This could be the one. The skimo race boot that you wouldn’t hesitate to use on your other adventures. Borrowing features from their award winning Stratos line of world cup race boots, La Sportiva has made the most complete and affordable race boot yet. With full coverage liner zips, a proven single-throw buckle system, durable soles, and amazing race weight, the Syborg (not Cyborg) boot could be the new standard in tour-able race boots.
The 75 degree range of motion is more than your ankle has, making this the leader in striding efficiency. The CavoBike lever is taken directly from the Cube and offers reliable one-motion transitions. The overlapping cuff and ratcheting lower buckle secure you nicely for the down. The zippered liner cover keeps the snow out while booting, and the LazerGrip sole (borrowed from the Spitfire/Sideral/Starlet) is touring ready. A 100.4mm last makes the Syborg comfortable for all day affairs. We can’t think of anything La Sportiva left out. Can you?
- Carbon-reinforced Grilamid® cuff is a unique combination of stiffness and lightness.
- LazerGrip2™ sole is borrowed from La Sportiva’s touring boots to provide durable grip.
- Optional power strap can be used for aggressive skiing or removed to save grams for a race.
- 35 degree backward and 40 degree forward range of motion is like not wearing a boot.
- Syborg EZ Thermo™ liner (119g) is designed to take advantage of the range of motion with flexible ankles.
- Forward lean is adjustable with four different options to choose from: 14°, 16°, 18°, or 20°.
- Lower “spider” buckles secure the Grilamid shell and lock your heel into place, preventing blisters.
- CavoBike lever provides effortless switching between ski/walk modes and won’t snag your pants.
- Ample 100.4mm forefoot width handles more than just skinny feet and keeps your blood flowing.
- Included optional insert plugs rear "Sportiva gap" to prevent snow from attacking your achilles.
| Specifications | |
|
Weight |
830g [27] 855g [27.5] |
| Weight (pair) | 1660g [27] 1710g [27.5] |
|
|
2 + power strap |
|
Boot Sole |
257mm [23.5/24] 267mm [24.5/25] 277mm [25.5/26] 287mm [26.5/27] 297mm [27.5/28] 307mm [28.5/29] 317mm [29.5/30] |
|
Binding |
Tech only |
|
Cuff |
75° |
|
Forward |
14°, 16°, 18°, 20° |
| Specs Verified | Yes |
| Design | |
|
|
Grilamid shell, Carbon/Grilamid cuff |
|
|
Syborg EZ Thermo |
|
|
LazerGrip2 |
| Skimo Co Says | |
| Usage | Racing, speed touring |
| Notes | Zippered liner cover helps keep out snow |
| Bottom Line | Feature complete yet featherweight |
| Compare to other Race Boots | |
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Questions & Reviews
2/10/2015
Any experience with these as a general powder touring boot for non race skis? I'm intrigued by the statement above that they are a bit stiffer then the non carbon alien but I can't find much info out there on how these ski big skis. Are they in the same ball park as something like my original orange maestrales?
2/11/2015
Hi Ryan, race boots can't compare to the 4 bucklers in terms of support, but you don't really need a crutch to ski powder. There would be some limit to your aggressiveness, but the limit would be found sooner with big skis in hard conditions.
2/21/2015
I bought the Syborg boot primarily for racing (newbie racing that is) and long light tours, but I have also taken them out for a day in the deep powder with my wide boards, which are La Sportiva Hi5's. the Hi5 is 105 underfoot and reasonably stiff (and heavy by today's standards). My conclusion is that the boot's ability to drive a big ski is very conditions-dependent. The day I took them out, the conditions were sublime: I did 4500 ft of perfect 12-18" of powder and skied them fast on mostly mellow terrain (low 30's). The boot handled the ski amazingly well - I had no gripes whatsoever. I could turn the ski fast through the trees and also completely let it rip in the open terrain.
That said, those were pretty much the easiest conditions ever. I've also had the boot out in less than ideal (and sometimes very hateful) conditions, and even on light, skinny skis, I've wished for more support and less flex. As soon as the conditions get variable in the slightest, I notice an immediate decline in control relative to other touring boots I've skied in the past (like my TLT5P's).
