Doc's Boot Reviews

  

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Boot Reviews

Telemark boots are difficult to review in the style to which we have become accustomed to reviewing gear here on Telemarktips.com. These days we take most products out and work them hard ourselves while also getting feedback from others we loan gear out to at demos, festivals and at resorts we visit. BT and I take big bags of skis with us everywhere we go and encourage as many skiers as possible to try the latest boards and give us their input. Tele boots are size specific, so it's impossible to perform that kind of solid and varied testing. And then there is the question of fit: no matter how many great features a boot might have, no matter how perfect a match it might seem for your style, goals and ski choices, any boot is only as good as its fit on a given skier's foot.

These are some of the reason we haven't done a lot of boot reviews. Add to that the fact that for many years plastic telemark boots were all generally quite good and the various classes (T-Race, T-1, T-2, etc.) were well defined, we were mostly tempted to just tell skiers: "buy the boots that fits the best in the class that suits your needs." In recent years it has become more complicated. For example Garmont began to take a different approach to boot flex, adopting a design that incorporated a progressively stiffer bellows flex as the rear heel was raised, while Scarpa concentrated on their asymmetrical bellows. Where at one time the various models from the manufacturers lined up against each other in easily recognizable categories, that's no longer the case. Today the Squadra falls in somewhere between the T-1 and T-Race, while the new beefier T-2 had no direct counterpart in the Garmont line when it was introduced.

So things have changed and we feel that it has become important to begin reviewing more telemark boots, more often. With this in mind, when Garmont product manager Paul Parker wrote and offered to send us some Garmont boots for testing, we jumped at the offer. Here is what we found during over the past two seasons, with three models of Garmont boots, the Squadra, Excursion and Syner-G.

 

Garmont Syner-G

Weight: Size 27.5, G-Fit liner--7.8 lbs. per pair (3560 g). With conventional liner--8.7 lbs. per pair (3950 g)

Price: With G-Fit--$439, with conventional inner boot--$409

The Syner-Gs are 3 buckle boots with a power strap that is integrated into the boot shell spoiler. They come equipped with micro-adjust alpine style buckles. The top buckle has a little tab (orange) that can be used to capture the latch portion and keep it from flopping around while the buckle itself remains loose (as in unlatched) for climbing and touring. This is a feature that has been seen before on AT boots but it's the first time we have seen it on a tele boot.

The Syner-G is Garmont's answer to Scarpa's new last season, stiffer, 3 buckle T-2. The Veloce remains in Garmont's line for those interested in a lighter, softer, two buckle intermediate weight boot, but the Syner-G will be their featured "do it all" model, and for good reason. While lighter, more comfortable, and with a user friendly forward flex (making it easier to keep the ball of the foot down on the rear ski), the Syner-G doesn't skimp on performance. After a season spent mostly in Squadras, very little adjustment was needed to transition to the Syner-G. They just don't give up much.

 

The Syner-G has a tall tongue that extends well above the rest of the boot-top, making it perform like a bigger boot when driving your weight forward. A three position (walk mode and two locked settings) forward lean lever is recessed nicely into the back side above the heel, where it should be better protected from sharp ski edges than the more traditional "tab levers" we've seen in the past. For the first time in this class of boot a cuff canting adjustment is also included.

They will be available with either the G-Fit thermoformable liner or Garmont's regular "pad-lock" inner boot. The G-Fit saves nearly a pound in weight and can be molded for a great fit. I recently spent a week straight in the Syner-Gs daily, right after molding the liners, and they were amazingly comfortable. If you want to spoil your feet while upping performance, the G-Fit liner is the way to go. They have been a big hit since their introduction last fall. So much so that Garmont will make the G-Fit liner available as an option on their lightweight plastic touring boot, the Excursion, as well. In the U.S. the Squadra replacing Ener-G will be available only with the G-Fit liner, the traditional liner will not be an option.

 

Performance-wise the Syner-Gs compare favorably with their chief competition, Scarpa's T-2. They are very stiff torsionally while the two separate injections of different stiffness' of Pebax Garmont uses around the bellows make for a really sweet feeling forward flex. It looks like they got the bellows "range of flex" just right on the Syner-G too: the flex does indeed get stiffer through the range but there is still that moment, with the heel fully raised, that you feel the boot really tighten up around your foot as the bellows closes all the way. It's very reminiscent of the power of the Squadra but it takes less to get there. Expect the Syner-G to work well with a wider range of bindings than it's big brother, some of the more neutral, less active models included.

