The Scarpa F1 GT comes on line next season. It adds to the F1 series with a more traditional buckle closure system with a slightly softer flex compared to the F1 LT.
Marco Polo traveled the Silk Road across Eurasia from 1271 to 1295, walking much of the distance from Venice to the royal court of Kublai Khan. Through his bipedalism, he proved Italians must know how to make a darn good pair of shoes. Known the world over for form, function, and quality, Italian footwear sets the gold standard for cobbler craftsmanship to this day. Straight from the foothills of the Dolomites, Scarpa makes boots for the up and the down in this tradition; ski boots, after all, are footwear (…I mean, the whole country even looks like a boot).
For 2023, Scarpa is adding to their current F1 line-up of fast and fun mountaineering-oriented boots with the Scarpa F1 GT.
This boot takes the flagship F1 LT and beefs it up with a buckle across the lower, in place of the LT’s Boa. These days Boas have a ton of fan fair, precise fit, and low weight, but plenty of folks still prefer the muscle and fit of a good ol’ fashioned buckle.
This boot takes the flagship F1 LT and beefs it up with a buckle across the lower, in place of the LT’s Boa. These days Boas have a ton of fan fair, precise fit, and low weight, but plenty of folks still prefer the muscle and fit of a good ol’ fashioned buckle.
At 1240g per boot by my scale (size 28), the GT comes in almost 200 grams heavier than the LT. The boot uses the same Intuition Tour LT liner, has a widened power strap with the same pop-off convenience, and the same Vibram UFO LT sole. More importantly, the boot keeps the monster-72 degree range of motion, with great forward flex for easy skinning. Grilamid Fiberglass LFT makes for a light, durable shell that adds a bit of weight over the Grilamid Carbon composite of the LT, but knocks off a proportional piece of the price tag ($100 cheaper than the LT). The upper buckle ditches the old F1 velcro strap for a traditional notched buckle. The overlap tongue on the lower, and Velcro connecting the gaiter to the liner, makes for a functional gaiter and secure lower foot that’s easy to step into. A secure upper, adjustable forward lean (9/11 ‘/13’± 2’ with Velcro -attached spoiler), well-placed power strap, and stiff lower all make for a boot that doesn’t shy away from the steep and deep when called for.
[Note on fit: Scarpa says the GT has a 100mm last – their boots tend to be a middle of the road fit, slanted towards a slightly higher-volume fit…works for my weird flat hobbit feet, good support, solid contact, and power transfer, and no blisters so far!]
The ski/walk mode lever Scarpa uses these days (the ‘Speed Lock’) is attached to a solid heel bar (as opposed to a wire bar with space behind it), meaning it is much less likely to ice up.
If you really want to show off your stylish new boots, try adding a pair of ski shorts to the wardrobe. Along with the new F1 GT, Alex Lee shows here he is also trendsetting with the sans-leg look.
I really like the ski/walk mode lever Scarpa is using these days (the ‘Speed Lock’). It’s the only lever I’ve used that is attached to a solid heel bar (as opposed to a wire bar with space behind it), meaning it is much less likely to ice up. I also appreciate the pop-off power strap: no need to carry the extra 46 grams on those longer, less vertical tours (or save 65 grams with the liner spoiler off too). The liner feels stiff (I personally prefer Palau liners to Intuitions because of how flexible they are at the joints), which helps get the most power transfer out of a light boot on the down, but also makes the range of motion feel a bit liner-limited; I imagine this will change with more broken-in liners down the line. While I think the GT is a killer offering in the buckle-only durable skimo category, they are not that light for their reported 90-flex (and I wish the added weight came with a higher boot cuff, although the high snap-on power strap makes it easier to get the most out of Scarpa’s F1 line-up).
Sliding along with the Scarpa F1 GT.
