jenniferga2006577

Great boot! I’ve got an average to wide, yet low-volume foot with average instep, very small ankles, and low calves – basic boot fitting nightmare for the most part. I do more hiking than my current race boots allow without mind numbing pain, but was very worried that I wouldn’t be happy with the performance due to what I’ve heard about AT boots in general, but 3 days in- I’m really happy. Flex ratings are relative- I’d say they compare more to 90-100 flex of most boots I’ve tried (depending on temperature), but lateral (side) stiffness is great. I’m thinking that most of what I’ve heard about AT boots and performance has been from larger guys who like stiff boots and the material technology just isn’t yet there for them. However, for women, we’re lighter, so that doesn’t apply.
Have had them paired with my mid-fat (90 underfoot) and wide (115 underfoot) skis and they drive both sets well through moguls, crud, ice- basically anything I’ve thrown at them. Admittedly, they don’t have the same hard pack performance and vice grip ankle hold that the race boots do, and I’m sure I wouldn’t want to run gates in them, but they ski much better on the wide variety of terrain I hit, so I would say they’re very comparable to a high end “freeride” type alpine boot in a lighter weight, more comfortable package. I did need to add a butterfly pad behind my ankles to avoid heel slip, but that’s not a big deal to do, and would say that with the intuition liners filling in the extra space, these boots would allow them to fit a narrow foot as well. Also, I initially had a problem with the instep being too tight, but it turns out that the tongue on one of the boots had deformed a bit in the packaging and storing them buckled tight in a warm room for a couple of days solved that problem- I wonder if some of the instep issues that are noted in some of the reviews have to do with this as well and can be rectified.

Get this boot and try it on- if it fits your foot and you find it comfortable, it will do pretty much everything you want it to.

I'm 5'2", 115#. Got the small. Slightly big on me, but purposely so as I like to be able to layer underneath and use for spring skiing and backcountry. Transitions from skiing to wandering around town, so can be a one jacket solution in shoulder seasons. Jacket is reasonably waterproof and I can only feel the wind if it's excessive. Very lightweight, easy to move in, doesn't ride up, and warm considering it's thickness. Highly recommended.

have the 2008 version- very versatile, but best on hardpack. Edge hold is fantastic and very little chatter at speed- hard to find for a 120# (aggressive) female skier as I don't have that much weight to throw around. Surprisingly quick for me in bumps and my go-to ski for when the steeps get icey. Although best on groomers they can float across crud if you keep them on a little edge and keep the speed up. Otherwise, they'll search for an edge without input, which never ends well. Get another ski if the powder comes, but then again, this ski is biased towards on-piste, and in my opinion, "all mountain" skis are pretty much guaranteed to ski all conditions mediocre.

I love these skis! They handle pretty much everything. 5'0 120# strong skier- got the 156 cm mounted with marker dukes. This ski floats in powder (admittedly, pretty much anything over 85 will for someone my size,) powers through crud, holds an edge well on groomers, but will kick your butt if you aren't forward. Only thing I would warn about is that the ski is thin, so if your shop isn't careful, they WILL dimple the bottoms (or drill through the base) if they're not paying attention to screw length. So, I'm on my second pair after my shop replaced my first set at the end of the season. Not really a down side as new skis 2 yrs in a row, but not all shops will be as responsible when they screw up.

Warmest jacket I've ever owned. I originally bought a larger size, assuming that I'd have to layer under it, but returned it for a smaller size when I found that I only needed a light base layer underneath. For reference, I'm a transplant to the west from Florida and am ALWAYS cold. I don't even chill on the chairlift any more and if I get too warm while hoofing it backcountry, I just open the vents and all is good with the world. The jacket also stretches with you while you move and doesn't bunch or gather, so it's extremely comfortable. Get this jacket- worth every penny.