Conclusion: Garmont Product Manager Paul Parker, who literally wrote the book on freeheel skiing, has told us more than once that he believes this is the boot that most tele skiers should be using...it's hard to disagree. These are terrific boots. They have a relatively soft forward flex coupled with lots of torsional rigidity, thanks to Garmont's dual durometer injection molding process. The Syner-Gs have no problem driving fat, modern freeheel skis and yet they are extremely comfortable. These boots are suitable for backcountry, and even hut trips, while still providing plenty of horsepower at the resort. Our guess is that lots of resort-only skiers will find the Syner-Gs to be all the boot they need, while owning a tele boot that is comfortable and versatile. It's a winning combination.

 

Garmont Excursion

By Russell Rainey

January, 2002

Background: I have always preferred lower, lighter, more flexible boots. The first buckled boot I owned was the original Terminator, and I got those solely for testing bindings. Before that, I had Asolo Snowpines and loved them. The first plastic boot I skied regularly was the original T2, and I switched to the T3 as soon as it came out. The last couple of years I have been skiing the Garmont Libero.

Visual Observations:
1) The sole is one piece and goes completely from the toe to the heel. Many new boots have eliminated the sole at the instep for weight savings, which I appreciate, but if you hike and climb much, the unprotected instep portion gets some serious wear and tear. Designing the Excursion for plenty of hiking and climbing, Garmont protected the instep with a light one-piece sole.

2) There is no mechanism to lock the cuff in a forward lean position. I consider this a nice omission which saves weight and expense. I never lock my cuffs forward anyway. Locking the cuff is the perfect way to load up an ACL. Ouch! I will gladly fall down when I get thrown in the back seat, rather than expose my ACL to injury by levering myself back into the front seat. A knee surgeon friend educated me to this danger several years ago.

3) The buckles and straps are light and simple.

4) The inner boot is very nice with no laces and a power strap. No laces makes getting the boots on and off easier, and the power strap does offer a little more downhill control.

Weights and Measures:
I did some weighing and measuring for comparison purposes. Shell weights for all the boots are listed, but only the Excursion and the new T2 have shell and liner weights listed. Weights were obtained on a digital scale accurate to tenths of an ounce and rounded to the nearest ½ ounce. Only one boot was weighed so double the amount for a pair. I normally use Thermo-Fit liners from Intuition which weigh 5 ounces each. Shell cuff height was measured from inside the shell heel to the back of the shell cuff. All boots fit a men's size 11 foot.

  • Garmont Excursion - 51 oz., 38 oz., 7 ¾"
  • Scarpa New T2 - 67 oz., 47 oz., 8 ¼"
  • Crispi CXA - n/a, 49 oz, 8"
  • Garmont Veloce - n/a, 50 oz., 8 1/8"
  • Garmont Libero - n/a, 45 oz., 7 ¼"
  • Garmont Libero w/modified sole - n/a, 42 oz., 7 ¼"

That means a pair of Excursions weighs in exactly 2 pounds lighter than a pair of new T2s, which are excellent boots and relatively light for as much horsepower as they offer.

Fit:
The fit is snug in the back half and very roomy up front for more touring comfort and warmth. Using Thermo-Fits eliminates any fit issues if your foot doesn't naturally fit a particular plastic boot well. I have a men's 11 foot, and the 28.5 Excursions are the correct size for me.

Initial Flexing and Hiking:
Just flexing the boot inside the house you could tell this was going to be a nice touring boot. After doing some hiking and climbing, I was VERY pleased with how comfortable the boot was. The overall flex these boots provide allows a much more natural feel and stride than I have ever had in a plastic boot. Very, very nice!

Touring:
As you would expect, the touring was superb. About like a well broken in pair of Merrell Ultras or Asolo Extremes (remember those). These boots just make you want to travel! I set the buckles with a medium amount of tension and leave them like that all day.

