Lightweight ski boots

A snowHead

I am looking to buy new ski boots - experienced on piste skier. Am keen to find the lightest possible boots - has anyone found any make which is much lighter than the average boot

A snowHead

Full Tilt come up pretty light compared to most.

Unfortunately you just need to google. However a light but won't help you if it doesn't fit the shape of your foot.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

Yes, Full Tilts are light but many touring boots are lighter still. See the table under the photos here:

http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?p=2487193

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@Albech, why?

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altis, much as I believe that good touring boots are better in almost every respect to Alpine downhill boots, if Albech as a piste skier is hiring skis (or has own skis with Alpine bindings), there aren't many that'll be suitable (e.g. the ones in your table). They'd need to see a table of touring boots with swappable soles, and that'd be a pretty short list I think.

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Daleboots are very light.

I have never had the chance to weigh a Daleboot. To my knowledge the lightest Alpine boots among the major brands would be Fischer Vacuum boots with an aftermarket Intuition Pro Wrap liner or similar or Full Tilts which come with an Intuition liner.

The Fischer Vacuum boot shells are heat molded to your feet as is the Intuition liner. They are four buckle, two piece construction and very precise if fitted by a competent boot fitter. Full Tilts are a "cabrio" three piece design. The liner can be heated to conform to your foot while not compressing where there is existing space between a part of your foot and th shell.

With Full Tilts shell adjustments are made in the conventional way (stretching, punching, grinding et cetera). I have both boots and weighed them on the same scale. The Fischer's with Intuition are a little lighter. However, the stock Fischer liner which is a Intuition-like hybrid with a plastic reinforced tongue and some other differences, makes the boot a little heavier than the Full Tilt.

I like both boots a lot but they do flex differently as is true with all 2-piece vs. 3 piece deigns. I mostly ski in a pair of Fischer RC4 Vacuum 130 boots.

The principal advantage of light boots is walking from the parking lot to the lifts or up and down stairs at the lodge. While light boots are a noticeable advantage in this regard, as has been mentioned, this really should be viewed only a "bonus" and buying the boot that will best fit and work for your skiing should be the first consideration.

Whichever boot you buy, invest in some "Cat Traks" or other sole protectors for walking about in parking lots and on metal stairs and such. Worn boot soles can cause binding retention/release problems which their owners are often blissfully ignorant of. I am rather amazed how much people are willing to spend on boots only to trash the soles. Lighter plastics tend to be even more sensitive to wear in this regard.

Good luck with whatever boot you find is best for you among many quality brands and models.

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Thanks - v. helpful - will certainly check out the options you have mentioned.

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want really light weight in an alpine boot, wait till season 2016/17 just seen something that will blow everything else away

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CEM can you tell us more?

@CaravanSkier, afraid not, thisis 2 years down the line suffice to say it is an alpine boot which will be approx 400g lighter than any other in the category Smile

You know it makes sense.

Resurrecting this thread to ask about lightest possible boots. I rented touring boots once (for an "introduction to touring"day) and loved them. I already have fairly lightweight skis. I have a health problem which means I can no longer contemplate skiing/skinning uphill - so no actual touring. I just don't want to drag more weight than necessary around.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

@pam w, the touring boot category has broadened quite a lot since 2014.

Would you Be happy to be stuck using tech bindings? If not, that will narrow things down and probably exclude a lot of the very lightest options. That said, something like a Scarpa Gea or Salomon MTN Explore will work with tech, frame touring and WTR alpine bindings. They will also ski nicely and are pretty light compared with alpine boots

Take a look at something like sport Conrad or telemark Pyrenees which will give you an idea of what’s out there

A snowHead

Just to add that you probably don’t want the very lightest option - they are made more for running uphill and surviving the descent unless you are a really good skier

A snowHead

Thanks. I'm not a very good skier. The touring boots I rented were fine for downhill.

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@pam w, I have Atomic Hawk Ultra. Definitely the lightest ski boots I have ever had and certainly make the walking part far less clumpy. I wouldn't say they are any easier to get on and off, and they suit a narrow foot. They're Alpine boots, not touring boots.

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Thanks, will have a look - though I have quite wide feet.

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I've just swapped my 1800g Atomic Waymaker Tours for some Tecnica Zero G Tour Pro's at around 1300g a boot. They do a full range of flex rating and Women's versions if that is what you need. The liners on many of the light or very light boots really are minimal (to reach headline weights), and many replace them with well known brands. For example the Atomic Hawk Ultra XTD is nominally over 100g heavier than the Tecnica Zero G Tour Pro, but the shell is only about 20g different, so the Atomic has a much thicker liner.

https://www.tecnicasports.com/men/touring/
https://www.tecnicasports.com/women/touring/

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If they fit, these represent pretty decent value and tick the boxes for your requirements.
..Nick

https://www.sportsdirect.com/dalbello-lupo-ax-ladies-ski-boots-921123#colcode=92112301

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I use the Atomic Backland Carbon, albeit for snowboarding. Brilliantly stuff, and about half the weight of standard hard snowboard boots. Oh yeah, and you can ski in them too of course.

I don't think it's entirely true that dead weight doesn't matter when riding, but it certainly does if you've got to lug the things around the world in hand baggage. I like the new boots because the flex is designed in, not a by-product of the material and temperature you're riding in. Disadvantages may be less insulation so may induce additional weight for boot heaters, but I've not yet hit that issue.

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@pam w, there should be lots of options these days. Limiting factor will be which bindings do you use - or would you be happy to change those too? If you changed bindings to something like the Salomon/Atomic Warden or Marker Lord (other options may be available now too), then probably 95% of the touring boot market would be available to you (some Dynafits for example will only work in pin bindings).

This might be useful: https://hikeforpow.com/alpine-bindings-touring-boots/

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anyone else wondering what @CEM, special boot for 2016-17 was?

You know it makes sense.

When I go to NZ & am travelling around I take the Salomon QST Pro. Extremely light & does everything, although not a dedicated touring boot. I like it for piste skiing.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

I got some Lange touring boots, they aren't super super light, but are light and bombproof, ski very nicely.

A snowHead

A snowHead

I was using the Ultra Hawk XTD 130 last season. I used for downhill and for day tours (first experience of touring so I have nothing else to compare to). I also have the Hawk 120 downhill boots which are very heavy in comparison. I didn’t notice any performance difference in the downhill between the two. The Ultra Hawk XTD were super easy to walk in given the weight benefit. But they are very stiff which makes it hard to get the boots on!

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Hi @pam I have been the thinking the same way for years, looking on enviously at those light touring boots wondering when the boot manufacturers will apply the same techniques to Alpine boots. Now that my boots are nearing the end of their life, like you. I am considering the touring range even though its unlikely that I will do much, if any, touring. I also have quite wide feet. I'd be very interested to see how you get on. Does anyone have any view on the Scarpa F1 WMN which has very good reviews? Would it be good enough (doesn't have to excellent) for mainly on piste skiing?

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@rachelb, I suspect it would be ok for skiing. Note that it is only compatible with tech bindings though

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I bought a set of these 2 seasons ago and they are wonderful and feel very light
https://www.dalbello.it/en/boots/freeride-tour/lupo-ax-120-2836/

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Thanks @Arno, that is a big factor.
I will look at the dalbello lupo and I think my bindings ( Look Xpress 11) would work with them

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@spyderjon, U sure about m8? Scarpa website just says “Binding TLT” Puzzled

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@spyderjon, cheers. You’d think Dynafit would want to stress how broadly compatible their boots are rolling eyes

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Lightweight ski boots

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