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Scarpa Freedom SL boots

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Has anybody skied these boots yet??? I've seen this from Ross Hewitt http://rosshewittblog.wordpress.com/2013/04/29/scarpa-freedom-sl-boot-review/ online so far.

What did you think compared to any other AT/freeride boots that are on the market (or if you're in the industry) that will be for 13/14.

Cheers
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Great boot, if it fits, certainly fills a gap in the market Weight/Performance wise.
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 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Another one for the list. Any others worth considering ? The interchangeable sole is important for me so I can mix and match.


Last edited by Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see? on Sat 10-08-13 9:48; edited 1 time in total
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Salomon 120 BC, Tecnica Dyn Light, BD Factor MX, it's pretty simple this year, all the boots give a bootfitter a fair amount to work with, you pick your weight, 1000/1200/1400/1600/1800/2000grams and let your BF go to work, not sure where the market can go from here, we're squeezing what we can out of the same projest, it's all about cutting weight, 1400 is the holy grail.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
CH2O, Cheers. I notice you've not mentioned the Technica Cochise ?
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Tecnica Dyn Light
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Scales have become as an important tool as footbed machines!
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
Buddy1664, Ross was skiing a pair most of this spring and as per his blog was raving about them. He is on a deal with Mtn Boot Co though so is maybe slightly biaised...!
Dynafit Mercury still on my list of mid-weight boots to try out.
As CH20 says above... 'if it fits'...
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offpisteskiing, Need interchangeable soles but....
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Thanks guys. Just wondered if there was an absolute stand out boot in anybody's opinion but loud and clear re. the fit being most important thing.

CH2O, I'll be in to get a pair of boots mid Dec.
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CH2O, ahhh, ok.
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 And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
I'm looking at the Freedom SL too. I'm selling my almost new Dynafit One U boots as I picked up a really cheap Atomic Tracker binding for my Nordicas so I need a DIN sole. I've had good reports about people doing hour long hikes with Redster Alpine boots in them with no problems, but for longer tours I want a lightish boot that can still handle the rough descents.
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So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Stand out boots are the whole damn line these days, none are without their compromise! Except Atomic, they suck ass!!
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
We've been mocked by the Reps, we're too radical! We have a line of only 10-12 alpine boots this winter, and 30-40 hybrid Free Rando boots. Once we explained to the Reps bosses our client needs and their product ranges, they agreed with us. Another couple of years and we'll see the death of trad' ski boots, IMO. The K2, Tecnica and the Salomon boots ski as well as my long served race boots, those I use as a reference point for testing, all are Dynafit and WR compatible, as I say there are always going to be some "incompatible" or "Comprimises" however believe these are negligible given performance. You can pretty much decide weight and budget and you'll get stand out performance.
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
And yes, the Alpine skier will always use proper race boots, before we get all whah whah whah!
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
CH2O, Yup, I have slalom skis now for on piste, couple those with the Redsters and by god they turn. Off to do a complete season this winter, so getting a little more back country/hiking up oriented.
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
I think that, if the snow is hard pack, proper hard pack a Nylon boot will always be laterally stiffer, and of course heavier, thus for Slalom they work in harmony with the designed ski. However off piste and in variable snow conditions we loose nothing, adding a really wide ski to modern Freeride boots loses nothing in my experience, and for the run home, if in condition on nice hardback it's more than enough, if there ain't no watch then there ain't no need. I would have never said that 5 years ago!
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 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
IMO you are only in the market for a traditional ski boot if you are a hardpack racer, I would even ad a FWT Competitior, however I know of 8 riders that got podiums on boots with a walk mode! the rest of you/us will get more than enough out of a "future proofed" freeride boot, with a walk mode, tech inserts etc, the rest should rent, simples.
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And before "he" starts, it has F*** all to do with being in Shamonix!
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yah boo chamonix posers
us rad mountain men are all the radder for pairing Denalis with our hair shirts and hairier ar53s



wink
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Note to self. Must buy a headband...

Anyway, looks like I can get a pair of the Salomon 120 BC's. Just a question of working out what size as my old Impact 120's turned into Welleys pretty quick.
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Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
AndAnotherThing.., nice boots, good weight, watch the front binding and sole stack with the Inserts. Drop at least a size compared to usual size and beware, they don't like stretching!
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
AndAnotherThing.., make it a fluro headband and it will double for rave wear. It's all about multiple use and versatility these days Wink
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I'll wait until I can try a couple of boots, have a good few pairs on my try list now. Looking at 1500g - 1650g approx. Cheers for the info Smile
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Quote:

Looking at 1500g - 1650g approx.


