I had a pair for about a year or two, bought it as soon as it was released. They are what they look like, stiff light carbon boots. They are obviously a fair bit stiffer than a f1 xt, but not as progressive. I love gignoux fit. Seems to work for a wide variety unless your foot is very tall. The main issue (which is also a pro) is the over ankle Velcro wrap under the zippered gaiter. It is crucial for getting good heel hold (a pro). The con is that it's under the zipper. So you have to un-do the zipper and buckles and unzip to retension. I find it hard to precisely dial the tension I want. So naturally I cut thru the gaiter on both sides of the 2000 dollar boot so I could retension externally.
So why'd I sell? Mainly, even though they are stiff enough for bigger skis, they are so stiff that they feel abusive with heavier skis as there is no dampening, and I mostly ski heavier skis these days. Now that there are some softer bigger options, like a la machine, id probably be happy skiing one of those in around 1500g as my limit. Obviously in cold smoke that's not gonna be a big factor cause there are no hard surfaces. However, unlike wasatch bois, I don't wanna disrespect Ullr's cold smoke by skiing weenie stuff anymore, and no matter how stiff, skiing a 190cm ski that's 132 underfoot would feel heinous in this boot, purely due to its mass and that it's a two buckle. I want more precision hold around my ankle to ski things that big. And when there's cold smoke I wanna surf it, not porpoise the bottom.
Essentially I feel like this boot is like a alp tracks kinda vibe. I call bs on anyone saying it's the same as a heavier boot . But it can be pressed into more touring duties than a race boot.
If you mainly ski super light deep hero snow and just wanna max laps with something like a alp tracks 106 then this is the best. Or hero corn with something like a la machine mini.
Other thing is it's fully carbon, so I wouldn't recommend kicking steps into scree with it like we often do in the NW in spring and summer.
Pierre Gignoux Mountain Boot
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 against the shin for aggressive descents. The cuffs are purposefully designed to be laterally stiff, allowing more power transfer to the edge of the ski, helping you to drive larger skis with confidence. The Internal Lacing System precisely and comfortably secures the foot while the ample range of motion is nearly frictionless, letting you move quickly and efficiently on the way to your favorite powder destination. The Black sole is molded directly over the carbon for durability and will provide excellent traction for booting sections. If you have a penchant for premium hand-laid carbon fiber and want an extremely versatile boot, the Mountain is sure to please.
- Internal Lacing System securely locks the foot down for confident descending.
- Two cuff buckles secure the cuff against the shin, helping prevent shin bang.
- Asymmetric cuff has been purposefully designed to be laterally stiff, facilitating power transfer to the edges of your ski.
- Black Sole provides excellent traction on icy ridgelines.
- Moldable liner is warm and offers an individualized fit.
- Snow gaiter keeps the snow out for warmer, drier feet.
- Toe inserts are beveled to provide a quick step-in.
| Specifications | |
|
Weight |
783g [27.5] |
| Weight (pair) | 1566g [27.5] |
|
|
2 cuff w/ single throw |
|
Boot Sole |
251mm [23.0] 262mm [24.0] 272mm [25.0] 282mm [26.0] 287mm [26.5] 292mm [27.0] 297mm [27.5] 302mm [28.0] 312mm [29.0] 323mm [30.0] |
|
Binding |
Tech only |
|
Cuff |
108° |
|
Forward |
12, 18 |
| Specs Verified | Yes |
| Design | |
|
|
Carbon Fiber |
|
|
Palau |
|
|
Black Sole |
| Skimo Co Says | |
| Usage | All day, every day |
| Notes | Unique shell size on the 26, 26.5, 27, and 27.5 |
| Bottom Line | Race boot walkability with touring boot performance |
| Compare to other Touring Boots | |
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Questions & Reviews
11/13/2023
Appreciate the comments Anthony, and wanted to offer a few contrasting thoughts.
Firstly, Wasatch skier here, with only about 12-15 days on my MTN boots so far on mine. I can say that coming from Alien 1.0s, then Fischer Travers, an F1 LT, and most recently on Raceborgs (with a full liner), I couldn’t be happier on the PG MTN. I find them to have Significantly better energy transfer and control, especially on, dare I say, big skis (including the same 132mm Anthony mentions). I find them to pair really nicely with my 90mm wide everyday low tide skis too.
A few caveats however:
(1) after going back and forth a bunch of times, I now plan to run a Palau tour lace up liner in the boots, as I prefer it’s increased compression on the ankle, which makes me less reliant on the Velcro strap to lock my heel down.
(2). I re-tied the buckle laces and fussed around quite a bit to find the right position for the buckle On the ladders so that the walk lever pulled a bit more on the lower buckle to locking my lower leg and a bit less on the upper buckle to give a bit smoother flex.
(3) I will continue to use my Raceborgs on boot pack/rock scramble days, as I think of the PG as the ultimate powder / soft snow boot, rather than a one boot to rule them all kind of thing.
Cheers!
Firstly, Wasatch skier here, with only about 12-15 days on my MTN boots so far on mine. I can say that coming from Alien 1.0s, then Fischer Travers, an F1 LT, and most recently on Raceborgs (with a full liner), I couldn’t be happier on the PG MTN. I find them to have Significantly better energy transfer and control, especially on, dare I say, big skis (including the same 132mm Anthony mentions). I find them to pair really nicely with my 90mm wide everyday low tide skis too.
A few caveats however:
(1) after going back and forth a bunch of times, I now plan to run a Palau tour lace up liner in the boots, as I prefer it’s increased compression on the ankle, which makes me less reliant on the Velcro strap to lock my heel down.
