A lot of backcountry boots may claim to combine both uphill and downhill performance, but rarely do both exist in equally excellent measure--then add the nuances of a properly shaped fit and a stan
Note: the Freedom SL Wmn returned to our boot test this year unchanged, and was tested in both the All-Mountain Adventure category with its Alpine DIN sole blocks and also the Backcountry category with rockered, tech-compatible soles. The test results mirrored last year's, so the review content is adapted from last year's review. The tester commentary is from this year's test.
The range of options for skiers is huge on the Freedom SL W and gave our test team a lot to work through in getting a complete picture of this new featherweight Freeride crossover boot. First, the boot's range of fore-aft adjustment (a rare thing to begin with) is a whopping 8-degrees—as upright as 10-degrees and as forward leaning as 18. This is a useful feature in a boot designed to appeal to area-based skiers using alpine bindings, other using AT frame-style bindings as well as skiers utilizing light weight "tech" style bindings. Why? The differences in these bindings' ramp or "delta" angles can alter skiers' fore-aft balance hugely, so having the means to find an ideal lower leg angle regardless of binding choice is awesome. In addition to getting the forward lean dialed, the boot has a slightly outward or bowlegged lateral bias which some testers moderated using the single sided cuff adjustment. Once each testers' home base stance got figured, the on-snow tests came back aces, but those who didn't get the boot wired got a wild ride. This Pebax Rnew constructed boot (can you say light?) is a reactive, feely thing—ready to rock at a skier's bare hint of a movement. So good skiers starting from a balanced position loved how this boot skied—testers working from a less centered starting point got tossed.
The boot's merits on performance, adjustability and fit (this medium sits right in the middle of the category for "fit tension," or general tightness) were certainly enough for our test team to put this boot into their top third within the entire category. But this doesn't even take into consideration the boot's hike mode feature. Testers claimed its release mechanism was one of the very best of the whole test—an easy to use lever with an obviously in or out position. The range of touring "rotation," or fore-aft movement, was both massive and fluid, astounding, really. This unimpeded range and feel is enabled by the release mechanism's design which fully disconnects the upper from the lower avoiding the friction of mechanism parts rubbing together. Testers utilized the available alpine-DIN soles for testing but the SL comes with a rockered, tech-compatible toe sole and the alpine set is available as an aftermarket purchase. The SL's hike mode, plus the boot's fit and feel, plus its on-snow performance all combined to make fans of our test team's lift riders and backcountry purists alike.
There were a few gripes regarding some inconsistency of fit, mainly tightness in the toebox and over the midfoot, but testers who fully cooked the Intuition EVA liner found immediate relief here. Customers trying on this boot in a shop should keep this liner molding issue in mind. Not to be forgotten, testers loved the cosmetics on the SL, which are created with a micro film that's molecularly bonded to the shell in a special submersion bath. Cool for sure but why? Scarpa claims it’s a way to avoid adding pigments to the plastic which can have a negative impact on stiffness and flex feel. Speaking of flex, note that testers felt the 120 flex claim was off—and was much softer—which is probably a good mistake made for most women.
There’s often a trade-off to be made when selecting a hike mode boot for true off area missions. Do you get a lightweight, agile AT model that sacrifices on challenging downhills or opt for a more alpine-centric version that lags a bit going up but dominates the down?
We have a few testers mulling over that dichotomy for their own boots and they all said the Shiva MX, a best-of-both worlds hybrid, relieved them of making that decision. It’s light enough for some trekking and boasts class-topping, frictionless touring range of motion but also churns out on-area model power and precision.
Testers liked the Shiva MX’s strong link to the ski, putting it on edge and driving it hard when asked. It never buckled through demanding terrain at higher speeds. They also liked its predictable, responsive nature at slower speeds. Its balanced position (a touch forward-leaning in its stock setting of the two available—the other is even more forward-leaning) put them in a position to execute dynamic movements in the fall line no matter the speed or snow conditions.
Testers said that it fit felt a little shorter in length than average and that the instep height provided a little more room than the medium width norm. Beyond that, the 100mm fit was a true medium width both in the lower and upper cuff.
Our test team’s consensus on the Freedom SL: “Best one-boot quiver for hard-charging women as interested in going uphill as down.” Crisp, racy power and quickness paired with light weight and huge touring range of motion make this a no-brainer for skiers who regularly venture beyond area boundaries for day-long or even multi-day missions.
