Let’s lead with a tester’s comments: The Zero G is money!
Yes, the Tecnica Zero G Tour Pro is our Best Touring Boot, again. We make no apologies for our love of this boot, and testers provided a lot of specific details as to why it rose to the top of our list. First and foremost, for a boot that’s as light and uphill-capable as it is (last year’s updates improved its touring range of motion substantially), testers say this boot skis head and shoulders above the rest--and for our team, the primary point of the sweaty endeavor is the descent. In the Zero G Tour Pro, that downhill experience is nothing short of glorious.
To fully understand how impressive this fact is, it helps to have been a boot tester for many years and skied in hundreds of different boots. Veteran testers like these, all expert skiers, will attest to the power of a poorly constructed boot to reduce their skiing ability to ruin.
It’s a shocking experience for a tester to go from one boot that lets him crush the test run, to another that crushes the skier. That sub-par boot can turn the test lap into a double-black-diamond sketch-gauntlet where simply an injury-free return to the test center becomes the revised goal. While the current, modern ski boot is as good as the device has ever been, there are still a few outliers that simply don’t ski well. To be honest, we still find most of them in the backcountry category where goals of light weight and touring range of motion sometimes override a boot’s downhill performance priority. For skiers who’ve ever purchased a new boot and felt like they didn’t ski as well in it as their last pair, it’s not their imagination—it’s the boot, period--sometimes one must scrap it and start over with a model that everyone agrees skis well.
The Zero G Tour Pro is one such boot. Every tester agrees it skis well—frankly, they say it skis as well as most full-blown alpine boots. To put this into perspective, imagine getting to the end of a tour, a little worked let’s say, and after stowing all the gear, strapping in, de-fogging goggles, buckling up and then pointing them downhill to discover that every turn happens exactly as planned—well, that’s something, and well worth the price of admission, we think.
While testers say that the carbon-infused, Grilamid cuff, Grilamid lower shell and rigidly linked release mechanism between the two comprise the performance power plant for the Zero G, they remind us that fit and balance is performance—because the misaligned and uncomfortable body simply doesn’t ski well. The shell shape and liner revisions that arrived last year remain tester favorites for an anatomical forefoot and toebox fit in a narrow-medium 99mm last. To look down at the svelte contour of the Zero G shell belies the balanced spread of the foot against the floor, internally, where it’s neutrally planted for edge-tipping greatness and testers say also, surprisingly, not numb.
A backcountry boot for everyone is how our test team describes the Gea RS, and while experienced backcountry users will appreciate its solid-enough flex and massive touring range of motion, the beauty of the Gea RS is that it’s an easy lift for any skier who’s new to the skin track.
Testers like this most-current version of the Gea RS best—and its predecessors have performed well in many boot tests over the years. They say that the pre-molded but fully customizable Intuition Pro Flex Performance liner would serve the medium width foot and leg straight out of the box but it also offers higher volume athletes quite a bit of fit forgiveness by way of a full liner cook job.
They also like the supportive-feeling cuff that, while perhaps softer than the claimed 120-flex, didn’t collapse under heavy load—either from hard flexing or skiing with a pack. Testers thought the shin fit was well-distributed and the flex feel progressive enough that less-skilled skiers wouldn’t be tossed in the backseat. Lateral, edge change moves are made easy by the stiffly constructed, carbon-reinforced Grilamid Bio lower shell, and its low-profile design put the foot in close proximity to the ski, enabling a well-connected feel for the snow surface, testers reported.
Veteran testers were accustomed to the Gea RS’s trio of different buckles and the crisscross of various overlapping cuff components when getting the boot put on and done up, but they caution newbies to have some patience with initial boot entry when sorting out all the layers and flaps, which one tester said were more complicated than a woman’s anatomy.
What the less-experienced backcountry traveler won’t have any trouble with, testers assured, is the going up. The ease of cuff release and the natural feeling stride will feel akin to a modern hiking boot—or perhaps even more comfortable than many of those. The smoothness of the cuff’s fore-aft rotation and its anatomically correct point of flexion at the ankle joint had testers raving about how much more enjoyable the ascent was in the Gea RS than in other tested BC models.
