garmont excursion vs scarpa t4

Review: G3’s Onyx

Review: Garmont’s Prophet for NTN

Nov 29 2012

Review: Garmont’s Excursion

• 3 mins to read

Excursion is an excellent lightweight tele boot for going the distance while rippin’ turns.

The women’s Excursion comes with an even lower cuff.

One other less recognized feature is that the Excursion is the basis for the kids line of plastic telemark boots. Scaled down to small feet and renamed G-Rex for kid’s appeal, Garmont is the only boot company to develop a kids version of plastic tele boots. As many women with small feet know, this means that finally there is a boot for you too.

G-Rex are for kids.

G-Rex MSRP: $ 300 Weight/pr. (mondo 26.5): 3.1 lbs. (1.4 kg) Sizes available: 19.5 — 26.5

© 2012  

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• BorrowedSuits on 3Jan2013 at 12:50 pm

I taught myself to tele with these and voile  hardwires paired with tourmaster boards (insanely light).  Next step was gen 2 NTNs (from pillar to post, eh?).

Every time I put the excursions back on, I spend the first hour falling on my face.

• [email protected] on 3Apr2013 at 12:54 pm

These are my all time favorite boots all the time and everywhere from hilly tours to steeps on 78’s to 130’s (tip width of ski) tho I ski short lengths, weight 140lbs and tend to admire the charging types playing in steep couloirs where my nerves wither… I do have a heftier pair of Garmont Synergy’s that are hard to get the hang of even tho they have good flex/weight, just so much higher and laterally edgey. I suppose they would be superior for the hardpack and variable snow/ice.

• Raggi_Thor on 5Jun2014 at 7:11 am

Dostie, do you know how many grams I would save by replace those liners with some thermomoldables? And what liner from Intuition for example would be the lightest one?

• Dostie on 5Jun2014 at 12:12 pm

Hard to say how much weight you would save by going with an Intuition liner. It also depends on what liner you get, as well as your size foot. Check out Intuition’s selection guide ( https://intuitionliners.com/choosing-the-right-liner/ ). I’m confident that the savings in weight combined with the increased comfort (after molding) would justify the cost.

• ShortSkier on 9May2017 at 2:48 pm

Are these boots any good for resort skiing? Or can you suggest a boot that would work for me?

I’m a mediocre alpine skier making the switch over to telemark skiing (yes, years after the height of its popularity), so I’m a total newb. I first tried telemark skiing about ten years ago and the resort I was at had leather boots for me to rent (it was the only pair they had that was small enough for my feet) – after the heft and rigidity of the alpine boot, the leather boot was like heaven. I’ve been looking to buy gear, but am stuck at the boot. Literally stuck – as in, can’t get my foot and leg down the boot kind of stuck. I’ve tried five pairs, including an NTN boot, ranging from mondo size 22, 23, 23.5, and 24, and the only pair I could get on were these Excursions in a 23 and the Scarpa T2 in a 24 (which still pinched at the shin and calf, but were so long in the foot I couldn’t hit the bellows).

Other info about me: I’m 5’2, 120 lbs, foot length would be a woman’s size 5.5, but I have wide feet so I usually wear women’s 6, and woman’s 7 for running shoes. I feel like most standard plastic telemark boots hit my leg much higher than other women (they hit around the meaty part of my calf) given the shortness of my legs. I also have muscular calves, so even in the mondo 24 Scarpa T2, I could barely get the power strap looped around and the boot also pinched my shin or calf (leaving bruises after). Would a lower cuff be better?

I’m not really into aggressive skiing (hence the “mediocre alpine skiier”) – moguls hurt my knees and speed and super steep slopes scare me. So my interest in telemark skiing is more for the grace and the intense legs workout. 😉

I did buy the Dynafit Baltoro 158 skis already, so I’m looking for boots that would be appropriate for mostly resort downhill skiing, just telemark style.

I get that weight should be less a factor when downhill skiing as opposed to back country, but honestly, given my size, I don’t want heavy gear. Between ski, boot, and binding the prospect of lugging an extra 7-8.5 pounds per foot is just exhausting.

Some people also suggested the 22 Designs Vice binding for resort skiing. Would those bindings work with this boot?

Thanks in advance for your advice!

