Skipping over facet pillows in Colorado is about as freeride as this skinny skier gets.

Pulling into Moe’s Bagels in Boulder, fresh off my one-way flight from the east coast as a young 22 year old, I looked around in awe at the fleet of carbon road bikes carelessly corralled against the railings. Just as I was fully kitted out in Prana organic wool for 30-foot, single-pitch, well-bolted sport climbs, so too were my spandex laden friends for their 30-mile pre-beer lunch rides. It was already then that I realized the slimming aesthetics of skin tight clothing worn confidently and definitely even if barely concealing an ever present if not inexplicably toned beer gut. I also knew from a young age that the real goal in life was to grow old doing what you love and one day be able to afford and corral a carbon steed of my own.

However, as I grew into my own early middle age and ever deeper into the outdoor gear industry, my ambitions turned to bringing the unadulterated confidence observed on the cream cheese-soaked pavement patio in Boulder to the sport of ski touring. Although spandex on the backcountry skin track is no longer unheard of, we still have a long way to go. But with the creation of the Mountain, the world’s first carbon freeride touring boot by Pierre Gignoux, at least the carbon slippers have a chance to make it onto the every-skiers feet.

Overview

Pierre Gignoux has an illustrious history of making race carbon ski shoes (calling them boots doesn’t do them justice) for the top level athletes in the world. Seven years ago I donned my first pair of Pierre Gignoux Morpho 400s in an attempt to prove that carbon really could buy happiness (if not a modicum of athletic success and at least delay the inevitable health food diet). However, the irony of a mid pack athlete unnecessarily skiing the world’s lightest boot was lost on a crowd who still thought the act of skinning was to “earn your turns” instead of a sport in and of itself. Years later, rando races in the US are still fringe, but the appetite for weight savings to gain extra precious powder laps is growing every year.

From the moment I unboxed these ski boot stilettos, the tagline “100% Pleasure” from the Pierre Gignoux website rang true. A beautifully sculpted handmade full carbon boot started up at me and I knew the Mountain was the boot to bring carbon fibre in the United States to the dozens if not the masses.