Choosing A Backcountry Freeride Boot

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Are you an upper or a downer? In the immense world of touring gear there’s no more important question. Depending on how you answer that question, and with how much nuance, you could end up anywhere on an increasingly huge spectrum—from spandex-clad, ounce-counting skimo lunatic, to a cliff-dropping, no-fall-zone teasing dirtbag willing to haul anything to the top for getting rad on the way down.

Enter the latest selection of freeride touring boots. Long gone are the days of paying a dude in Idaho to hammer pins into your heavy-ass Kryptons if you wanted a boot close to your resort boots to ride in the backcountry. Today, most manufacturers have some form of hybrid touring boot model available in multiple flex options and even last widths.

Here, though, is where the real nitty-gritty starts—the hair-tearing, the spec-obsessing, and the months of waffling before finally settling on your best stab at the “right” boot for you. Because inherent in the choice of anything touring is the down/up question and what YOU prioritize in your gear. No piece of touring gear is a perfect 50/50 (despite what the marketing teams may try to tell you) and there will be compromise on one end or the other. Being honest with yourself about your skill level, your goals and how often you’re REALLY getting after it outside a resort will help you nail down which piece of plastic to slide your stinkers into.

The One-Boot-Quiver Question

One of the first questions to ask is, “Will this be my ONLY boot?” If the answer is yes, you’re going to have things narrowed down to heavier, stiffer “50/50” boot options such as the Tecnica Cochise or Lange XT3 Free , or the new Salomon Shift Alpha BOA 130 . The tradeoff for the extra weight will be a boot that performs that much closer to its resort-dedicated counterparts. Something to keep in mind however, is that with small changes to shell designs, weight reduction and even plastic changes, they will not give you the same performance as a resort-dedicated shred shoe. But for some this is going to be a more wallet-friendly option than shelling out for multiple pairs, and prove close enough to the real deal to be worth considering.

I ran my beloved Atomic Hawx Ultra 130 both in and out of the resort for years, appreciating the weight savings on sidecountry bootpacks as well as tours. That said, the dedicated Hawx resort option from Atomic always felt stiffer, more supportive and more responsive than it’s “50/50” counterpart, thanks to the thicker, damper plastic and lack of walk-mode slop. If you’re lucky enough to have the cash and the ski days to justify two pairs, it’s a fantastic option. You can stick with a lighter hybrid style boot for more power/response on the downhill like Head’s Kore RS 130 , or something more uphill dedicated like a Lange XT Tour 2.0 .

How Many Buckles?

The options are wide open now! Typically you get a more progressive flex (one that gets stiffer the further you flex the boot–this could be described as “springier”) flex with a cabrio-style boot like K2’s Diverge series or Roxa’s R3 130 TI . If you like a more linear (read: start then STOP) go for a four-buckle option like Atomic’s Hawx XTD series. One of the first on the “true 50/50” boot scene, the heat-moldable shells and multiple last/volume options remain tough to beat in this category. Brand new on the scene are the numerous BOA options—love them or hate them, they certainly work as advertised.

Let’s Talk About Width

Last width and volume are arguably going to be the most important factor in choosing any ski boot, but it’s going to be vastly more important in something you’re going to be hiking in. For those of us lucky enough to live near a bootfitter—do that. They will save you time, money and pain putting you in the right boot for your foot out of the box. For the many of us who have, let’s say, questionable and less knowledgeable staff at your local Jerry Mart, you may have to figure this out on your own.

Pay close attention to your heels, ankles and calves since this is the area of the boot that’s going to anchor your foot in place. Some of us can get preoccupied with the forefoot and toe—try not to get too focused here as most boots can be expanded pretty easily up front, it’s the back of the boot that really matters. If your choice has a heat-moldable liner then 90 percent of the time your toes should be able to wiggle without any plastic work.

A (read: LOOSE) idea of fit will come from that “last width” spec in the online listing. Got skinny calf and heel syndrome like me? Go with something on the narrow/low volume side like 98mm. Atomic’s Hawx Ultra and Lange’s XT3 130 LV are fantastic options. If you have a flatter/wider rear foot and thicker lower calves, you can go with mid-to high volume options from Lange or Tecnica. Remember, it's a hell of a lot easier to expand a boot than it is to shrink it. When in doubt a couple snug spots are worth it and can be worked out by a fitter on that next epic trip.

With the advent of BOA's on walk-mode boots, there is a degree of adjustability built into last widths with boots equipped with the dials. It's still prudent to try these on before you buy to check all other aspects of fit.

The Bottom Line: Keep Your Feet Happy

Fit first before newfangled and techy. That said, it’s truly difficult to go wrong with the modern crop of available options that make it easier than ever to log that vert and get sendy on the way down.