The Trinity 95 surprised testers with how much fun it was to ski once they tuned into its unique flexion mojo and they pushed it into gold medal status in the All-Mountain Walk category.
We tested the latest version of the 2019 DaleBoot AK 130 at this year's boot test and again testers saw potential for this re-born On-Off Area medium (the shell is the former Black Diamond Factor MX). This year's fit and fore-aft stance were both improved with the advent of a new Intuition-built liner.
The shell has a fairly open feeling toebox and forefoot and a tapered narrowing at the heel and ankle area. Once combined with a custom-molded Intuition liner, this fit tension differential is moderated, but the heel still fits quite snug and low—great for guys with skinny heels, numbingly tight for thicker feet. The AK 130's cuff is slightly lower in height than the current norm and slightly more forward, which tended to suit our shorter testers best. This year's shin fit and flex feel in the AK 130 was much improved over the past version we tried, though the short length fit persisted as a problem for some testers.
The AK 130 is made of polyurethane in the upper cuff and shell, and the rigid bootboard is through-bolted to the soles with metal bushing connections, so this is a stiff and powerful ride—laterally testers thought it was Frontside powerful for driving edges on firm snows but a few found it overly rigid and edgy off-piste, where bumpy terrain rattled them a bit. Testers liked the side-to-side alignment straightaway. The AK 130 sports one of the best hike mode actuation switches in the business, and the range of motion is top-tier for the category, both forward and rearward.
We are waiting to hear from DaleBoot how they plan to handle the sole-canting issue with the AK boots and what other former BD models may be rising again like the Phoenix.
The 2019 Dalbello Panterra 120 returned unchanged, still stripped and ripped with its lightened-up construction, and showed us again that it's still the bankable and burly wide ride that testers have come to know. Solid and damp, testers said it's still a workhorse, just definitely not a show horse.
Dalbello calls this a 100-102 for its set-and-forget, backward latching VVF (Variable Volume Fit) bottom buckle that will close the lower boot from a 102 to a 100 mm via a crafty expansion slot which the buckle can tighten up like a, well, like a buckle. It's cool because once that buckle is set the way the skier likes, he doesn't mess with it anymore, and just gets in and out with it closed—lock it up and throw away the key. But the real point to this is that this boot really fits like a 102 mm. It's a wide ride. It has a tall fit over the instep and a big wide tube of a forefoot and toebox, so big thick feet (and legs) do well in the Panterra—it's one of our testers' particular favorites for a high volume instep fit.
Last year Dalbello stripped out the unneeded heel inclinator bootboard (it went up and down like an Impala low-rider's rear end), gave it some new grippy soles, tractiony mid-arch cladding and a scuff resistant shell exterior—all useful changes that also shaved excess weight. The switch to an Irfran (polyolefin) shell and cuff material similarly shed some poundage, but testers still say that didn't drastically change the performance character of the Panterra 120. The lighter weight quickened up the pace of turns, they said—an improvement over the previous Panterra's sometimes ponderous transitions, but the lighter package didn't seem to undercut classic Panterra power to the edge, which remains torquey and stable—giving the Panterra 120's Edge Power its highest score of the five.
The cuff release is simple and effective for gaining some stride with the Dynalink buckles undone and testers report that the soft versus hard flex setting adjustment works well, though too soft for most in the soft mode. There are options available to upgrade to an Intuition (I.D.) liner and to swap on rockered GripWalk soles for use with GripWalk compatible bindings.
We could tell by testers' custom score averages that the way to unlock the comfort, balance and performance potential of the 2019 Dalbello Lupo Factory is to take the time to custom mold the Intuition-built I.D. Max Hike liner—getting this lightweight full-thermo job matched to the foot and leg evened out the fit and helped tap the Lupo's beastly power and quickness.
The Lupo Factory experience isn't for wimps or wannabes. Just getting into the boot takes a certain level of skill and commitment. The lightweight, rear-articuluated lace-up liner goes on the foot first, gets laced, then the foot and liner enter (i.e. get crammed into) the three-piece shell. Keeping the shell's tongue, internal weather-proof gusset, overlaps, straps and buckles all clear for takeoff is a little bit of a cluster—but once the foot has a clear path to the floorboards it slams right down into place. This is an overall narrow fit, with extra room at the forefoot and quite a bit of space in the toebox—testers said its clean, even, narrowish fit came only after liner molding. Prior to liner cooking, fit scores were more scattered. The upper cuff crawls up pretty high on the leg shaft, and the tongue has a nicely padded feel against the shin. Testers say this is not an open calf fit at the boot top—slender feet and long slender legs will do best.
