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Review of Pierre Gignoux Black Ski Mountaineering Boots: Light, Comfortable and Performance Driven

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pierre-gignoux-black-review

Quick overview:

  • Usual Retail Price:  €1330 Euro ($1600 USD) + VAT if buying within Europe
  • Weight: 600 grams with liner (size 26)
  • Sizes available: 23-30 with 26.5 and 27.5
  • Pros: Comfortable, Light even with full liner, Snow guard, Price compared to competition
  • Cons: Can’t buy in a store, Long shell length
  • Suitability: skimo racing, light & fast ski touring and mountaineering

Bottom Line:

While you have to wait a couple of weeks to get your pair of PG boots manufactured it’s worth it. The Black boots are only a little bit heavier than Pierre Gignoux’ full-on racing machines yet the fit and comfort make up for a couple of extra grams. Plus, they are the most affordable and one of the most comfortable full carbon boots on the market.

Product description and How we tested it:

After a couple of emails to determine the right size with Pierre Gignoux, I have ordered my pair in late October 2016. Since I made a decision to try to get to my best for one more World Champs I knew I had to get a better fitting boot than my old Scarpa Alien 1.0. I had Gignoux boots before and really liked them so I made a leap in that direction.

During the teams race at 2017 Skimo Worlds.
During the teams race at 2017 Skimo Worlds. Most descents were very technical due to little snow and a long ridge walk with crampons tested everyone’s crampon-boot compatibility – mine worked great.
My pair arrived early January and my fourth time using the boots (along with new Hagan Race skis) was for a 2h race in Colorado. Race is never the best time to test new equipment, nevertheless, I had good feelings about the boots and skis while my body struggled in the high altitude. After a few tough weeks I regained my training schedule and started to ski the Black boots on regular basis.
In my experience, downhill performance of any ski mountaineering (racing) boot will hugely depend on how well the boot fits you. I suspected that the proper full liner and low profile shell of the Blacks should be way better for my low volume feet (but regular width) than the roomy Aliens with a thin sock liner. This turned out to be true but it did take a couple of training sessions to adjust the fit. I also added the green Superfeet insoles that improved the snug fit even more – for this, I got help from Skimo.co guys when I stopped in their store in Salt Lake City.
The snug fit allows me to have good control on the descents. The lower shell is stiff but the fully padded liner cushions my feet so it’s not painful. I find the forward lean very neutral and the back of the cuff provides great support if you end up in the back seat. Leaning forward, you are doing so against a plastic “plate” and not carbon so there is some give or feel of softness but it feels just right.
This is how the inside tightening system looks like. Works well.
This is how the inside tightening system looks like. Works well.
On my third day in Blacks, I had the pleasure to demo a pair of ASKI Verglas skis (176cm, 111-78-92) in Wasatch with the Skimo.co crew. I was equally blown away how the skis performed and how my Pierre Gignoux boots were able to keep up.
Boot sizes are in the left column and shell lengths in the right.
Boot sizes are in the left column and shell lengths in the right.
In terms of overall durability of these boots, in my opinion, are as good as any other full carbon boots on the market right now. As long as you are not hitting too many rocks when boot-packing you will be fine for long time. One thing I would recommend though is to use blue Loctite on the ankle joints and pretty much all other screws as well. Some screws on my boots were getting loose every 10 sessions or so.
Finally, here are my thoughts on the uphill performance of the Pierre Gignoux Black skimo boots. I have a size 29 and they weigh only 740g including the insoles which is quite light for a “race” boot with integrated gaiters (snow guards). Pair this with great ankle articulation and they feel very light when going up. The only “down side” is that due to its design PG boots have a fairly long last (bottom shell length), mine are 297mm long for size 29. This means that the front pin holes are positioned quite in front of your fingers which makes for a different feel when skinning during the first couple of sessions.
Boot weights in grams for different sizes.
Boot weights in grams for different sizes.
Overall, the combo of Pierre Gignoux Black boots and Hagan Race skis, paired with ATK bindings, was turned out to be a well oiled downhill machine while I kept working on improving my own engine to hit the Worlds in a good shape.

Pros:

  • Still light weight despite full liner and integrated gaiter
  • Comfortable
  • Ability to fit many types of feet (thanks to wide front-foot)
  • Gaiters protect very well from snow getting into the boots

What can be improved:

Just like with all new full carbon racing boots, crampon compatibility is somewhat of an issue but CAMP Race 290 and Tour 350 fit the PG Blacks quite well.
While I haven’t had any major issues the durability could be improved and will likely happen over time.

