Tecnica Cochise 130 Dyn Alpine Touring Boot

The all-new Tecnica Cochise 130 AT boot is hotter than Phoenix on July 4th. If you've never been there, you'll have to take our word that this boot is HOT. Since the last time Tecnica revamped the Cochise, a lot has changed in ski boot technology. Every skier these days seems to own at least one hybrid binding with tech inserts, and the Cochise 130 remains the industry standard in being a 50/50 boot. It's the Queen Elizabeth II of longevity and stability as skiers' #1 choice to do everything in 1 boot.

The Cochise 130 is the stiffest boot in its family, sporting a classic four buckle design and featuring two types of plastic in the boot lower and the cuff. By using Polypropylene (a super soft stable plastic) in the cuff, the Cochise flexes familiarly in a variety of temps- a subtle yet essential design feature. Sidenote: speaking of flex, this boot's hot orange color will draw attention whether you like it! Okay, back to the tech... Using asymmetric plastic thickness in the cuff means that power transfer to the inside edges is improved from past iterations. Although the classic design of four buckle boots remains an industry standard, Tecnica realized that getting into and out of boots can be challenging, so with "Quick Instep" construction, it's easier to separate the lower shell and get your feet in. It's a simple but important feature that increases usability without sacrificing power.

The C.A.S (Custom Adaptive Shape) Liner is a big selling point on comfort and power. This is a significant step up in comfort and customizability from the Zero-G liner, and while heavier, the pros outweigh the cons here. Tecnica didn't forget people are ski touring in this liner, though, as it still contains a flexible area on the Achilles- a subtle detail that proves this design is top of the line.

The last big update is the walk mode mechanism, dubbed "T-Ride." Previously an internal mechanism, Tecnica made the jump to a more simple and robust design to provide usability on the uphill and reliable power transfer when skiing down. When we say dedicated, we mean it- you can actually "lock" the T-Ride into ski mode, preventing play and pre-release, which plagues a substantial amount of 130 flex freeride tour boots. This is a game-changing feature that is sure to make waves in other future boot considerations.