Testers were in agreement that the internal bootboard ramp angle is fairly low, the cuff is pretty upright and the 130 flex is plenty stout—this put testers on their heels and left them struggling to get up and out in front of this boot. Those who could (taller, more aggressive, i.e. real men) tapped into megatons of shovel-bending force, and those who couldn't ended up moving side to side, tapping into megatons of lateral, edge-driving power. The lightweight Grilamid lower shell and hand-laid carbon upper cuff are undoubtedly strong and super transmissive of skier inputs, just a little hard to harness for three-dimensional skiing. A lot of skiers mentioned needing a little bit of heel lift and a little bit of extra rear spoiler in the cuff—good suggestions, and easily accomplished.
The Lupo Factory started the removable tongue hike modality two seasons back, and now it's available on all the Lupo models for men and women and copied by other brands. The industrial-strength cuff release mechanism is pretty standard, but by completely removing the plastic, external tongue, the cuff is free to hinge widely forward and aft, with a light and unhindered quality and a rolling stride enabled by the rockered GripWalk soles that the boot comes with. Yes, the tongue must be stashed somewhere, like a pack, but for a decent length skin mission having a pack would make total sense, right? The weatherproof gusset that hinders entry initially is what keeps snow out of the boot while touring, sans tongue, which can be done with low-tech or A.T. bindings. Alpine-norm soles are available for a more area-based attack.
The 2019 Dalbello Lupo AX 120 is the slightly softer, roomier little brother to the narrow, carbon-cuffed Lupo Factory, but the AX 120 comes with all the same backcountry bells and whistles and put skis on a mean rail (testers said) for 300-bucks less! Worth a look, testers said again this year.
The Lupo AX shares the same lower shell as the non-hike-mode Krypton AX, so testers found a roomy-side-of-medium-width fit here as well. The AX suffix indicates a medium, whereas sans-AX the Lupos and Kryptons are narrows (for the sake of nomenclature clarity). What was clear to testers was that an extremely easy slide in was followed up by a very easy fit in the lower boot—cushy, cozy and warm. Testers agreed that thicker feet will be fine here, so both medium and wide guys should have this on the short list if they're looking for ease of fit with backcountry styling.
While not Grilamid, like the skinny Lupos, the AX 120 is noticeably light (polyolefin shell and cuff, polyamide tongue), which testers liked, but they also liked that for its heft, it still managed to roll a ski up on edge and rally through chunder and smooth pistes alike with adequate stability. As with the Lupo Factory, many testers found the boot's ramp angle a bit too flat and its firm-flexing cuff a bit too upright—a combination that put them into turns on their heels--a little heel lift and extra rear spoiler and the problem would be solved, was their consensus.
Testers dug the unique tongue-free walk mode feature once they figured it out—the tongue is released with an easy-to-use pin and then the tongue gets stashed in your pack. Without the tongue hindering forward rotation, the cuff is free to walk and skin like no other, and the weatherproof gusseting keeps the feet dry and warm. The Lupo AX 120 is tech-compatible and comes with rockered, lugged GripWalk soles—alpine soles are available as an extra.
Packed full of all-terrain and hiking options, the 2019 Dalbello Lupo AX 110 W impressed our test team again this year with its dialed fit, strong flex feel, light weight and touring goodies. It is also one of only two* tech-binding compatible boots on the market that come in a size 21.5, that we're aware of.
Testers agreed that the fit is pretty dialed—essentially how a medium width should fit—a little extra room in the toebox, a good snug heel pocket and a comfortably even grip everywhere else. They said the upper cuff's stance is a little upright and the 110 flex rating is for real, so plenty of fore-aft support on tap for charging, if perhaps a little firm against the shin for some.
The downhill power-to-weight ratio here was commendable, according to testers who said it tipped and ripped as well as it drove to the front of the shovel, handling all speeds, all terrain and all turn sizes equally well, with no surprises. The hike mode is unique in that to access the boot's full range of touring motion, the tongue must be removed completely using a simple switch at its connection point. With the tongue out of the way, the comfy fabric gusset keeps moisture out and the boot rolls through a massive range. Yeah, you gotta stow the tongue in your pack, but you probably have one if you're slapping on skins, right?
