SCARPA Alien 1.0 Boot

I have had used regular Alients for two years, then jumped into these 1.0 equipped with carbon cuffs - both versions are quite similar at first sight. I thought that the only difference is weight, however later on I was literally shocked how much better are these comparing to the all plastic Aliens, seriously huge improvement. Lighter, levers work much easier, greatly improved ankle mobility, cuffs are tight, boot is overall very stiff.
Ease of use during transition is just unmatched, you flip the lever and that's it, works perfect every time. Very simple and reliable solution.
Polyamide shell responds really well to punching, I was able to get about 5mm extra in length, thus sized down (also saved some weight).
Now they are my training and general touring boots and I still love them.

Hello,

does anybody knows whether it's possible to punch the shoe in the area of the reinforced carbon with a heatgun (because I have an area of pressure on the lateral side of the shoe due to my overpronation and the resulting "deformation" of the lateral side of my feet)?

Thanks and greetings from switzerland
Manuel

Hi,

How do they compare to the newly released alien rs ? in terms of skiability and stiffness ?

Thanks !

Is sizing consistent between these and the modern F1?

Odds are, if you're looking at these boots, you're also looking at the Dynafit DyNA and maybe a few others- and let me assure you that if a) the boot fits, and b) you can afford it, overall, you've found the best of the lot. I have spent 1 season on the DyNA, 1 season on the Alien 1.0, and will now be racing on the PG 400/Dynafit DNA- but if you can only get one of the three of these boot pairs, this is the one. (I'll try to review the DNAs separately once I've spent more time on them).

Everything everyone says about it, all the raving, etc., is true. These really are amazing boots that are outstanding for races, but also as a general, "legit" ski mountaineering boot that you can take into the mountains (weather appropriate, given the lack of full coverage on the boot). The ski performance is astounding for what they are- the carbon makes the boot really stiff and capable of comfortably driving skis with widths up into the high 80s (mm). They are almost two stiff at times- in mank/wet powder/heavy snow, for example, the lack of "progressive flex" will be a little jarring and you will get kicked around, but you will be able to drive the skis as you wish. As has been extensively covered by Jonathan Shefftz and others, the boot is exceptionally durable, and other than the lever breaking occasionally (not a problem I have had) they can handle a fair amount of mountain abuse.

One more racing-centered thing I really like about these boots is how easy the transition is- just flip the lever and forget it. As you stand up the lever will find the notch itself, saving you precious seconds of fiddling around vs. other options like the DyNA and PG/DNA. It's as easy as it gets.

One downside is that the boot is a PITA to put on/take off, especially with the gaiters. But if you're leaving it on for the day it's not that big of a deal. Also, the boot does have significant exposure to the elements- for that reason I have never felt comfortable taking it into the deep mountains or in very cold weather.

One other small racing-related point- the DyNA has a rockered sole which makes it the best for running out of the lot, whereas the Alien 1.0 has a flat sole which makes it good for mountaineering but not as good for running (feels more like an ice boot and clunks around when moving fast). While comparing it to the DyNA, it is also a) significantly stiffer, with b) a more secure boot upper/lower connection, and c) the lower on the DyNA tends to bulge/buckle under pressure, reducing the performance even during lateral movements- this is not a problem on the Alien 1.0

Lastly, the boot is somewhat "high volume," particularly above the foot- so if you have a flatter foot, you may need to raise your foot with a insert for a good fit.

Overall, 5 stars for a costly but excellent boot based on a revolutionary design that should give you many seasons of use.

I love my Aliens, and I'm thinking about making the leap to the 1.0's. My question is how "punchable" the toe box is in the 1.0? I have a fairly wide foot and had to push the shell in my regular Aliens probably 3-4mm to have room for my wide feet. I'm having a hard time discerning where the carbon extends in the lower of the 1.0...

Just curious if size/fit is similar between alien vs alien 1.0? Thanks!

Is the boot sole length the same on Alien and Alien 1.0 for the mondo 30?
Also, how can I get the frayed cable on my Aliens replaced?

Hey yo Ski Mo .co!

I'm thinking about purchasing a pair of these for my lovely lady, and was wondering about sizing. She is about a US women's 8 and wears a 24.5 Scarpa TX Pro tele boot which fits well. What size do you think would work best for her? I don't think width will be a problem for her in this boot, her foot is pretty similar in width along its length (as opposed to wedge-shaped). Thank you very much. I'm interested in either the Alien or Alien 1.0 for her.

what's the liner weight for alien? Alien 1?