The headline SKI magazine (our boot review content partner) chose to run for this boot is: The Best Entry-Level AT Boot. While it’s a lead derived from our source review material, we still feel a need to explain it. The Best Entry-Level AT Boot doesn’t mean that it’s for less-skilled or less-savvy skiers—the Maestrale RS has been many a backcountry enthusiasts’ go-to for many years. What we mean is that for a skier who may be diving into a new gear commitment and seeking a dedicated touring set-up, they won’t go wrong with this boot. It just works.
Testers have called it the reliable, comfortable and ready-to-rock BC workhorse of the test, year after year. Many of our testers are also bootfitters and when you ask them which BC boots they hate to work on and repair, it ain’t the Maestrale family of boots that comes to mind for them—the Maestrale isn’t one that loses bolts and screws through normal use, and while its plastic is thin-walled stuff, the Maestrale design is pretty user-friendly for making common fit modifications.
The Maestrale has always been (and still is) and bankable medium-width fit for the average foot and leg—testers say the shell’s shape has curves in all the right places, the cuff stance and height suits both cyclist calves and chicken legs, and the liner is properly padded and pre-molded enough to go hike and ski straight out of the box.
Now, wait a minute, Scarpa calls it a 102mm last—that’s generally wide boot territory, at least in alpine-boot-speak, but realize that backcountry brands may play a bit fast and loose with both the width and flex metrics. It’s a medium, trust us, testers say.
The Grilamid Bio lower shell and Pebax Rnew cuff pair to ski stronger than expected for plant-based plastics due to a carbon fiber internal structure integrated into both the lower and upper that provides the additional torsional rigidity required to manage bigger, wider skis in demanding terrain. Testers said the Maestrale RS didn’t ski quite as strongly as its freeriding half-brother 4-Quattro Pro, but they said it handled itself just fine everywhere and made up for any downhill deficiency with a lighter build and longer, smoother-feeling touring stride on the ascent.
While we are big fans of supporting brick-and-mortar ski boot retailers, if there was a BC boot you could buy online, the odds are in the skier’s favor with the Maestrale RS for its avoidance of fit and performance deal-breakers. Keep in mind that Scarpa’s sizing differs from most other brands in that the whole size (i.e., 28.0) shares the same shell as the smaller half-size (i.e., 27.5). Confused? Go find a retailer who sells it so you can try it and buy it right there and then.
The Tecnica Zero G Tour Pro W is completely new this year in both shell and liner but that didn't stop it from taking the top step on the podium in the Backcountry category, again, for the third year in a row. This time its score was a nearly perfect, personal best at 4.80--but we couldn't find a negative comment in the tester data to explain why it didn't get the 5.0!
Testers approved of the lower shell shape changes of increased height of fit over the bony top of the foot and a little extra space for the lateral side of the forefoot (aka sixth-toe) and they also found that the boot was easier to get on and off than in past trials due to more of Tecnica's Quick Instep soft material at the boot throat's shell overlap area. The lace-able liner (if you wanted to, our testers didn't) was spot-on for the boot's 99mm snug-medium fit straightaway, testers said, with no need to heat it up regardless of its full-thermo moldability. They thought the fit was ideal for the target, with just a touch of extra room in the toebox, forefoot and instep and a locked-in performance grip on the foot and lower leg elsewhere.
The look of the boot matches its feel, testers said. It looks like a regular alpine boot, if streamlined and clean in form, with a properly tall and appropriately tipped-forward cuff and four legitimate (if lightweight) buckles and a power strap. Testers said that the entry and closure is easy and unsurprising--a compliment from testers who find that surprises upon entry or in attempting to get buckled-up only mean a boot is overly complicated or somehow flawed. Not the case here, they said--it goes on like a regular boot, just a teeny, little, lightweight one. The stance angles are dead on the money for a real skier when the cuff is locked for descent, but the fore-aft range of rotation is much improved over Zero G's past, they said. They noticed that its forward movement was increased substantially, and liked the friction-free quality of stride the boot offered for hiking or skinning, both.
The way the Zero G boots have skied always impressed testers but this year the carbon-infused Grilamid cuff linked to the Grilamid lower shell turned up the power and responsiveness in a big way for testers who said it crushed everything they put in its path all around our testing grounds at Mt. Bachelor. They said the cuff's flex feel was comfortable but firm and well-distributed in its pressure along the shin, but more importantly didn't fold over or collapse in heavy flexing situations or when hammering through highly variable conditions. They gave its stability and power to the edge race-boot-level props and couldn't overstate how quickly the Zero G responded to their steering or edge change inputs.