The Lupo AX 110 W utilizes two different high grade polyolefin plastics in the lower shell and cuff to shave substantial weight without a reduction of stability. This tech-compatible boot comes with rockered, lugged GripWalk soles for use with backcountry tech bindings or any GripWalk compatible binding, but alpine soles are available as an option.
*the other is the Scarpa Freedom SL WMN's
This year we broke with long-standing tradition and did not test one of our all time favorite boots, the award-winning Kyra 95, but instead tested the softer 2019 Dalbello Kyra 85 as a "Soft-Value" entry. Testers said it was a great comfort option for low-level skiers looking for ease of entry and extra room for the lower leg. Up against the other boots in the category it was out-matched, testers said. Their takeaway: pay the extra $50 for the upgrade to the Kyra 95. (check out last year's review: www.bootfitters.com/reviews/2017-18-dalbello-kyra-95)
Testers loved the easy 102 mm fit and hyper-cushioned initial feel when sliding into the Kyra 85—its entry and exit marks were top of class too. This is a comfy, warm fit for thick feet and the average to wider calf, testers said, but they also found that the middle 45-degree buckle did a fine job of keeping the foot in place. Testers found no real fit flaws here, just lots of extra room.
Testers were unanimously vexed by the collapsing forward flex feel of the Kyra 85, and mystified by how a supposed mere 10 flex index points separating the previously tested Kyra 95 from the Kyra 85 could feel so different. The apparent difference is the DB Hyperlite plastic used in the 85's shell and cuff, compared to higher-performance Irfran plastic found in the 95, as well as different tongue materials used between the two. Testers said for lightweight novice skiers this should not pose a problem as the stance angles and fit were on target, but said the Kyra 95 performed on a whole other level, suitable for intermediates to advanced skiers.
Testers did love the creature comfort of the Kyra 85's cozy Thinsulate liner and they said the simple walk mode switch was easy to operate and offered a decent range of motion and smooth, gliding quality of stride. GripWalk soles are available as an option for even better walking!
Of the 2018 Tecnica Cochise 105 W, one tester said: "This boot sh*#s rainbows!" We figure that's about as good a boot review as one can get. In fact, the Cochise 105 W received the highest score of all the narrow entries in the On-Off Area category, but it also got the highest score out of all the mediums and wides too! What do testers like most about it? They like that there's no compromise to be made in performance or fit in order to have a hike mode. Testers agree that this boot more than any other in the group fits and skis like a full-blown alpine boot.
Tecnica smartly places this 99 mm right between the narrows and the mediums, capturing the broadest audience of good skiers who want options on hiking or skinning around with one single model. Testers liked the heel and ankle hold, but also appreciated the slightly more open fit at the forefoot, over the instep and in the calf. A few testers cited that the tongue fit was a little firm at boot top, but most noticed that it mellowed with some skiing time.
Part of the reason that this boot skis as well as alpine boots is that it didn't give up alpine boot plastic to shave weight. Instead, Cochise relies on thinner shell wall construction in legit polyether plastic, both in the lower boot and upper cuff. The metal-on-metal cuff release mechanism keeps a direct-drive feel on board, and the firm, well-shaped C.A.S. liner maintains a connection between the body and the boot shell—no thermo-sponge loss of transmission here. Testers claimed this boot was quicker and stronger than expected at every turn on any snow surface.
The same Custom Adaptive Shape (C.A.S.) features found on the Mach1 boots are found here too. The shell is pre-dimpled in common work zones for better-formed and better-lasting heat stretches, and the C.A.S. liner is highly moldable and also grindable thanks to a high-density microcell exterior. For skiers looking to tour on lighter weight equipment, Cochise comes with Dynafit certified tech fittings integrated into the shell. The boot comes stock with alpine soles, but an accessory A.T. rockered sole set is available for use with compatible backcountry bindings.
