Gear Review
Dalbello Sports Virus Lite ID Boot
Glen Plake's Baby is beaut
By Drew Tabke
Ranked #15 - Alpine Touring Boots
March 29, 2010
Glen Plake's baby is an amazing piece of boot engineering. The ski-mode feel of this boot is reassuringly solid, way better than almost any touring boot on the market. The range of motion in the walk mode is pretty incredible as well.
Drawbacks: The boot is very high volume, maybe too high volume even for larger feet, particularly in the instep there is a lot of room. The buckles work well when they're engaged but the weird wire construction can take quite a bit of fiddling to get used to.
View Details: Dalbello Sports Virus Lite ID Boot
Helpful Votes: 1 Yes
Tech Specs:
- Shell Material:
- Pebax
- Number of Buckles:
- 3
- Buckle Material:
- aluminum
- Micro-Adjustable:
- yes
- Liner:
- ID Thermo Custome Lite Tour
- Thermo-moldable:
- yes
- Last Width:
- 100mm
- Sole Type:
- Vibram, Quadrablock
- Lean Angle:
- 14 deg
- Walk Mode:
- yes
- Binding Compatibility:
- AT
- Weight:
- (single boot, size 26) 3 lbs 13 oz
- Recommended Use:
- alpine touring, ski mountaineering
- Manufacturer Warranty:
- 2 years
Change me.
3 Comments Last Reply: April 27, 2011 By: Berdooski
I agree with Drew Tabke: I also found this boot to have a relatively HIGH volume.
Helpful Votes: 0 Yes
After trying on these boots today I have to disagree with your assessment of the boot as high volume. In fact, it is without a doubt the lowest volume boot of all the 2010-11 touring boots I've tried on including the Scarpas (Mobe, Mistralle) the Black Diamonds (Factor, Quadrant) and even the Garmonts (Endorphin, Radium) *I tried on all (skied some) of these boots in a size 27. The numbers also speak to this with the Virus boots having the smallest last of all the boots listed above at 100mm. These boots have a very similar fit to my 3 year-old Kryptons with a perfectly, snug low volume feel around the calf, over the instep and through the toebox. The only exception to the krypton would be a slightly higher volume heel pocket (easy to fix with some foam) and a little more length (maybe 2mm). I would compare the stiffness of this boot to that of the BD Quadrant (not quite as stiff as the Radium) but with a more linear/intuitive flex. The walk mode is exceptional even with the buckles done up (front clip disengaged) it moves better then any other boot I've experienced (except maybe a older spirit 4 with the split/soft tongue). The buckles are easy to access and open but the keeper system built into the clasps isn't on par with the positive locking mechanism found on the Garmonts. The liner is super light and feels like (in the 27) it has some room to pack out (probably 3mm). I normally wear a 27 across the board and in my older Kryptons (07 Rampage) but since I had a little more length in the Virus Lite I'm going to try the 26.5 before I commit and will update this review if I find a better fit in the 26.5. I hope this is helpful to you Dalbello fans out there. After reading this comment I thought I was out of luck but have no fear, if you love the Dabello fit you will love this boot!
Helpful Votes: 2 Yes
Thanks Drew, the boot fit/volume are the things almost always missing from reviews.
Helpful Votes: 0 Yes