So, if you tried to ski this boot hard on a wide, heavy plank like a Hi5 in steep, variable, or perhaps less than ideal conditions, I think it will leave something to be desired. In contrast, my TLT5P handles this ski in all of those conditions sufficiently well (with the tongue insert in). Caveat: I haven't yet tried the Syborg's power strap, so maybe that would improve things.
Finally, I'll say that I really love the Syborg, and I think it does exactly what it's designed to do. It's my first race boot, so I can't compare it against other race boots, but it is extremely comfortable for my foot, has excellent articulation and is stiff enough to get the job done. It has completely replaced my TLT5P for long, light touring, and I'll even continue to use it with my big skis when the conditions are just right.
That said, those were pretty much the easiest conditions ever. I've also had the boot out in less than ideal (and sometimes very hateful) conditions, and even on light, skinny skis, I've wished for more support and less flex. As soon as the conditions get variable in the slightest, I notice an immediate decline in control relative to other touring boots I've skied in the past (like my TLT5P's).
So, if you tried to ski this boot hard on a wide, heavy plank like a Hi5 in steep, variable, or perhaps less than ideal conditions, I think it will leave something to be desired. In contrast, my TLT5P handles this ski in all of those conditions sufficiently well (with the tongue insert in). Caveat: I haven't yet tried the Syborg's power strap, so maybe that would improve things.
Finally, I'll say that I really love the Syborg, and I think it does exactly what it's designed to do. It's my first race boot, so I can't compare it against other race boots, but it is extremely comfortable for my foot, has excellent articulation and is stiff enough to get the job done. It has completely replaced my TLT5P for long, light touring, and I'll even continue to use it with my big skis when the conditions are just right.
3/1/2015
I have been using these boots since the end of December 2014. This is a quick follow-up to my review below and answering the above questions. First of all since my first review I have been skiing with the Red rubberized-plastic heel insert. This is very flexible. It does NOT inhibit the walking mode at all. It is effective in keeping the snow out, and it makes getting into the shell easier. It is best to put the liner on first and then slide into the shell.
Second, regarding the stiffness. I have been using the power strap and it is very effective to improve stiffness. In fact it is nearly perfect. In comparison I found the power strap on the non-carbon aliens to have essentially no effect on performance. On the TLT5P the powerstrap is very effective to boost performance, but I have to loosen it for walking/touring. (This is not a big deal when casually touring in a non-race environment). By contrast, I have been touring and racing with the power strap on the Syborgs. Even with the strap tight, the walking performance is not adversely affected compared to walking with it loosened. As well, the strap definitely helps with performance. Adjust at the beginning of your tour or race and forget it.
I have been touring and racing on these. Touring with both Hagan Cirrus and x-races. I have no complaints regarding stiffness or performance with these. I have been skiing powder, crust, 50 degree bomb-proof chutes. I find the difference between these and the TLT5P (used without the tongue) is not as much stiffness, but rather a rougher ride due to more defection due to the lightness of the equipment (This is accentuated by the fact that I am using these boots primarily with narrower, light-weight skis) Adding the Tongue certainly makes the TLT5P closer to a four buckle boot IMO, but I am also lighter than most...
Second, regarding the stiffness. I have been using the power strap and it is very effective to improve stiffness. In fact it is nearly perfect. In comparison I found the power strap on the non-carbon aliens to have essentially no effect on performance. On the TLT5P the powerstrap is very effective to boost performance, but I have to loosen it for walking/touring. (This is not a big deal when casually touring in a non-race environment). By contrast, I have been touring and racing with the power strap on the Syborgs. Even with the strap tight, the walking performance is not adversely affected compared to walking with it loosened. As well, the strap definitely helps with performance. Adjust at the beginning of your tour or race and forget it.
I have been touring and racing on these. Touring with both Hagan Cirrus and x-races. I have no complaints regarding stiffness or performance with these. I have been skiing powder, crust, 50 degree bomb-proof chutes. I find the difference between these and the TLT5P (used without the tongue) is not as much stiffness, but rather a rougher ride due to more defection due to the lightness of the equipment (This is accentuated by the fact that I am using these boots primarily with narrower, light-weight skis) Adding the Tongue certainly makes the TLT5P closer to a four buckle boot IMO, but I am also lighter than most...