Testers agree that the 2018 Tecnica Cochise Pro 130 is one of the very best of its kind because you don't have to give up descent performance and top-shelf alpine boot fit standards to gain a releasable cuff for hike and skin missions. The 99 mm last width is a smart choice for most good skiers looking for a locked-in fit for the heel, ankle and lower leg shaft while maintaining a little breathing room for the ball of foot and toes—that was especially nice for touring, testers mentioned. Performance-wise, the team unanimously affirmed that it drives a ski well—skinny or fat, on soft or hard.
The ankles and heel are particularly well designed to hold the foot in place for skiing movements, and the forward part of the lower boot offers some forgiveness in fit tension. Testers commented that they liked the padded feel of the liner in the cuff and along the shin, and felt that it maintained the same even, comfortable fit while in hike mode as well.
One key to the Cochise's broad power band and stability on edge, at speed, is its plastic—polyether upper cuff and lower shell—real alpine boot stuff. No skimping for the sake of weight—instead the shell wall thickness is reduced in non-critical areas to shave ounces while maintaining strength. We like that. Testers noted the foot-feel through the boot floor to the ski is exceptional, and while this boot might not compare to piste-centric Frontsiders, it's pretty darned close. For where and how skiers will be using this boot, it has plenty of horsepower for 99% of skiers. You want more juice? Can the hike mode. You want the mobility and touring options? Then this is the best you're gonna do.
As with the Mach1 boots, the Cochise line-up features the Custom Adaptive Shape (C.A.S.) menu of boot-guy-approved design elements. The C.A.S. shell is dimpled in common trouble zones to make heat stretching easier, more-defined and better-lasting. The C.A.S. liner is both highly moldable and grindable due to its high density microcell EVA foam exterior. The Dynafit-certified tech fittings enable the use of lighter weight "low tech" touring gear, and a set of rockered backcountry soles is available as an accessory purchase. Lightweight Lift Lock buckles are sweet for locking them open during entry and exit or while touring—no accidental re-latching.
The 2018 Scarpa Freedom SL 120 WMN returned unchanged this season and still impressed testers with its combination of light weight, huge touring range-of-motion and downhill skiing prowess. There are few boots in the all-mountain hike-mode category that can match that synergy.
Testers place the Freedom SL 120 WMN on the narrow side of the medium group, and point out that the front half of the lower boot fits like a lot of narrow lasts, while the ankle pockets and heel were more relaxed. The cuff is a bit narrow—not ideal for thick calves, testers said—and the tongue has a firm feel against the shin at boot top. All of these fit specifics were evened-out somewhat with full-molding of the Intuition liner, but a few testers mentioned that some shell work would probably be required at the forefoot for most medium-width feet.
The Freedom SL boots are characterized by a snappy flex feel and a strong move to the inside edge. The Pebax Rnew shell and cuff construction accounts for the snappy, elastic energy feel of the boot's flex—that's the nature of Pebax. The edge power testers feel comes from a slightly bowlegged cuff geometry and an "over-molded" carbon fiber rail in the sole of the lower shell—inside-edgy and stiff underfoot added up to trenches for testers, even on hard snow. Many testers mentioned needing a cuff adjustment to make the cuff angles slightly more neutral for their stances.
The simplicity and functionality of the Freedom SL's hike mode mechanism is a category benchmark. The range of travel in hike mode is long and without resistance both forward and rearward. It's these qualities that separate it from its competition for skiers who are serious about actually using this for tours off-area. The Freedom SL boots for men and women come fitted with tech-compatible Vibram Mountain Plus soles, though alpine Vibram Mountain Piste soles are available for purchase.
The 2018 Scarpa Freedom RS 130 returns unchanged this season to reclaim its spot as one of a very few boots in the On-Off Area category to match the downhill muscle of a fixed-cuff boot and the touring range of motion of a backcountry long tripper. Is it the perfect all-mountain boot then? Almost, said testers who found a few minor flaws with the fit and stance. Read on.
Last Width 101: according to our crew this ain't no 101. The Freedom RS 130 fits like most of the narrow class boots we tested, with a particularly tight toebox, forefoot and heel. The cuff fits tall along the leg and has an abruptly firm feel on the shin at boot top. So, it's not an easy peasy medium fit out of the box. However, heat molding the Intuition liner helped even-out the feel here, although testers said that for most average feet, some shell work will probably still be required to open up some space for the ball of foot's width.
