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.

Rando ski boot cuff pivot wear is the elephant in the room, the gorilla in the attic. Its the animal that takes a $1,000 shoe and makes it resemble a pet chew: A few bites by the big fido (you, we trust), and they’re a mess. Loose, wiggly, simply not what you paid for.

Dynafit boot cuff rivet systems for next season. Read below for more explication.