Alpina BC 1550 Backcountry Boot

agreed on the the toe thing... too much flex and can cause blisters on top of your toes. it helps me to wear 2 pairs of socks, less friction and no blisters. but then they end up kind of tight, but otherwise comfortable. they have the right amount of support for my use (no grooming here and lots of downhill)

These are comfortable for me (normal width) and pretty warm for how heavy they are. They feel a lot like a hiking boot but not as stiff. They certainly have good ankel support, which is key to what I want in a BC boot and easy on/off. I also like the simplicity of having laces rather than some zipper to freeze or break in the BC (though a zipper covering over the laces tends to make a warmer boot). I cannot comment on their durability but I think for the price they are decent boot.

I bought these boots primarily becuase I liked the way they looked. As my Dad always says, "no matter how well or poorly you might do, always look your best". Well I look good, but the blisters on my toes from only 4km trip are terrible. As with other reviewers, I tried a variety of solutions to this problem but without any better result. These boots will soon be relegated to the dust bin in the garage as I have purchased a different boot. Would return them if I could but bought them on sale at the end of last season.

The BC1550 is a great boot. The shell is hard but not something you'd want to take on an expedition. The tongue is somewhat unique in that it is outside of the lacing area rather than tucked inside but there is method to this madness as it forms a remarkable barrier that an interleaved tongue can't achieve. There was no 'breaking-in' ceremony of lesions and blisters and I found I could wear the boot straight out of the box to ski in as much time as I could lace it.
Support is vital when it comes to BC boots and the Alpina's have it in spades. A stiff exoskeleton type of support structure enables you to really cut hard on turns while remaining stable.
If there were to be improvements to the design, it would be on the internal tongue, which feels cheap. On putting the boot on, you have to undo the whole velcro strap and then affix the laces to tie.
The loops to feed the laces through are situated under the velcro strap and receiver and should be the hooks that the rest of the boot have.
The boot clips in and out of the bindings with ease and walking around is as easy as a normal pair of boots although far more comfortable.
Overall, a good boot - attention to design and manufacturing. It's a good investment and will help on those day long or longer journeys.

Agree with previous review. Toe box creases across the great toe causing significant listening. Forget skiing twice in a weekend....blisters don't permit it!
Disappointed in the boot and trying novel ways to try to break in this boot.

I've had these boots for a couple weeks and have put over 50 miles on them. They broke in easily, they provide great ankle support, and they are very warm. I was out for 3 hours yesterday in -20 and my feet were toasty. They go great with my Rossignol BC-90s. I really couldn't pick out anything to complain about. Buy these boots - you won't regret it!

I'm a bigger guy, 6'3" 220, and bought these last year, along with a pair of Fischer Snowbound Crown backcountry cc skis. Great combo for somebody looking for a little stability. At my height, and being an accomplished downhiller, I like the stiffness of the boot along with the metal edges of the skis, it gives me the ability to STOP! The boots are comfortable, warm, and great for any conditions. I used them in Chicago's frigid winter last year, skiing the local golf courses, skiing in howling winds and below zero wind chills. They are well made and easy to get off and on in the cold weather. My old Rossi boots wore out quickly. Not these. I think boots will out live me, and I plan to live 50 more years. One note, these need the BC NNN bindings and WILL NOT FIT regular NNN bindings.

Fast break-in time (2-3 hrs)They offer great ankle support. More than enough insulation for single digit temps.Very well constructed.

The Boots are warm and have a wide toebox--something i was seeking. but, the lacing system is painful on my ankles and the overall fit of the boot is large. that said, i wear a second pair of short socks in them. i have yet to master the laces in a way that is comfortable on a long ski.

the boots appear to made of cheap material and it does not easily bend or mold.

overall, they are better than what i had but i feel like for the money i spent the boots should have some componet of leather and be easy to cinch around my foot.

There must be a batch problem with this boot. A number of good reviews and a number of bad ones. For the pair I bought, Alpina deserve to be admonished. Here are the faults:
(1) They leave like a sieve around the toe area - wet toes are guaranteed.
(2) The box toe construction presses hard onto the toes delivering punishing blisters after only short trips
(3) Too flexible in its construction to be a backcountry boot - insufficient transfer of power from 'knee-to-ski' where attempting turns downhill, especially in icy conditions.
(4) The lacing system needs re-work:
(i) The laces have no flex, which prevents a truly snug fit that is essential for a ski boot.
(ii) The upper hook laces bend under strain and the lower lace holders do not grip the lace as you tighten, meaning you need to re-tension the lace several times as you pull excess lace through each hole. A 'D' ring lace system would have been better.
I am returning these boots.

Alpina need to conduct some quality assurance testing on their boots and see if there is a concern with their manufacturing process. The boot may simply require re-design, which is probably the case.

Thankyou to Backcountry for your generous return policy. I will now shop for a better boot.

This is the second season I have been using these boots and agree with previous reviews;The toe box creases across the toe line causing blisters,the lacing system makes it tough to get the boots snug and to keep them snug and they do get wet in the toe area.I skied yesterday around 6km and ended up with a blister on my toe(not the first time) and would like to go today but I`m left wondering what to do to prevent futher blisters..thinner/thicker socks,take the insoles out...I want to ski not fool around with these boots!