My way of protecting my boots is using black Gorilla tape on the bottom parts of the shell and other high wear places. The scratch you see in the photo was substantial but thanks to the tape the carbon was totally protected.
My way of protecting my boots is using black Gorilla tape on the bottom parts of the shell and other high wear places. The scratch you see in the photo was substantial but thanks to the tape the carbon was totally protected.

Buying Pierre Gignoux Black ski boots

  • €1330 Euro ($1600 USD) directly from Pierre Gignoux (+ VAT if buying within Europe)

Gear Guide To Your First Skimo Racing Setup: Skis, Boots, Bindings, and more

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When it comes to shopping for your first-ever skimo racing setup there is no “fit-for-all” advice as each person’s goals, budget and athletic background are different. Some are new to skimo racing or even ski touring altogether while others have already achieved some athletic success in other endurance sports and want to give skimo a serious try from the start.
With all that in mind, I will do my best to provide the most useful and honest advice for everyone new to skimo, and point them to the right gear that is currently on the market.
Majority of the below mentioned gear can be purchased online or in person from our two favourite skimo specialized stores – Skimo.co in Salt Lake City and Cripple Creek Backcountry in Vail or Carbondale.

Boots

Don’t make the mistake focusing only on weight and price. Fit is very important when it comes to boots as it will determine how well you will be able to control the tiny race skis on descents as well as for how comfortable you will be training in them.

La Sportiva Syborg, Dynafit PDG, Scarpa Alien
La Sportiva Syborg, Dynafit PDG, Scarpa Alien
The most suitable entry level racing boots are the La Sportiva Syborg, Dynafit PDG and Scarpa Alien. All three are similar weight (800-850g/boot in size 27MP) and are priced around $750 USD (700 Euro, $1000 CAD) depending on the deal you find. Therefore, your decision should come down mostly to already mentioned fit and availability.
Only slightly heavier but more suitable for regular touring with bigger skis are the new Dynafit TLT7 Performance and Atomic Backland Carbon Light, both weighing just over 1kg/boot in size 27MP. Both are priced around $900 USD (850 Euro, $1200 CAD).
For those that are ambitious right from the start or can spend more money, you can try jumping straight into the Dynafit DyNA (basically a lighter PDG) or Scarpa Alien 1.0. Then the very top level boots, even more expensive, are the Pierre Gignoux Race 400, Dynafit DNA, La Sportiva Stratos (Cube and Hi-Cube), and Scarpa Alien 3.0.
Pierre Gignoux Race 400 (virtually the same as Dynafit DNA), La Sportiva Stratos Hi-Cube, Scarpa Alien 3.0
Pierre Gignoux Race 400 (Dynafit DNA is vitually the same), La Sportiva Stratos Hi-Cube, Scarpa Alien 3.0

Skis

There are many skimo race skis on the market so I won’t list them all but I will give you a couple of pointers and will mention only those with the best price-to-weight ratio.
The good news is that the “entry level” skimo skis are generally only about 100-150g heavier that the top line yet costing about 20-30% less.
For racing, there is a rule that men’s skis have to be at least 160cm long while women’s can be 10cm shorter. You should be looking for skis weighing less then 900-1000g/ski and not wider than about 68mm (ideally 64-66mm) since all racing skins are manufactured for those widths.
To get you on race skis without paying the top price you should check out Hagan Ascent, Dynafit PDG, Atomic Backland UL 65, Voile WSP, Movement Gold Fish-X, or older models of race skis from these brands that can be still found on sale. You will pay around $600-700 USD ($800-950 CAD, 570-670 Euro)  for all of the above new models.

From the top: Hagan Ascent, Dynafit PDG, Atomic Backland UL 65, Movement Gold Fish-X
From the top: Hagan Ascent, Dynafit PDG, Atomic Backland UL 65, Movement Gold Fish-X
Overall, it’s difficult to recommend specific skis for a specific skier because it depends on your weight, height and style of skiing – aggressive, careful, expert skier, intermediate skier, etc. But in general all of them will ski somewhat similarly – the first couple of times, it will feel like you need to learn to ski again 😉

Bindings

There are three important things when shopping for race bindings (even “entry level”):

  • With few exceptions, all models can be mounted only for one boot size as the heels have no adjust-ability!
  • Don’t mix-and-match toe and heel pieces from two different brands on your race skis. First, it’s race illegal, and second it could pose a safety issue.
  • Buy a model without the auto-lock feature – it’s forbidden by the sport’s rules. This means that when you step into the toe piece it won’t lock itself right into the touring (or locked-out) mode automatically but rather you have to nudge it to that position.