There wasn't a single, negative thing testers had to say about the Zero G Tour Pro W--and that's why we'll just give it a perfect 5.0 here, just among us friends.
We've never understood the backcountry skier's willingness to sacrifice downhill performance for light weight and touring range of motion, honestly.
We mean, consider the typical day-tour, the approach is longer than expected (always) from wherever the vehicle got parked. The pack is always heavier than it you thought it was going to be. The skin track was put in by somebody you haven't met but you now definitely hate. You didn't stop to eat or drink enough along the way, and now you're at the top, with the rest of your group apparently ready to drop as soon as you arrive. Backcountry snow, in your overly optimistic daydream, would be knee-deep blower, but rarely is--more often it's some sort of wind- or sun-affected, stiff merenge or perhaps a freezing-rain-crustified creme brulee al fresco. You rip skins, stow your stuff, clip your pack straps, lock your heel and wait your turn to drop while your sweaty hat fogs your goggles. Go time! And then you blow every turn to the bottom. At least you didn't lose a ski and have to hike back up for it. Sick run!
So, if that's our average backcountry descent--why not do yourself a favor and get a boot that will help you crush every turn regardless of the snow surface, how heavy your pack is or how out of shape you are? Give yourself a fighting chance for success and fun in the backcountry--get the all-new Tecnica Zero G Tour Pro. At least that's what all of our testers said. New shell shape, new hike mode mechanism, new liner. They absolutely loved it.
It skis like a race boot on frozen morning melt-freeze crust if you need it to, but it puts the ski exactly where you want it to go (no, need it to go) in tight trees. Its tall-enough, carbon-reinforced, Grilamid cuff handles a big, tall guy with a pack and still has some gas left in the tank to hammer a serious descent. It doesn't fold over or fail. It doesn't have weird buckles and overlaps. It doesn't require a bootfitter to make the liner fit properly for day one. It doesn't suck. It's the non-backcountry-boot-backcountry-boot according to our testers who have a long history of feeling BC boots make them worse skiers, instantly. The Zero G Tour Pro does not do that--in fact, it'll probably make you a better athlete.
But it isn't a three-piece hybrid made of recycled, vegan plastic and it has way too many buckles--I mean, four of them and a power strap (said in a nasal, whining voice)!
Nope. It looks like a ski boot, fits like a ski boot and skis like a ski boot, testers said. It just so happens to also be as light as the so-called best in the category and offers just as good a touring range of motion as those placeholders.
Our test team couldn't find any reason that this shouldn't be on every good backcountry skier's wish list this season--with the exception of the fit. It's got a perfectly-contoured fit map with the fit tension right where you'd expect a 99mm last to be--just a touch more snug than the average medium fit. So, yeah, the fat foot guys are left out in the cold on this one. But that's about it for negatives--our test team was wholly won over by the Zero G Tour Pro. One of the best in the entire test, they said.
One tester called the Scarpa Gea RS a wee Ferrari for your feet, and by the looks of other tester comments and scores that's a pretty good way to understand this returning re-design of a past perennial performer.
The Gea RS's is a low-slung roofline, along the mold shaping of Scarpa's 4-Quattro line, that holds the foot in place from the top down, engaging it against the low-clearance boot floor where it ties into the binding and ski in highly transmissive fashion. Testers said the lower boot connection to the snow-surface was highly tactile and immediate--kinda like that Ferrari feeling every crack in the pavement. To follow the analogy, testers said to mind the parking lot speed bumps, as the carbon core stiffened Grilamid lower shell returned terrain messaging to the leg shaft as directly as it sent the skier's inputs to the ski. This is a direct-drive, stiff suspension sort of Backcountry roadster.
The initial feel is firm on the foot and the leg, testers agreed, though one tester felt that the smoothness of the rear part of the liner made for an easier entry into the boot than in the former Gea. Testers felt that the overall fit was substantially more snug than the 102mm width designation would inidicate. Our low-volume instep, narrow forefoot testers found the Gea RS a perfect fit for them, while average and thicker feet suffered the Geaconstrictor's grip on the foot. Our bootfitting-savvy testers felt that the out-of-box pre-molded shape simply wasn't a fair representation of the boot's ultimate fit and suggested that a full-temp liner cook would be needed to provide a more contoured, open and all-around more-comfy fit.