Turning:
This was the real test. The fact that they hike and tour well is no surprise, but how much horsepower do they have? The answer was a pleasant, "Much more than you'd think." They were the equal of a Libero or an original T3 (I understand the new T3s are stiffer). If you know how to ski lower, lighter, more flexible boots then these boots can be skied just about anywhere.

Turning lower, lighter, more flexible boots does require you to ski out of your ankles more than your knees. They also require more foot steering. For years, I have watched my buddy Tom Turiano ski some incredibly steep and difficult slopes with his lace-up Merrell doubles. Tom has made more first ski descents than anyone in the Tetons, and most of them were on his lace up boots. The point is that light boots can ski much more than many would have you think. Big, tall, stiff plastic boots are not always necessary, and for me, skiing lower, lighter, more
flexible boots is a more intimate and freeing experience.

I took the Excursions out to Snow King for some test runs. I started out easy, but soon was at the top of the steep Bearcat (40 degrees in spots), which is one of the toughest in bounds runs in all of Jackson Hole. This day it had big, irregular bumps covered with some chopped up powder and junk. Good skiing, but not easy by any means. The Excursions were up to the task. I couldn't believe how much control I had with such a boot.

Now Garmont probably doesn't want to market this as an area boot, but for those familiar with turning soft, touring oriented boots, the Excursions can handle a variety of in area terrain.

Durability:
When used as marketed, the Excursions should be as durable as any other plastic boot, but lots of area skiing may shorten their lifespan.

Binding Notice:
I am going to give you the whole truth about how I got so much performance out of such a soft boot, but it will undoubtedly sound like an advertisement for my company's HammerHead, so beware. I skied the Excursion in all 6 possible cable pivot positions offered by the HammerHead. For backcountry touring and easy powder I found the front position to work great, and I never needed more power. In more difficult backcountry conditions I liked the second or third position. It was at the area where I needed all the power I could muster. I tried the third and fourth position at the area, and for moderate skiing they were fine, but on the tough slopes I needed the back position and plenty of cable tension. The difference was immediately noticeable; there were slopes I could not ski successfully until I moved the pivot point to the back position.

I tried skiing some of the same terrain with the exact same skis and SuperLoops. Now I love my SuperLoops, but I have to say that with them the boot's downhill performance was not nearly as impressive. Same with other bindings I tried. For good turning performance these boots require a binding with fixed cable pivots that are really far back.

Honestly, the HammerHead applies a lot more force to the ski and stiffens up the boot torsionally in such a way that the boot skis better. Much better. Okay, that's the end of the sales pitch, but I didn't want you to ski an Excursion and be disappointed with it's downhill performance. The Excursion can deliver power to the ski, but the binding you use makes a huge difference.

Ski Notice:
Just as the binding you ski is important, so is the ski you ski. Lower, lighter, more flexible boots need to be matched with an appropriate ski. If you try to drive a TUA Sumo or an Atomic 10ex with the excursion, you will not be as successful as you would be if you were skiing a light ski like the TUA Hydrogen. A boot and ski need to be matched. Don't try to swat a fly with a sledgehammer.

I have mainly been skiing the TUA Hydrogen and Helium with the Excursions. These skis perform like they were made for this boot.

Modifications:
I have already fit Thermo-Fits to my excursions. Next, I plan to cut the toe off, as I love to do, for better climbing, hiking, etc.

Recommendation:
At last years Winter Outdoor Retailer show, the Excursion was the most exciting new product I saw (okay maybe the HammerHead, but I already had one of those). I couldn't wait to give them a try, but none of the prototypes were anywhere near my size. Frustrated, I waited, and they were worth the wait. I love to make the most with the least, and Garmont has made this more possible with the Excursion. They allow those of us who miss the freedom of a softer boot, but don't want to give up the control, comfort, warmth and durability of plastic, to experience FreeHeel skiing like we haven't in years.

Editor's note: Garmont boot designer Paul Parker has asked us to make clear that the Excursion is designed with the kick and glide in mind. "We don't want skiers to be disappointed and we want them to know what they are getting," said Paul. We agree, so I want to stress that in reviewing these skis for tele turning performance we are doing so only as a service to expert tele skiers who are looking for the challenge of doing more with less. The Excursion should not be viewed as a cheaper alternative to true tele turning boots or as equivalent in power and control to backcountry telemark boots like the Libero or T-3. They are much softer.