The good news is that all bindings listed will likely last you for many seasons. The only maintenance you will need to perform is changing the heel pins every 2-3 seasons (they are cheap).
Here are the models we recommend: Hagan ZR (optional mounting plates allow heel to move), Plum Race 150, Plum Race 170 (possible to adjust heel for 2-3 different boot sizes!), Dynafit Superlight 2.0, Kreuzspitze SCTT, ATK Race SLR World Cup.

Plum Race 150, Hagan ZR, Dynafit Superlite 2.0
Plum Race 170, Hagan ZR, Dynafit Superlite 2.0
Once shopping, expect to pay around $500-600 USD (470-570 Euro, $650-800 CAD) for the models mentioned above.

Skins

Thankfully, there is not much to contemplate about “entry level” skins. You can just buy any skins that fit your race skis and are preferably made of mohair (or similar fast gliding fiber). The width should be about 3-6mm narrower than the middle of your skis – in general, race skins are pre-cut to 58-62mm and are the same width in their full length.
With that, we recommend buying the skimo race skins: Pomoca Race and Race Pro 2.0 models, Colltext PDG, Dynafit Speedskin, Ski Trab World Cup, Hagan Mohair.
Some race skins can be bought in a roll or as an ready-to-go package with bungee cord tip attachments already in place. The cost for a pair of skins will be around $100-160 USD (90-150 Euro, $130-220 CAD).

Pack

There are many skimo race packs on the market and more-or-less all of them perform quite well but like with boots the fit is important, and that is the crux with almost all packs if you are either smaller or taller than an average male (175-185cm / 5′ 7″ to 6′). The best idea is to try some on first or buy the one that lets you adjust the sizing.
All of last season, we worked with Ultimate Direction to design two race packs that allow for size adjustments and even come in two different sizes – the first skimo packs to ever do this! Both of them borrow some features from their famous running vests that we seamlessly merged with the necessary skimo functionality. Check them out: UD Skimo 8 vest and UD Skimo 18 vest.
For a new skimo racing pack/vest, expect to pay about $100-160 USD (90-150 Euro, $130-220 CAD).

Ultimate Direction vests: Skimo 8 front, Skimo 8 back, Skimo 18 back
Ultimate Direction vests: Skimo 8 front, Skimo 8 back, Skimo 18 back

Helmet

With new regulations coming into effect this season, we recommend buying only helmets that are fully compatible with these new rules – we wrote a whole article about this a couple of weeks ago so there you can find all the right models.
Beyond that, even more than with boots and packs, the fit is very important! And if there is some space for a bandanna/buff to slide inside for those cold days then even better.
skimo-helmets-matchup

Skimo Race Suit & Clothing

novice-skimo-racing-clothingWhile skimo race suits are fine pieces of gear designed for the most efficient skins management and ventilation I don’t think a novice to the sport needs one for their first couple of races. As long as your clothing is well/slim fitting and your jacket has some nice pockets for skins then you will be just fine.
The middle ground between a full-on one piece race suit and just slim fitting touring clothing are some double-piece “suit” options. Perhaps buying just a jacket will give you most of what a one-piece suit can offer.
One-piece skimo racing suits cost around $250-350 USD (240-340 Euro, $340-470 CAD) while the two-piece solutions would come to about the same if you buy both the bottom and the top.

Ski Poles

Just like with the race suit, you don’t need specific skimo race poles for your first couple of events and most of your training. Light ski touring poles will do. In fact, even top racers use pretty much just shorter xc skiing poles as they work quite well.
To figure out the correct length for your ski poles see this article on how to do it – How to choose the right length (and kind) of skimo racing poles for you.
Prices will range from $80 to $180 USD.

Avalanche Gear & Training

Last but not least, let’s take a brief look at the avalanche gear you will need for racing and your training. On top of that, you should also take at least some basic avalanche courses to educate yourself how to use this gear the most effectively as well as to how to avoid avalanches altogether.
Avalanche beacon – choose a 3-antenna beacon from reputable brands like Pieps, Mammut, Backcountry Access, Ortovox. Prices will range from $300 to $500 USD.
Avalanche probe – for racing you only need a 240cm probe but if you are going to buy only one then we recommend 280cm or 320cm length. The extra length is beneficial should you find yourself in a real rescue. Carbon probes are lighter than aluminum but are also more expensive – we leave it up to you to choose. Prices will range from $50 to $150 USD.
Snow shovel – just like with a probe, to meet skimo racing regulations you only need a “kid’s toy” shovel like CAMP Crest but we recommend buying a more robust shovel that is actually usable in a rescue scenario. If you opt for something with a short handle but strong blade of decent size then you will be way more equiped. Prices will range from $50 to $100 USD.

