Putting on the Stratos VI boots feels like reaching a distant destination after a personal journey flirting with skimo gear. I’ve got a few goals this coming season that may warrant approaching the lighter fringes of the touring world, maybe even breaking out the spandex. Don’t worry, I’m also scrounging for some ATK Hys to mount on some Heritage Lab UT110s, and I’m psyched to ski my Technica Decoys. That feels like a beautiful part of ski touring; it can be any number of things depending on the day, mood, or objective.
After really enjoying the Stratos Hybrid as a skimo race-style boot over the past few seasons, I’ve wondered for a few years if that was my end game or if a full carbon boot was in my crystal ball. The $2k+ price tag and lack of email responses from Pierre Gignoux dampened my hopes—Scarpa responded to my emails but only makes up to a size 44 in the Alien 5.0 (I probably need a 46). That leaves Sportiva, which generously makes a full size run of their latest carbon uberboot AND responds to emails.
After a size-up to a 29 (I have a 28/28.5 in the Stratos) and some agony with fixed mounts not quite being right, I absolutely can’t wait to get out skiing in these shiny new carbon slippers. They share the same upper cuff and ski-walk mechanism as the Stratos Hybrid, though the VI has a peg-and-hole latch on the lever rather than the Hybrid’s bar style. The lower is quite different; some might say exotic. Aside from being almost entirely carbon fiber, it has an internal lacing system below the gaiter with a cord lock securing it. A Vibram Lightbase outsole is glued on, and a hollow heel block with a tech insert and a shelf for automatic crampons is bolted/glued on as well. A micro-midsole sits under the ball of your foot, which seems purpose-built for a smooth walking/running stride.
The liner is a lower-cut affair than the Stratos Hybrid, and the fit is overall lower volume and snugger around the toes. The internal length is similar between the 28.5 Hybrid and 29 VI. They come in at 620g total. That is 200g lighter than the Stratos Hybrid! Wild.
I am curious to see how these compare to the Stratos Hybrid. I expect some parallels with another comparison piece I’m working on between race skis (Dynafit DNA) and race-plus-touring skis (Atomic Backland 65 UL). It seems obvious that the Stratos VI will be a better companion for racing, but I’m interested to see how capable they are in the backcountry. I feel comfortable and confident in the Stratos Hybrid in a variety of mountain contexts. Traversing and fast, non-consequential skiing for sure, but also steeper runs, and I’ve contemplated if I’d want to take them into an expedition setting. Carpet flexing, it sure seems like the VI will ski quite similarly to the Hybrid (as in: acceptable-ish).
Durability will be an interesting question; the full-carbon lower feels like it wants some protection akin to a carbon bicycle downtube, or something along those lines, before entering rocky or scree-laden terrain. I’m interested to see how the hollow heel holds up in wild snow conditions; I was psyched to see that the heel tech fitting is bolted into the shell. Beyond that, I’m sure normal wear and tear will apply to the cord/laces, gaiter, and liner. Plus, Jason is already predicting a blown-out zipper… yikes.
(Editor’s note—a slight amendment to the prediction—if he wears thickish ski socks.)
Full carbon boots probably aren’t going mainstream. Between the cost and their specialized nature, they’ll likely continue to exist in some very small niches. Seeing Pierre Gignoux Mountain boots atop the world’s high peaks has me thinking that perhaps the carbon boot niche could be a smidge bigger than just high-level skimo racing. Time will tell.
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