The GT gives top-notch control, comfort, and flex for smaller skis and general ski mountaineering. But they also manage a stiff precision in the lightweight category capable of driving mid-fat skis (I’ve mostly been touring the GT with BD Crique 84s and Helio Carbon 95s, zipping around the Front Range of the Chugach, but even made a few turns with them on 114 underfoot skis, and they handled big boards just fine in soft snow). My initial impression is that the GT offers solid downhill performance, and it tours well, although I am not sure its overall performance is significantly different from other high-end lighter boots in the same category— Scarpa F1 LT, Fischer Travers CS, Atomic Backland, or Dynafit TLT X, etc…
So what do you get for the extra weight? The F1 GT boot makes for fun and comfy long tours and reliable stiff skimo-style turns, adding a cheaper alternative to the LT to Scarpa’s line-up with a lower closure system for any Boa-skeptics out there. The Grilamid FIberglass composite also feels like it will hold up to a fair bit, my hope is that by working with top-end components, Scarpa has made a boot that prioritizes both performance and durability, without breaking the bank for folks looking to do a bit of gram counting.
Price: $799. Boots should be available next fall.
Some more details: Velcro connecting liner to boot gaitor.
Some more details: the F1 GT spoiler.
Dr. Alex Lee lives in Anchorage, Alaska. Alex is a professor at Alaska Pacific University, teaching philosophy and environmental studies. He also works as a sometimes guide, naturalist, writer, and photographer.
20 comments
how do you not mention that, compared to the F1 LT, there is an entirely new upper buckle replacing huge main velcro strap/buckle on the LT, and the LT’s skinny little upper power strap is replaced by a much wider power strap.
this boot looks substantially changed from the LT. perhaps you meant to compare it to a different boot?
Hey Buck. These first looks are not meant to be comprehensive. They are really just to give folks an idea of what we are looking at in/at around 500 words. Thanks.
Thanks for this article. Interesting to see variations on a theme. Seems like the ~5 year boot cycle is coming around.
I also like the look if the construction of the velcro strap: the “finger strap” end of every F1LT I’ve seen has ripped off.
Yeah, the world needs fair comparison: F1 vs F1 GT and LT.
After three seasons in F1 I switched to maestrale RS and…they are so heavy! I would love something betweeen F1 and maestrale. Seems that we are getting there.
I think the more interesting/appealing boot in the Scarpa lineup next year is the F1 XT, which looks like pretty much the exact same boot except it has the carbon reinforced cuff (like the F1 LT) so is apparently stiffer. Im guessing the GT is the softer but cheaper version. Interestingly both versions with the buckles appear to have the non carbon lower shell (its listed as fiberglass grilamid, versus the F1 LT which is grilamid carbon). Maybe that will them more “punchable” but also make softer and/or heavier? All this info can be found in next seasons Scarpa workbook here.
https://issuu.com/scarpa_aut/docs/scarpa_workbook_2022_eng
Going through that workbook Justin linked to, looks like the XT is lower on the performance scale than the F1…. I think what many, many of us are really wanting is an F1 RS that’s stiffer flex & higher performance than the F1 at maybe a few more grams, and it’s really baffling why Scarpa haven’t put that out yet. This is what the Skorpius delivers, and although it’s been the sleeper boot of the century, it’s catching on more as a 1200g boot that can ski pretty hard and any width of ski. Seems like a great market spot for Scarpa to provide something for.
I would not read too much into that marketing stuff about “performance”. They also list the F1 LT as “lower” performance than the F1, but I don’t know anyone who’d agree with that — quite the opposite. I would be very suprised if the regular F1 skis better than the XT.
Sadly, all these boots are too wide for me feet. Hoping the new Salomon or Technica boots are better that way.
XT skies much much better, the marketing rating comes due to more progressive feel of F1, but the difference is small in that regard.
In general the XT is the more interesting boot to review.
I’m kind of mystified by this boot. Heavier and flexier, but still 800 bucks MSRP. Who is this boot for?
I’m with you CD. WTF? (why the flex?)
