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New breed of AT boots
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Poster:
A snowHead
Poster:
A snowHead
Looking at the new range of AT boots for next year. Wow!
I think this boot will be top of its class.
With the Scarpa Maestrale RS, Dynafit Vulcan, Dalbello Sherpa and Garmont Cosmos there is a line up of boots which are as stiff as 120flex, as much as most who don't race need, and have upto 40deg(Scarpas) of
movement
in walk mode. They weigh just a fraction of what most alpine boots do and with the new contact point technology that Plake/Dalbello have introduced for their range will most likely give as much feel/feedback too.
I am thinking that as of next season I will have no need really for my alpine boots and will revert to rocking a set of the new Scarpas on a daily basis for everything from front to side to backcountry. The Maestrale was Scarpa's full on touring dedicated model which seems to have been a solid benchmark for years and next years RS model presents with all the previous benefits, yet enough rigidity and control to rival a fair chunk of the alpine boot market. The only downsides that are talked of is the fact that they have a less progressive flex than an alpine equivalent.
In another couple of years perhaps the overlap will be so great that everybody will be kicking around in comfortable boots with a rockered vibram sole and a decent walk mode.
Obviously
A snowHead
isn't a real person
Obviously
A snowHead
isn't a real person
Intuit wrote:
In another couple of years perhaps the overlap will be so great that everybody will be kicking around in comfortable boots with a rockered vibram sole and a decent walk mode.
If only they could sort out the alpine binding issue, then for a lot of people I'd agree.
I'm actually about to go back the other way and get some high end, foam lined, closer to race boots again.
I'd rather use my Endorphins with the Vibram touring sole (for rock scrambling purposes (though I don't do all that much of that these days)), but the only Alpine binding they go in sort of properly is my Dukes.
Unless you are on touring bindings all the time, swapping the sole for the DIN sole is a pain and I'd be worried about doing this repeatedly, so that leaves you having to have two pairs of boots. For me having two pairs of boots is not really such an issue as I can drive to the mountain and take two pairs with me if I want, but for most I suspect this is not the case which will limit the possibility of the crossover boots, at least with the Vibram touring sole.
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?
stuarth wrote:
If only they could sort out the alpine binding issue, then for a lot of people I'd agree.
I'm actually about to go back the other way and get some high end, foam lined, closer to race boots again.
Interesting to hear you go the other way
What is the real issue stopping them solving this?
From what I understand it is to do with the rockered sole meaning that the boot doesn't touch the AFD and thus won't release consistently. I have heard of issues using dukes and similar with a sticky heel release because of the slight difference in shape of the lug on the touring boot compared to alpine.
In this
preview
of Dalbellos Sherpa for 2013, Plake talks of the 4 pods they use to get contact with the binding through a dense material as apposed to vibram. This is designed for feedback from the boot and not as a way of overcoming the release issue. I can't think that it would take much to adjust the rocker on the sole and position a similar pod system which would work to make sure a vibram sole would release efficiently from an alpine binding.
Surely if it was that easy though, then we would be there already. What other reasons are there for the two not being able to be compatible?
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