• Dostie on 10May2017 at 8:09 am

Last things first. The Vice would be great for resort only tele, but if you even think you’ll earn some turns, get the Axl, or the Voile Switchback. For the boot and style of skiing you imply, the Switchback is probably a better fit and lighter too. Regarding the boot – sounds like you need a bootfitter to help expand the calf. It can be done, and the best boot for you will probably be the T2-Eco provided you get it modifed for your calves. The Excursion could work too. It depends on the fit. Without actually seeing your foot I’m just giving my best guess here. Best of luck. Look up bootfitters.com to find a pro near you.

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Review of Backcountry Telemark Ski Touring Gear

Originally Posted: February 2022 Updated: April 2024

Karhu Guide / Madshus Panorama M78 (Annum) Telemark Skis Voile Switchback X2 Telemark Bindings Garmont Excursion / Scott Excursion Telemark Boots Black Diamond Ascension Climbing Skins Black Diamond Razor Carbon Ski Poles

General Comments

Gear review summaries, karhu guide / madshus panorama m78 ski pros & cons, voile switchback x2 binding pros & cons, garmont excursion / scott excursion boot pros & cons, bd ascension skin pros & cons, bd razor carbon pole pros & cons, full gear reviews, karhu guide / madshus panorama m78 ski review, voile switchback x2 binding review, garmont excursion / scott excursion boot review, bd ascension skin review, bd razor carbon pole review.

In the context of this gear review, backcountry telemark ski touring takes place on a combination of rolling and moderately steep mountainous terrain.  The gear discussed herein is best suited to making short or long approaches to snow bowls, ridge crests, or mountain summits, followed by a telemark descent of moderately steep slopes, glades, and forests.  This gear is not intended for telemarking down narrow chutes, steep couloirs, or other highly technical terrain.

Backcountry telemark ski touring is one of my favorite winter sports because it blends the satisfaction of mountain climbing with the thrill of downhill skiing.  The challenges include logistical planning, route-finding, physical exertion, inclement weather, avalanche assessment, and telemarking down through variable snow conditions.  Overall, though, I consider myself to be a conservative skier on both the uphill and the downhill.  I generally avoid steep terrain that has any significant fall hazard and requires expert-level skills.

To further illustrate what this particular activity involves, here are trip reports for several examples of backcountry telemark ski tours:

• Chair Peak Ski Circumnavigation (Snoqualmie Range, WA)
• Chinook Peak Ski Circumnavigation (Chinook Mountains, WA)
• Tam McArthur Rim Ski Tours (Deschutes Mountains, OR)
• Nason–Smith Ski Traverse (Upper Wenatchee Mountains, WA)
• Tronsen Head Ski Loop (Lower Wenatchee Mountains, WA)
• Jim Hill Mountain / Henry Creek Bowl Ski Tour (Upper Icicle Mountains, WA)

In addition to backcountry telemark ski touring, I enjoy cross-country stride-skiing and skate-skiing on groomed trails; backcountry nordic ski touring on forest roads and rolling mountain terrain; XC/BC hybrid nordic ski touring on mixed (groomed and ungroomed) terrain; backcountry telemark skiing and snowshoeing on steeper mountain terrain; and even some downhill telemark skiing at lift-assisted resorts.

• Wrap-around stainless-steel toepiece provides excellent durability and reliability.
• Walk mode allows 50 degrees of pivoting with zero resistance.
• Relatively lightweight compared to certain high-end telemark bindings.
• Solid heel rods are convenient and durable.
• Compression springs turn easily to allow quick adjustment for different boot sizes.
• Does not provide the fully active control of certain high-end telemark bindings.
• Compression springs tend to turn and loosen when touring.

Bottom Line:   Excellent all-purpose Nordic binding for long tours over rolling terrain, followed by downhill telemark turns on moderate slopes.

Product Link:   Voile Switchback X2 telemark bindings

Voile Switchback telemark bindings (lighter than the Switchback X2 but slightly less robust and provides slightly less telemark control; suitable for less aggressive skiers)

22 Designs Axl telemark bindings (more robust and more powerful than the Switchback X2 but much heavier; suitable for steeper telemark descents and more aggressive skiers)

Voile TTS Tour telemark bindings (lighter than the Switchback X2 but requires a telemark boot with tech-toe fittings)

• Lightest all-plastic telemark boot available.
• Cuff height, power strap, and tongue stiffness provide good telemark control for touring skis.
• Well-designed buckle closures.
• Lack of walk/ski mode switch provides no-fuss operation.
• Height and stiffness not adequate for controlling wide skis compared to some other telemark boots.
• Lack of walk/ski mode switch might sacrifice some downhill performance.