(2). I re-tied the buckle laces and fussed around quite a bit to find the right position for the buckle On the ladders so that the walk lever pulled a bit more on the lower buckle to locking my lower leg and a bit less on the upper buckle to give a bit smoother flex.
(3) I will continue to use my Raceborgs on boot pack/rock scramble days, as I think of the PG as the ultimate powder / soft snow boot, rather than a one boot to rule them all kind of thing.
Cheers!
11/15/2023
To add on in case my review came off a bit negative. This is the best boot by far in the category. My unwillingness to ski big skis in this boot come more from lack of dampening and than lack of stiffness. Compared to any of the boots mentioned by Marshal, these will feel like a 4 buckle in the responsiveness department in terms of stiffness and engagement. And perhaps like he mentioned, if I could run a different liner to improve ankle retention I could be tempted to run bigger heavier skis (which again to be clear is as is still best in class, we are talking about skiing things outside it's intended scope-in France 99mm is a pow ski and humans don't weigh more than 150lbs)
Ultimately as I've said in other reviews though, stiffness and responsiveness is one part of the equation of skiability- mass cannot be cheated and dampening is important the faster you ski especially in non wasatch snow. Ultimately this all just boils down to what I refer to as the freeride world tour rule. Are any of them in two buckle full carbon boots? No, therefore not the best choice for skiing fast in variable snow. (Not that I ski even a quarter as well as they do). What one can get away with as far as shaving mass off a boot is different than what someone can ski with a high level of control at speed and be able to respond to funky snow.
Again-i agree with everything Marshal is saying, just don't want folks to get the idea that this is a substitute for something like the new maestrale. It can make due in perfect snow with heavy skis. But it is not the same experience as with some proper beef.
For those looking- while it gives up some absolute stiffness, it gains in dampening progressivity and externally accessed ankle lockdown, ability to punch, kick into scree etc, much faster warranty, and less than half the price the scarpa f1 xt is quite good, a lot better than f1 lt. If the mountain is the no holds barred technical winner of this category. The f1 xt imo is 90+ percent of that performance and doesn't send shivers down your spine when you accidentally kick a sharp rock and gouge that lovely French carbon (could even beat the performance cause there are more fit options cause you can punch it)
Personally I would give the XT the nod as the livable "editors choice" whereas I would give the mountain the "top pick" for specialist applications, locations, and foot type. Both are excellent. what a time to be alive boys, debating about the ability to ski 2000g skis in 800g French carbon stilettos.
Btw if u go mountain throw some racers tape on there. Ugly but protects the investment. I also had a gaiter extension made so I could run a intuition pro tour low volume.
Ultimately as I've said in other reviews though, stiffness and responsiveness is one part of the equation of skiability- mass cannot be cheated and dampening is important the faster you ski especially in non wasatch snow. Ultimately this all just boils down to what I refer to as the freeride world tour rule. Are any of them in two buckle full carbon boots? No, therefore not the best choice for skiing fast in variable snow. (Not that I ski even a quarter as well as they do). What one can get away with as far as shaving mass off a boot is different than what someone can ski with a high level of control at speed and be able to respond to funky snow.
Again-i agree with everything Marshal is saying, just don't want folks to get the idea that this is a substitute for something like the new maestrale. It can make due in perfect snow with heavy skis. But it is not the same experience as with some proper beef.
For those looking- while it gives up some absolute stiffness, it gains in dampening progressivity and externally accessed ankle lockdown, ability to punch, kick into scree etc, much faster warranty, and less than half the price the scarpa f1 xt is quite good, a lot better than f1 lt. If the mountain is the no holds barred technical winner of this category. The f1 xt imo is 90+ percent of that performance and doesn't send shivers down your spine when you accidentally kick a sharp rock and gouge that lovely French carbon (could even beat the performance cause there are more fit options cause you can punch it)
Personally I would give the XT the nod as the livable "editors choice" whereas I would give the mountain the "top pick" for specialist applications, locations, and foot type. Both are excellent. what a time to be alive boys, debating about the ability to ski 2000g skis in 800g French carbon stilettos.
Btw if u go mountain throw some racers tape on there. Ugly but protects the investment. I also had a gaiter extension made so I could run a intuition pro tour low volume.
Comment on this review:
10/26/2023
Ted
(used product regularly)
These boots are warm (and can make your feet sweat). Great for cold winter touring. These drive my DPS pagoda 100s with no qualms.
Very stiff for skiing and walk better than some mountaineering boots I’ve had.
Highly recommend if you’re putting miles down in the cold.
Get extra cord and keep it in your bag
Very stiff for skiing and walk better than some mountaineering boots I’ve had.
Highly recommend if you’re putting miles down in the cold.
Get extra cord and keep it in your bag
11/13/2023
What cord do you use as spare?
Comment on this review:
9/27/2023
Hi - do y'all know yet what the BSL and last width are for each size? Or TBD until you receive them?
9/27/2023
Hey Andrew, the BSL information is now posted above. No information is provided on the width, however, please click here for help with selecting the correct size.
9/27/2023
Thank you both for the info!
9/29/2023
Second question: Do you know when you'll have the boot in stock? I'm planning a SLC trip this fall for work and want to fit in a visit to your shop for fitting/checking out gear. Can plan around boot availability.
9/29/2023
Hey Andrew, we are slated to receive the first half in November and the second half in December. Please reach out here so we can coordinate to make sure they are here when you arrive!
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