Gear reviews | Scott Cosmos Re-Source ski boot

First impression

In terms of color, I like the unagitated design of the shoe at first glance. The shoe is equipped with three buckles and a Velcro strap: It doesn't look like an ultra-lightweight ascent boot, but is more reminiscent of a slightly smaller alpine boot. However, the ascent function and the continuous Vibram bi-density rubber soles make it clearly recognizable as a ski touring boot. The biobased upper material of the outer shell, which is heavily advertised by Scott, catches the eye with its somewhat rough surface structure and could initially appear somewhat off-putting or even inferior to critical observers - however, such impressions were not noticeable in the test.

The inner boot also catches the eye, the PWR Light Eco material seems to be of high quality and the production of thermal and memory fit foam offers an individual fit.

Tester & test conditions

I am 187cm tall and weigh 85kg. The last few winters I've been out and about a lot in ski resorts and off-piste terrain, using wide and heavy skis and the "Tecnica Cochise 130" as my standard boot. As I've hardly tested any ski boots so far and therefore can't make many direct comparisons, the Tecnica boot can be seen as a kind of reference boot despite its numerous differences.

My preferences have changed recently and so my ski touring days have exceeded my alpine days for the first time this winter. From small, heavily frequented tours to longer hut approaches and ski mountaineering tours to piste tours, the boot has now seen a colorful mix and a first conclusion can be drawn.

A "Völkl VTA 84" ski was used as a ski throughout the test period, on which an "ATK Raider 12" binding is mounted. This is a somewhat unusual and light setup for me, as the downhill and uphill performance are balanced and there is not the usual emphasis on downhill performance.

As the fit of the feet is a very subjective topic, I will not go into more detail here. However, it should be mentioned that I have a rather wide and complicated foot with a high instep. Here, the Cosmos with its fairly wide last of 103.5mm and the 3-buckle system suited me very well.

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The first impression of the boot.

Martin Svejkovsky

Test report

Fitting the boot was mostly problem-free, although my rather large calves occasionally pushed the hard shell of the outer shoe out of place. The lining on the front shin then slipped over the side buckle and bumped against it, which caused the hard shell to slide under the buckle and become deformed when closing. This can easily be prevented by pushing the shell parts back into place after slipping them on and before closing them. Nevertheless, this should only happen rarely, which is why I had to be careful not to deform anything when taking the shoes off.

With a weight of 1380g per shoe (size 26.5), the Re-Scource is in the medium to light weight range among shoes in its category. This had a positive effect on the ascent fun and so I was happy to accept a little more altitude and a longer ascent. However, this could also have been due to the very comfortable freedom of movement on the ascent. With a shaft rotation of 60 degrees, the shoe felt great in combination with the weight. Especially on flat passages, you could cover the distance quickly and comfortably without the "fidgeting" typical of ski touring. Even if you had to take your skis off due to a lack of snow or in technical sections, the boot offered good handling and the Vibram sole provided the necessary grip.

On the ascent, I closed the lowest buckle at the first level, clicked in the two upper buckles without closing the lever and closed the Velcro strap slightly. On the one hand, the fairly tight Ergal buckles with lock system ensured that nothing slipped during the ascent and no loose buckles dangled from the boot. On the other hand, the fixed clip over the buckle prevented quick adjustment, as two hands may even be needed for this. If you wear thick gloves in this situation, the adjustment becomes even more tedious.

In contrast to the buckles, the ascent mechanism can be adjusted very quickly and with one hand using a lever in downhill mode. It is a classic lever system, which worked flawlessly and reliably. Only when ice or wet snow freezes to the pin could problems occur, but this was never the case for me.

Now to the most important quality for a ski boot, the downhill performance. Compared to my usual downhill-oriented "Tecnica Cochise 130", the "Cosmos Re-Source" with its flex index of 110 initially seemed more unstable. But the more I moved around with the boot, the better I got to grips with it. On the descent, I was able to build up enough forward pressure on the ski in all snow and downhill conditions to ski stably and safely. Especially in soft snow or homogeneous conditions, the boot really scored points and was fun. The harder the snow conditions were, or the tighter you closed the boot, the more immediate the feedback on the foot was. Impacts and high speeds can certainly be better compensated for with heavier and more downhill-oriented boots, but even such difficulties can be mastered with this boot. In my opinion, the shoe is most fun at medium speed and pleasure turns, but is also suitable for alpine excursions in steep terrain as long as the speed remains within limits.

Scott emphasizes the possibility of having the heel angle adjusted to 12 or 14 degrees, but for this the ascent system on the heel must be unscrewed, which is why the manufacturer advises visiting a specialist dealer.

The Scott Cosmos in action.

Benjamin Klauber

Martin Svejkovsky

Conclusion

The "Scott Cosmos Re-Source" impresses with its low weight and a shaft rotation of 60 degrees, which makes the ascent comfortable and efficient. Despite minor challenges when putting on and adjusting the buckles, the boot offers good support and stability. It offers reliable downhill performance in all types of snow, but is especially fun in soft snow. For me, it therefore represents a great balance of downhill and uphill performance, which is particularly suitable for longer tours.

Advantages & disadvantages

+ Weight

+ High freedom of movement on the ascent

+ Sustainably produced

- Buckle closure

Information

Price: 599.95€

Construction: Powerlite 2.0 Cabrio Hybrid

Mechanism: ski-walk function via rear buckle

Flex index: 110

Last width: 103.5mm

Last angle: 12 or 14 degrees