Final thoughts

After reading the whole article it may seem that skimo racing is a super expensive sport but it is possible to be strategic with your spending. You can buy a lot of used gear (don’t do this with avalanche beacon) or using online sales and package deals from specialized shops like Skimo.co or Cripple Creek BC. Also, remember, that lots of this gear will last you for many years and will take you to place no expensive carbon bike can ever do.
If you would like to know more about race gear and even skimo training then check out our Manual For Ski Mountaineering Racing where we discuss specific how-to tricks.

450 grams: New La Sportiva Stratos Hi-Cube Skimo Racing Boots

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“How much lighter can they get? How much longer to 300 grams?” That’s what I keep asking myself every year now since new superbly light skimo boots are born almost as often as I change oil in my car. What do you think? How long will it take?
la-sportiva-stratos-hi-cube-1
Now, a fourth generation of Stratos, the Hi-Cube must be one the best (if not the best) looking skimo racing boots ever produced! I don’t say that because I skied it, I say it because those are my impressions from the very first moment I saw them.
For reference, here is our coverage of the lightest boots evolution:

Many things become quickly apparent when you look at the Hi-Cube above and compare it to the previous three generations below:la-sportiva-stratos-evolution
As you can see, La Sportiva changed their design path somewhat, towards a more “open” boot, as the only way to make the Stratos lighter was to shed material. Also, the new boot comes only with a bikini liner for the foot  while for the cuff they opted to use foam padding that is glued in place. The open shell is something Pierre Gignoux (PG) and Scarpa were doing already, with PG also applying the hybrid liner solution. However, the new Stratos doesn’t look anything like the other boots.

Plenty of new and interesting solutions to observe.
Plenty of new and interesting solutions to observe.
According to La Sportiva, the new Stratos should weigh mere 450 grams per boot in size 27! It’s not clear whether this includes the bikini liner or not, but if yes then it will top the Race 400 from Pierre Gignoux that weighs 500 grams for size 26, thus, becoming the lightest skimo boot in the world. I suspect that Stratos’ weight will slightly increase with the actual production model, however, it shouldn’t be more than 20-40 grams.
Apart from incredibly low weight, the new shell is more tapered and should fit more snugly. Both the shell and cuff are fully carbon and feature reinforcement ribs for better power transmission and prevention against cracking.
Another novelty is a use of vibration “dampeners” that should absorb some of the big impact forces travelling upwards while skiing. These are commonly with carbon skimo boots and cause too much stress on the boots as well as on our joints.
With shedding material and creating a low volume shell, La Sportiva got rid off the heel step/ledge for crampons attachment and replaced it with a small hard plastic insert keeping the boots compatible with a variety of crampons.
La Sportiva's ski position locking mechanism is unique to the brand.
La Sportiva’s ski position locking mechanism is unique to the brand.
For all of us that like to experiment with different forward leans for skiing the Stratos Hi-Cube offers three positions to play with, ranging from 10 to 19 degrees.
As for the cuff ski position locking mechanism, I don’t thing much has changed from the previous version. The horizontal closing system looks updated and should be somewhat lighter but function the same way as before.
The Hi-Cubes should be available for retail in the fall of 2016 and their likely price will be around $2500 USD, which should be cheaper than new Scarpa 3.0 but more than PG Race 400 or Dynafit DNA (the word is Dynafit won’t even bring these to North America going forward).
Without much further information, I believe that ISMF technical commission is already thinking about rewriting a couple of the rules on skimo gear weights this summer. The current minimum weight limit for men is 500g per boot with a dry liner, and 450g for women. Size is not specified which means that a “race legal” boot has different implications depending on the size you wear.

Long-term Review: Dynafit RC-1 Skimo Boots

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2015 Dynafit RC-1
2015 Dynafit RC-1

Quick overview:

  • Usual full price: $2150 USD
  • Weight: 507 g (size 27)
  • Cuff Rotation: 75 degrees
  • Forward Lean: 12/18 deg
  • Material: Carbon Fibre
  • Liner Type: Palu Race 400
  • Pros: lightweight, stiff
  • Cons: fragile, binding compatibility, liner quality
  • Suitability: high level skimo racing

Bottom Line:

The lightest boot on the market, they race well but are somewhat fragile. A big investment with big weight savings!