The Pebax R-New cuff felt stiff and responsive to the test team who liked the lateral connection of the boot to the ski for consistent and solid edging. The light weight and snug fit also drove up its Quickness and Steering score, but it's Edge Power metric was one of its highest scores, matched by the score in Dynamic Balance. Tester felt that both the fore-aft and lateral stance position was good for functional skiing and touring. The cuff's Speed MLT walk mode was favored by testers who called it simple and effective to switch between the solid skiing linkage to its wide-striding walking and touring mode that they said matched a long rearward rotation with a similarly long-travel move forward.
Testers liked the permanently fused Vibram lugged backcountry norm (ISO 9523) outsole for a confident scramble where needed. They said the other on-board features were all useful skiing- and touring-oriented options and said that the each-unique buckle closure system would keep them focused while getting ready to head out the door.
Our test team had a chance to get back into the Scarpa Maestrale RS after testing it last year for its redesign debut--they still love the way it skis and tours, and they still say its fit-labeling is a little deceptive. Their takeaway was that it's true potential lies in the post-liner-mold experience, so skiers should not let initial try-on dissuade them from pulling the trigger.
It's a light and capable all-terrain descender, still, said testers who beat it up all around the mountain, finding a variety of snow, from frozen melt-freeze leftovers to shaded pockets of pow. It handled all of it admirably, they said, though it was daunted by the hardest hardpack--which we should all strive to avoid, especially in the backcountry where sometimes another cup of coffee is the key to finding perfect corn instead of boilerplate. Some testers thought the cuff struck them a little low on the leg, but all testers liked the stance position and felt the boot fostered good skiing movements and responded to them in kind. Testers gave its Quickness and Steering higher marks than they did for its Edge Power but both paired well together for a no-issues, versatile BC boot.
The snug fit amplified the boot's quickness abilities, but testers said that it missed the mark on fitting like a wide, which is what a "102mm" on the box or in the catalog says to the customer. Most of the fit scores settled between common narrow and medium averages, but testers did remind that they were testing the out-of-box, stock initial fit. Yes, the Intuition Pro Flex Performance liner is factory pre-molded to allow for ease of try-on in a shop environment, but it's a performance (read, firm) liner, so without performing a full-temp liner cook a skier won't have a fix on how well (and possibly wider) the Maestrale RS could fit. That's a leap of faith, of course, when it comes to buying boots, but testers thought that if the fit along the shin and down into the instep was close to ideal, it would only improve from there.
Testers appreciated the sustainably produced plastics in the Grilamid Bio lower shell and Pebax R-New cuff and were pleasantly surprised by how well they skied, if not suited for the race course. The backcountry specific feature set hit the mark for testers, with a Vibram lugged backcountry norm (ISO 9523) outsole that paired with a long and smooth touring stride enabled by the simple Speed MLT cuff release mechanism. They noted that every buckle was different, and for different reasons, and they liked the way they closed up the fit once they got their various layers and catches organized.
While our testers were drawn to the Crux W's cool grey and turquoise cosmetic, a closer look yielded more interesting elements for them. A standard height cuff with two buckles and a lower shell without a hard plastic overlap over the foot, sealed instead with a bonded fabric soft top and a cable-routed single buckle closure. This is Head's maiden voyage into true Backcountry boots and our team said the first time was the charm for a nearly flawless debut.
No need to bury the lead--this boot rips, testers agreed. It skied great (and not just for a lightweight touring boot, one said) in all conditions and terrain, with a strong alpine-feeling flex and solid closure from top to bottom that powered quick moves and deep edge angles no matter what ski it was paired with. Our tallest testers loved the cuff height for a well-distributed feel along the shin and for a supported fore-aft position for all day skiing, in and out of the skin track. Our shorter-legged and thicker-calved testers weren't quite as stoked, saying that the 99mm shape favored the average of height and taller as well as the average of calf and more slender-legged.
That is often the nature of the 99mm boot--it's right between the medium and narrow boot shape, and testers say the Crux W trends a bit toward the skinnier fit throughout the lower and upper portions of the boot. Testers felt the boot fit a little short, lengthwise, and commented that given the short sole length, a skier in-between sizes could go up a size to gain more toe room for touring and a more relaxed medium fit pattern. Testers that didn't mind the length also didn't mind the snug fit along the lateral side of the foot and they sure didn't complain about the snug ankle and heel pockets that provided a just-padded-enough control center for managing the ski. The single buckle powered cable closure for the lower boot was a hit with testers who said that somehow the cabling didn't chop the top of the foot and worked in a smooth, wrapping way to tighten up the fit.