Alex and I have had a back and forth on this. A 90-100 flex might be noticeable by some, but maybe not all, since adjusting the boot for relative tightness likely varies among users. I reef on my power strap, to an excessive point, where others might not. That alters flex characteristics considerably in my experience. Alex is of the opinion that the wider power strap of the GT might make up for any decreased flex rating. Also, and maybe this is an assumption, some skiers prefer softer— that might include smaller skiers or those wanting a slightly more forgiving flex. The S/Lab MTN Summits I’ve been on for a few months are wicked stiff. I like it. I most certainly can see some opting for a softer flex boot, however. I also like the softer flex option of my older Travers. With corn season already upon us in Bend, a softer flex boot works great with appropriate spring/volcano setups. Still, the GT is 200g heavier than a comparable F1 LT. But $100.00 is still $100.00 cheaper.
Jyst to clear it up, when you guys are talking about stiffer or softer flex, you’re referring to fore-aft flex at the ankle, right? I dislike stiff flex there, but do like cuffs that are stiff laterally (some Dynafit TLTs). I rarely use the removable tongue on my boots unless resort skiing…
Alex, how does the fit compare to the f1 and the f1 LT. Also does the mid- foot strap/buckle actually hold the foot in the from the ankle flex point or just down like the f1 and f1 LT?
Hey Tim – the fit is pretty similar to the f1 and f1 lt. The mid-foot strap has worked well for me – less overall compression along the foot than a boa, but more solid ankle support at the flex point.
How does the cuff height compare to the F1 LT?
So, the article says these are listing for $799, which is the current MSRP for the F1LT. Is $799 a typo, or are the LTs jumping to $899 for 22/23?
Looking at an email from PR folks: “F1 LT is $899 and F1 GT is $799”. (This is not confirmed with Scarpa.) But, I do know we are likely to see across the board price increases next year. I’ll qualify “across the board”… many items in the hardgoods sector. Supply chain issues up and down, are catching up, among other dynamics. Hoping to have a story about this in the long-term, meaning the next 1.5 months. If this turns out to be incorrect, I’ll make the note. Thanks.
any news on the F1 XT?
Maybe a little off-topic, but I assume the shape of the shells are similar if not the same for the Scarpa F1 family. I just bought the F1 LT, size 28, to replace my ca. 15-20 years old Scarpa Vector boots. My foot length is exactly 27cm, width (side of knuckle to side of knuckle) exactly 10cm. The Vector had the exact same inside liner length (28cm) as the F1 LT, but the shell was ca. 1.5cm longer. Had the Ft LT on for about 3 hours at home. No pressure points. Toes are touching the front when buckled, as I think it is recommend. BUT my feet feel overall constricted, mostly along the outer lateral line of the foot between the pinky toe and somewhere mid-foot. While I’m typing this, I have the ca. 20 year old Vector on my left foot, and the new F1 LT on my right foot. The left foot is more comfy overall. My right foot is more “aware” that it is in a ski boot.
Every shop and web site that I read recommends fitting ski boots snug or to err on the smaller side. But I never had a problem with my at least 1.5cm “too large” Vectors, my foot never “shifted” within the boot, nor do I feel it affected control of the skis downhill. I skied powder, corn, crud, icy slopes, everything. I feel my ski control is determined by gravity, balance, ski technique, and action transferred from the legs via the heels, but not by a super snug boot in the toe and mid-foot area. I don’t know if it’s just me.
Questions: 1. Should I order size 29 instead? Or am I being paranoid and should stick with the 28? I’m not sure if I should trade feeling “comfortable” during a long ski tour for potentially better control of the skis, but feeling “constricted”.
2. Will the thin F1 LT liners compress over time to give more room? I am having some doubt given that the F1 LT liners are already very thin.
3. If the toes are snug with the front of AT boot as recommended by most shops, will I hit my toes or create pressure points when booting up a slope and slamming the boots into icy crud? Will I hit my toes when walking or running down snowless approaches? (I used to do both comfortably in my old boots)?
Thanks for your advice.