![]() 6.2 oz.), the Scarpa Maestrale RS is on the lighter side of 3-4 buckle alpine touring boots. Weighing in at 6 pounds 3.4 ounces for the pair (the latest 2022 model is listed at 6 lbs. It truly is built to match the downhill prowess of a much heavier, stiffer boot. Because avalanche risks were through the roof, we chose to play it safe and lift ski, and I was surprised at how well the RS drove my DPS Lotus 124 both on choppy, skied out lines and deep, light powder. The RS was my boot of choice for an outing to Mount Baker when the forecast was calling for several 12-inch days of snowfall. The Maestrale RS is both AT and TLT binding-compatible, and I’ve been using the boot with both the G3 Ion 12 and Salomon MTN bindings on skis ranging from 106 to 124 millimeters in width. The 2017-2018 model I tested felt noticeably stiffer than the previous version, and I found this change to be most perceptible when skiing on harder, chundery surfaces. Listed at 125, the RS has a nice progressive flex to it and is capable of being driven pretty hard without feeling like a lightweight touring boot. The stiff Grilamid shell feels rigid and responsive when locked down, and the boot does an admirable job of keeping my backcountry skis in line and under control. For how light it is, the Maestrale is remarkable on the downhill. I’m no lightweight at 225 pounds nor do I have the grace of a ballerina, so I’m confident in saying I’ve been putting the RS through its paces. And to tie it all together, the RS is noticeably light on the feet, which is a huge benefit on long arduous climbs while skinning or kicking steps. Further, the boot is crampon-compatible with most automatic or semi-automatic models. The Maestrale RS is extremely comfortable while bootpacking too-the Vibram Cayman PRO sole provides excellent traction on everything from rocks to snow and ice. For comparison, another boot I was testing, the Salomon S/Lab MTN, has a 47-degree flex and felt much more restrictive. In the Mount Baker backcountry, I found myself on a skin track that pushed the limits of my climbing skins-and my Achilles tendons-yet the boots handled it with ease. ![]() Importantly, this degree of movement actually exceeded my ankle’s range of motion. The total flex (forward and backward) of the RS I tested was 60 degrees, a huge increase from the previous model’s 37 degrees (note: the latest 2022 model has a 56-degree ROM, which is still excellent). This allows my calf and ankle to flex without my heel moving around. When climbing, I release the single toe buckle, ankle buckle, and Velcro strap but keep the heel-retention buckle snug. With a high degree of flexibility, lightweight build, and easy-to-transition buckle system, the Scarpa Maestrale RS excels on the uphill. We are testing the retooled boot this winter and will update this review accordingly, but in the meantime, we’ve noted the applicable changes in text below. ![]() For reference, the latest 2022 model has a slightly higher listed weight of 6 pounds 6.2 ounces per pair, 56-degree range of motion (the 2017 version had 60 degrees of flex), and light changes to features including the liner, ski/walk lever, shell, and cuff. To see how it stacks up, see our article on the best backcountry ski boots.Įditor’s note: This test was done on the 2017-2018 version of the Maestrale RS, and Scarpa has since made some notable updates to the design. Below I break down the Maestrale RS’s touring and downhill performance. The previous RS was my alpine touring boot of choice for multiple seasons, so I understandably was eager to try out the latest model through a season in the Coast Mountains of British Columbia and Washington state. A stiffer version of their popular Maestrale, the RS is designed to be light on the skin track and extra powerful on the descent. Among Scarpa’s impressive and diverse lineup of ski boots, the Maestrale RS alpine touring model is a standout. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |