: 25.0-29.0
• Forward Lean: 20 and 25 degrees + walk
• U.S. MSRP $849.00 (as of this post they are $679.20 at Backcountry.com)
• Canada MSRP $969.00

Garmont Axon Ski Boots Review

In the spirit of full disclosure, I’ve been a Scarpa man, having had 2 versions of the Denali (TT & XT), one season on the Matrix, and am currently on my second season skiing the Spirit 3. It was with a little apprehension that I jumped over to a Garmont, particularly given my love affair with the Scarpa liner which Jason refers to as the “burrito wrap” liner. It’s a fit I’m completely satisfied with.

After getting my liners heated and fit at The Canyons Surefoot along with a custom thotic foot-bed, the Axons were an almost perfect fit. I wear a 28.5 mondo point in the Scarpa and went with the same size in the Garmont. The boot did require a little bit of a punch to the right boot near the pinky toe which I attribute to the anatomical fit vs. the straight up symmetrical fit that the Scarpa Spirit 3 has. Once they were punched I was in heaven. The liner has packed out ever so slightly after 20 days giving me a tiny bit of extra room but it’s not enough to change the performance fit I wanted.

The liner took some getting used to coming from a Scarpa but for anyone coming from an alpine boot to the Axon this liner should be seamless. Combined with the bomber power strap the forward flex was quite stable in all but the most cut up conditions.

Since I’m on the liner, Garmont has lace loops and laces. I think they are completely lame but for the sake of testing I skied them with and then without the laces noticing no difference in performance. The only difference is that the laces are a pain in the butt and not worth it. The only time they would come in handy would be on a hut trip where you forgot your down booties.

The buckles worked well in the field. Particularly nice was the “cheater” extra buckle slot on the two upper buckles which helped to get the buckles started when cranking them down. I also found this was an optimal position when skinning as it kept the uppers loose. I’m not sure why the upper and lower buckles are opposing, although the performance was flawless.

My first two days skiing the Axon was in the side-country of The Canyons Resort where I spun multiple backcountry laps and a number of in bounds runs in order to mix it up. The first couple of times I was using the Naxo binding to have a variety of binding use. The only time the boots left me desiring a bit more forward stability was in deeper moguls and severe cut up. Since I’m 6’4″ they felt a little low on my shin, like the flex point of the upper buckle was a bit low, but this wasn’t enough of a sacrifice from my alpine boots to make me consider switching. The versatility of going in and out of bounds was well worth the slight sacrifice.

After a few backcountry tours in Big Cottonwood Canyon and the Uintas on skis with Dynafit bindings, I skied the Banana Chute off of Mount Ogden with the Axon’s. Snow conditions on that decent from the top of Mount Ogden to town ranged from wind blown powder to bulletproof crust to perfect settled hero powder to lower elevation mank and finally the standard tracked out trail for the exit. The Axon was the ideal boot for the variety of conditions that day, giving me support when I needed it with good forward lean. The fact that I didn’t really notice them throughout this near 5000′ decent was a good sign that they were comfortable and functional.

photo by Stephen Regenold

Regarding the forward lean, the Axon is different from any boot I’ve skied. It employs two different forward lean options – the typical 20 degree setting and the more forward 25 degree option. It takes a bit of getting used to in order to set the boots into the desired lean mode but once you try it a couple of times you’re dialed. Charging hard with ample forward lean was never this easy.

Bottom Line on the Garmont Axon Ski Boot

Seriously, you can’t go wrong with the Axon weather you use Dynafit or another binding. Don’t be fooled into thinking that because they accept the Dynafit bindings that they will sacrifice performance.  They are solid regardless of which binging you use.  And if like me you’re concerned about weight, these boots are worth the additional weight a fourth buckle gives you for the performance and stability that the trade off brings. In all but the “death march mega tour” and ultra light mountaineering situations I now favor the Axon over my Spirit 3′s.

While Garmont stuck to a traditional touring boot design with the Axon, using a plastic tongue rather than the overlap plastic of some other Free Ride touring boots, I think the Axon is a sure hit for any skier, especially those that are making the transition from alpine to touring and don’t want to give up too much performance by doing so but also aren’t interested in a super heavy boot.

Buy Now: Search for Garmont Ski Boots

Now they are officially revealed to the public as the all-new Black Diamond backcountry ski boot lineup headlined by the top-of-the-line Black Diamond Factor boot. I had a chance to chat at length with one of the team leads on the new boot line and got the inside scoop on the R&D, sourcing and construction process.

2008 Black Diamond Factor Backcountry Ski Boots

These are the no-nonsense, burly backcountry boots you’ve always wanted. The crew at BD spent thousands of hours refining their boots and finally, the Factor will be released to the public Fall 2008. These boots are well thought out and now represent what are likely the most high-tech and burly backcountry boots on the market. Super-versatile, with Tech (Dyanfit) or standard ISO blocks, this boot could really be your only boot for inbounds and backcountry skiing.

Here are a few highlights

• Alpine overlap construction
• The included footbed is more than just a flat piece of foam, it’s anatomical and supportive (though unnecessary if you prefer orthotics)
• The bootboard is completely flat–unlike other touring boots on the market–giving you even power transmission through the bottom of the boot
• From the ball of your foot to the toes, there’s a slight “toespring” for a more natural fit and walking efficiency
• Power Fit Liner with built-in Boa lacing system (cool application of this technology)
• Medium volume fit
• Aluminum buckles to shave weight
• Comes with alpine blocks, but Dynafit toe and heel blocks are available for $39.95
• 130 flex index
• Weight (pair): 9 lbs. 2 oz.
• MSRP: $729.99 ($39.95 extra for touring blocks) – In Stores Fall 2008

2008 Black Diamond Method Backcountry Ski Boots

The Black Diamond Method backcountry ski boots offer a slightly softer flex (110 flex index), lighter-weight plastics and a toned-down liner (no Boa lacing system). Overall, the Method looks to be a super-versatile backcountry boot with a lighter weight and slightly less stiff design, which might work better in soft snow–the reason we’re all backcountry skiers anyway.

Here are a few highlights

• Alpine overlap construction
• Power Fit Light Liner with speed lace closure system (later changed to BOA lacing system)
• Changeable Alpine ISO DIN or Dynafit/Touring toe and heel blocks
• Weight (pair): 8 lbs. 12 oz.
• MSRP: $669.99 – In Stores Fall 2008

More Info: Visit SkiBDBoots.com