Testers really liked the solid attachment between cuff and lower and the ease with which they could release that lever, and they applauded the long range of motion it enabled in touring mode. They were impressed with the quality of cuff rotation, the lightness underfoot and the length of stride this newcomer brought to the category. Regardless of the Crux W's rookie status, this was top-shelf, they said. The cam buckle power strap provided additional cuff closure at boot top for maximizing leverage over the ski and testers praised the option on forward lean adjustment--they didn't feel it needed it as the stock set-up was balanced but mentioned that some tech binding slope angles might necessitate a tweak to regain a balanced position. The lugged Vibram outsole was rugged and effective for scrambling on Mt. Bachelor's lava rock (or stairs to the bar deck), but most importantly, they said it was turquoise to match the other highlights.
Testers thought that the new Head Crux Pro should win some sort of international Best-of-Design award--its lines are supercar-like and the cosmetic is understated and stealthy. And functionally, testers loved how the Head boot DNA was apparent in its anatomically accurate fit, strong power to the edge and blisteringly quick connection to the ski. Oh, yeah, and it went uphill with the best of the category and then some.
One tester said this was Rookie of the Year for the entire boot test. This is Head's first foray into the dedicated Backcountry boot market and our test team said it was a home run on the first pitch. Testers said it was a smart first go, seemingly borrowing a few key design elements from the category favorites and then doubling-down on how those were executed.
First, the cuff is noticeably tall (meaning, alpine boot height on the lower leg) and is secured by two straightforward buckles. These two facts, alone, appeal to our testers who disdain an under-powered, short cuff on a flagship model that's supposedly aimed at real downhill applications. The two-buckles on the cuff made a difference for our team who said the fore-aft position was balanced and solid, and while there are single-buckle cuffs in the BC group that do quite well, more is better, our testers said. The spine of this boot is rigid, testers said, giving it a legit, 130-plus flex rating with a well-distributed (if stiff) flex feel.
The lower boot is a cabrio-styled cut-away with a fabric weatherproof cover that's bonded to the shell. It's not a three-piece shell, as it relies on the rigidity of the cuff's solid linkage to the lower shell in skiing-mode for its fore-aft support. This non-overlap design opened up a nice amount of ceiling height over the bony midfoot for our testers and the buckle-tensioned cable closure didn't mess up that fit, they said. The 99mm boot sits on the fence between the medium and narrow fit, and testers concurred that this one might tip a bit to the skinny side, especially along the lateral side of the lower boot where it put the squeeze on the 5th metatarsal and styloid process. The liner is a thin EVA creation that testers loved for its clean lines and smooth fit, but they said there wasn't enough thickness to offer much relief to those bony points, which they mentioned could be resolved with a bootfitter's easily accomplished heat stretches if needed. The fit is secure and well-shaped throughout, just close to the curves of the foot--for testers with abnormally curvy curves, well, they knew they were there.
The boot is strong and rigidly transmissive both laterally and torsionally in addition to having a stout flex feel. Testers mentioned big rebound energy and a commanding presence over big skis at speed. This is a testament to Head's use of recycled carbon fibers in the Pebax Rnew shell and cuff. We aren't typically impressed with the edge-driving power of Pebax but here we've had to reevaluate that bias--it's the real deal on edge, testers said. A couple testers mentioned that the lateral geometry is set-up slightly strong to the inside edge, which was confidence-inspiring on firm surfaces and carving through Spring corn but caused a little extra shovel hook-up in softer snows on fatter skis--easily remedied with a lateral liner shim, they said, as there isn't a lateral cuff adjustment (common in touring boots).
The Crux Pro's top scores were unsurprisingly in the performance parameters of Stance, Edge Power and Quickness (4.75's). Its fit score took a little hit for being more snug than the 99mm target, according to some very critical testers. The Convenience score took a beating for the Crux Pro's challenges to entry and exit, for which some of our testers didn't have enough patience. The fabric gusset that maintains a warm and dry inner boot and also opens up big range of motion in tour mode also creates a bit of a restriction point (or crux, shall we say) for the foot getting into the boot. This is largely the category norm and an easy trade-off for all the Crux Pro's benefits, but it was the one element that dragged down its total average (which we thought deserved to be higher).
