Alpine Touring and Telemark Boots

Boots are the only ski equipment we wear. Trade shoes for boots when ready to ski. Like shoes, if you want to spend significant time active in your boots, fit is very important. If you’re approaching wild snow from being a resort skier, then your alpine boots could be fine to start. Climbers who just want to approach climbs can use their climbing boots. Telemark skiing requires its own style of boot. Alpine touring (AT) and telemark boots are made to allow more comfortable walking and climbing than a traditional ski boot; they allow their user to lock the ankle for skiing and leave it flexible for climbing comfort.

Sky climbs the last few steps to the summit of Mt Formidable.

All the Dynafit-compatible boots except the lighter Dynafit models will work with other bindings. The Garmont G-Ride offers the same lightweight four-buckle performance as the Megaride without Dynafit compatibility at significant savings. The Lowa Struktura and Struktura Light look like good compromises between performance and comfort. The Scarpa Denali is a long-standing high performance favorite. Finally, at the heavy end of the spectrum, the meta-touring club includes the Scarpa Tornado and Garmont Adrenaline and Endorphin.

Telemark boots

There are numerous telemark boots available from Garmont, Scarpa, and Crispi. Garmont offers the Ener-G for high performance and the Syner-G as a softer, lighter, more all-around boot. Scarpa offers a selection of boots that covers a spectrum of performance and weight, from the lighter T3s and T2s to the heavier T1s and super-burly T-Races. Crispi boots have a reputation for a softer flex, more like a traditional leather telemark boot.

Fit, fit, fit

With a pair of boots, fit can not be overemphasized. Technique can compensate for performance, but nothing can compensate for severe damage to your feet. A new pair of liners can work wonders for an old pair of boots. New thermofit liners perform better and weigh less than old liners. Garmont, Scarpa, and Dynafit boots all come with thermofit liners now, which are also available separately. Intuition makes quality liners at a good value from Vancouver, BC. Superfeet or other custom orthotic inserts will make a difference during long tours and climbs. Finally, if inserts and thermofit liners don’t help, look for a boot fitter to modify your boot’s plastic shell, or try a different boot.

Boots
Crispi Diablo AT	Crispi X-R Telemark	Dynafit Freeride Aero AT	Dynafit TLT 4 Evolution AT
Garmont Energy AT	Garmont MegaRide G-Fit AT	Lowa Stuktura AT	Scarpa T2X Telemark