Bottom Line:   An excellent boot for long tours over rolling terrain, followed by downhill telemark turns on moderate slopes.

Product Link: Sadly, this boot is no longer produced, but it could likely be found in closeout stores or used-gear stores. 

Scarpa T4 telemark boots (slightly heavier and stiffer than the Excursion but provides essentially same function)

Fischer BCX Transnordic 75 telemark boots (a robust all-leather boot that is somewhat lighter and possibly more comfortable than the Excursion but sacrifices some telemark control)

• Nylon plush provides a good compromise between traction, glide, and durability.
• Ascension adhesive is legendary for its long-term sticking power, especially in cold weather.
• Simple tip and tail fixtures allow easy adjustment of length and attachment to skis.
• No-glue center strip makes it easier to separate skins in cold weather.

 Cons:

• Relatively heavy, bulky, and stiff compared to many other current options.
• Can be slightly difficult to separate skins in cold weather.

Bottom Line:   Excellent climbing skins for all-conditions terrain where durability and performance are more important than light weight and suppleness.

Product Link:   Black Diamond Ascension climbing skins

Black Diamond GlideLite climbing skins  (lighter, slimmer, and suppler than Ascensions, with slightly better glide but slightly less grip)

Pomoca Climb 2.0 climbing skins  (quality skins with mohair/nylon plush from a long-respected company)

Contour Hybrid Mix climbing skins  (quality skins from a new company using an innovative adhesive that has been well received by testers)

• Two-section configuration provides good adjustability for differing terrain conditions.
• Aluminum/carbon composite design provides good combination of strength and lightness.
• Flick-Lock clamp (old model) and Flick-Lock Pro clamp (new model) provides reliable and secure locking mechanism between sections.
• Dual-density handle is comfortable and has breakaway strap (new model).
• Extended handle (old model) and ring (new model) allows for choking up on sidehill traverses.
• Indexed ferrule facilitates use of Three-Quarter Powder Baskets.
• Available in two sizes (100-125 cm and 115-140 cm) to accommodate most skiers.
• Two-section poles are inherently a bit heavier and less reliable than one-section poles.
• Carbon fiber poles tend to fail by cracking rather than bending.
• Tall skiers might find the maximum length (140 cm) to be inadequate for efficient kicking and gliding.

Bottom Line:   Excellent combination of strength, lightness, and adjustability for ski touring over a variety of terrain.

Product Link:     Black Diamond Razor Carbon Pro poles

Similar Products & Links:

Black Diamond Traverse Pro poles  (an all-aluminum two-section ski pole that includes same features as Razor Carbon Pro pole but provides a greater length range)

I’ve been using a pair of Karhu Guide telemark skis for about 15 years, on a wide variety of backcountry tours.  Some years ago, Karhu Ski Company was absorbed by Madshus, which continued manufacturing the same ski under the model name Annum .  More recently, in an apparent effort to create even more confusion, Madshus changed the model name to Panorama M78 .  Rest assured that my review comments below pertain to all three model names.

From inception, the Karhu Guide was intended to be an all-purpose telemark touring ski.  It was fairly wide and shapely at the time, which gave it more telemark performance than competing skis, and it had a fishscale base that gave it great versatility on rolling approaches.  As years went by, it became overshadowed by even wider skis with more sidecut and rocker cambers—features designed to improve downhill performance.  Somehow, though, the Guide/Annum/M78 has managed to hold an important place in many backcountry ski quivers.

In my opinion, a fishscale-pattern base is an important feature for backcountry telemark touring, although many skiers regard them with disdain.   There seems to be a preconceived notion that fishscales will greatly hinder downhill performance.  How do smooth bases and fishscale bases really shake out in actual use?  Here’s my summation, based on a considerable amount of side-by-side field experience.

