August to October is an exciting time for ski shops all across the country. Each year, a handful of products really stand out*, and La Sportiva's boot was one of the most anticipated. The Skorpuis CR boot was meant to replace the Spitfire, and man did La Sportiva nail it. With a 68 degree range of walking motion and the smooth Spider ratchet closure system, the Skorpius goes up as well as it goes down (some might say it does so even better than its forebearer). Now, you don't have to compromise on performance or lug an ounce more than you need to into the backcountry -- The La Sportiva Skorpius boot is all you need for BC glory.
* Even though we told them not to, the guys in the shop did bring cake and ice cream to work the day that these arrived. We apologize for any stray frosting or sprinkles, we tried to get it all, but a Costco cake thrown in the air does leave quite the mess.
- The SWING-LOCK ski/walk closure system is easy to use and stays in whatever mode you want it to.
- Ramped toe inserts mean that Ski Trab Titan bindings can be stepped into without depressing the lever.
- This boot has 68 degrees range of motion (33° back and 35° forward) for your walking pleasure.
- A La Sportiva GripGuard boot sole makes rocky scrambles feel secure.
- Compatible with Tech and Hybrid bindings.
- Made in Italy.
Specifications | |
Weight |
1190g [27.5] |
Weight (pair) | 2380g [27.5] |
|
2 w/ Swing-Lock & optional power strap |
Boot Sole |
277mm [25/25.5] 287mm [26/26.5] 297mm [27/27.5] 307mm [28/28.5] 317mm [29/29.5] 327mm [30/30.5] 337mm [31/31.5] |
Binding |
Tech, Hybrid |
Cuff |
68° |
Forward |
12°, 14°, 16° |
Specs Verified | Yes |
Design | |
|
Carbon reinforced Grilamid |
|
Skorpius CR |
|
La Sportiva Grip Guard (complies w/ ISMF standards) |
Skimo Co Says | |
Usage | Light and fast ski mountaineering |
Notes | Quick step into Trab Titan bindings |
Bottom Line | Even better than the Spitfire |
Compare to other Touring Boots |
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Questions & Reviews
Many thanks
Also, what's the weight of the 26/26.5?
The Camp Skimo Race Crampons will work just fine with the standard metal bar. The Dyneema linking strap is mostly for shaving grams!
The rocker on the Skorpius can be tricky. However, a lot of ski mountaineering crampons have been designed to accommodate boots with rocker. For example, the Camp Skimo Race Crampons have an adjustable toe bail to accommodate various toe welt heights. Additionally, they are all aluminum, and quite light!
Another great all-aluminum option for the Skorpius would be the Petzle Leapord. The Cord-Tec attachment system gives this crampon a lot of flexibility to fit a wide range of boot soles.
There is some debate as to what weight class these boots fall into (not as light at the Alien RS, not as heavy as the Hoji), but I think that the weight is a bit deceiving. These boots don't feel heavy because of the good articulation and thin profile (and believe me, I am a weight weeny, so I don't say that lightly). Any marginal inefficiency due to weight is completely offset by the stability on descents. I've skied 50 degree breakable on these things and was very thankful for the stiffness and progressive flex they provided.
So TL:DR: this is a 5 star boot if they fix the durability/comfort for that front plastic tongue.
All these little nitpicks aside I do think this is the best 1 boot option available and even has a spot in quivers (for me taking the place of the f1 lt in between race boots and hojis). La sportiva hasn't impressed me in a while but these boots are a home run. If they fit you, as with anything, they are an excellent minimal compromise boot for someone who doesn't mind a few extra grams for a helluva lot more boot. I'll gladly take the extra weight vs the f1 lt for the improved skiing and alpine climbing ability (how un-skimo of me). Now is a special time where if you dabble in the dark arts of traditional mountaineering, ice climbing, alpine climbing etc, you may only need 1 boot...
Pros: punches above weight performance wise, outskis anything near or below it's weight. Walks as well as a lighter boot, skis like a heavier one. Light enough, stiff as most mortals need. Trab quickstep
Cons: cuff rivet joint (pressfit vs threaded), over engineered lower closure, possible durability concerns, not much ability to modify boot fit in regards to instep, doesn't really have adjustable forward lean. Non primo liner.
Thanks!
Its fit is comparable to the Hoji for those looking to lighten up.
If you have any questions on boot size, fit, or performance, I recommend that you use our boot fitter tool at this link: https://skimo.co/boot-fitter.
Thanks!
- Atomic Backland Carbon
- Scarpa F1 LT
- Dalbello Quantum
Asking for future me this upcoming season in a pair of slick ~1000g boots.
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