Tecnica Cochise Pro, click to enlarge.
If someone wants to count the number of tech compatible AT boots that’ll be available next year, be my guest. But pray you have enough neurons to handle the vigintillion names you’ll need to process. In all seriousness, I hope this is one of the last boot overviews we need to do for next season, and we can start testing our top choices. Otherwise, we have descended to the lowest level of gear geekdom and will require brain cloning surgery from Greg Hill so we can remember how to actually walk uphill, instead of just think about it.
Tecnica of course has one heck of a populated ski-boot line, so we’ll focus only on those that are true to the uphill downhill ethos. Their “Free Mountain” category is the one. Includes eight models which are alpine-like boots that tour (plus Bodacious model with permanently fixed cuff, but still with tech fitting sole option). Last year we covered the freshman class of these fine machines, Tecnica details here.
Tecnica backcountry skiing boots.
Biggest news is they made a variation of their popular Cochise model that uses lighter plastic and low-mass Palau liner to create the rather impressive Cochise Pro Light that scales at only 1610 grams. But other new models are cool as well. List (number with name is flex rating):
– Cochise 130 Pro, 98 last, stiff as your front door.
– Cochise 120, 100 last, the workhorse.
– Cochise 110, 100 last, for those who like softer boots.
– Cochise 100, 100 last, for those who like softer softer boots.
– Cochise 90, 100 last, for those who like softer softer softer boots.
– Cochise Pro Light 120, 100 last, flagship shoe for combining up and down.
– Cochise W100, 100 last, for ladies.
– Cochise W90, 100 last, a bit softer for small framed gals who don’t need concrete blocks on their feet.
All above have interchangeable sole option for tech fittings, all tech fittings are the certified beef-o-matic version that Tecnica came up with last year. Honestly, impressive, and more testimony to the vigintillion choices in uphill capable boots that perform on the down. Happy shopping, and if you need brain cloning to help refocus on actually skiing after you’re done with gear overload, just call 250-new-brain and ask for Mr. H. He can use a chainsaw like scalpel, or so I’ve heard.
Tecnica Free Mountain boots such as Cochise.
WildSnow.com publisher emeritus and founder Lou (Louis Dawson) has a 50+ years career in climbing, backcountry skiing and ski mountaineering. He was the first person in history to ski down all 54 Colorado 14,000-foot peaks, has authored numerous books about about backcountry skiing, and has skied from the summit of Denali in Alaska, North America’s highest mountain.