• Kicking & gliding on level ground : advantage fishscale base; the fishscales provide critical forward propulsion that overcomes the drag.
• Descending gentle slopes : advantage smooth base; the drag caused by a fishscale base is quite noticeable.
• Descending steeper slopes : no perceptible difference; at higher speeds, a fishscale base planes over the snow and behaves like a smooth base.
• Ascending gentle slopes : advantage fishscale base; the fishscales provide critical traction, whereas the smooth-base user must resort to herringbone technique or must apply climbing skins.
• Ascending steeper slopes : no difference; climbing skins are needed for both types of bases.  

Over the course of more than a hundred telemark tours with my Guide skis and with a similar number of different skiing partners, I have looked enviously at many other skis.  I have, on several occasions, come pretty close to buying a pair of those juicy new wide-body rocker skis in the hopes that they would dramatically improve my telemark skiing.  Each time, though, I came to the conclusion that the Guides did everything I needed them to do and that they probably weren’t holding me back.  I’ve now resigned myself to using the Guides until they break in half from overuse, and then I’ll go ski shopping!

Admittedly, much of my satisfaction with Karhu Guides stems from the fact that I’m using them with compatible boots (Garmont Excursion) and compatible bindings (Voile Switchback X2).  I also avoid skiing anything more than moderately steep (“blue”) slopes.  No doubt, if I were using beefier boots and bindings, and skiing steeper lines, these skis would seem less than adequate.

I’ve skied for nearly a decade on my second-generation Voile Switchback X2 bindings.  For what I do in the backcountry, these come close to being a perfect telemark binding.  They combine touring ease, good downhill performance, and robust construction into an elegantly simple 3-pound package.  You can find more “active” and powerful telemark touring bindings on the market (for example, the 22 Designs Axl binding), but the Switchback X2 comes in at a lower weight and lower price.

The heart of this binding is a one-piece wrap-around stainless-steel toepiece that provides a level of durability and reliability far exceeding any of the previous touring bindings (remember the trouble-prone G3 Targa Tour?).  Each heel assembly consists of two “hardwire” (non-braided) heel rods, a plastic heel clamp, and two sealed compression springs.  One of my ski partners, a heavy and aggressive telemarker, managed to crack the toepiece, but I fully expect my bindings to last me for many more years. 

In uphill “walk” mode, the Switchback becomes a free-pivot binding with a healthy range of about 50 degrees.  This allows zero-resistance striding while either skinning uphill or kicking-and-gliding over flat terrain.  I regard such a feature as essential when wearing stiff plastic boots and/or breaking trail through deep snow because it allows the ski tips to float up rather than being pushed down.  It also offers a skier the ability to execute uphill-facing snap turns in addition to downhill-facing kick turns .

Switchbacks are converted to downhill “tele” mode by sliding each front lever to the right using either a ski pole or finger, and this can usually be accomplished without removing your skis.  However, in transitional snow conditions, it is common to develop a tiny ice dam against the rear surface of each toepiece.  When this happens, you will need to flick it out, again using either a pole or finger.  Once put into downhill mode, I find that the Switchback X2 provides an adequately “active” level of performance for my lightweight Garmont Excursion boots on moderate terrain.  Hard-charging telemark skiers might find them to be more “neutral,” but as a less aggressive skier, I don’t often feel the need for more power.

Switchbacks are available with three different heel rod lengths to accommodate a wide range of boot sizes.  In each case, small-scale adjustments are made by rotating the compression springs either clockwise to tighten or counter-clockwise to loosen.  This is an easy operation.  In fact, it is so easy that the compression springs tend to rotate very slightly while touring, which can lead to a gradual loosening of the heel assembly.  Some skiers might not be bothered by this, but I found it to be sufficiently annoying to warrant a fix. How to keep cable/rod bindings from loosening during a ski tour

All Switchbacks are designed with a 1-inch riser under the toe and heel, thereby providing better leverage for downhill performance.  They also come with a dual set of climbing wires: a short wire mounted on the rear of each heel riser, and a longer wire mounted on the front of each heel riser. These wires prop up the boot heels, which helps to reduce calf strain on steep ascents. A downside of wires is that they tend to collect snow and promote the formation of “snow cookies” under the boot heels.  I rarely found a need for the short climbing wires, so I ended up removing them.