The Holy grail! Liner options will swing you both ways. An Intuition being lighter than a big bag of crisps! Some stock liners are double that, so swapping liners, at a reduced cost to yourself, should be a consideration given your "Weight range."
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Hmmm... sounds very interesting. I'm out of work at the moment though, hence the winter away, so trying to keep costs to a min. I can always upgrade the liner later if my little legs start aching too much Laughing
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 And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
CH2O wrote:
AndAnotherThing.., nice boots, good weight, watch the front binding and sole stack with the Inserts. Drop at least a size compared to usual size and beware, they don't like stretching!


Cheers for the advice.

My current boots (Imapct 120s) are 29.5s. A visit to the shoe shop and some DIY ruler work make my size a UK 10 ('standard width') and 28. With that in mind I was going to go with a 28.5. Perhaps 27.5 would be better, but I'm weary after past experience with painful boots.

This purchase will have to be a 'direct' job with a visit to a boot fitter later later as required. I hate to waste someones shop time trying stuff on with no intention of buying.
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 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
CH2O, What's your view on the likely continued availability these switchable Din \ Tech soled boots. Are they likely to be continue to be available or a passing fad ?
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
AndAnotherThing.., Swappable sole plates have been around for a while on some boots.
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
You should try them, even if you try them in the shop you'll find they feel more like an alpine downhill ski boot than the Vulcan / Mercury. They worked for me on Eugster on the Midi North face :http://rosshewittblog.wordpress.com/2013/05/15/the-north-face-of-aiguille-du-midi-eugster-couloir/ Very Happy
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
I've used them for approx. 8 ski days so far (mix of touring, powder and piste skiing) and have been really pleased with them. I've bought them as a one boot for everything and they are living up to the hype!
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Sorry for the thread re-boot but do these size long or short?

I'm normally a 28 or 28.5 so am normally in the same shell but Scarpas change on the half mondo size. Any knowledge out there?
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 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
galpinos, Go see a fitter???
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I have access to some at a reasonable price. I will then take them to a local fitter, though they don't stock Scarpa so can't advise on length.
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tough then I guess!!!!!
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tough then I guess!!!!!


I appreciate the help...... Very Happy
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
To those still in suspense, 28 was bang on. Feel pretty good out of the box so pretty excited to get skiing them after they're fitted.

CH20, you can sleep easy now.....
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
Nine days so far in the Freedom SL mixed between pistes in Kaprun and off piste skiing in Andermatt (Guspis, Felsental, Giraffe - nothing much over 35 degrees, predominantly good powder conditions). Few minor observations follow but bear in mind that I am still getting used to the boots and am a bit of a rubbish skier. I've added in the heel lifts that come with the boot and am still working out what the optimal combination of boot forward lean and delta is. My biomechanics are a mess and getting that right makes a real difference to my skiing. I'm not quite there yet but am close enough to form an impression of the boot. Height/weight wise, I'm 85 kg and 183cm.

First up, it skis like a regular alpine boot. Probably not 120 flex but not that far off. Really progressive flex and snappy rebound. While, as I mentioned earlier, I'm a bit rubbish, I really couldn't tell the difference between these and my alpine boots. I don't feel the need for an alpine boot any more but then I didn't need or use a really stiff alpine boot in the first place. Second, walk mode is very impressive and feels frictionless - I don't need that much range of motion owing to being massively inflexible.

Fit wise, the only comment I would make is that the ankle pocket seems on the larger side and I am probably on the borderline for being able to get the boot to work. Stock liner is really good quality but will re-mould quite a bit through the day depending on temperature. Basically the heat of the foot seems to re-cook the liner. Not a major issue. Seems slightly harder to punch - fitter I asked to punch out over the 6th toe I had blamed carbon in the shell. Would be keen to hear views of other experienced people on this one as still not 100 per cent fixed.

Sole swapping is easy as is general tinkering with the boot. I needed to alter the cuff alignment a lot as the boot has a 2 deg lateral lean out of the box, which I find really hard to deal with. Obviously others will have different impressions here.

Otherwise, I'm really impressed and am loving skiing in them. Goodbye alpine boots, goodbye Garmont Axons.
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