Beefcakes Tongue-Constructed Boot Comparo 2010

17 Responses to “Beefcakes Tongue-Constructed Boot Comparo 2010”

1. John Rosendahl January 20th, 2010 10:21 am

   Umm, This may be too obvious for inclusion in your grid but I believe that the Dynafit boots have inserts….

2. Lou January 20th, 2010 10:25 am

   Dave, you’re fired (grin).

3. Dave January 20th, 2010 10:42 am

   Lou, I won’t even begin with my editor issues. I swear, that guys always out of reach, jet setting to Europe and such… ;)

   Change made, you need a job John?

4. Chris January 20th, 2010 10:46 am

   I’m surprised you left out the Scarpa Typhoon. Maybe there is too much overlap with the Skookum?

5. Mark January 20th, 2010 11:28 am

   Nice comparison Dave. While I like the overlap boots, I am still running tongue boots and have no complaints.

6. dave January 20th, 2010 12:01 pm

   Chris, our “cut off point” was the offering of rockered sole, or in the case of the Typhoon, the lack there of. If they had a swappable rockered sole they would have been covered. We figure if the sole is flat, the focus is more on the resort than the backcountry…and we’d also have to cover all those rental boots with walk modes :)

7. ScottP January 20th, 2010 1:21 pm

   The Scarpas all also have inserts. In any case, you can just look at the pictures and figure it out.

8. Lou January 20th, 2010 3:21 pm

   Indeed, my editorial pen has been usurped by boot top pow and pastries. And look what happened, the guest bloggers run amok like the barbarian’s flea ridden hoard storming the Roman civilization. But fear not, I shall return!

   Meanwhile, I do appreciate Dave doing his comparos. Good laughs, and might as well have sense of humor when there are so many boots out there trying to remember all the names could cause brain damage.

   More EU stuff coming!

9. Eric Steig January 20th, 2010 6:44 pm

   YO Lou, your information on the Virus isn’t all correct.

   1) The boots are *not* coming with two tongues as originally planned, on any of the models; at least, not at the three different stores I have checked.

   2) The Lite is almost as stiff as the Tour, except for the tongue

   3) There are three tongues, in increasing stiffness: Lite, Tour, and Free. If Dalbello makes them available as promised for next year, then you can get a Lite for lightness but still have a boot almost as stiff a the Free.

   4) I am not a fan of alpine boots, particularly; in fact, I’ve not skiied an alpine boot since 1984. I still think the Virus is superb.

10. David P January 21st, 2010 11:15 am

    A very nice concise review. The one additional piece of information that would be helpful and that I am always looking for is about the fit. What’s the lowest volume boot? What’s narrowest in the heel and forefoot? It would be great if you could add a rough estimate (maybe just a low or high, or narrow or wide, rating). Thanks again!

11. Njord January 21st, 2010 1:32 pm

    What’s wrong with living “down valley”… geessh! At least I did not leave the state!

12. Dan January 22nd, 2010 1:11 pm

    RE: Virus Tour: Thanks for the review Dave…but I don’t understand the comment about the need for tree-trunk legs and the Virus Tour. I am 5 ft. 7 inches and weigh 140 pounds soaking wet. The Tour fits me better than any AT boot I have owned. It tours beautifully. Unfortunately, even the Tour can’t fix my skiing. FYI: the size 26 (shell, liner and Superfeet custom footbed) weighs 3 pounds 13.5 oz..

13. J.P. February 3rd, 2010 7:06 pm

    Hi. I hope this is an ok place for this question/request for info.. I am looking for a boot to rule all boots. I have been researching the heck out of dynafit compatible ski boots (much thanks to this site) and have come to think the Factor, Titan (or Virus?) may be the one, but here is the question: How stiff is too stiff? I am an ambitious intermediate skier, spending time at the local hill and increasingly in the backcountry (near Kimberley, BC). I ski Line Prophet 100’s (179), scarpa denalis (which I keep practicaly undone due to the pain) and naxos. I think these skis need a stiffer boot, but I think I’m getting used to the soft boots. Would stiff boots prevent me from getting my weight forward and being aggressive (and progressing)? I am 170 lbs, 5″9″ (and 1/2″). I’ve tried on the Factors and the Titans and, while stiff, i don’t think they are that stiff. But I don’t know.

    Thanks in advance.

14. dave February 5th, 2010 2:37 pm

    dan, i was simply implying the heavier boot in the line for very strong skiers. however, i was not imply that you MUST have trees-for-legs:)

15. dave February 5th, 2010 2:39 pm

    JP – in my opinion, I think any boot as at least as stiff as the BD Method (softer than the Factor) is stiff enough for experts. However, there are many that will disagree. It’s largely a matter of preference. My recommendation would be to demo the boots and actually ski them. That will be more telling than simply trying them on any day.

16. J.P. February 5th, 2010 3:08 pm

    Dave.
    I’m sure you’re right. Now to track down some loaners.

    Thanks for the reply.

17. dan post boots February 11th, 2010 12:54 am

    Good! I think this survey about the Constructed Boot Comparo 2010 is really nice.
    I think that there is many thing on all kinds of people and i like that because i read it and i feel that your info is right.

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