120-Flex All-Mountain Touring Boot
Atomic Backland XTD Carbon 120 Alpine Touring Boot
Tourers who want one boot for everything short of a resort season are who the Atomic Backland XTD Carbon 120 is built for. A 120 flex on a 100 mm medium last drives a 100 mm ski with composure that a 1,380 g boot has no obvious right to, thanks to a carbon-loaded polyamide shell, a stiffened nylon. And 74 degrees of cuff rotation on Frictionless Mirror Pivots means the Atomic Backland XTD Carbon 120 climbs closer to a lightweight boot than to the freeride boots it skis against.
Expert Fit Review Fit profile and recommendations reviewed by CCBB bootfitters.
Is This the Right Boot for You?
Best For
Backcountry skiers on medium-volume feet who tour most days on skis 90 to 105 mm underfoot and want real downhill composure.
Consider Another Boot If
You need a GripWalk sole for resort alpine bindings, want a stiffer four-buckle shell, or prioritise the lightest possible weight.
CCBB Boot Ratings
Uphill Efficiency
1,380 g per boot with 74 degrees of rotation
Downhill Performance
120 flex, carbon-loaded shell
Walking Comfort
74 degrees ROM on mirror pivots
Transition Speed
Free/Lock 4.5 external lever
Rating scale: 5 = top of its class, 4 = excellent, 3 = good, 2 = specialized or below average, and 1 = limited.
CCBB Fit Profile
Overall VolumeMedium
Toe BoxMedium
Forefoot VolumeMedium
Instep HeightMedium
Heel HoldGood
Ankle HoldGood
PunchabilityExcellent
Heat MoldableYes
Why We Like It
- 74 degrees of cuff rotation is among the most of any boot that still skis a 120 flex, and the mirror pivots keep it low friction.
- Memory Fit lets a bootfitter reshape shell, cuff and liner with heat, so a 100 mm last can be opened well past its nominal width.
- At 1,380 g per boot the Atomic Backland XTD Carbon 120 sits between ultralight touring shells and freeride boots, without skiing like either compromise.
- The Cross Lace 2.5 Z-cable runs the closure through the buckle, which spreads pressure across the instep instead of pinching one point.
Best Uses
- All-round backcountry touring
- Skis 90 to 105 mm underfoot
- Big vertical days where the descent still matters
- Ski mountaineering with technical approaches
- Skiers who want one touring boot rather than two
Bootfitter's Advice
The Atomic Backland XTD Carbon 120 runs a 100 mm medium last derived from the Hawx Prime, which is a more forgiving starting shape than most touring shells at this weight. Memory Fit is the reason to fit this boot in a shop rather than online: Atomic quotes shell expansion of up to 6 mm across the forefoot and up to 10 mm across the ankle.
A carbon-loaded polyamide shell, a stiffened nylon, takes heat forming unusually well for a carbon-reinforced material. The 3D Platinum Tour liner, a heat-moldable foam liner, is washable, which matters more than it sounds on a boot that gets used for long days.
Fit profile reviewed by CCBB bootfitters. Final sizing should be confirmed with a shell fit whenever possible.
📏 Technical Specifications Manufacturer specs · Click to expand
Fit and Construction
Weight1,380 g per boot (size 26.5)
Last100 mm
Flex120
ShellCarbon-loaded polyamide, a stiffened nylon
CuffPolyamide, a tough nylon
TongueNone; an open-throat hybrid overlap shell with a textile gaiter
Features and Compatibility
Walk ModeFree/Lock 4.5 ski/walk mechanism on Frictionless Mirror Pivots
Range of Motion74 degrees
ClosureCross Lace 2.5 Z-cable lower, an alpine-style cuff buckle and a cam power strap
Binding CompatibilityISO 9523 (Touring) sole with tech fittings: compatible with pin/tech (low-tech) bindings, MNC bindings including the Atomic Shift, and AT/frame bindings. Not compatible with standard ISO 5355 (Alpine) bindings. Atomic builds a separate GripWalk (ISO 23223) version of this boot; the sole is molded and not swappable.