Using the Alien 1.0 boots is life changing. When you hear about increased ankle mobility and increased freedom of movement blah blah blah it sounds like hyperbolic marketing tripe - but the 1.0 is the real deal. when I put them on it is hard to tell the difference from my trail running shoes. at 800g these babies are super lite. However, it's when you first get moving on skis that you really feel the difference. Zero ankle/shin resistance is a liberating feeling. It is hard to explain the immediate affect this has - less resistance, greater range of motion, longer strides, faster cadence, more speed, more vertical, more skiing. All of a sudden your blazing past everyone. Also, bootpacking or scrambling on ridges I can move with a lot more speed and confidence than I can in my TLT 5's (which are already pretty awesome) - the Aliens have a sensitive feeling like wearing a sneaker. Now all this isn't necessarily revolutionary. There are a lot of great race boots on the market that feel very similar. However, where the Aliens differ in my perspective is skiability. The carbon cuff on these guys makes for a stiff ride that can handle way more than most people might think to use them for. I would say that these stiffer than my very very very used TLT 5 Pro boots. I have no reservations about skiing at speed or in steep / exposed places with them. It wasn't even a matter of getting used to them, for me the boots were just that confidence inspiring on the downhill. Also - compared to other similar boots on the market with a carbon lower boot, the plastic outer on the Aliens adds a lot of durability. I've been kicking around in the mountains for about two months with these guys now and there are few signs of wear. As other reviews has mentioned the fact that in deeper snow conditions snow finds its way between the gaps between the boot shell and liner creating little ice patches is a bummer. Also a bummer is that Scarpa charges additional dough for their hard to get gators (though skimo.co has them!) - the gators work well enough but I have concerns about their longterm durability. I find most of the time I don't bother with the gators and just go hard. I think the payoff in speed, confidence, and freedom of movement is well worth the relatively minor downsides mentioned elsewhere. I love this boot and think that once you use it you won't want to use anything else. As a note - I use these with the Movement Goldfish-X and I am very happy with the combination for both racing and technical ski mountaineering.

I did about 7 sessions on the Aliens 1.0 now and I am happy with the boots so far but will update this review once I use them more. They feel (are) a bit larger overall than Dynafit or Pierre Gignoux boots but weight wise they feel great - I have size 28 and they are 746g/boot. Walk mode feels as good as my old first generation Gignoux and cuff feels stiffer in a forward lean than on those Gignoux.

One thing I am still solving is a bit too much vertical space for my foot, but I have this with most ski boots. I put in thicker insoles and that does a fairly good job, and the side benefit is they don't feel as stiff/hard on the bottom of my feet as with just the supplied liner. My personal wish is that manufacturers put more padding on the bottom of their race liners :)

Overall: Despite some non-race environment inconveniences, fit modification limitations, and potential durability concerns for a Whereveristan mountaineering expedition, the Alien 1.0 rates Five Stars – and only because the website won’t allow fifty or so stars. The ratio of skiability to weight is so seemingly impossibly high that it even validates Scarpa’s alien technology marketing theme.

Background on product familiarity: I bought the Alien 1.0 toward the end of the 2013 season but kept using the Dynafit EVO for short tours, so only a relatively modest 77,600' vertical thus far. I’ve skied them with the Hagan Cirrus on spring and summer snow except for one surprise winter powder outing on the Movement Logic-X, plus a couple times on the Fish-X. (I haven’t used them for extended periods in extremely cold temperatures, plus I always keep moving anyways and find all thermo liners to be warm, so I can’t comment on their insulating properties.)

First, the first impressions out of the box: Actual weight is very close but not quite at spec, since my size 26 is spot-on for the 27 spec. So expect a couple trivial extra ounces for the 27 that only the digital scale will notice. What you will notice is an impressively crafted design with many innovative parts (plus Dynafit’s own “Quick-Step-in” toe inserts). Also notice the substantive user manual with actual useful information (e.g., the BOA adjustment can be disassembled for cleaning).

The fit is accurate for the interior length of my size 26, as I can just barely accommodate (sort of) the toes of my 26.5cm foot, which is therefore only slightly shorter than the 279 bsl. (The bsl changes in 8 and 9mm increments, so the interior length’s relationship to stated mondo size might become skewed a bit the further away you go from my size 26.)

As with any skimo race boot, the fit modification potential is limited. However, the stiff foam bootboard is easily removed, and by playing with the heel height I was able to alleviate some pinching/banging of the lateral side of the back of my heel. The current liner is neither overlap nor tongued, and instead is essentially a pull-on sock with (minimal) padding in key areas. I have not yet tried to heat the liner, and given its thin profile, its moldability is probably modest at best. And after my modest usage so far, my boot guy thought I had already essentially molded them through use. He is also fairly confident in his ability to stretch the problem area in the back of my heel. (Wish us luck!)

The forward lean is adjustable by changing a bolt position. The cuff height matches the Dynafit TLT5/6. In front, the cuff is taller than the TLT5/6 shell, but lower than the TLT5/6 optional external tongue. (The cuff of my 26 boot is shared with the 25; I don’t know if the size 27/28 cuff is even taller.) The cuff leaves a large gap in the back between the lower shell, and a cavernous opening in the front. (The lower shell is sealed up better, although the thick fabric tongue unfortunately overlaps inside the lower shell, i.e., the reverse of the ideal overlap arrangement for sealing out water and snow.) Plan either on using the very nicely designed (and nearly weightless) Alien lycra gaiter, wearing a race suit with an integrated gaiter, or bringing some of the snowpack along with you.

