Side profile of the Kilo. Although it feels more like a skimo boot on the uphills, it retains some clout in the boot stiffness category.

Side profile of the Kilo. Although it feels more like a skimo boot on the uphills, it retains some clout in the boot stiffness category.

 

La Sportiva’s Kilo comes to play primed with high-praise range of motion and ample stiffness to drive your ski-mountaineering planks.

 

I was set to head out the door Saturday for what I expected to be some rather poor turns. With cold temps and raging winds, I had touring on my mind but knew there’d be plenty of walking. I packed the Zero G Tour Pros and Rossignol Escaper 97 Nanos. The boots were maybe a bit overkill for the trending upward rolling terrain with, at most, 1000 feet of turns coming off the high point. Otherwise, there’d be about 12 miles of skinning.

As I exited the house, call it divine intervention from the skimo gods, sat a La Sportiva delivery. Boots. The 27.5 Kilo. With the promise of a silky, low-friction, high range of motion, I adjusted the Plum R-170s, plopped my blue Superfeet insoles into the Kilo’s liners, and I was gone.

Our first looks are often simply the “looking,” with some documentation to pique interest. I’m two semi-lengthy tours into the Kilo. Consider this a first look with some very limited hands-on use.

I’ve heard and read the bemoaning regarding the Kilo name. I’m not a literalist regarding boot marketing and naming conventions. The 27.5 Kilo, with the stock insole, has a confirmed weight of 1136g. I’m guessing the 26/26.5 Kilo, often the benchmark boot size manufacturers use for claiming boot weight, is closer to a kilo.

For comparison, over the past three seasons (which includes this winter), I’ve mostly worn the Dynafit Blacklight as my light boot option. The Blacklight with a 27-liner in the 27/27.5 shell (with stock insole) weighs 1118g. I did not notice the ~20g increase in weight from the Blacklight to the Kilo.

The short version: the Kilo feels light on my feet.

 

Plenty of low-friction range of motion with the La Sportiva Kilo.

Plenty of low-friction range of motion with the La Sportiva Kilo.

Ski mode.

Ski mode.

Plenty of low-friction range of motion with the La Sportiva Kilo.

Plenty of low-friction range of motion with the La Sportiva Kilo.

Walk mode.

Walk mode.

Let’s back up. The Kilo infills the space between La Sportiva’s racier Stratos Hybrid boot and the Skorpius CR II. According to my dusted-off notes, the Skorpius CR II with stock liners/insoles weighs 1215g on my scale. Unlike the Skorpius, the Kilo lacks a plastic tongue and BOA and has a slightly more minimalist liner.

The Kilo’s lower secures the forefoot with a Z-buckle and molded plastic overlay. The boot’s upper locks down with a ladder buckle and robust cam-lock powerstrap. As if all things converge, the Kilo is certainly its own make of 1,000g class boot, but it shares a kinship with the Tecnica Zero G Peak and Scarpa F1 XT. All three boots possess similar closure systems with nuanced differences.

Like me, you may have to fiddle a bit to adjust the lower buckle’s arm length to ensure a proper fit over the forefoot. I’m dialing that in, as proper pressure over the forefoot assists with locking my heel down while skinning.

 

The basic elements of the La Sportiva Kilo: Z-buckle, upper buckle and cam-lock power strap.

The basic elements of the La Sportiva Kilo: Z-buckle, upper buckle and cam-lock power strap.

 

Skinning in the Kilo is excellent. La Sportiva claims a 70-degree range of motion. With good technique, you’ll access that full range and be smiling. Pushing the upper cuff fore and aft while skinning also results in a remarkable lack of friction. Although not on par with a skimo-specific boot’s ROM and lack of friction (the Scarpa Alien 1.0, for example), the Kilo comes close.

When carpet testing the flex (before exiting the house Saturday morning), I noticed stiff tendencies with a bit of give as the ankle and shin push forward. I wouldn’t call it a true progressive flex. It is not a brick wall, either. I like the feedback the boot upper provides, as I often prefer a stiffer boot. In my mind, I had assumed the Kilo would flex soft, like a Dynafit TLT X. (Note, many skiers prefer a softer flexing boot: a boot like the TLT X can be spot on for many driving skinnier and shorter skis). This is not the case. The Kilo, in my opinion, trends toward the stiffer side of the 1kg boot offerings on the market.

Many gear reviews are out there. For example, I’ve read that Blacklights are a brick wall. Or that the Kilo is too soft. In my extensive time in the Blacklight and admittedly short time in the Kilo, to my sensibilities, neither is true.

This raises the point and is hard for many of us to do: try on several boots, if possible, before making your purchase. Listen to and read reviews, but our feet are particular. Reviews lend a hand, they are not dogma.

The Kilo has slightly less volume overall and what feels like a lower arch than the Skorpius CR II, which I prefer. The last for the 26.5 Kilo is listed at 100.5mm. Although I wear 27.5 Kilo, the Blacklight’s last, listed as 101mm, feels similar. I’d say the Kilo will have ample room for warm-temp touring to accommodate foot swelling.

The boot lower secures the forefoot/heel with a Z-buckle and a plastic mold called the Force System.

The boot lower secures the forefoot/heel with a Z-buckle and a plastic mold called the Force System.

The gaiter retains its form which makes inserting the liner easy. As for long-term durability and weatherproofing: we’ll report back.

The gaiter retains its form which makes inserting the liner easy. As for long-term durability and weatherproofing: we’ll report back.

The boot lower secures the forefoot/heel with a Z-buckle and a plastic mold called the Force System.

The boot lower secures the forefoot/heel with a Z-buckle and a plastic mold called the Force System.

A few tours in, the Kilo combines excellent ROM with ample stiffness.

If the fit works, the Kilo should provide a fine uphill and downhill experience all with a clean matte-black finish. 

Some other items of note. The gaiter is well designed, with enough structure to insert the liner into the shell easily. La Sportiva uses Grilamid Bio Based LF Carbon™ for the cuff and lower shell, and the ski/walk mechanism is not spring loaded, yet it pivots up and down with no trouble, and, thus far, only a few tours in, is un-fiddly.

For La Sportiva loyalists, I know some ski tourists use the Skorpius for any and all skis. I think the Kilo is best suited for skinnier-lighter boards, with the caveat that this boot can likely drive a wider, heavier, and longer ski in light-dry powder. With such a fluid and frictionless range of motion, I also envision those keen on big ski traverses to find the Kilo a fine option that won’t disappoint while wearing a hefty overnight pack.

That’s the first look. I’m glad to answer any specific questions you might have.

 

Kilo Basics

Sizes: 24 – 31.5 (half sizes)

Weight: 1136g (size 27.5) confirmed

Shell/Cuff: Grilamid Bio Based LF Carbon™ / Integrated High-Stretch Gaiter

Liner: Ultralon Thermomoldable High Density PEE w/ Variable Thickness (#79R)

Buckles/Closure: FORCE™ Closure System w/ (2) Technopolymer Buckles/FORCE™ Power Buckle / TILT-LOCK LITE™ Ski/Walk System

Sole: WarmSole™ Platform (internal)/FriXion® Wave Alpine™ Outsole (complies with ISMF standards)

Range of Motion: Claimed 70° (33° back / 37° front)

Forward Lean: 2 positions (12° & 14°)

Flex: Claimed 110

Last Width:100.5 (size 26.5)

Price: $799.00