Ascension skins have been widely considered to be the gold standard for adhesive climbing skins over the past several decades and have only improved since Black Diamond purchased the manufacturing rights many years ago.  The Ascension glue is legendary for its sticking power, which somehow (magically?) increases as the temperature drops.  The nylon plush is equally lauded for its excellent balance of traction, glide, and durability.  I have been using several different sets of Ascension skins for over 25 years and can vouch for their quality.  Other manufacturers have closed the gap in recent years, but Ascensions are still held in the highest regard.

Black Diamond’s main improvement to the original product was the addition of their STS tail attachment, which consists of a slightly stretchy plastic strap and a small metal hook—simple, adjustable, effective, and far better than their previous Clip-Fix tail attachment.  The STS system accommodates about 5cm to 10cm of variation between ski lengths, which is useful if using the same skins on two or more pairs of skis.  Perhaps more importantly, it allows for micro-adjustment of the skin tension, which can slightly change with outdoor temperature and skin age. Like all elastic components of any type, the tail straps do wear out and break over time. Conveniently, Black Diamond sells replacement straps for about $15 per pair.

The original Ascension skins were attached to a tip loop by means of folding them over a bar. This was simple, effective, and allowed for length adjustments of 20cm or more. Later, Black Diamond introduced a screw-on tip loop that eliminates the need to fold over the front of the skin.  I own skins with both old and new tip systems and can report that they each have pros and cons.  A minor annoyance associated with the old system is that the front of the skin tends to unfold when being dried in a warm room (see:  How to keep stiff climbing skins from unfolding when drying ).  The new tip attachment system is sleeker and reduces front-end snow buildup, but it eliminates your ability to adjust the skin length at the tip; once the tip loop is attached, future length adjustments must be made at the tail. If your skins are permanently dedicated to a certain pair of skis, then this is a non-issue.

One common complaint about Ascension skins is that the adhesive is so sticky in cold weather, separating one skin from another can be very difficult.  This was not such a problem decades ago, when skis and skins were relatively narrow.  As skis became wider over the years, skins became wider—and more difficult to separate.  Black Diamond effectively mitigated the problem by putting a no-glue strip down the center of each skin.

Another common complaint is that Ascension skins are relatively heavy, bulky, and stiff when compared to many of the newer models.  Yes, that famous durability comes at a price.  In response, Black Diamond began offering a lighter, slimmer, and suppler skin called GlideLite.  I haven’t personally tried them out, but several friends have given them a thumbs-up.  If my Ascensions ever wear out, I’ll look closely at GlideLites as a replacement.

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Gear Review: Garmont Excursion Backcountry Touring Boot

This boot has the best of both worlds: the comfort of a nordic boot, with the warmth of telemark boot..

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Get the best of both worlds: the comfort and lighter weight of a Nordic boot with the warmth, support, and control of a telemark boot. The Garmont Excursion has a plastic shell has bellows at the forefoot and ankle for flexibility when touring, yet the two buckles give good security and stability for making turns.

The insulated liner can be pulled out and dried–a huge benefit for multiday trips. One tester said, “I never had pressure points after a week of touring. On mellow descents, I stayed in control, even when skiing with a 45-pound pack.” With a three-pin duckbill Vibram sole, these boots mate well with lightweight, waxless, metal-edge skis (like the Karhu Guides). Best for medium to wide feet. $420; 6 lbs. 2 oz. (size 27.5); unisex 25-30.5; garmont.com

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Telemark Boots

How we choose : The best telemark boots highlighted here were selected based on 12 reviews of 6 products. Our top picks are those that are readily-available in the United States and have received the highest overall ratings from reviewers.

How we test : Trailspace is powered entirely by our community of readers. The reviews posted here reflect the real-world experiences of outdoor enthusiasts just like you.

If you've used a telemark boot that you think should be listed here, please share your experience .

Disclosure : Trailspace never accepts payment for gear reviews, product placement, or editorial coverage. When you buy through affiliate links on our site, Trailspace may earn a small commission, which helps cover the costs of running the site.

Alfa Free A/P/S GTX

A high-end boot for the Rotteffella's new Xplore backcountry binding system. Torsionally rigid sole and ankle stiffeners for downhill performance. BOA lacing for easy entry and exit plus Xplore's step-in and-out functionality add up to a lot of convenience. A great choice for tours-for-turns type skiing, especially hut-to-hut with downhill fun on the side.