SoleSkywalk full-rubber touring sole, ISO 9523 (Touring), with tech fittings
Forward Lean13, 15 and 17 degrees
Liner3D Platinum Tour liner, a heat-moldable and washable foam
Compare the Atomic Backland XTD Carbon 120
Backland XTD Carbon 120 vs. Atomic Backland XTD Carbon 115 W
The women's build shares the platform at a softer 115 flex, with a lower cuff and a women's-specific liner. Shell construction, 100 mm last and the Free/Lock 4.5 walk mechanism carry across. Calf height and flex preference decide between them.
Shop Atomic Backland XTD Carbon 115 W boots
Backland XTD Carbon 120 vs. Scarpa Maestrale RS
The Scarpa Maestrale RS skis stiffer at 130 with four buckles and 190 g per boot more, on a narrower 101 mm last. The Atomic Backland XTD Carbon 120 climbs considerably better with 74 degrees of rotation compared to an unlisted figure for the Maestrale RS. Both run ISO 9523 touring soles with tech fittings.
Shop Scarpa Maestrale RS boots
Backland XTD Carbon 120 vs. Scarpa 4-Quattro Pro
Different jobs. The Scarpa 4-Quattro Pro is a hybrid with a GripWalk sole for resort bindings and a stiffer 130+ flex. The Atomic Backland XTD Carbon 120 is touring-first, lighter, and runs a touring norm sole. Time spent inside the ropes decides this one.
Shop Scarpa 4-Quattro Pro boots
Common Questions
What bindings work with the Atomic Backland XTD Carbon 120?
Atomic lists the Atomic Backland XTD Carbon 120 as compatible with MN, MNC and pin bindings. The Skywalk full-rubber sole is a touring norm sole, ISO 9523, with tech fittings, so the Atomic Backland XTD Carbon 120 runs pin/tech bindings, MNC bindings including the Atomic Shift, and AT/frame bindings. A standard ISO 5355 alpine binding is not compatible. Note that Atomic also builds a separate GripWalk version of this boot, which is a different sole and a different answer.
Is the GripWalk version the same boot?
Not where it matters. Atomic builds the Backland XTD Carbon 120 in two sole variants that are otherwise identical, and the sole is molded and non-replaceable rather than swappable. This listing is the touring norm build. The GripWalk build carries an ISO 23223 sole for GripWalk-certified alpine bindings. Confirm which sole you are buying before mounting to a resort binding.
How much does the Atomic Backland XTD Carbon 120 weigh?
Atomic lists 1,380 g per boot at size 26.5. That places the Atomic Backland XTD Carbon 120 between ultralight touring boots and freeride touring boots, and 190 g per boot under the Scarpa Maestrale RS.
How much can the shell be modified?
More than most. Atomic quotes Memory Fit shell expansion of up to 6 mm across the forefoot and up to 10 mm across the ankle on the Atomic Backland XTD Carbon 120, which makes a nominal 100 mm last workable for feet a good deal wider. This is shop work, not a home job.
What is the range of motion?
74 degrees, delivered through Frictionless Mirror Pivots that are symmetric and parallel rather than offset. That figure is at the wide end for any boot rated 120, and it is the main reason the Atomic Backland XTD Carbon 120 climbs better than its skiing suggests.
What forward lean settings does it have?
Three: 13, 15 and 17 degrees, adjusted at the Free/Lock 4.5 mechanism rather than with flip chips. The lever is external and can be cleared of ice and snow by hand.
Our Verdict
The Atomic Backland XTD Carbon 120 is the closest thing in this catalog to a genuine one-boot answer for a skier who tours most days. A 120 flex on a 100 mm last with 74 degrees of cuff rotation at 1,380 g per boot is a combination almost nothing else offers, and Memory Fit means the shell can be opened to fit feet a nominal 100 mm would exclude. The Skywalk sole is a touring norm sole, ISO 9523, with tech fittings, so pin, MNC and frame bindings all work while ISO 5355 alpine bindings do not. Check which sole variant you are buying, because Atomic builds this boot two ways.
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