The Gist
Last year testers liked the then-new Lupo Pro HD for its polyurethane shell’s more damp feel on the snow than the stiffer carbon cuffed Lupo Factory, but appreciated that it didn’t lose any of its quickness or power when it lost $150 off the Factory’s price tag! This year it's no different--except now it's 200-bucks cheaper! They found it easy on and off and loved the touring range of motion when the removable tongue was off, allowing unhindered forward cuff movement, matching its long rearward travel. One tester said it got better with every run and the faster he went.
The Fit
Testers agree that the Lupo Pro HD (and Lupo Factory and Lupo 130 C) fit like a 130-flex narrow boot should, with a firm, performance-minded grip along the foot, especially in the heel and ankles, which this does. It fits slightly long in the toebox--not a bad thing for touring, with a touch of extra room in the forefoot for a 98 mm., testers said. The stance feels on the upright side of ideal, but not by much, but the flex feel and tongue cushioning is firm against the leg, so taller and more aggressive skiers liked the upper cuff fit the most.
Performance
Testers call the stance "very neutral," meaning on the verge of loose, rather than inside edge biased. This worked well with its tall stance for a deep-gouging, slashing style in softer snow. The power reserves were not completely tapped, testers said, but mentioned that for a carvier piste-oriented set-up a simple cuff adjustment is on board and would do the trick.
Cool Features
The touring acumen of the Lupo Pro HD (as with other Lupo's) is not appreciated unless a skier completely removes the exterior plastic tongue using the simple release at its attachment point. The tongue must be stowed in a pack (or carried between one's teeth), but the absence of the tongue makes huge range of hiking and touring range of motion available. The tall waterproof gusset (though a hindrance to entry and exit) keeps you dry while you tour, sans tongue. This boot isn't Grilamid and Carbon, but it skis as well as the Factory for 200-bucks less...that's a cool feature we think.
Kudos