Reasons to Buy

• Solid design and construction
• Torsionally rigid Xplore sole and ankle stiffeners give good turning performance in a (mostly) leather boot
• Dial-in BOA lacing system for easy entry, exit, and adjustment
• Step-in and -out convenience with Xplore binding

Reasons to Avoid

• Heavy compared to some other Xplore boots
• BOA not for everyone?
• Soft rubber heel vulnerable to damage

Alfa Free boot + Xplore binding = freedom + fun  The Norwegian outdoor footwear company Alfa was one of the first to produce ski boots compatible with the Rottefella’s new Xplore backcountry binding system. This review of the Free, Alfa’s top-of-the-line offering, goes along with my reviews of the Xplore binding and the Åsnes Rabb 68 ski, which I purchased together as a package deal. I have been test driving the system mainly in Bymarka, a big city forest park in Trondheim with a couple hundred kilometers of groomed xc ski trails and a lot of untracked space in between, including some quality powder stashes, but also on some forays into the Norwegian mountains.

Read more : Alfa Free A/P/S GTX review (1)

Meindl Nordic 3-Pin Backcountry Leather Ski Boots

Telemarking is not dead and neither are these boots. Incredible value for money, these boots have lasted me over 30 years. Not much of my gear has done as well as these boots. But after 30 years I am ready for an upgrade.

• No longer made
• Need treatment
• Pin holes slightly elongated
• Minor cracking

I bought these beautiful Meindl duckbill 3-pin or 75mm boots in the 1980s. They cost a lot of money back then. Pulled them out again this year for a short cross-country / back-country adventure and they still impressed. I never dreamed that they would last 30 (+) years, but they have. Meindl have been making hiking boots since 1683, well over 300 years. I am surprised that they don't make these anymore or a modern equivalent. Since the 1990s much of the world has gone plastic, but nothing really beats the comfort of a leather boot.

Read more : Meindl Nordic 3-Pin Backcountry Leather Ski Boots review (1)

Garmont Voodoo

Love this boot for lift skiing on and off piste. I do 50% alpine and 50% telemark. I crank it tight when doing the tele and then loosen off the buckles for the alpine. Voodoo is stiff in all the right places. It handles a big ski (191 Faction 13). Only downside might be that it loosens up a bit as the day goes on. have to keep tightening up a notch. I love the fact that the clips lock in place when you loosen the buckles going up the lift. Love 'em!

• Relatively stiff
• Awesome control
• Hard to get off at the end of the day

Great boot, did have it punched out where ankle bone protrudes. Solid, warm. Would prefer if it had a slightly narrower heel/achilles area as heel can lift a bit when cranking hard in tele position. Might be able to fix this by a good boot fitter. Great power strap. Had these for three years, but only get to the mountains 3-4 times a year. Boots are still like new! Need to get a tight fit, but this makes it tough for walking in them!

Read more : Garmont Voodoo review (1)

More Reviews of Telemark Boots

Trailspace reviewers have shared 12 reviews of 6 different telemark boots.

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Other Types of Telemark Gear

Find more telemark gear reviewed in these related categories:

Alpine Touring/Telemark Skis

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garmont vs scarpa AT boots

Thread: garmont vs scarpa at boots, thread tools.

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Anyone have alittle experience between the two???? Currently ski in Garmont Ener-G....diving into some AT gear. I know the Garmont tele boot (in general) fits a wider foot than Scarpa's. Does this remain true for AT boots....I have heard with the AT boots, the reverse is true.......scarpa for wider feet, garmont for narrow???? Thanks all

Some people say so. I say BS. I have low-volume, narrow feet with narrow heels and high archs. My AT boots are Scarpa Matrix (mid-flex). A good shell fit, a thermo liner and a Comformable insole worked miracles and I have a perfect fit. Choose the right stiffness but don't forget about weight: Dynafit Aero FR, Scarpa Tornado and Garmont Adrenaline are the stiffest....and heaviest. I went the middle road 'cause weight was a big issue for me and the type of AT I wanted to do (multi-day hut-to-hut ). When I want a stiffer boot for sidecountry, I just use my Langes with Freerides. If you are looking for a one-boot quiver maybe the stiffer boots are the answer.

