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Scarpa

Scarpa F1 LT: New Specialized Ski Mountaineering Boot Replaces Popular Alien RS

February 13, 2020 By Stano Faban 6 Comments

Scarpa made a radical choice going into the winter season 2020/21. It will be replacing the popular Alien RS boot with the new F1 LT.

Basically, the new F1 LT is a blend of features and functionality from the Alien RS and the F1 boots that will further enhance the already great downhill performance of the Alien RS while promising to keep the same comfort for walking and skinning.

However, the discontinuation of the Alien RS is already causing a debate among its fans as it was in many ways a very innovative ski mountaineering boot.

I had an opportunity to talk to Scarpa’s boot designer about the differences and similarities of the F1 LT and Alien RS at the recent 2020 ISPO gear show in Munich. He also hinted, or I understood it that way, the reason behind their intriguing choice to discontinue the Alien RS was a feeling that the new Alien 1.0 revealed last year was perhaps too similar in terms of a customer type (or intended use), and so orienting the F1 LT even more for technical skiing made sense.

In a press release Scarpa described the F1 LT as:

“Your new friend for ambitious traverses and technical ski mountaineering descents. Combining ultra technical elements with a backcountry-oriented design, the all-new F1 LT is our most versatile and lightweight alpine touring boot.”

Comparing Scarpa F1 LT and Scarpa Alien RS

The new F1 LT will be only a little heavier, at 990g in size 27 versus 920g for the Alien RS, and perhaps targeting a slightly different type of skier, but the

The most obvious change comes with the cuff closing mechanism as Scarpa have decided to drop the cord tightening system that was connected to the back locking lever and allowed for one-motion cuff locking and closing as it’s usual on skimo racing boots. Now, these systems will be independent on the F1 LT.

Also, the new cuff features reinforcements in critical areas where the Alien RS had some weaknesses.

The F1 LT – cuff with reinforcement ribs, 2 power straps, and a new cuff locking lever.

At first glance, the bottom shell and cuff appear the same as the Alien RS but there are some differences. More people should fit into the F1 LT than the Alien RS. The boot will accommodate slightly wider feet as the foot will sit a bit lower in the new shell, offering a 99-100mm last.

The boot sizing will continue as before and so the F1 LT will be available in full sizes only, which might prevent some of us again to enjoy such a fine true ski mountaineering oriented boot. (I couldn’t fit into Aliens RS size 28 and the 29 felt quite big.)

The liner should stay the same, Cross Fit Tour LT made by Intuition and specifically designed for the last and volume of this specialized boot.

Another obvious change comes in the form of two cuff power straps which are staple features on the F1 boots. The top strap is easily removable and I suspect most Alien RS fans will get rid off quickly to safe few grams. The boots overall height, which is quite high for such a light boot, will be the same as on Alien RS and provide plenty of support so that top power strap won’t be needed by many.

Height comparison of Scarpa’s Alien 3.0, Alien, and the new F1 LT.

Filed Under: Gear, Tech & Food Tagged With: Scarpa, Scarpa Alien RS, Scarpa F1 LT

La Sportiva Sytron and Scarpa Alien RS: Boots Under 1 kg with Focus on Downhill Performance

January 1, 2018 By Stano Faban 7 Comments

There are two light ski mountaineering boots talked about these days – La Sportiva Sytron and Scarpa Alien RS – both weighing under 1,000 grams per boot yet promising previously unmatched downhill performance in this category.
In each case, focus during the design and development process was on creating a true light ski mountaineering boot that would descent as their much heavier cousins, and without the price tag of a Ferrari. This has been a goal of all boot manufacturers for many years but it seems that only now they are getting close to reaching such ever elusive target.
la-sportiva-sytron-scarpa-alien-rs-preview
One thing to keep in mind is that such light boots perform best with up to mid-fat skis (up to about 90 mm), however, when dry powder is plentiful then two boots can certainly drive a much bigger ski.
Overall, both Sytron and Alien RS are great improvements in the right direction, and we can’t wait to see the boot models that will succeed them in 2-3 years.

Backgrounds

Both of these boots draw heavily from features previously designed for and tested in other models, now creating a mix of the best ones into single pairs of boots.
La Sportiva Sytron combines features of the Syborg boot (image below) which borrowed some from La Sportiva’s top skimo racing platform, the Stratos Hi-Cube and its predecessors.
la-sportiva-syborg
As the name suggests, Scarpa Alien RS, also leverages race technology coming for the Scarpa Alien platform, and combines it with lessons learned on the F1 boot as well (image below).
scarpa-f1-ski-boot

La Sportiva Sytron ski mountaineering boot

While the overall look could imply that the Sytron is only slightly improved Syborg boot, actually it is those subtle changes that make the difference – in performance as well as durability.

