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First Look: ZipFit Espresso

We begin to check out ZipFit’s new touring-specific Espresso liner.

By

Gavin Hess

The ZipFit Espresso is a true touring liner that should be additive reading fit and function to most touring shells.

The ZipFit Espresso is a true touring liner that should be additive reading fit and function to most touring shells.

We’ve been fortunate here at The High Route to have some pre-production looks, access, and perhaps some small influence on ZipFit’s latest touring liner. A few years back, I reviewed the GFT; ZipFit’s first iteration of touring liner. Their goal with the GFT was to add some walking ability to a standard ZipFit liner. The…

Responses

  1. Spencer Dillon

    Lucky ducky.

    nice to see the difference is only ~120g from the new intuition. Though the new Tour liner is a major departure from the venerable pro tour (less walkable, heavier, stiffer) and seems more like the pile of freeride touring stock liners for sale on marketplace than a replacement for boots like the Backland XTD/blacklight 2.0/zero g peak. Too bad. I seem to remember weighing my old 27.0 MV pro tours at ~160g each.

    In any case, the espresso looks amazing and is definitely a great option for most folks in most situations (especially given how beneficial a performance liner impacts a touring shell). I would likely use it in conjunction with a second liner depending on circumstances. My GFTs are amazing, but I agree they are embarrassingly heavy for boots in the mid-weight category.

  2. Whit

    Gavin, what did you do for fitting? Did you heat mold and/or add cork? How much messing around did you have to do? Not having a bootfitter near me and not having used Zipfits before I have the impression that I won’t take full advantage of the benefits of this liner if I just do a home heat mold and I will be unsure how much and where best to add cork. Sounds like a dumb question when I write it out but Intuitions are pretty idiot-proof and half the price.

  3. leonardthedog

    I know you said it’s a bit much for a 1 kg boot for your tastes – curious to hear a bit more about that. Is it the weight itself or the volume of the espresso?

    I was considering these for my F1 LTs, which are slightly too high volume with the stock liner (and also a bit of heel lift for my feet).

    1. Jason Albert

      Jumping in here. Caveat: I’m in a pre-production Espresso. I’ve been toying with the new Blacklight. The stock liners are decent, but, like you, I have been having issues with too much volume and some heel lift. My usual tricks, so far, have been semi-sub-par. I plopped the Espresso liner in for Friday’s tour. Heel lift gone. Volume issues…gone. And, with the plastic overlay on the tongue, they skied a notch (or two) stiffer. I did, however, notice the extra weight. Last check, with added cork, the pre-production liner bumps into the 350g range (size 27.5). ROM/friction was still quite good in walk mode.

      1. leonardthedog

        Got it! So almost double the weight of the stock liner. Still, to have better ski feel and no heel lift, seems worth it, perhaps for next season.

  4. Jason Albert

    Ok, take two. And I think I can post this. I’ve had two days in the new F1 RS. Ahhhh, pretty damn sweet, so far. I’ve not cooked the Intuition liners, and don’t think I will. But the heel security is excepotional in this boot…for my foot.

    1. Christian Strachan

      Oh no. I just picked up XTs after giving up on the LTs. Is it kind of a reverse situation of the Maestrale XT being a beefier version of the RS? Instep strap/buckle?

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