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scarpa AT boots are relatively narrow compared to the garmont AT boots, and fit pretty similarly to the respective tele boots

The Spirit 3 is much wider than the Garmont Megaride. Don't know about other boots.

I gotta disagree with marshall on this one. Garmonts, at least the g-rides and megarides, are the the narrowest/lowest volume AT boots out there. All the scarpas are higher volume. In a recent thread, somebody commented on how narrow the Dynafit freeride boot is, but when I tried it on I thought it was very high volume.

I have a double wide foot (wide at the ball and toes) and I fit very nicely into my scarpa tornado's. I can actually tighten the front buckles without crushing my foot. My foot also fits well in my old scarpa t2 telebombers. The tornados are much wider and more comfortable than my tecnica's which I can barely buckle at the toes. I'm no help on the comparison to garmonts.

I have a wide foot and a high arch. I just picked up some Spirit3s, finding they fit me better than the Megarides. Both would have worked. BTW, the Spirit3 boots have a higher volume than the Denali TTs or the TRace. I often hear that Garmonts work better for wider feet, but there is more to it than that in my opinion. At least among the tele boots I have tried and used, the Garmonts had a higher forefoot and heel volume (3D). The Scarpas had a more snug side to side heel fit and lower forefoot volume top to bottom. The width differences were less important than these differences to me. Anymore it seems that you have to compare boot to boot, rather than relying on manufacturer generalities.

Last edited by cowdog; 01-02-2007 at 09:17 PM .

i should state that the above statement was based on megaride/g-rides vs. denali's. i have not tried on the spirits. sorry for the confusion.

It appears this question can only be answered on an individual basis! Lots of people have tried on or used a range of scarpa and garmont AT boots and the impressions are all over the map I'll add that I found the G-Rides and GSMs to be lower volume than lasers.

pascoe, i have found the same as you w/ regard to scarpa and garmont AT boots. for me, the scarpa's are too wide and the garmonts are just a little too narrow in the forefoot. i own the denali tt and garmont megaride. i have skied and just purchased the dynafit freeride aero, which is almost right in between the aforementioned. i'm not sure what your goal is but for resort access AT, i'd suggest you look at the freeride aero or the garmont endorphin. they are the stiffest AT boots of this season that i've run across. they also weigh a bit more, so take that into consideration.

I have narrow feet and high arches. I went to the shop to test out Megaride, Dyanfit Aero TF4 and Scarpa Spirit 4. The Aero is the heaviest of the three, but the stiffest. Spirit 4 is the lightest, but not by much. My feet can fit into all three okay before anything is done to the thermo liners. Ultimately, it is tradeoff among weight, stiffness, trips, etc, etc. Sometimes, I do multi-day trips, and want to carry gear as light as possible. Scarpa finally got my business.

Originally Posted by wilcox510 I gotta disagree with marshall on this one. Garmonts, at least the g-rides and megarides, are the the narrowest/lowest volume AT boots out there. All the scarpas are higher volume. In a recent thread, somebody commented on how narrow the Dynafit freeride boot is, but when I tried it on I thought it was very high volume. Absolutely. I compared directly the Scarpa Denali & Matrix to the Garmont Mega-Ride and the Scarpa is higher-volume all around the foot. Now, with a thicker replacement liner like an Intuition or ZipFit you might find that there isn't much difference. I'm talking about the boots with their standard liners.

Thanks for the input all. I guess I should have given alittle more background......Been rockin the free-heel the past 6 years....ready to lock down again. Freeride +'s in hand, Mantra's in hand (currently with tele's but thinking of switching...hopefully I can handle after 6 yr hiatus) looking at Adrenalines or Tornadoes or similar. Weight not a big issue for me.....several hut trips a year but would never sacrifice performance. I have always fit great in Garmonts (wide fore-foot, narrow heel)....but remember the alpine boot experience being rough....just chasing problems. BUT....I do feel much more knowledgable and experienced now about boots , just due to spending so much time in them.(pre-2000 days on snow, maybe 75 total......2000-present....500+) SO....seems like get a comfortable fit at the toe-width, about 1-1.5 finger behind the heel for shell-size, go alittle small for break-in and sustained performance, and dont worry about the scarpa vs garmont bullshit. I just hope the AT boots are in the same ballpark, comfort-wise, at the Ener-g's. Really.....thanks for the above info all! Its just good to think about it all before I cut off my left-nut for a pair of friggin boots. (actually I could save the balls....telemark-pyrenees has the new adrenaline....420 US shipped) I will try on the scarpa tornados and the garmont adrenalines sometime today and post an opinion. later