La Sportiva Sytron men's version on the left, women's on the right.
La Sportiva Sytron men’s version on the left, women’s on the right.
The cuff locking and closing mechanism is similar, using La Sportiva’s unique CavoBike Pro Lever mechanism, but now the back lever flips all the way up, something we have been used to on Pierre Gignoux and Scarpa boots, which protects it in rocky boot-packs.
Feature that arguably improves the Sytron’s dowhill perfomance the most, compared to Syborg’s, is the completely new lower buckle that results in a tighter and much more customized fit around a foot. La Sportiva calls this “Spider Buckle Evo closure system” which combines the buckle with a newly added over-the-foot panel, instead of just a gaiter like on the Syborg.
Front and back view of the Sytron boot.
Front and back view of the Sytron boot.
Then there are a couple of smaller improvements like new gaiters and S4 toe inserts that help guide boots into bindings. These won’t have significant effect on performance but will add to overall skier’s comfort and better experience.
Specs:

  • Weight: 930g (size 27)
  • Forward lean in degrees: 14, 16, 18, 20
  • Last width (front-foot width): 100.4 mm
  • Shell: Grilamid
  • Cuff: Carbon reinforced Grilamid
  • Sole: La Sportiva Grip Guard

The La Sportiva Sytron comes at a very affordable price:

  • for $750 USD at Skimo.co
  • for $750 USD at CrippleCreekBC.com
  • for $880 CAD at SkiUphill.ca

Scarpa Alien RS ski mountaineering boot

We have been hearing from some reliable source that the Scarpa Alien RS has greatly surpassed their expectations as its downhill performance is very comparable to much more heavier descent-oriented boots. The Alien RS has a couple of unique and innovative features that contribute to its qualities along with some already proven functionalities.
scarpa-alien-rs-ski-boot
Carbon reinforced Grilamid – carbon fibers strands infused into Grilamid plastic – has been used for cuff manufacturing for a few years now, but the Alien RS utilizes this material in the lower shell as well, instead of pure Grilamid.
2-propulsion-techThe bottom portion of the cuff is further reinforced with a steel arch which reduces cuff’s expansion (widening) when lots of pressure is applied onto the cuff while skiing. Naturally, this solution improves force transmission to the boots which results in better control over skis. Think of it this way – the boot is a piece of gear where most force is lost and direction of this force is affect by the boot’s deformation.
A simple yet effective solution comes in the form of using a cam lock for tightening and loosening cuff’s closure. Simply loosen the cam and pull on a Dyneema cord to quickly adjust cuff’s tightness.

Yellow Dyneema cable running through the cam lock on the outside of the boot.
Yellow Dyneema cable running through the cam lock on the outside of the boot.
Alien RS uses a BOA closure system, instead of a buckle, for the foot part of the shell (like their racing models Alien 1.0 and Alien 3.0). The idea of enclosing the BOA cables behind waterproof gaiter, and leaving only the BOA wheel outside, finally sees the light of day and replaces those ugly florescent green fabric gaiters Scarpa has been supplying the Alien and Alien 1.0 with for years.
Molding/Punching the shell on Alien RS:
A comment from our reader (see comments section below this article) suggests that “The Scarpa Alien RS comes with a tag that specifically says not to heat mold/punch the shell.”
While most people should fit into a boot with 99 mm last width it really depends on shape of your foot, and sadly many might not fit in at all.
Specs:

  • Weight: 910g (size 27)
  • Forward lean in degrees: 7, 9, 11, 13
  • Last width (front-foot width): 99 mm
  • Shell: Carbon Grilamid LFT
  • Cuff: Carbon Grilamid LFT
  • Sole: Scarpa UFO RS

The Alien RS is about $100 more expensive than the Sytron:

  • for $870 USD at Skimo.co
  • for $870 USD at CrippleCreekBC.com

What’s next?

We are hopping to ski both boots soon so we can provide you with a more skis-on experience.
Overall, all manufacturers are really pushing for lighter and better skiing boots and we have much more to look forward to in the coming years!

Filed Under: Gear, Tech & Food Tagged With: La Sportiva, Scarpa

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Travelling through snowy mountains on skis is like flying… and experiencing life at its core.

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SkinTrack.com, created by Stano Faban, was born out of passion for ski mountaineering and ski touring. Over the years, it has become one of the most popular ski mountaineering blogs in North America.

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