Gear of the week | La Sportiva Kilo

I've been skiing and riding a Scarpa Maestrale RS for about 8 years now, the beautiful white one with the yellow-orange pattern. But the long descents at the PG-meeting in Engelberg showed not only my thighs but also this boot its limits, although I mainly imagined that one boot was softer than the other. I then wanted to look for a replacement in the "downhill-orientated ski touring boot" category myself, and found out about the Fischer Transalp Pro and the Technica Zero G Tour Pro. But then the La Sportiva Kilo was available for testing, and because I now only go ski touring, I was curious to get into this weight-optimised category. Now I've used the boot on 7 ski tours, in powder and on piste, and I'd like to draw my first conclusions.

Construction

The construction can be described as follows: a half shoe with an integrated gaiter and a buckle that fixes the forefoot via three points, and then the upper part, which is equipped with a buckle, powerstrap and fixation mechanism. The black non-shiny shell is made of "Grilamid Bio Based LF Carbon" and makes a very stable and rigid impression. The Kilo comes without a tongue, but of course not without tech inserts and a rubber sole that runs the length of the shoe. As the name suggests, the weight is exactly one kilogramme.

Ascent

We all know how difficult it is to find the right ski boot, especially when the boots are trimmed for weight. The first adjustment was therefore to use my personalised SIDAS soles, which would themselves be GOTW-worthy. I quickly felt quite comfortable in the Kilo. The shaft rotation and ascent properties are really excellent. In fact, the shaft rotation is so extensive that I could never use it to its full potential. What I find striking is that the use of climbing aids only becomes necessary in steeper terrain. Unfortunately, I didn't find the lateral stiffness of the shoe strong enough. Ultimately, however, I haven't found the right setup yet. The heel doesn't stay in place on the ascent unless I fasten the shoe uncomfortably. Here I miss the central buckle of the Maestrale.

Descent

I used the Kilo immediately before Christmas on a Down Showdown 115 in nice powder. I couldn't tell any difference in the downhill characteristics and was reasonably impressed. However, the tougher the conditions became, the more obvious the weaknesses became. Finally, on the last piste ski tour, I was able to understand exactly what progressive flex actually means. The flex of the "Kilo" is not progressive. The boot is stiff, that's for sure. But the forward flex cannot be expressed naturally and the downhill characteristics suffer as a result. Only the shoe offers two forward lean angles (12° and 14°) and was delivered with 12°. Setting it to 14° has significantly improved the downhill characteristics for me.

Conclusion

The La Sportiva "Kilo" is a very interesting shoe in a weight class I'm not familiar with. Perhaps I'm still missing the right setup for this shoe. The adjustment to a 14° heel angle was essential for me. The first impressions were inspiring and then disappointing due to the lack of progressive flex. Ski boots are a sensitive matter. The La Sportiva Kilo is certainly an innovative boot that promises demanding downhill characteristics with low weight, but ultimately perhaps also demonstrates that with this balancing act, the individualisation of a ski boot is almost unavoidable. I'm curious to see if I can still find the right setup on the ascent. That would mean I've managed the balancing act and the La Sportiva "Kilo" would be my first choice on all ski tours.

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Gear of the Week | La Sportiva Kilo

A ski touring boot in the 1-kilogram weight class

Construction

Ascent

Descent

Conclusion

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