Originally Posted by pascoe looking at Adrenalines or Tornadoes or similar. Weight not a big issue for me.....several hut trips a year but would never sacrifice performance. I don't know how many days your "several hut trips" involve. If it's not more than a couple, heavy boot is fine. If they involve more than a couple of days each, then you must never try the lighter models (Matrix, Spirit 3, Megaride) BECAUSE once you do, there is no going back to a Tornado or Adrenaline.

Originally Posted by pascoe I just hope the AT boots are in the same ballpark, comfort-wise, at the Ener-g's. Really.....thanks for the above info all! Its just good to think about it all before I cut off my left-nut for a pair of friggin boots. (actually I could save the balls....telemark-pyrenees has the new adrenaline....420 US shipped) I will try on the scarpa tornados and the garmont adrenalines sometime today and post an opinion. later i've found that no AT boot is as comfortable as my T-races. just fyi, the garmont adrenalin has been softened this season. the endorphine has taken its place, and then some.

Tried on the Tornado, Adrenalin and Endorphin.....all 28.0 Tornado just didnt feel right.....just alittle too tight all around, mainly in the heel pocket and mid foot area. Adrenalin felt pretty good.....the flex was alittle softer than I expected but comfy no less. Endorphin's were money....nice, even stiff flex. Felt comfy and tight everywhere. SO....if ya ski garmont tele boots and lookin to make a move to AT....my opinion is stick with garmont. I do think the Scarpa could have worked with alittle riggin.......and I could never get into a scarpa tele boot (5 minutes killed or way too sloppy) SO....alittle more room to work with AT style. Thanks again for the input all

I have 28.5 Megarides and find them narrower and lower volume than my previous 28.5 Matrices. I also found the Adrenalins too wide for my foot when I tried them on in the shop. The Megarides weigh a little less than the Matrices (maybe 150 grams or so).

pascoe, check out the dynafits as well before you throw down on the garmonts. they are nearly as stiff, lighter plus you get the option to use some comforts if your hut trips really go multi-day.

Mulit day hut trips ....yes (sometomes over 4 days) hut-to-hut trips ....no, usually stay at the same hut the entire time. Either way.....I will defintely try on the Dynafits.....just too much money not to try 'em all. Again....thanks for the advice.

I've got Garmont G-rides and Scarpa Denali’s. The G-rides are definitely lower volume, and IMHO are much more sensitive laterally. However, the Scarpas appear to be better made, as my G-rides have all kinds of internal laps in the molding process, and both shoe horns have cracked off. The Scarps second from the top buckle strap wire does this annoying pop thing over the bellows while skinning unless I completely unbuckle it. The dogs down the street seem to respect me more in my Scarps

Religion Is Poison

The Garmont shell tends to be oval: wider side-to-side but not as high. The Scarpa shell is rounder. My feet have a high arch and narrow heel, so they do better in Scarpa.

FWIW, my foot (which I would define as narrow) fits better in megarides than in any scarpa I have tried so far. I felt scarpas as too wide

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Out of stock, kickin' it old-school..

With a minimalist design for touring that gives a tip-of-the-hat to the tele days of yore, the Scarpa T4 Boot is a lightweight offering for tele skiers who are looking for a no-frills ticket to the backcountry. A Pebax shell blends comfort with performance-enhancing stiffness, and the two-buckle design saves weight and hassle on the skintrack. Ergonomic bellows in the forefoot make this boot a reliable partner on the ascent and descent for tele newcomers or those who prefer an old-school ride.

• A no-frills, minimalist tele boot for touring
• 102mm last is comfortable for wider feet
• Compatible with classic 75mm tele bindings
• Full Pebax construction provides consistent flex
• Two-buckle design shaves weight off the boot
• T4 walk mode for touring comfort
• Ergonomic bellows provide a great fit
• Item #SCR003P

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Leather Ski Boots & Light Telemark Boots

Re: Leather Ski Boots & Light Telemark Boots

Post by fgd135 » Sun Nov 15, 2020 9:53 pm

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