Update: Well, the 2012/13 season is closing up and we’re sending our testers back to Salomon. Consensus is that Quest is indeed a fully functional alpine skiing boot that tours. In terms of flex, Salomon rates Quest as a 120. While no industry standard exists for flex ratings, somewhat of a consensus has developed and folks who ski enough different boots can compare and rate subjectively. In view of that, one tester called these a “110.” In other words, if you like a boot with some give but also alpine-like support, Quest delivers. The fit is average in the last measurement area at a claimed 98mm, but subjectively roomy. That can make for a warmer and easier to fit boot, but for some skiers the shell might not be confining enough. No problems with the tech inserts or swap soles. The liners are beautiful; light and easy to thermo mold, with a fully reinforced tongue. Only gripe about the liners is we’d prefer the stock lacing to extend to the instep so our heel is anchored for touring strides when the shell buckles are loose. Conversely, if you don’t like liner laces they’re easily removed. If you’re shopping, be sure to do a carpet test as Quest is “different” in many ways, and thus might just be the boot you’ve been looking for.

Is the tech fitting strong enough? That's going to be your first question. We set up this goof shot to illustrate that yes, per our ANSI approved crow bar test, it is strong enough. In reality, I did test with my smaller ANSI bar and the Quest fitting easily passed. Very solid. Click all images to enlarge

First, the sole blocks for this backcountry skiing boot. Both DIN alpine and DIN touring with tech fittings are available. The sole block keys on beefy tabs of plastic protruding from the shell. That part is solid, but the screws are small and thread into plastic rather than T-nuts. With that in mind, we don't recommend frequent swapping. Both soles are compatible with Salomon WTR (Walk to Ride) internal standard, so they'll work well with the Salomon Gurardian binding, but also appear to be totally ready for any tech binding as well as frame type touring bindings.

Bob's Maestrale RS with an add-in wrap liner from Intuition.

I can’t seem to swing a dead cat with out hitting white these days, both in the form of snow that is finally coming our way in Colorado, and all of the white boots I’m surrounded by. You’d think the the manufacturers must have all used the same bin of plastic pellets to make their boots (perhaps they did, it’s Montebelluna after all). Yet despite the confusion of white, one shoe has stood out. So far the Scarpa Maestrale RS has become the go-to boot I grab as I head out the door.

Yep, for those of us in the trenches, who work cat, heli or patrol and recreate on tours long and short, sidecountry, hike to terrain in bounds, ride lifts and want the best weight-to-performance ratio, the Maestrale RS is in my opinion the shoe of choice.

It wasn’t all that long ago that to achieve the kind of ski performance offered by the RS you had to strap on eight to ten pounds of beef and forego significant cuff articulation. Between better materials and engineering, downhill performance once reserved for those heavy boots is now combined with superb cuff mobility in touring mode. With RS this is all wrapped in to one neat 7lb. package (give or take a few ounces). Plus, due to a standard DIN sole you have the freedom to choose between tech or frame bindings per your whim on any given day. (9523 touring boot standard, not alpine, simply meaning it’s not a short trimmed sole and will function in a binding such as a Fritschi Diamir.)

Scarpa Freedom freeride touring models.

Depending on your persuasion, the bountiful crop of freeride touring boots we’ll be harvesting by next fall could be considered boat anchors — or passports to heaven. Whatever, the technology and design work going into these shoes is impressive. Super beefy tech inserts, swap soles that don’t wriggle, the list gets taller. Yet beyond all that, it is the multi-mode cuff that makes these boots work: Walk mode that’ll get you up the hill, and a cuff fixation system that strongly ties the upper part of the boot shell to the lower when you’re in ski mode.