- Injection-molded Pebax Rnew shell
- Overlap closure
- Patented Carbon Core technology
- Low-profile Advanced Injection Technology
- Anatomic 101-millimeter last
- Axial Power Control technology
- Patented Ride Power Block walk/ski mode
- Power strap and four micro-adjustable buckles
- Interchangeable Vibram Mountain Plus Tech sole blocks
For reference, other boots I’ve toured in include the Garmont Endorphin, Black Diamond Quadrant, Salomon Quest 12, Salomon MTN LAB, Salomon Quest Max BC 120, and the Atomic Backland Carbon. From those, the Black Diamond Quadrant have been my favorite – true workhorses that lasted me for years. But I’ve spent the entire winter in the Scarpa Freedom SL, taking them everywhere from British Columbia, Idaho and right here in Utah. So are they the happy medium?
Uphill:
The Scarpa Freedom SL are not the lightest AT boot on the market, and it shows in the skin track. But, considering how burly they are, I’m surprised at how light the company was able to make them. For a more alpine-style boot, range-of-motion comes in at a respectable 27 degrees. Paired with Dynafit Radical FT bindings, I was pleased at how smooth the boots felt on the up, which I assume is thanks to the Power Block which allows for frictionless movement between the upper and lower shells. The smaller ROM range is somewhat noticeable when the skintrack gets really steep, but mostly I found I never wanted for more as long as the upper cuff was totally unbuckled. Overall, these boots tour admirably, though the low ROM and heavier weight makes them less than ideal for very long tours. But here in the Wasatch where we have short approaches, they are perfect.
Downhill:
For me, downhill performance is much more important than uphill – why put in all that work to have a bad time while skiing down? I have no worries about that with the Scarpa Freedom SL. These boots perform as well as any alpine-style boot I’ve worn. Lateral responsiveness? Check. Ample forward flex? Check. Stability? Check. But most importantly for me, is the cuff height. Many touring boots have a low cuff, which makes driving powder skis very difficult, if not downright exhausting. But the Freedom SL has a cuff height like an alpine boot, plus the liner tongue is nice and beefy, giving the whole setup a true downhill feel. I love these boots so much, that they’ve also been my go-to for skiing at Alta. I’m going to say it right now: The Scarpa Freedom SL have the best downhill performance of any alpine touring boot I’ve ever experienced. Boom.
Fit:
I normally wear a 25.5 size in alpine boots, and have worn up to 26.5 in touring boots depending on the brand. But with the Freedom SL, the 26 was just right. I found the 101mm last to be a bit wide and I find my foot has a bit of lateral movement when turning (98mm lasts are the ticket for my feet.) But I also have a very high instep, and these boots are among the few that don’t feel like they are crushing down on the top of my foot. Out of the box, my toes felt cramped, but a liner-cooking session at Wasatch Touring made them fit perfect and I’ve had no problems with fit ever since.
Features:
I have no complaints about any aspect of the Freedom SL’s features. The buckles, big power strap, and lugged soles are top notch and it is clear that the design team at Scarpa thought long and hard about the small details. I especially like the rubber barrier that goes under the overlap of the lower part of the boot. It keeps snow away from your toes when the boot is unbuckled while touring. Also, the Power Block walk/ski mode is a stout system of two metal pieces locking together on the outside of the boot. It’s easy to switch with gloved hands and I never had an accidental mode switch while skiing. As for the liner, well, you can’t go wrong with Intuition. The tongue has a plastic panel for added stiffness, tongue and calf have handles for easy in/out, and they are heat moldable for ultimate fit. Plus they are really warm.
The Nasty Stuff:
I love these boots so much that I was dismayed when I suddenly had questions about durability. Why? The overlap flap on the lower boot cracked in half for no apparent reason. One day I was skiing at Alta, and after about 3 runs, bent over to unbuckle the boot. To my horror I noticed this massive crack that goes from the edge of the flap to underneath the buckle catch. This. Should. Not. Happen. As a result, the forefoot of the boot is much less responsive when skiing, and the rubber “dam” that keeps snow out from getting between the flaps is less effective. Hopefully Scarpa will warranty this when ski season is over. In the meantime, I am now paranoid about what else may break on my Scarpa Freedom SL and if my investment won’t last more than a few seasons.
Overall, I think the Scarpa Freedom SL is absolutely the happy medium of AT boots. With an adequate touring mode and totally bomber downhill performance both in-bounds and out, these boots are basically a quiver killer that can do it all… as long as their construction lasts.