Also, as the designer of the HammerHead, the biases regarding bindings expressed by the author of this review should be clear. With that in mind I will say this, I have been using my Excursion/HammerHead combo with much success and satisfaction so I believe his comments to be accurate. That is not to say that in all cases some skiers will not prefer another binding with the Excursions, but the HammerHead with its adjustability is indeed an excellent match for those looking to squeeze every ounce of downhill performance out of these plastic backcountry touring boots.


Garmont Squadra G-Fit

 

The Garmont Squadra G-Fit is the first telemark boot to come with a thermoformable liner as standard equipment. For years now savvy, weight conscious tele skiers have been plugging after-market liners such as the Raichle Thermofit into their tele boots. Sometimes the weight savings was truly astounding. I'll never forget the time my buddy John Lichtwardt showed up at the cabin before a ski day with his newly Thermofit equipped T-1's and said "I'll bet my T-1's now weigh less than your T-2's." I was skeptical, and then just a bit bummed, when I hefted one of my brand new T-2's at the same time as one of his T-1's. His boots with the new liner obviously weighed significantly less, enough to tell without a scale.

So when we heard that Garmont was going to be coming out with a Squadra model called the G-Fit with its own thermoformable liner, we were anxious to check it out. We were not disappointed.

The Squadras are very stiff, high performance boots. At first we thought they were fairly low cut but as can be seen in the photo at right, the shell is actually comparable in height to the Scarpa T-Race, but the liner is not as tall. Speaking of the G-Fit liner, it is very rigid and extremely supportive, when molded properly it holds the skier's foot very securely. I have a fairly narrow heel coupled with a wider forefoot and for the first time in my tele career my heel does not rise up in the boot at all.

Of course the big news about the shell is the modification to the bellows. On first look it is really hard to see the changes, in fact we missed it altogether in our "First Look" video report. On closer inspection and after comparing the bellows of last years boots (fig. 2) with the bellows on this new model (fig. 3), the change is apparent. Essentially the walls at edges of the bellows have been angled back, much like the infamous dremel modification many of us did to last years boots.

This relatively minor mold change opens up the bellows enough so that the fold of the bellows material, created when the boot is flexed, is no longer pinched between the edge walls, reducing the range of forefoot flex. In fact, after the boot feels fully flexed (fig. 4) there is still a bit of room to spare. Probably a good thing for those unexpected "over the handle bars" falls after burying a tip in a soft bump.

This year's Squadra also incorporates a new Garmont innovation into the shell: special "flex channels" have been designed into the sole to sweeten the flex. These channels definitely serve their purpose, our G-Fits flex more easily in the forefoot while sacrificing none of the torsional rigidity of last years boots.

Fig. 1

x

Fig. 2

Fig. 3

x

Fig. 4

There has been some concern expressed by a few folks that the new Squadra may have been softened to cope with the range of flex issues from last year. A few folks have expressed that they like the stiffness of the original boots and that they were disappointed that Garmont was going to be making the Squadra less rigid. After careful analysis and comparison to last year's boots we feel that there is no change to the overall stiffness whatsoever. Yes, we know that changes to the durometer of the plastic in certain parts of the boots were supposed to have been made, we just cannot find any evidence of this at all. The Garmont Squadra G-Fit appears to be at least as stiff and powerful as last years model.

The G-Fit liner is very "hard". After molding it takes a few days of use to get them to pack out a bit and become more comfortable, but rest assured, this does happen. We recommend having either the shop you bought them at fit and mold them or take them to a good alpine shop with experience in molding thermoformable liners. If that is not possible, there is some very good advice on how to do this yourself in a thread in the "Best Of Telemark Talk Forum" archive.

Conclusion: The Garmont Squadra G-Fit boots are the stiffest most agro boots I have skied yet. They set the standard for high performance resort oriented tele boots. These are boots with plenty of power in reserve and are truly unequaled for aggressive, in-bounds skiing. The G-Fit liners mold to your foot with a fully custom feel and combined the rigid Squadra shell transfer even the most subtle foot movements in an unprecedented manner. To put it more simply, the Squadras rock for downhill telemark skiing.

 

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