This post by WildSnow.com blogger
Lou
Shop for the Garmont Axon beef boot here.
Word is out. Garmont had a boot at the feed lot. The Axon is now nicely fattened up and looks delicious. Check it out:
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| Compromises with this shoe are few. For example, instead of using a high arch to gain more rocker and allow a more conventional hiking style sole configuration, Garmont molds this boot with a nearly flat footboard that’s similar to nearly any conventional alpine boot. Advantage of this is that fit and ramp angle (toe vs. heel height) are easily tuned by a boot fitter. More, and this is trick, as indicated in the photo above it appears the thicker part of the sole has been designed as an optional place to shave if you want to eliminate most of the Axon’s sole rocker, thus making it fit better in some ski bindings — and even more alpine-like. Hold that thought to the next photo. |
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| Wow, reach into the Axon and what do we find? A footboard just like many alpine boots. Another thing to make your boot fitter smile. |
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| A minor but nonetheless interesting issue with Dynafit compatible boots is that some have very little sole material in the area of the toe, under the binding fittings and at the end of the sole. Garmont uses the earlier style Dynafit fittings which allow for more rubber, and they design in plenty of sole rubber in the whole toe area. |
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| Continuing the alpine theme. You probably won’t find this boot on a World Cup racer running the Hanenkam, but having a cuff cant rivet will be mightily appreciated by the percentage of population who need that sort of thing. |
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| Spoiler (AKA rear upper cuff) is removable for customization, and height adjustable. |
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| Another view of inside at cuff level. That elongated bump is a “flex limiter” that stops forward motion of the cuff at a certain point. These can easily be removed for a softer more progressive flex. Nice to have the option. |
And, the G-Fit liner. Fairly conventional albeit nicely made. Optional laces are essential for a conventional tongue inner boot. Good to have them! We’d give this liner a medium flex rating, if you want more beef you could easily swap in a harder liner. Then go run the Hanenkam.
In all, we’re impressed by this boot. It will no doubt fill an important niche — that of a beefy alpine-like shoe that yes, does allow you to use the best binding in the solar system.
Posted by Lou on November 11, 2007 | Filed Under Boot Reviews
Comments
Nice, keep up the good work Lou. Just new to AT ( I got my first course in Feb:) which I found during my season off for Knee-realignment.
Anyway just to say cheers for a informative and interesting site.
Is this any different than an Endorphine with Dynafit fittings?
I note with interest your comment on the very little sole underneath the toe. I have a g-ride boot that I only use come spring and early summer for ski-mountaineering, hence: quite a bit of hiking on rocks and bare ground. I have pretty much demolished the toe-front of my sole on both boots, in a very very short amount of time and limited days of use. So, with that said, this is something to be considered.
Questions: 1. How easy is it to get a new sole installed.
2. Does extensive wear to the front of the sole risk compromising your binding connection. in my instance i use a silvertta pure. to what extent?
I note with interest your comment on the very little sole underneath the toe. I have a g-ride boot that I only use come spring and early summer for ski-mountaineering, hence: quite a bit of hiking on rocks and bare ground. I have pretty much demolished the toe-front of my sole on both boots, in a very very short amount of time and limited days of use. So, with that said, this is something to be considered.
Questions: 1. How easy is it to get a new sole installed.
2. Does extensive wear to the front of the sole risk compromising your binding connection. in my instance i use a silvertta pure. to what extent?
Can you confirm that these don’t have the swappable DIN soles the Endorphins do? Too bad if they don’t, because it would make these compatible with everything.
Hi Lou,
To echo Pete’s question, what are the principal differences between the Axon and the Endorphin (aside from the Dynafit capability)?
Chris
Man! The one shot I didn’t publish! Nope, they’re glued on soles…
As for the principle differences Dav, I don’t have a pair of Endorphins here for comparo, but I’ll ask Garmont and get some comparison points. Good question.
FWIW…Gmon,
I’ve worn down the plastic pretty darn far on a pair of Martix’s I own…even some metal…and the Dynafit fittings still seem to hold. I’m talking LOTS of abuse on rock and trail and even some pavement. Not sure I would want to walk that much in the Axon. Ski that much…maybe?
Dave Page Cobbler in Seattle resoled a pair of my Megarides a few years ago after I started wearing into the bottom of the Dynafit toe insert after one season. Did do much spring mountaineering that year. Megas were good for another 2 seasons till I sold them.
Dave Page knows what he’s doing in the resole world.
Lou,
You say “laces are essential for a conventional tongue inner boot.” Why is that?
Mark, I think I mean the option of lacing. For some folks the tongue of the boot moves around too much and needs to be held with laces. Also, they don’t work that well as hut slippers unless they’re laced.
Romeo, the problem is more ending up with plastic on rock while scrambling, rather than anything going on with the fittings.
Lou, since you mentioned ramp angle I wanted to ask — is ramp angle more of a function of the boot (and proper fitting) or the binding itself? You’ve previously mentioned the lack of angle on Fritschi bindings, and I wonder if there is a suggested improvement to them, such as a 1-2mm shim under the rear mounting. It seems to be a common Fritschi comment about being in the back-seat while skiing down.
Steve, yeah, people have shimmed Fritschis for years, or just taken the spacer out from under the front of the binding. I recall the new ones are better. As for what ramp angle is a function of, it’s of course a combo of boot and binding. Usually the skier adjusts, most problems are cause by swapping between setups with different angle and not being used to it.
hi lou, i have used your site to read about the axon. thanks for all the great info! i have a question the flex limiter dealy bob on the axon. is this feature on the endorphin? ahve you talked to anyone who has removed it. i just bought an axon after using the megaride for 3 seasons and i have skied it on three runs so far. this flex stop feature seems to really interrupt the range of flexion on boot packing and skinning. i am wondering hoe much of a difference this thing makes. i am hoping it helps, if not i’ll have a 28 axon up for sale soon. thanks for all the information and great website. matt
Matt – it surpises me that the cuff limiters are an issue when skinning/hiking. Doesn’t the cuff have to be very far forward just for these to even to make contact with the other portion of the cuff? I tried them on the store, and with the upper buckles loosened they seemed like they had a good range of motion for hiking. How dramatic is the difference in ski performance between these and your Megarides? Does the weight difference seem very apparent?
Matt, what Justin said…. your cuff should be loose enough while touring to bypass the limiters, more, you indeed have to be at a pretty extreme forward angle for the limiters to even engage.
The Axon is stiffer than the Mega, perhaps you’re just experiencing what it’s like to tour in a stiffer boot?
wow! i just had my hardest “spam protection” math problem yet…hope they don’t go to geometry or algebra soon:)
As for lou’s last comment:
> Matt, what Justin said…. your cuff should be loose enough while
> touring to bypass the limiters, more, you indeed have to be at a
> pretty extreme forward angle for the limiters to even engage.
>
> The Axon is stiffer than the Mega, perhaps you’re just experiencing
> what it’s like to tour in a stiffer boot?
I would agree that the Axon needed to be as loose a possibly for good mobility, but that’s a practice of almost every AT skier i know. Otherwise, it’s a stiffer boot going up, and a stiffer boot going down. I didn’t find this to inhibit my accent at all, BUT going down was a significant increase in performance over my current boots (see my review here http://www.wildsnow.com/?p=965 ).
Lou,
Does the Axon look like it might be a little warmer boot? (with the thicker? material).
Thanks…
Your info (per Tim’s) offers the options Lou….looks like Scarpa’s bootboard may what I need…both on top of & underneath it for preserving warmth!
Steve, warmer than what?