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Written by Jeff Burke & Lance Riek
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Wednesday, 31 January 2007 |
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Lindsasy and Christine put the latest crop of ladies At boots through their paces and share what they thought.
Women's AT Boots 2006
Garmont
She Ride G-Fit
weight: 6lbs. 3oz./pair (23)
sizes: 23–26.5
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Garmont: Our most aggressive women’s model, the She Ride G-Fit is a beefed up boot for women looking to tackle technical and steep descents. With a higher cuff height and four buckles, this is a boot you can depend on in the most difficult terrain with the fattest skis.
Lindsay: With a snug all-around fit for narrower female feet, the slim thermofit liner in Garmont’s She Ride G-Fit gave me a good feel for the snow and provided the best control of all the boots, in all terrain and snow conditions. While skinning, the sliding soft tongue eased shin pressure, while the four opposing buckles and sturdy power strap locked me into place for the descent, even on the beefiest of skis. My one problem: if you’re into riding lightweight Dynafit bindings, the She Ride isn’t compatible.
Christine: There is no doubt that this boot performed the best of the bunch on tricky off-piste snow, particularly with wider skis. The thermo-liner and lower shell created a heel pocket with a secure fit. Even though they wouldn’t be my first pick for a long slog, there is nothing objectionable about touring longer distances in this boot if you don’t mind kicking the weight.
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Garmont
Dynamite G-Fit
weight: 5lbs. 14oz./pair (23)
sizes: 23–26.5
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Garmont: Though it’s a unisex boot the Dynamite is popular among women. It sheds some weight from the She Ride, without sacrificing performance, by offering three buckles and Dynafit binding compatibility. The Dynamite strikes a balance with a good stiffness for descending and a light weight for all-around ski mountaineering. The boot has a removable spoiler to fit a range of calf sizes.
Lindsay: The Dynamite G-Fit is a great all-around boot for all-day touring. Its lower cuff height and stiff rear flexion made navigating difficult terrain a cinch. The three buckles clamped my feet down to make for a snug and secure fit for the descents, but the thin liner was a little tough on my bony feet. The Dynafit binding compatibility and thermo-formable liners offer an even lighter combination for the weight-conscious skier.
Christine: This boot’s comfortable fit makes it a good choice when you’re touring and turning equally. I’d place the Dynamite in the middle of the pack in terms of stiffness; but when I cranked the buckles and tugged the power strap, the downhill performance easily handled an average day of turns. Lightweight and Dynafit compatible, this boot performs very similarly to the Scarpa Magic, so I’d choose between them based on fit.
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Lowa
Struktura Light
weight: 6lbs. 8oz./pair (25)
sizes: 22.5–26.5
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Lowa: The Struktura Light Lady has a narrower last built for women’s feet and cuffs sculpted for women’s calves. Designed for long tours and more aggressive skiing, this boot comes standard with a heat-moldable liner as well as both one-piece and two-piece tongues.
Lindsay: A close second on the stiffness scale to Garmont’s She Ride, the Struktura Light Lady enabled me to ski with precision no matter what terrain I was negotiating. Add to the mix the wide range of fore and aft mobility in its hike mode and you’ve got a winning combination. If you have a forward stance, however, the one ski position in these boots leaves you further back than most boots and the top buckles can come undone when you really lean into them.
Christine: Personally, I seldom combine long tours with aggressive skiing; but, Struktura’s design makes you think about it. They perform excellently inside an average comfort zone. For the steeps, I tend to lean out over the top too much for these boots. While the tongue-option adds flexibility, I preferred the one-piece version and felt it was soft enough for comfortable touring.
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Scarpa
Magic
weight: 5lbs. 10oz./pair (25)
sizes: 22.5–27
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Scarpa: The Magic was built with smaller women in mind. With a narrower heel, lower instep and shorter cuff, this boot was designed to hike and ski in any terrain and all conditions. Three micro-adjustable metal buckles and a power strap provide good support on the downhill, while its light weight leaves juice in your legs until the last run.
Lindsay: The Magic’s low yet stiff cuff made initiating turns a breeze, while the stiff rear flexion provided good support in variable conditions. If you have height on your side, however, you may overpower this boot as I did. With only three buckles and a lace-up liner, this boot was my pick for the best lightweight contender on long days of touring. And they’re Dynafit compatible.
Christine: I think Scarpa built these boots just for me. With my smaller frame and gear-weight sensibility, these were my favorite. The boots are comfortable enough to ski all day and then kick around camp. For serious descents, I just snugged down those three buckles for a secure, conforming fit and complete confidence.
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Crispi
Diablo LS Silver
weight: 7lbs./pair (24)
sizes: 23.5–27.5
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Crispi: The new Diablo LS Silver has three buckles, power strap, thermo-moldable liner and three positions for forward lean, providing a customized feel for any skier and snow condition. It has a narrower women’s specific last that makes for a closer fit for smaller feet.
Lindsay: The heaviest boot in the bunch, the Diablo LS is a great boot for those looking to start their backcountry experience in extreme comfort. The thick tongue and liner created fewer pressure points for my abnormally shaped feet, but its heaviness made for serious work while skinning on longer tours. I felt that the ski mode did not provide any added stiffness because of the boot’s soft plastic and difficult power strap, especially in warmer conditions.
Christine: Regretfully, I did not get to take these boots for a ride; my small feet might have liked a comfy day. |
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