When you can鈥檛 bring the people to the gear, bring the gear to the people. Last winter, rather than our usual 60-person gear-test week at Powder Mountain, Utah, we set up six COVID-appropriate test pods in mountain towns across the U.S. Our crew consists of patrollers, guides, editors, and other lifelong skiers. Instead of five bell-to-bell days, we spent two months moving gear from one pod to another. More time meant more touring, which really let us put these backcountry ski boots through their paces.聽
Looking for more backcountry ski boots? Check out our newest list for the latest tech in 2023.
Dynafit Radical Pro ($800)
Dynafit鈥檚 designers took the brand鈥檚 stiff, narrow Hoji Free Tour, lightened it, and used foot-mapping technology to hone the shell鈥檚 shape for a broader fit range. Also new: a 120-flex Grilamid shell (for both men and women) that is more reliable in a wider array of temperatures. As a result, testers found it skied with all the power of its predecessor but with better snow feel. Thankfully, the brand鈥檚 proprietary transition mechanism remains: simply undo the top buckle to throw the Radical automatically into a 60-degree walk mode. The grippy Pomoca sole is ideal for ridgeline scrambles. 6.1 lbs, 鈥嬧25鈥31.5
La Sportiva Vanguard ($899)
The 130-flex Vanguard (115 for women) is La Sportiva鈥檚 first step in the direction of four-buckle boots. It sports a V-shaped cuff to reduce rotational twisting without limiting walk-mode range (63 degrees of it), and the integrated power strap and top buckle boost control in variable conditions. The shell, made from castor-seed based Pebax Rnew, performed consistently in a wide temperature range. 6.0 lbs, 24鈥31.5
Dalbello Quantum Free Asolo Factory 130 ($950)
A tongueless, 颅two-piece cuff allows the Quantum to initiate turns with the power of a four-buckle model but still walk without friction. The bonded, shock-absorbing polyamide shell, with carbon fiber below the foot, means it also skis amazingly damp at speed. That damp feel gets a further boost from the plush liner and reinforced tongue. Flip the simple spring-loaded switch to activate a walk mode with a massive 65-degree range of motion. 5.6 lbs, 24.5-30.5
Scarpa Gea RS ($800)
The update to this 颅120-flex boot (and the men鈥檚 125-flex ) now boasts a stiffer material, Grilamid Bio. Otherwise, designers retained our favorite features, including a 101-millimeter last (ideal for wide feet) and a ratcheting heel strap that offers excellent downhill control and climbing security. The boot also features a reinforced Intuition Pro Flex liner that adds power in downhill mode. Articulation near the Achilles in tour mode yields 60 degrees of motion. 5.6 lbs, 22.5鈥27
Lange XT3 Tour Pro ($950)
A half pound lighter than Lange鈥檚 touring-specific XT3 130, the Tour Pro (also a 130 with 53 degrees of range) is for 颅backcountry purists who want great downhill performance. 鈥淚t skis like a Lange but walks like a Scarpa,鈥 one veteran tester quipped. Tourability comes from the 颅liner鈥攍ight EVA foam with a plastic tongue鈥攁nd from a 颅gas-injected polypropylene boot board that鈥檚 highly shock absorbent. The XT3 Tour also has the same 53-degree touring range but walks easier than its predecessor thanks to a more rockered sole. 6.7 lbs, 24鈥29.5
Fischer Transalp Pro ($850)
Environmental cred aside, Pebax鈥檚 Rnew shell material is also extremely strong. Translation: the Transalp Pro stands up to the abuse of in-bounds bindings. Its liner also has tough Cordura in abrasion-prone zones around the cuff. We love that 颅the walk-mode lever has a jaws-like latch that makes accidental transitions impossible. The boot doesn鈥檛 have an official flex rating, but it skis like a 120. Testers liked the ability to adjust the forward lean to 16 or 13 degrees, which you can customize further with the included plastic spoiler.5.6 lbs, 22.5鈥30.5