The Scarpa fit varied for our team, who bounced between their normal size and a step-down. Those who took advantage of the model’s slightly longer fit in the toebox to drop down a size, found a form-fitting Narrow feel. Those who stuck with their normal size experienced a Medium fit with extra toe room. For those doing extended tours, the latter is the go-to option as creating more toe length in the thin Pebax lower boot is tricky for even the best bootfitters.
Note that even our veteran test team experiences some confusion over sizing with Scarpa due to the fact that the brand’s shell length changes on the half-size (i.e. the 24.5 and the 25.0 are the same sole length at 287mm). The Freedom SL series merits try-on with a topnotch bootfitter to ensure you get the desired fit.
The lower boot sole’s rigid carbon insert construction continues to impress testers with the accurate power it generates; uncanny given the overall lightweight package. No other Pebax boot we've tested comes close to the Freedom SL's torsional stability and direct transmission of energy.
The cuff's range of motion and friction-free quality of movement would stand out among true backcountry boots but it's staggeringly surprising in an all-mountain hybrid that has the option to swap-out with Alpine soles. The boot comes stock with rockered, tech-compatible soles but the Alpine set (which we tested) is available as a $35 add-on.
Testers look at the backcountry category in three main areas: fit, downhill performance and uphill performance. Sure, they're interested in how well they go on and off and how warm they'll be, but the big three dominate. What element stood out to testers with Salomon's new Mountain Lab? How this boot skied flat-out shocked the hell out of us. The super-sensitive, close-to-snow feel of the boot sole underfoot was the first indication that something was going right with this one, and then the crisp, direct-drive nature of the transmission of movement and energy to the ski made every tester take note.
The Grilamid lower boot and so-called Alpine Pebax cuff combine to make this a lightweight powerhouse with a touch on snow that will appeal to solid, technical skiers considering going uphill. And this boot does that well too—we especially loved the cleanly finished and easily operated sideways-oriented Surelock cuff release switch. The released range of motion is vast to the rear and better than most in forward flex, and a few testers noted that the fit of the boot actually improved a bit in hike mode—a rarity, that.
The fit was the only element of the BC triad that testers faulted the Mountain Lab for, saying that the fit in the lower boot was inconsistent (loose in the toes and forefoot and choked off at the instep) and harsh on ankle bones. Testers noted the feel against the shin was a bit abrupt and overly firm at the boot top. A few mentioned wishing for a Custom Shell option here, but alas, no such luck. Cooking the full-thermomoldable CF 3D liner helped many testers even-out the fit in the lower boot.
The completely new upgrade to the previously tested and loved Cosmos II was a hit with testers, who were totally impressed with everything about this lightweight backcountry rip machine. More specifically, the combination of well-cushioned and anatomical fit (testers gave it medium-width fit tension scores), strong, agile skiing character and a lightweight and rangy touring skill set put it at the top of the class for backcountry boots we tested.
A lot of backcountry boots get the weight and touring range of motion down just fine but falter either with fit or with downhill skiability. The fact that this boot fits and skis as well as some of the best alpine boots on the market and yet maintains such a long and friction-free touring range of motion in this lightweight a package is remarkable.
One element contributing to this boot's strength on-snow is its all-Grilamid shell construction and use of carbon fiber inserts in the lower boot's side panels. The also new sock-like liner utilizes Gore-Tex (possibly the first that we know of) to better manage moisture from outside and in and provides a well contoured grip on the foot without excess bulk or sharp edges.
The Maestrale RS returned to excel at this year's boot test by displaying both power and convenience in a well-balanced backcountry boot. Testers liked the combination of the Mirage Pro hike mode's simplicity of design and bombproof connection between upper and lower with its no-brainer ease of use. They also liked that the stiffer cuff connection was paired with a revised, burlier powerstrap for a more solid-feeling flex and better matched fit along the shin.
While the test team mainly approved of the Maestrale's precise transmission of energy to the ski for performance downhill operations and its huge and un-restricted touring range of motion, they noted smaller touches that also pumped up convenience scores—like the oversized buckles for gloves-on adjustments and the powerstrap's cutaway grab-loop that made for easy readjustment on the fly.
As with many of the Backcountry category entries, testers said the Maestrale RS fits a bit more snug through the forefoot than the 101mm rating would suggest, and snug through the instep as well, favoring medium- to lower-volume foot types. One thing to note is that Scarpa's sizing scheme breaks shells on the half-size. For example the 26.5 and 27.0 share the same shell and boot sole length. We're always fans of supporting your brick-and-mortar bootfitting specialist, but trying on the Maestrale to ensure you're getting the right size is a smart move.