Answer this question:
1/19/2015
I wear a 28.0 in Spectres and TLT5s. Based on the shell size breaks which size would you recommend. Thanks.
1/19/2015
Hi Ben, unless you are packed into your TLT 28s, you will most likely be a 28 in the Syborg as well. The next shell up (28.5) will probably be huge.
Answer this question:
I ordered a pair of the Sportiva Syborgs and a pair of the Scarpa Aliens. Out of the box, the Syborgs fit better, but after looking at them for about 10 minutes, I decided that I would be better off sucking up the 75-or-so grams and paying the $50 more for Aliens.
I didn't ski the Syborgs, so I can't attest to how they ski. In a "foot flex" test they did seem stiffer than the Aliens.
The Syborgs, in my opinion, just out of the box, seemed, well, fragile, especially compared to the Aliens and my TLT5s and TLT6s. The CavoBike lever is very cool and initiates very quickly and seamlessly (more so than the Alien or my TLTs), but its got a lot going on with springs. Will it hold up? The rope across the cuff is anchored on the cuff itself. If you really wrench it down, will/could the cuff crack? The vinyl "tarp" across the front, out of the box, seemed to already be precariously sewed and falling off. The liner is a Sportiva "brand" and it very thin.
I guess I made the conservative choice: I chose the Alien (Intuition liner, Vibram sole, BOA, Dynafit-certified tech inserts, time-tested, but 75 grams more) over the Syborg (75 grams less, but zero user feedback).
The Syborg is definitely a cool boot, especially at it's weight, but will it hold up in the field? I'll check back in two years.
I didn't ski the Syborgs, so I can't attest to how they ski. In a "foot flex" test they did seem stiffer than the Aliens.
The Syborgs, in my opinion, just out of the box, seemed, well, fragile, especially compared to the Aliens and my TLT5s and TLT6s. The CavoBike lever is very cool and initiates very quickly and seamlessly (more so than the Alien or my TLTs), but its got a lot going on with springs. Will it hold up? The rope across the cuff is anchored on the cuff itself. If you really wrench it down, will/could the cuff crack? The vinyl "tarp" across the front, out of the box, seemed to already be precariously sewed and falling off. The liner is a Sportiva "brand" and it very thin.
I guess I made the conservative choice: I chose the Alien (Intuition liner, Vibram sole, BOA, Dynafit-certified tech inserts, time-tested, but 75 grams more) over the Syborg (75 grams less, but zero user feedback).
The Syborg is definitely a cool boot, especially at it's weight, but will it hold up in the field? I'll check back in two years.
Comment on this review:
It seems like the majority of participants who I meet at the skimo races are much like me. We are amateurs, new to the sport, and like to split our equipment between touring and racing. Most in our un-sponsored legion are not quite prepared to pay $1500-$2500 on a set of DyNA, carbon Aliens, or Stratos Cubes. Hence, our gravitation to the “second-tier” of light-weight, performance, skimo boots…namely the PDG’s, TLT’s, non-carbon Aliens, and now the Syborg.
There have been plenty of reviews of the 1st four on this list, but none on the Syborg’s as these were just released. I am the lucky recipient of a brand new pair, and here are some very initial impressions. Let me add that I have been touring on a pair of TLT5P’s and last year I bought a pair of non-carbon Aliens to tour and race. I will also give the reasons that I bought a new pair of boots given that I have 2 perfectly respectable boots in my arsenal.
I really love the TLT5P’s, the way they tour, the way they fit, the way they ski. Despite the reviews that these are a narrow boot, I feel that my rather wide, but low volume foot fits pretty well. I did need to mold the liner and work the fore-boot when I bought these. I bought the Aliens mainly to race and do light touring. I like these as well. They don’t ski as well as the TLT5P’s, but they are lighter and articulate a bit better. I had to mold the liner and stretch the shell a bit. However, by doing so the plastic warped a bit and I no longer have a tight fit between the shell and the fabric of the Boa system, thus allowing a considerable amount of snow to enter the boot with resultant wet feet and liners even after short tours. This is the area below the rubberized liner cover and below where the Alien gaitor will extend. As well, I have a hard time getting the Boa system to tighten enough to keep my forefoot well secured.
