Alfa vs Alfa

[randoskier]

@lilcliffy

Thanks Gareth. That info is pretty much scaring me off the Kikut. I watched the review for it on Aventure Nordique (I speak French)- he says the Kikut is more of a light boot for the casual user for days out, and for short tours with little downhill. Same as you said.



This boot sounds too light for Scandinavian touring, at least in the north.

What has been holding me back from the Skarvet or Guard is the heal blister problem that is oft noted on this board. That just sucks on a multi-week tour. Maybe I try a larger Lundhags, some have said that their Guide Expedition has more volume than the Guide which I just sent back. Are Lundhags pretty much ready to ski out of the box? I don't like the height of the Guide expedition, but I don't want to order a larger size Guide just to get more volume, so it is an option.

Decisions decisions.....

[lilcliffy]

Please correct me if I am wrong-
In my experience the Kikut, Skarvet, and Guard/Advance all share the same heel- with the rigid outer plastic heel-cup...

I doubt that the Kikut is easier on a narrow, shapely heel-achilles than the other two boots...

The Lundhags "Expedition" has ooodles more volume than the standard "Guide"-

Personally, I actually get a better fit in the Expedition boot- despite my forefoot swimming in open space- I get a more comfortable lace-up with the higher cuff of the Expedition.

The Expedition also has a thicker liner and is significantly warmer.

I have not found the higher Expedition boot to be restrictive when XC skiing and climbing.

[Theme]

Boots getting wet is a huge issue. Why Lundhags has wool liners is because folks have used this kind of system with leather or rubber boot before, to attempt to dry the liner and keep feet warm over longer periods of time

It is mostly an issue on longer tours, boots do not really get wet from the outside in, but inside out. Over time sweat from your feet gather in the boot, freezing and making your feet cold.

I think drying the liners in field conditions is time and energy consuming and will not achieve dry boots. Sometimes the liner is frozen to the outer so you cannot even remove it.

Hence I use a vapor varrier layer when touring for more than one day. Have used plastic bags and other VBL-socks before, but I found them cumbersome & not durable. Had to make my own, more optimized version. One pair lasted whole 2700km through Norway I skied recently

https://northernlite.eu/collections/win ... ter-hiking

These also work in emergencies, if you get your boot wet in a stream or something. Put the sock in, wear thick and dry socks inside and ski the heck out before the boot completely freezes

[randoskier]

Boots getting wet is a huge issue. Why Lundhags has wool liners is because folks have used this kind of system with leather or rubber boot before, to attempt to dry the liner and keep feet warm over longer periods of time

It is mostly an issue on longer tours, boots do not really get wet from the outside in, but inside out. Over time sweat from your feet gather in the boot, freezing and making your feet cold.

I think drying the liners in field conditions is time and energy consuming and will not achieve dry boots. Sometimes the liner is frozen to the outer so you cannot even remove it.

Hence I use a vapor varrier layer when touring for more than one day. Have used plastic bags and other VBL-socks before, but I found them cumbersome & not durable. Had to make my own, more optimized version. One pair lasted whole 2700km through Norway I skied recently

https://northernlite.eu/collections/win ... ter-hiking

These also work in emergencies, if you get your boot wet in a stream or something. Put the sock in, wear thick and dry socks inside and ski the heck out before the boot completely freezes

I do multi-week touring every year, normally in Northern Norway, Sweden, or Finland. I have no problem with wet boots or wet feet feet, my very thick wool sock with a thinner wool liner absorbs sweat and dries easily above a wood stove in a cabin, or in my sleeping bag in a tent. I would never use a vapor barrier in my boots or sleeping bag. My boots have never reached a point where I would consider such a thing.

[Theme]

These are very personal things and depend on what you do as well. My feet are medium-sweaty, I know folks that sweat hard and others almost none.

Someone skis only springtime, others through the winter. Some folks use cabins, others don't. All moisture you can avoid bringing inside your sleelping bag is generally a good thing, and especially when on longer tours.

I myself don't use VBL inside the sleeping bag, but find them super helpful in boots, otherwise my feet get hella cold. Sleeping bag I am prepared to dry by heating the tent as it is a high volume item that can more efficiently use the heat created

[Capercaillie]

Crispi Nordland BC. It has a stiffer shaft than the Alfa Guard, and is a much better touring boot. 100g lighter per boot than the Guard. Also a better fit if your feet are not super-wide. The leather is not as good as the Guard, but it is a much better boot.

The only thing I use my Guards for anymore is Norpine at the local ski hill.

I'm with Theme on VBLs.

[Theme]

Crispi Nordland BC. It has a stiffer shaft than the Alfa Guard, and is a much better touring boot.

How is the warmth of Nordland compared to Guard?

[Stephen]

@randoskier, I ski the ALFA Guard and like it.
One thing I like is the fairly generous toe box. For me, with a wide forefoot, it was the closest to a good fit I could find.
Another feature is the two sets of locking lacing hooks that allow one to customize the lace tension in three different zones — Toes/BoF, Instep, Ankle. For me, that is: loose, tight, tight.

In the beginning, the boot gave me heel blister problems.
@Tom M recommended 3M Micropore tape.
It looks super flimsy and I doubted it would work or hold up.
This stuff is great — it’s like it becomes a very thin first layer of skin, and my blister problem was solved.
And, it will stay on for days — I would just wait for it to eventually fall off in the shower, after 3 or 4 days.

I don’t know if the ALFA Guards are the best option for you, and it sounds like it would be a leap of faith to go that route and trust the tape to protect your heels.

Others here have mentioned similar tapes available in Europe under a different name.
Might be worth having along, regardless.

[Stephen]

@randoskier, coincidentally, I just receive a pair of Lundhag Abisku Xplore ( I think same as NNN BC Guides).
I have been skiing in ALFA Guards, size 47 and was assured by a knowledgable source that sizing would carry over to the Lundhags (at least he hoped it would!).

As reported by others, these suckers are hard to put on, I don’t know how someone with a high volume foot or high instep manages.
As a first test, I removed the liners to test fit.
Fit on width was firm, fit on length was illuminating, to see how much extra length I have been wearing in footwear, to get the toe room I need.
Anyway, put the liners back into the boot and spent the next minute or two trying to wedge my foot into the boot (read report of one person cutting the gusset to solve the tight entry problem).

My initial impression of the fit somewhat matched yours of being tight in the toes.
After wearing them for a while, and walking around, that tightness completely disappeared.
How long did you give yours for test fit before thinking they were too tight?

I can already feel the extra room in toes 4 and 5 in these boot.
Because of the wool liner, I may have to wear a slightly thinner sock with these.

ALFA Guard on left, Lundhag Abisku on right:

[Capercaillie]

How is the warmth of Nordland compared to Guard?

They are identical as far as I can tell. Both are not too warm for spring skiing, so do not work well in cold temperatures. The coldest I have had the Nordland is at -24°C wearing VBL and medium-thickness wool socks, and it was barely good enough while moving, and definitely did not work when stopped. Guard will have room for thicker insoles and socks for most people.