K2

Pinnacle 110 HV Alpine Touring Boot

Eating a bowl full of soggy shredded wheat when you're used to a hearty breakfast of steak and eggs can be, well, dissatisfying, and something similar can be said of ski boots. Switching from beefy freeride boots to a flimsy pair of backcountry shoes can definitely throw you off your game, and leave you wondering whether or not the line was worth the effort. Fortunately, K2 has developed a line of boots that will devour everything from steep lines in the resort to sphincter-puckering backcountry couloirs. Coming in with a 110 flex, the K2 Men's Pinnacle 110 Alpine Touring Boot is the medium-flex option in K2's Pinnacle line and sports a moderately wide 100mm last, making it a good option for the skier that prefers a more comfortable fit and a bit more forgiveness from their boots, but still wants to able to rally when the chips are down.

While the Pinnacle 110 may be a bit softer than its 130-flex sibling, it's still going to offer more downhill performance than most AT boots out there thanks to its Synchro Interlock walk mode and carbon-infused Powerfuse Spyne. Instead of using rivets between the cuff and shell, Synchro Interlock technology utilizes a wedge and V-notch interlocking mechanism to firmly lock the shell and cuff together once you put the boot into walk mode, so you don't get that wonky, loose feeling that's a common feature of boots with a walk mode. The Pinnacle also sets itself apart with its versatile soles, which can be switched between tech bindings, alpine bindings, and frame-style alpine touring bindings in a single day, without even having to switch out the sole lugs.