When Jason received the new Syborgs I had a chance to try these on, as well as the PDG’s, and I chose the Syborgs. I immediately did 2x4000 vert ft days in these, so these are my very early impressions.
For my foot the Syborgs fit quite well out of the box. Wider but lower vertical volume compared to the PDG’s. They felt more like a shoe, as the PDG’s and Alien’s felt more like a boot. All have very good articulation, but the Syborg is a step above. Floor flexing the Syborgs felt stiffer than the PDG’s and Aliens, but not as stiff as the TLT5P’s. All have a small amount of lateral bowing on the lower shell where the shell is riveted to the cuff. The Syborgs felt like they come up ever so slightly higher on the shin compared to the PDG’s and Aliens, making flexing more comfortable and confident….at least on the floor.
The liner is thinner and more flexible than the PDG and the Aliens, more like a sock liner. In order to get into the boot it is easier to put the liner on before getting into the shell.
The CavoBike is pretty cool. Of the three, this was definitely the easiest and fastest to engage and disengage, with a very short throw. However, it is also the most complicated with springs, cables, screws which are not as simple, and may be more prone to failure in real life situations of skiing, scrambling, dirt, etc…..speculation, of course.
Now to my touring experience: The walk mode is unreal…these truly feel like running shoes. This was a bit disorienting at first, but in a good way. It is like using a drop-seat on a mtn bike for the first time. Initially you lose your bearings because there is no seat post to inhibit the lean of the bicycle. Same with these boots. They are near frictionless without any restrictions in range of movement.
For a boot this light, this skis very well. I am sure these are not as stiff as the Carbon Aliens or Cubes, but they do well with light skis. I was skiing on Hagan Cirrus skis. They are very stiff laterally, medially, and posteriorly. The forward flex is progressive and “snappy” for lack of a better description. I usually like a fairly aggressive forward lean. The lean is very adjustable, but I kept mine as it came in the box. This is a bit more upright than I am used to, but I ended up liking this, as too much lean may put you over the handlebars given that there is some forward flex.
Surprisingly, one of my favorite features of this boot is the ratching lower buckle. Mico-adjustments are fast and precise. It is easy to loosen this slightly for long climbs and quickly tighten for the descent…I imagine even in race situations. This held my feet down better than the Scarpa Boa or Dynafit buckle.
A few idiosyncrasies: First of all it is really not full coverage like the TLT’s. There is a thin vinyl-like zippered cover which covers the front of the liner. This velcros to the front of the liner. There is opportunity for snow to enter the sides, but I was skiing in powder and the liner stayed more or less dry. The cover is a bit fragile, and I am already noticing some fraying where the cover is riveted to the shell. I hope this holds up. There is a red rubber piece which can be inserted into the heel to block snow. I am afraid this will limit the frictionless articulation. I did not insert this. I was breaking trail in deep powder and noticed only a negligible amount of snow that entered the back of the boot.
My right boot Cavobike has just a small amount of play in the locked/ski mode. I think the tolerances are off a bit, but I am going to play with the cable to see if I can tighten this. This really does not effect the ski mode performance, but there is audible and palpable movement when flexing the boot.
Overall I am quite impressed. I am impressed with all these boots. I think the Syborg’s walking and skiing performance is superior to the non-carbon Aliens, but not by much. For racing, the Cavobike is really fast, but the Dynafit and Aliens are time-tested and trusted. I would choose the boot the fits the best when making this decision. If I were doing a technical mountaineering route, I would choose the Dynafits or Scarpas. I hear these boots fit crampons better than the La Sportiva Spitfires which has a similar shape and curvature to the Syborgs. As well, the Dynafits and Scarpas have simpler walk/ski mechanisms which I imagine could be sturdier and more serviceable in the field…though this is mainly speculation. When I am driving larger skis I am going to stick with the TLT’s, but I think the Syborgs are stiff enough to drive skis up to 100 under foot.
If I have any new impressions or issues after more vertical, I will update this review. In the meantime, my goal is to use and abuse these boots as much as possible.