Second impressions, in use: In walk/tour mode, the upper cuff pretty much just disappears. If you are used to a boot with an exceptional range of resistance-free movement like the Dynafit TLT5/6, even then the Alien 1.0 will still shock you. Flip the lever down (which instantly self-aligns), and you’re in for another shock. Maybe too much of a shock – can a three-pound/pair boot really be overly stiff? Unlike Dynafit’s carbon boots, the carbon on the Alien 1.0 upper cuff wraps all the way around, while the inside of the lower shell also wraps your foot in carbon from the cuff rivets out to the heel and forefoot. And the mode switch vertical-throw lever has less than a millimeter of slop. (By contrast, Dynafit has about half a centimeter with its lateral-throw buckle.) That kind of rigidity is outstanding for lateral and rearward support, but is it too much for forward flex? I know one racer who admits to keeping the cord a bit loose to allow a little more give before the cuff locks up on him.

In the field, the BOA system quickly tightens up the lower shell in increments as small or large as you choose. However, when I’ve overcompensated for my low-height foot (although my C-width matches up well with the shell), the placement of the BOA on the tongue (as opposed to off on the side like on my mountain bike shoes) can create pressure. Backing off the tension inevitably entails overshooting and having to dial it back it in – but still very quick, and also very easy even with numb fingers. The upper cuff is all or nothing, so you have to set up your knot length just right by experimenting inside (or in warm weather). With some extra 3mm accessory cord, you could try setting up a system with multiple knot positions if you really wanted different upper cuff tightness options.

Third impressions, for long-term durability: I have about five cumulative hours of off-snow travel in the Alien 1.0, and the rubber soles show only appropriately minor wear, with excellent grip. (This might not seem like much of a hurdle, but that same amount of use on the Dynafit EVO sheared off or heavily damaged 2/3 of the perimeter lugs.) The rivets/pivots connecting the upper and lower shells look very industrial, and seem to be immune from the loosening up over time that has required periodical repressing of the rivets on earlier versions of competitors’ carbon fiber boots. The lower shell’s tongue and BOA system are replaceable, as is the 3mm accessory cord for the upper shell.

The BOA placement on the tongue means the lower shell has no buckles on the side to be caught up in boulders, and the mode switch lever in the rear flips up out of harm’s way. But I have read of two failures over time from normal use (as opposed to collisions). This is not very surprising, given the lever’s slender proportions combined with the rigidity of the all-carbon upper cuff, the rigidity of the partial-carbon lower shell, and the very tight tolerances of the connection between the upper and lower. But as long as the horizontal bar of the lower shell is still intact, a couple Voile straps should suffice for a field repair.

I drooled over these for a while before getting them. Once they arrived, I wasn't disappointed. Light as a feather. Stiff as a 2 x 4. They ski awesome, powering little and mid-size (88 mm underfoot) skis just fine. I haven't used them on wider pow planks, yet.

The liner comes out of the boot on your foot. In fact, it's impossible to get your foot out of the liner without taking it out of the boot. Basically, the liner fits like a sock. Thus, I've had no blisters, ever, in these boots.

The walk/ski throw bar is super simple to use and it latches and unlatches without effort. (Just rock your leg forward or back if it doesn't seat instantly.)

Skinning in these boots is a revolutionary experience. Imagine heading uphill, skis attached, in running shoes with an attached cuff that moves - without effort - against your shin, and you're real close. I drive my car (with a clutch) in these without even thinking about it. You've never skied a boot that articulates this well because none has ever existed before. Climbing around on rocks to get to a ski line, they offer as natural a feel as you'd want.

So, skinning and skiing in 'em is great. Here are the problem areas I've found:

The Boa closure doesn't always stay closed for me, it can loosen while skinning up. It never does while skiing tho. Probably, once your ankle is held in place by the cuff, it can't lift on the closure system.

If you use them without a gaiter, your feet will get soaked unless you're on groomers all day. Not cool. Use them with a gaiter.

I've managed to break the walk/ski mode bar. Scarpa replaced this without fuss, and quickly, too.

Since the boot is not offered in half sizes, and I'm a 27.5 in all my other boots, I went with the size 27. Tried on the 28's, and my feet swam in them. So, the 27's feel great all the time, except when I'm booting up hard snow and ice. With the size being a half notch down from my usual, I get toe bang. Enough toe bang to make a mention of it, for sure.

So, four potential problem areas, contrasted with a ski boot that's about as stiff as a pair of downhill boots, and probably lighter than your hiking boots. Nothing in this world is perfect, there are always tradeoffs. I'm still skiing around in these boots. Very happily.