In every skier tourer's career, there comes a time to hang up the four-buckle boots and pursue the full experience of unhindered mountain movement. Whether it’s your first encounter with alpine-style speed or your thousandth, the Zero G Peak Women’s Boot is a worthy steed. An admixture of carbon and grilamid comprises the lower and cuff, providing lateral, torsional and forward/bac..

When Lange introduced the XT3 Tour Pro, their devoted fanbase wept tears of joy that finally, they could get the same "Lange" fit, but in a backcountry-specific boot. With the XT3 Tour 2.0 MV 130, Lange is keeping the same great performance and fit as its forbear but with slightly less weight. The strategic weight loss took place in a few ways: First, the XT3 Tour 2.0 uses a new Vi..

To the La Sportiva Vanguard, wide-open GS turns on a big face, and driving high-fat powder skis are in its nature. The rigid 130 flex will thrive on even your largest pow planks. However, it will surprise you on the way up with its generous 63 degrees of cuff rotation. Once you figure out the V-shape cuff and asymmetrical scissor closure system, booting up will be a breeze - even i..

At the same time and place every year, the boot wizards at SCARPA emerge from their R&D dungeons to see how their creations are being used. It was during such an emergence they noticed the F1 LT being pushed farther and harder than ever anticipated. With ideas in their heads for the next best thing, they retreated back from whence they emerged, spending the next year testing di..

In the early days of ski touring, folks purchasing boots had to answer a most pressing question; “Do I want performance or mobility?” Thankfully, and much to the relief of our wallets, our sport has matured quite nicely, and we are now treated with many equipoised offerings. With the introduction of the Transalp Pro, Fischer has created a boot equally at home on far-out ski mountai..

If the TLT 8 is Dynafit’s Mozart (classical, virtuosic, precedent-setting), then the Blacklight is their Beethoven (dark, striking). Okay, maybe we’ve lost you, but we’re just really excited about this boot! Like the TLT X, the Blacklight takes what worked from the TLT 8, such as the simple ultra lock system and above-average volume fit, while also improving walking range of motion..

These boots are made for skiin’ – and that’s just what they’ll do! But eventually, you’ll have to go walking, too. Usually first. Filling the spot in their lineup previously held by the Hoji Free 130, Dynafit offers the unisex Tigard 130 and ventures into 4 buckle territory with a boot that promises to fulfill the elusive overlap between hard charging and uphill aerobic efficiency...

Atomic heard the cry of 1000 aching souls, “I want a boot that walks like a Backland Carbon but skis like a Hawx XTD, why oh god am I left to suffer and teeter on this hideous precipice?!” And lo, they have provided an answer. Boasting both a 74-degree range of motion and a very skiable 120 flex, the Backland Carbon XTD 120 is as capable on the up as it is on the down. The laced lo..

Can’t decide if you want to optimize for the up or the down? Looking for a boot that does it all? Atomic has opted to make the decision easy for you in the form of the Backland XTD Carbon 115 W. Combining the best of the lightweight Backland and burly Hawx XTD series of boots, the Backland XTD Carbon 115 W provides a stable and powerful skiing platform while maintaining a relativel..

While many boot manufacturers proudly stamp "130" on the side of their touring boots, it is no secret that many of these fall short of their alpine brethren that sport a similar number. With the Ridge Pro boot, Dynafit talks the talk and skins the skin track by providing a boot with exceptional walking mannerisms and burly downhill performance. At the heart of the Ridge Pro is the ..

Sometimes, when two things are combined, they produce something far greater than the original constituents. History is marked by such fusions: fire and meat, iron and carbon into steel, ski poles and ice axes, J-Lo and Shakira. Now, two of the best options for backcountry boots have joined forces to form the all-new, all-powerful F1 LT. By combining lightweight race features from t..

With the introduction of the F1 LT, many were forced into a state of introspection as they struggled to cope with just how powerful such a light boot could be. For the upcoming season, Scarpa is equitably bringing the same kickass performance of the F1 LT and combining it with a women’s specific fit. After much market research, rumor has it they’re cleverly calling it the F1 LT W. ..

It’s said that “Necessity is the mother of invention.” While we don’t claim skiing a gazillion vertical feet to be a necessity, it certainly inspired innovation in the form of Tecnica Zero G Peak Carbon! This boot enters a small but increasingly prominent market of truly lightweight touring boots that punch above their weight class when pushed in downhill ski mode. It all starts wi..

When speed is ingrained in your DNA and you've got your eyes set on the podium, the Dynafit DNA race boot is going to be your partner in speed. Carbon cuffs reduce weight and add downhill performance which combined may end up being the difference between taking first instead of second. The Twistfit closure system gives you full control of your fit so that you can have confidence an..

A fixture at the head of any skimo race, the original Alien 1.0 established a higher performance-to-weight benchmark. It’s difficult to imagine improving on a winner like this, but no one is arguing the reformulation doesn’t do just that. We’re calling it the Alien 1.1 (SCARPA still calls it “1.0”, but hey, that’s confusing. Maybe the Alien 1.0 v2?). Keeping the full-carbon cuff..

If you appreciate innovation and free speed, then pay close attention; the future is here. Dynafit’s partnership with Pierre Gignoux, a highly decorated French skimo racer and mad boot-scientist, has been fruitful. The DNA Pintec boot is a wonder to behold. Pintec is a tech-system that enables crazy weights, super-fast transitions, and better responsiveness. Take the traditional..

While you should never compare yourself to others, you can definitely compare the Raceborg II against its predecessor. Losing the cable-actuated ski/walk mechanism and instead using a more traditional design, the Raceborg II is quick to transition and gains reliability relative to its forebear. The 75° range of motion and light carbon fiber cuff make for an excellent climbing platf..

While escargot, crème brulee, croissants, and creamy camembert are wonderful, no list of French delicacies would be complete without mentioning the Pierre Gignoux Black. Handcrafted deep in the French Alps, each and every boot is meticulously built, ensuring quality and performance. With its athletic weight, the Black will have you wondering if it's time to replace the batteries in..

Certain inventions are acknowledged as the peak of human innovation and excellence. Fire, democracy, the automobile, and now, with the addition of the SCARPA Alien 4.0, that list has grown. Coming off the legendary 3.0 platform, the Alien 4.0 has made minor improvements for those who like to go uphill fast while having a stiff and precise boot on their feet. With an updated free-fl..

Billed as the downhill-oriented pony in the Pierre Gignoux stable, the Mountain is all about committing descents, far off the beaten path. Being handmade by Pierre Gignoux in the heart of the French Alps, the Mountain is made with meticulous attention to detail, ensuring quality and performance. The asymmetrical cuffs feature two buckles, allowing the boot to be securely snugged ag..

What a partnership! Hand-crafted by the world-renowned Pierre Gignoux, the carbon DNA racing boot is distributed by world-renowned Dynafit. Long the most dominant player on the European racing scene, Pierre has taken weight and performance to a new extreme. Being the most dominant player on the North American backcountry scene, it only makes sense that Dynafit has embraced the extr..

Dedicated ski-mountaineering racers need a boot as serious as their ambitions, allowing them to perform at the absolute highest levels without restriction. With its masterful construction, exceptional performance, and meticulous attention to detail, the Stratos VI is such a boot. Improving and building upon prior generations of Stratos boots, the Stratos VI uses a traditional si..