Photos:

Product description and How we tested it:

Departing from the tradition of developing their own lightweight boots in-house, Dynafit has begin licensing the work of renowned boot maker Pierre Gignoux (PG). The RC-1 is Dynafit’s lightest offering coming in at a svelte 507 grams per boot in size 27 – well below the options offered by competitors such as La Sportiva and Scarpa. The low weight of the all-carbon boot is immediately apparent when you slip it on.
One of the most noticeable features is the liner which only goes as high as to cover the ankle bones. Above, foam padding on the outer shell clamps onto the athlete’s shin, making an upper liner unnecessary. The liner is incredibly lightweight but this comes at a cost to durability. Several wear points exist at the heel and near the cuff pivots. It would be interesting to try the bikini-style liner available from PG or something similar to sock liner (but cut to ankle height) used in the Scarpa Alien 1.0. A tighter fitting sock liner might improve the fit as well as reduce wear.
The boot uses a simple vertical throw lever for locking the cuff into ski mode (similar to the Scarpa Alien lever). This is different from the ‘Ultra-Lock’ lever on previous Dynafit Dy.N.A. and PDG boots but requires less cutting of the skimo race suit bottoms and results in less snow making its way into the boot. The lever is easy to flick down and it accurately snaps into ski position without a need to guide it. Placing of the lever’s lock post (the bottom piece), skimo suit or pants don’t cover it, unlike with the Ultra-Lock system, making for a slightly faster/easier transition.
The foot-locking mechanism is a ratchet strap on the instep and a cord tightened by the throw lever to tighten the upper cuff. The 2016 version of the boot, called DNA now, features ratchet straps on around the upper cuff as well, to provide easier fit fine tuning (though, likely at a small weight penalty). Lower tightening is also accomplished with a quick lace system similar to that seen on many Salomon running shoes.
Early (black and white) versions of the RC-1 were sold with a relatively thin sole. This sole was poorly glued to the boot and was prone to damage. Inline changes (both to black/white and green/pink) brought a new, higher quality sole with better glue. Luckily, PG is friendly with warranty requests and will replace the old sole with a new one.
It is worth noting that no version of the RC-1 uses Dynafit’s proprietary toe tech fittings (which is odd but understandable given an independent manufacturer), but rather a custom fitting designed to be used with the RC-1 bindings (also engineered by Pierre Gignoux). I decided against mounting the RC-1 bindings on my race skis and instead went with the traditional Low-Tech Race. To make a good fit, this required a small amount of surgery to remove a few mm of sole on the bottom of the toe. Stepping into a Low-Tech, the binding snaps and locks but not quite as tight as it does with Dy.N.A. boots. Interestingly, when paired with Plum Race bindings, the binding does shut completely. Despite this being a bit disconcerting, I’ve never had a binding release and I am comfortable skiing them on steep terrain in a race.
The boot fits slightly wider and longer than traditional Dynafit boots. The sole is also perfectly flat and quite hard. I immediately put a custom insole into the liner to get the support my, generally not very picky, feet needed.
I used a variety of crampons with the RC-1. The only compatibility issue was with the front welt. Unlike most plastic boots with a well defined edge on the front welt, the RC-1 welt is very smooth and rounded (and made of carbon). This made any crampon with a toe bail feel less secure. Most commonly, I used the CAMP Race-290 crampons.  Strap-on crampons work fine as expected. While racing the Trofeo Mezzalama last spring, steel crampons were required for sections of exposed ice. I had only a pair of BD Sabretooth Pro crampons (clip-on version) which generally stayed attached despite the minimal welt. While I am suspect of any crampons on race boots, these boots are particularly insecure unless using a strap system – be careful.
My boots have seen about 70 days of use, mostly racing. My main durability issue has been the liner but my lower shell also developed a crack in the carbon that propagated out from the cuff pivot. PG was quick to replace the shell when I stopped in their tent at the Pierra Menta!
It is worthwhile to note that PG makes a slightly heavier version – called Black – that appears to be much more robust for training and mountain adventures (it has a covered tongue rather than being open) but is also plenty light for racing (600 grams).
Overall thoughts: If you want to race on the same boot as the best racers in the world (Laetitia Roux, Anton Palzer, Kilian Jornet, Emelie Forsberg, etc…) these are the right pick. They are the lightest available, ski well, and are fast in transitions. Just take good care of them!

Pros:

  • Lightest on the market.
  • They ski well.
  • I like the rear throw lever.
  • Excellent customer service/warranty service at PG.
  • Moderate crampon fit.

Things to be improved:

  • Fragile (but that comes with the territory).
  • Does not use the Dynafit Quick-Step toe fitting.
  • Warranty issues must go through PG in France.
  • Liner is quick to wear.