The Fischer Transalp Tour W's impressed our testers with a just-right blend of fit, downhill power and uphill capacity. Testers said it nailed the target audience for good skiers looking for a strong skiing BC boot that didn't miss a beat for a lightweight feel and big range of motion for touring. While it lost a few points for convenience of entry and exit, it remained solidly on the podium in gold medal status.
This was one of our test team's favorite backcountry boots for how nicely it matched the foot with a narrow heel and slightly wider forefoot. Testers said it fit tighter than many medium-width boots (not uncommon in this category) but they felt that the proportions and contours were right on the money for the female foot. While all testers agreed that the Transalp runs a little short, lengthwise, they didn't have big problems with that. One tester suggested that if possible, skiers might try on the larger size to see if that gained a slightly longer, more typical medium-width fit without losing the grip on the heel and ankles, which were very strong fit zones. Testers also mentioned that the fit over the midfoot and into the instep was right where it needed to be, even if a skier had a knobby top of foot.
A size-up might benefit the longer-legged skier looking for a more solid fore-aft platform for descents in tricky snow or with a heavy pack, as the taller cuff and liner feel might provide a bit more leverage over the ski, as well. However, our testers thought that other than a slightly lowish cuff feel on the leg, it was not a collapsible or weak feeling cuff. They pointed the Transalp downhill through a variety of snow conditions and terrain options and came out smiling--this was a lightweight that skied up a weight class or two, they said.
The fabric gusset that contains the liner and keeps moisture from the elements on the outside of the boot created a bit of a barrier to easy entry and posed a bit of a challenge when re-inserting a liner that was removed for drying or to swap insoles, but this was a minor inconvenience according to testers who felt spending a little extra time getting the boot on was a fine trade for how well it fit and skied. The minimalist design with open areas between the shell and cuff (necessitating the weatherproof gusset) is also responsible for how well the cuff rotates with the liner while in hiking mode--testers felt its range of motion and quality of movement is up there with the very best backcountry boots they've ever tested.
Testers liked the slick operation of the single buckle closure on the lower shell's cable system and the hook-grip style Phatt Maxx power strap with a quick release ripcord was also a hit. No issues for our team as it related to actuating the cuff release mechanism with gloves on, and there was absolutely no complaints about the Ice Grey hue over an Aqua lugged outsole--a test team fave.
The Transalp Carbon Pro stood out for its high power-to-weight ratio on descent, testers said, and they liked how this boot fit, if a little shrunken in proportions from the 100mm medium-width fit target. The range of motion in touring mode was impressive and testers commented that the quality of cuff rotation was smooth and natural. One tester said that this was the strongest-skiing iteration of the Transalp boots we've tested over the last few years.
The fit runs shorter than other boots and testers claimed that the fit elsewhere in the lower shell trended toward the snug side of the medium fit range. Some testers thought that this earned the boot a demerit on its fit score, while others liked the roomy-narrow feel even if it didn't match its metric fit-lable. It might be a boot that a prospective buyer would want to try-on in the next size up to see if that might offer more toebox room for touring and gain a bit more room for blood flow elsewhere.
The lightweight feel on the foot was undeniable and testers appreciated the thin liner build that somehow managed to provide just enough padding for the foot to live happily in the close quarters offered by the Pebax Rnew shell. Surprisingly the carbon-infused polyurethane cuff didn't add much weight to the mix but it did add some useful torque and stability to the Transalp Carbon Pro's edging game--solid and quick were common descriptors that testers applied to it.
The flappy, waterproof gusset that contains the liner in the shell offered some challenges to testers who had removed the liner--it's a little tricky to load it back into the confined fabric tunnel. It's not the easiest of boots to put on for the same reason, but the gusset works undeniably well to keep the elements on the outside while freeing up huge amounts of touring range of motion in comfy fashion.
Testers liked the single-buckle-leveraged bite on the lower shell's cable closure and found the hiking mechanism release straightforward. The Phatt Max power strap was a favorite for its hook-grip attachment and quick releasing pull tab, though one tester with pretty slender legs felt it didn't get tight enough for him. The majority of testers liked the fore-aft positioning in its stock setting, but the forward lean angle is adjustable on the Transalp Carbon Pro.
