Dalbello

Hard, harder, Hardboot. Is that possible off the rack? In the Splittie of the Week "Softboots for splitboarding", Till explains that the change from a conventional softboot to a special splitboard softboot is ultimately a way to a much stiffer snowboard boot. He writes that this change has taken his splitboarding to a new level. Features such as the Vibram sole, crampon mount and walk mode are side effects that every touring ski boot already have on their own. So why not go all the way?

The Lupo series from Dalbello entered its third round this season. After the normal Lupo model was extended with tech inserts two years ago, the high-end Lupo Carbon T.I. model followed last year with improved shaft rotation (67°), removable tongue and optimized weight. This season, Dalbello is offering a whole range of Lupo models. I have been using one of these models, the Lupo 130C, for a year now and would like to share my experiences here.

Dalbello continues to develop the three-piece convertible ski boot design in the direction of ascent performance and presents a touring boot for the 16/17 season that should score points with both its downhill and ascent properties. We have been using the boot since spring 2016 and want to compare it with the normal Lupo and Krypton as well as with similar boots in its class.

Back in spring, there was a first look at the new Lupo T.I., the crossover boot from Dalbello. As many aspects were already covered there, this article deals with the impression after around 40 days of skiing and the experience gained during the test period.

A lot has happened in recent years when it comes to the downhill performance of touring ski boots. While the development of more stable frame bindings and, most recently, downhill-oriented tech (hybrid) bindings have created a need for boots of this type, top touring boot models with specified flex values of 100-130 have come onto the market, or alpine or overlap designs have been equipped with walking functions and replaceable soles. The Italian ski boot manufacturer Dalbello, which belongs to Marker/Völkl, is now launching a ski touring boot on the market which, as a descendant of the top freeride model KR2 Pro, is a 3-piece or convertible design boot with a walking function, interchangeable soles and tech inserts.