I used these for quite a few years on an old pair of Trak touring skis that had NNN BC bindings and eventually got new skis (the Karhu Solstice XTs). I think these boots and the Magnum binding are probably overkill for those skis, but these boots have rarely let me down performance-wise. They tend to stay dry and warm and are very comfortable for any walking or hiking necessary.
My only complaints are that they simply do not cinch up tight enough for my narrow ankles and heels and the tongue shield doesn't help this either. I broke one power strap for this reason. The plastic loop the velcro strap passes through is simply too weak for how much pressure I put on it. They also can be a little too flat footed for me, so I should put in Superfeet or such, as hours of skiing can make the soles of my feet sore from kicking and gliding, but nothing terrible.
I would recommend these, but not without my aforementioned warnings. Also, I feel I may have bought one size too large, so this may have to do with any number of things.

I have used a pair for 2 winters now, approx 50 days of use.

Pros: Good support
Easy to lace on
Sole has not cracked (yet)

Cons: not even water resistant, never mind water proof. Feet are wet after about 15 min of skiing through wet snow.
Cold - not much insulation. Too narrow for a heavy sock.
Too narrow, one width does not fit all. Lots of abrasion on toes and ankles.
Eyelet pulled out 2nd day of use.

After skiing through wet spring snow for 10 min my feet start to get damp, after and hour they are soaked (I'm wearing full length gaiters).
The 'one width fits all' does not work for wide feet.
Iv'e some Sorrel Thinsulate light weight boots for snowshoeing that I can put on after a night out at 0 deg f and my feet will stay warm - not so with the Alpina's - skis seem to suck the heat out thru the bottoms.
One of the eyelets came out after about 20 hours of use.

After three tries, i finally went for the big $ but it was totally worth it. super comfy, totally warm and great support both for turns and touring. they feel light and act tough.

I found these boots to be unwearable. The seam created where the stiff plastic upper meets the softer toe cap creates a friction point on the top of the big toe when the boot flexes. I purchased the proper size and wore them around the house for several hours. But after a few hours of actual use, both my toes blistered. It's too bad, these boots offer great support and warmth, but they're just too painful to use.
Thank you Backcountry for a great return policy!

Well, my feet have stayed warm and dry while using these, sometimes, 6 consecutive days (XC skiing can sometimes be the only access I have for field work). The ankle support is great, the control with Rottefella Magnums mounted on Fischer Snowbound Crowns is top notch. I have well over 100 miles logged on this setup.

I just can not understand what Alpina was thinking with the design of the toe-cap. While XC skiing, my fore-foot flexes - something the boot allows for - but the semi-rigid toe cap is positioned such that the EDGE of the toe cap SCRAPES into the top of one's toes every single time the foot flexes! I have tried many work-arounds, and have had the local cobbler attach a pad to the underside of the toe cap. Even with this aftermarket fix, I still have to wrap my big toes with gauze and bandage, under socks, to prevent the wicked painful scraping.

I've skied these boots on fischer inbounds wax and waxless for the last 5 years... excellent boots breaking trail in VT and ME on logging roads and rolling/moderate slopes. Very good for climbing and wide telemark turns, yet still effective on pre-broken snowmobile trails. Now that I've spent some serious time on these skis I've decided to get ANOTHER pair of skis/boots to get more control on moderate and steeper downhills. By all means this is an excellent boot. GREAT BOOTS!

Because they were the wrong size, but boy are they good boots. After sales worked the exchange with limited time before skiing, I am soo glad!

I spent hours on skis in New Hampshire with temps at 19-25 degrees with no cold feet, no pinch points, no unexpected releases. Clean boots, no crap in the mud room!

Would recommend the extra bucks for great boots.

Every other boot I have tried can not compare.
I am 6' and 195 without my pack. The newer boot style with the zipper coverings did not provide the needed ankle support. Used the BC 1550 recently for a weekend at Silverton Colorado and was very pleased. These boots have great ankle support, easy on and off, very warm and dried overnight. Be sure to lace them up all the way. REI uses these for rentals (no longer sales them) and did not instruct my neighbor on the proper way to lace them and he complained to me about the lack of ankle support. After I showed him the way to lace all the way to the top, he was so pleased and purchased a pair.

I tried the boots in minus 30 deg. Celsius conditions last week here in the chic-chocs (Appalachian Moutains-north-east-on Quebec side) and they gave me no trouble with warmeness at all even with a thin layer pair of socks. Great boots. Alpina is trustable. But at the time to dry them-out back at the chalet, I found them tricky to dry because of the insulation inside at the top end of the boots. Apart from that... so far so good.

This boot is really supportive, good stiffness and ankle support. Fit was true to size.

Great boot for XCountry touring. A comfortable boot straight out of the box- but also has great support and control for focusing about technique. Medium/wide width and roomy toebox. I toured 10 miles before getting my first heel blister (which is really saying something for a new boot...)