Thanks to Jason at Skimo.co for making all these awesome options available. His customer service, knowledge, and selection are peerless.
There have been plenty of reviews of the 1st four on this list, but none on the Syborg’s as these were just released. I am the lucky recipient of a brand new pair, and here are some very initial impressions. Let me add that I have been touring on a pair of TLT5P’s and last year I bought a pair of non-carbon Aliens to tour and race. I will also give the reasons that I bought a new pair of boots given that I have 2 perfectly respectable boots in my arsenal.
I really love the TLT5P’s, the way they tour, the way they fit, the way they ski. Despite the reviews that these are a narrow boot, I feel that my rather wide, but low volume foot fits pretty well. I did need to mold the liner and work the fore-boot when I bought these. I bought the Aliens mainly to race and do light touring. I like these as well. They don’t ski as well as the TLT5P’s, but they are lighter and articulate a bit better. I had to mold the liner and stretch the shell a bit. However, by doing so the plastic warped a bit and I no longer have a tight fit between the shell and the fabric of the Boa system, thus allowing a considerable amount of snow to enter the boot with resultant wet feet and liners even after short tours. This is the area below the rubberized liner cover and below where the Alien gaitor will extend. As well, I have a hard time getting the Boa system to tighten enough to keep my forefoot well secured.
When Jason received the new Syborgs I had a chance to try these on, as well as the PDG’s, and I chose the Syborgs. I immediately did 2x4000 vert ft days in these, so these are my very early impressions.
For my foot the Syborgs fit quite well out of the box. Wider but lower vertical volume compared to the PDG’s. They felt more like a shoe, as the PDG’s and Alien’s felt more like a boot. All have very good articulation, but the Syborg is a step above. Floor flexing the Syborgs felt stiffer than the PDG’s and Aliens, but not as stiff as the TLT5P’s. All have a small amount of lateral bowing on the lower shell where the shell is riveted to the cuff. The Syborgs felt like they come up ever so slightly higher on the shin compared to the PDG’s and Aliens, making flexing more comfortable and confident….at least on the floor.
The liner is thinner and more flexible than the PDG and the Aliens, more like a sock liner. In order to get into the boot it is easier to put the liner on before getting into the shell.
The CavoBike is pretty cool. Of the three, this was definitely the easiest and fastest to engage and disengage, with a very short throw. However, it is also the most complicated with springs, cables, screws which are not as simple, and may be more prone to failure in real life situations of skiing, scrambling, dirt, etc…..speculation, of course.
Now to my touring experience: The walk mode is unreal…these truly feel like running shoes. This was a bit disorienting at first, but in a good way. It is like using a drop-seat on a mtn bike for the first time. Initially you lose your bearings because there is no seat post to inhibit the lean of the bicycle. Same with these boots. They are near frictionless without any restrictions in range of movement.
For a boot this light, this skis very well. I am sure these are not as stiff as the Carbon Aliens or Cubes, but they do well with light skis. I was skiing on Hagan Cirrus skis. They are very stiff laterally, medially, and posteriorly. The forward flex is progressive and “snappy” for lack of a better description. I usually like a fairly aggressive forward lean. The lean is very adjustable, but I kept mine as it came in the box. This is a bit more upright than I am used to, but I ended up liking this, as too much lean may put you over the handlebars given that there is some forward flex.
Surprisingly, one of my favorite features of this boot is the ratching lower buckle. Mico-adjustments are fast and precise. It is easy to loosen this slightly for long climbs and quickly tighten for the descent…I imagine even in race situations. This held my feet down better than the Scarpa Boa or Dynafit buckle.
A few idiosyncrasies: First of all it is really not full coverage like the TLT’s. There is a thin vinyl-like zippered cover which covers the front of the liner. This velcros to the front of the liner. There is opportunity for snow to enter the sides, but I was skiing in powder and the liner stayed more or less dry. The cover is a bit fragile, and I am already noticing some fraying where the cover is riveted to the shell. I hope this holds up. There is a red rubber piece which can be inserted into the heel to block snow. I am afraid this will limit the frictionless articulation. I did not insert this. I was breaking trail in deep powder and noticed only a negligible amount of snow that entered the back of the boot.
