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Winter is around the corner and we’ve been dusting off our touring gear and dreaming of deep snow, early morning skins and long days out with friends. We’ve also been combing through the year’s best boots to bring you the creme de la creme of this season’s touring shoes. Here are a few of our favorites from the lightest and fastest to the hardest charging and a handful in between.
The Light & Fast Training and Racing Boot
La Sportiva Stratos Hybrid — $1,399
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Weight: 781g (size 27.5)
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Cuff rotation: 85°
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Last: 100.5mm
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Sole: FriXion Wave Race (ISMF race standard)
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Closure: 1 buckle w/ race throw latch + Force Lite Closure System
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Forward lean: adjustable — 10°, 13.5°, 17°, 19°
The Stratos Hybrid merges race boot attitude with touring boot practicality. Most boots built to ISMF spec feel like a carbon-fiber slipper that punishes you for having a normal foot — the Stratos Hybrid is the rare exception, with a 100.5mm last that's one of the roomiest fits in the race category. You still get the 781g weight and the single-lever race transition, but La Sportiva adds versatility including an adjustable forward lean that means it can go from a hunched-over skimo stance to something more upright for long tours.
Who it's for: Racers, rando enthusiasts, and anyone doing big vertical days who wants their boot to disappear on the way up without disappearing on the way down.
Doug's Take: "This is the boot I grab for early morning training laps, big spring days and our local skimo night race series."
SHOP THE LA SPORTIVA STRATOS HYBRID
An Ultralight Icon Gets A Beefier Version
Scarpa F1 RS — $849
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Weight: 1,340g (size 27)
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Last: 101mm
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Flex: 115
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Sole: Vibram FS Outsole + FS Lever Ski/Walk Mode
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Closure: 1 buckle + BOA® Fit System + Booster® power strap
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Compatibility: AT + TLT bindings
The Scarpa F1 has been the benchmark ultralight touring boot for a decade, hitting that sweet spot for comfort on long skinning days and decent ski performance across backcountry conditions. New for this year, RS ups the ski performance while keeping the touring comfort. Key upgrades for latest F1 iteration include a durable side mounted BOA H+1 system strategically positioned away from rock strikes, and a tongueless shell that makes for a natural stride. The Overlap Flow construction and Grilamid Fiber Glass LFT shell do the heavy lifting, resulting in a boot that tours like it weighs nothing and then locks down hard enough to ski a 115 flex on the way back to the car.
Who it's for: The person who wants one boot that can chase fast lift-served laps in the morning and put up big tours in the afternoon. Available in men's and women's sizes and colors.
Doug's Take: "We’re psyched to see the next iteration of F1 innovation, keeping the heritage of a lightweight boot that skis like a heavy weight."
SHOP THE SCARPA F1 RS
The Updated All-Arounder With a Wide Last
Dynafit Radical Pro — $899.95
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Weight: 1,400g (size 26.5)
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Cuff rotation: 60°
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Last: 103.5mm
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Flex: 120
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Sole: Pomoca ISO 9523 w/ Master Step inserts
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Closure: 3 buckles + velcro power strap
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Walk mode: HOJI Lock, single-movement transition
If you've been priced out of the touring boot conversation because every "wide last" option was still somehow too narrow, the Radical Pro is the update you've been waiting for. At 103.5mm, this is genuinely roomy — no heat-gun bootfitting appointment required for most feet — but it doesn't ski like a comfort boot. The HOJI Lock walk mode is still one of the best transition systems on the market: one lever, one motion, done that skis solid in all conditions.
Who it's for: Wide- or high-volume-footed skiers who want a 50/50 boot without sacrificing downhill performance. Available in men's and women's sizes and colors.
Doug's Take: "We fit more feet into this boot straight off the wall than almost anything else we sell. The last coupled with the Hoji Lock make it a shop favorite all winter long."
SHOP THE DYNAFIT RADICAL PRO
The Downhill Shredder That Tours Surprisingly Well
Tecnica Zero G Decoy Pro GW — $999.99
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Weight: 1,715g (size 26.5)
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Cuff rotation: 65°
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Last: 99mm
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Flex: 130
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Sole: Vibram Gripwalk (ISO 23223) w/ low-tech inserts
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Closure: 4 micro-adjustable aluminum buckles + power strap
Not one to compromise, the Zero G Decoy Pro GW is built like an alpine boot first with 130 flex, a narrow 99mm last, and four full buckles, and it skis like one: powerful, precise, and confidence-inspiring at speed. What earns it a place on this list is the 65° of cuff rotation Tecnica managed to build into that stiff a shell, which is more range of motion than a lot of dedicated touring boots offer. That’s hardly a tradeoff in uphill efficiency for a boot that’s made to charge, carve, slarve and surf with the best of them.
Who it's for: Resort skiers who tour on the side and refuse to compromise on descending performance to get there.
Doug's Take: "This is the boot for the person who skis harder than most of us and doesn’t mind working for it. The boot rips downhill and it'll still get you there."
SHOP THE TECNICA ZERO G DECOY PRO GW
For the Dedicated Knee Dropper
Scarpa TX Comp — $939
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Weight: 1,545g (size 27)
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Cuff rotation: 62°
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Last: 102mm
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Sole: Vibram EVO LT
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Closure: 3 buckles + Booster power strap (functions as a 4th)
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Forward lean: 14° ± 2°
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Compatibility: NTN and Tele-Tech only — not 75mm or standard AT tech bindings
Telemark isn't going anywhere, and the TX Comp is a shining star in tele boot innovation. Triple-injected Pebax construction and a three-piece cabrio shell give it next-level alpine-boot power for a tele boot, while 62° of cuff rotation keeps the free-heel feel intact on the way up. This is not a boot for someone dabbling — it's built for skiers who are fully committed to the turn and want a boot that can back it up on firm snow and steep lines.
Who it's for: Telemark diehards who want a boot that skis as hard as their alpine-touring friends' setups.
Doug's Take: "The ideal boot for knee-droppers who go way harder than me. Just make sure your bindings are NTN or Tele-Tech before you buy."
SHOP THE SCARPA TX COMP
My Advice
Don't get caught up in gram counting. Every boot on this list is a genuinely good boot. The differences between them are about how you plan to use them, not which one wins on a spec sheet. Come in, get your foot measured properly and we'll get you into a boot that fits your foot and your ambitions.
Want to try any of these on? Come and see us at the shop!
Doug Cripple Creek Backcountry
P.S. — Fit beats flex rating every single time. A perfectly fitted 100 flex boot will out-ski a sloppy 130 flex boot on every run.