Impressive is the word here. Pebax Rnew (the more enviro-friendly Castor bean oil based stuff) plastic in the lower shell with an over-molded carbon fiber rail in the boot sole sets the powerful foundation for energy transmission to the ski. Add to that a stiff Grilamid upper cuff linked to the lower with a bombproof metal-to-metal cuff release mechanism and you've got a powerful beast of a boot that's packaged with much less weight that similarly strong skiers. It's got a snappy, resilient flex feel say testers who loved the way the boot loaded the juice on skis of any width. The cuff's a bit tipped out (bowlegged) as well, said testers, which gives the set-up a bias on the inside edges—good for railing carves on-piste, but a bit hooky and unpredictable in the junk, testers said.
The simplicity and functionality of the Freedom RS's hike mode mechanism is a category benchmark. The range of travel in hike mode is long and without much resistance both forward and rearward. It's these qualities that separate it from its competition for skiers who are serious about actually using this for tours off-area. The Freedom RS 130 comes fitted with rockered, tech-compatible Vibram Mountain Plus soles, though alpine Vibram Mountain Piste soles are available for purchase.
The 2018 Salomon QST Pro 110 W returns mainly unchanged and in similar fashion to last season's test we found a broad spectrum of takes on this unique all-mountain hiker. From the first look at the QST Pro it's apparent that it's different. The low-slung instep of the cabrio lower with the embedded Endofit tongue looks a little spacey, and entry to this ski escape pod is different too—pull on the tongue loop and simply drive the foot on in, but don't pull too hard or the tongue can pop out of its slotted berth. Once in, testers either loved the close grip over the instep or they began thinking of a Custom Shell cook job to raise the roof a bit.
Testers place the QST Pro on the snug side of the medium-width group in the lower boot, where the fit is painted on every nook and cranny. The upper cuff is more relaxed, addressing the shin with a flat but padded feel and an open-enough boot top to handle thicker calves. The stance is noticeably upright, testers concurred, and the tongue is firm against the shin, and yet the boot's flex is long-travel and springy. These fit, stance and flex characteristics either brought tears of joy to testers' eyes or the other kind in a fairly even split.
The upright, springy stance put many testers on their heels, but several mentioned that the long travel flex allowed them to get forward into a good skiing position. The lateral cuff geometry is a little on the knock-kneed side of neutral, which gives the QST Pro a slinky, agile attitude which was particularly fun in softer snow off-piste, testers said. Testers who rolled the edge angle up a little steeper found a stable base of lateral support. Testers liked the lightweight feel of the boot and found it to be a capable hiker-skinner.
Testers like the easy flip-switch of the sideways Surelock cuff release, though some mentioned wishing it wasn't located as high on the boot spine, hidden under the powder cuff. The QST Pro 110 W comes with alpine soles, but a rockered, tech-compatible sole set is available as an accessory purchase.
The 2018 Salomon QST Pro 120 appealed to our test team for its unique design approach and the combination of reduced weight, touring capability and downhill game. Its specific fit characteristics and one-of-a-kind flex feel meant it was tailor-made for some and not for others.
Testers said it's a bit resistant on entry due to the tacky feel of the tongue fabric and the fact that the "Endofit" tongue sits down inside the cabrio edges of the lower shell, close to the foot. This low-ceiling fit across the top of the foot is the hallmark of the QST design and it either makes it or breaks it, fit-wise, for our test team. Those with lower-than-average insteps and generally low-volume feet loved the containment, while average and higher insteps felt the blood flow to the toes slowing down. The cuff is more average mediumish in the way it holds the leg, though some testers mentioned a flat feeling tongue that didn't want to contour with the shin.
The cuff is upright and the flex is long in travel. This was pure pleasure for some testers who loved the free flexing movement, but a search for fore-aft balance and connection to the ski's shovel for others. Laterally, testers agreed that the QST Pro is a snaky, agile groveler that accurately wormed its way through all manner of soft, off-piste junk. On smooth, firm surfaces testers said it felt slightly under-edged and required a bit more roll to a steeper edge angle to uncork its lateral juice. In hike mode, testers found huge amounts of aft travel but said it was somewhat hindered in its forward range of movement.
The Surelock cuff release mechanism is an easy sideways flip of a switch. The Custom Shell 360 feature is a useful tool for opening up a bit more room in tight spots and a way to fine tune stance alignment specifically to the skier.