My right boot Cavobike has just a small amount of play in the locked/ski mode. I think the tolerances are off a bit, but I am going to play with the cable to see if I can tighten this. This really does not effect the ski mode performance, but there is audible and palpable movement when flexing the boot.
Overall I am quite impressed. I am impressed with all these boots. I think the Syborg’s walking and skiing performance is superior to the non-carbon Aliens, but not by much. For racing, the Cavobike is really fast, but the Dynafit and Aliens are time-tested and trusted. I would choose the boot the fits the best when making this decision. If I were doing a technical mountaineering route, I would choose the Dynafits or Scarpas. I hear these boots fit crampons better than the La Sportiva Spitfires which has a similar shape and curvature to the Syborgs. As well, the Dynafits and Scarpas have simpler walk/ski mechanisms which I imagine could be sturdier and more serviceable in the field…though this is mainly speculation. When I am driving larger skis I am going to stick with the TLT’s, but I think the Syborgs are stiff enough to drive skis up to 100 under foot.
If I have any new impressions or issues after more vertical, I will update this review. In the meantime, my goal is to use and abuse these boots as much as possible.
Thanks to Jason at Skimo.co for making all these awesome options available. His customer service, knowledge, and selection are peerless.
Comment on this review:
12/25/2014
Any sense of how the flex of this boot compare to the Sideral and the Alien? I'm looking for an AT boot for splitboarding--light, compact, and soft flex are the three objectives.
12/26/2014
Hi Willy, I would say these are similar in flex to the Sideral, probably a touch stiffer than the Alien. I know of at least one splitboarder happily using the Alien.
1/3/2015
I've been splitboarding with the Alien (non-carbon) for over 2 years now. They are great! They are just about as stiff as you would like to go for splitboarding. I weight about 160 and would not consider myself overly aggressive. I do however put about 100+ days on my boots per year. With that in mind, I have had difficulties with the shell in my rear foot breaking just above the ankle pivot point in the upper cuff. Scarpa USA warrantied it once, but now they seem to be unable to fix it or even sell me the part since they do not have any cuffs in stock. All of my friends who have Aliens have had breakage problems (with the 1.0 and regular). I am now considering the Syborg. It does seem that it is noticeably stiffer than the Aliens, which may not be a good thing for splitboarding. They do seem a bit sturdier though. The rear latch mechanism, while more complicated than the Aliens, seems much better built and "solid." I have had the rear latch mechanism on the Aliens break in several instances. Really, I have had almost every part of the Aliens break at one point or another. While somewhat fragile, they are generally easy/cheap to fix. Since I do not have a ton of "field" experience with the Syborg yet, I cannot say how they will hold up, other than that they just seem beefier, despite only weighing in 10g heavier than my Aliens (29.0 Alien and 28.5 Syborg). If you are a heavier rider, then the Syborg may be a better option. If all else is equal, I would recommend going with what fits you best. Both boots are way better for snowboarding than the TLT 5/6 's or really anything else out there (other than maybe the PDG?). Good luck, and happy touring!
1/15/2015
Just to follow on from my earlier response- I have since used the Syborgs both skiing and splitboarding. The Syborgs are far too stiff for a good snowboarding experience. I immediately switched back to my Aliens for splitboarding after a rather cumbersome tour in the Syborgs. They do seem like they will hold up better than the Aliens, but the Aliens provide just about the best all around splitboarding experience one could ask for- great articulation, light, yet just soft enough on the down.
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9/28/2014
Any published boot sole lengths for the Syborg 26.5/27? Can find info on sportiva site.
9/28/2014
Hey John, I haven't seen the official numbers but inquired for you. I am betting they are the same as the PDG, since the Spitfire/Sideral are the same as the TLTs.
9/30/2014
It looks like my guess was off by 2mm. I just posted the BSLs, the 26.5/27 will be 287mm.
5/27/2016
Hi, Jason, am I right that shells for 26.5 and 27 are the same, and the only difference in size is the liner? I still cannot find this info at www.sportiva.com
5/27/2016
Hi Dmitriy, that is correct, the 26.5 & 27 share a shell. The liners are fairly different in size out of the box, but can be thermo-molded to be about the same.
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