ALFA Quest Dynamic / Kikut Perform GTX NNN-BC Ski Boot Review

[bgregoire]

Nice repair Smitty. I have never seen a NNN-BC sole delamination before, congratulations on being the first! I have a few much older 75mm glued soles delam, but I always blamed that on the 15+ year old glue.

How are they holding up? I'm sure they are fine.

How did you treat the leather? Look rad. Did you use LC's technique with Zamberlan?

[Smitty]

How are they holding up? I'm sure they are fine.

How did you treat the leather? Look rad. Did you use LC's technique with Zamberlan?

They are holding up well after the repair, thanks! No additional separation after a few more days of skiing.

I used Obenauf's Heavy Duty LP to treat the leather. It flattened out the nubuck to a dull shine and I love the look. It's a beeswax based treatment, similar to Snoseal. It's what I've used on my hiking and work boots for a while now and I had it on hand, so I gave it a shot on the Alfas. I did pick up a tube of the Zamberlan Hydrobloc last time I was through MEC though - might try it on the next pair of boots.

I have never seen a NNN-BC sole delamination before, congratulations on being the first!

A dubious distinction indeed!





Sent from my BBB100-1 using Tapatalk

[Woodserson]

Nice repair. I just did the same, using Shoe-Goo and a syringe, for my Alpina T20 NNN boots. Same delam where the plastic sole separated from the upper, but in the heel. So far so good. The flexible glue is a good choice. What a bummer.

[Smitty]

Well, it was a bummer that the Perform sole delaminated in the first place. Then I contacted the retailer with pictures and description - still no response at all. I didn't expect much, but I must admit I was disappointed with not even receiving a "that's a shame, but unfortunately we can't do anything for you".

But then I contacted Alfa directly, and they totally redeemed the situation! They were very helpful, and are sending me a replacement pair, shipped at their expense, no questions asked. They did not even require proof of original purchase - just one additional picture of the tongue tag to verify size and track serial number. I will happily buy Alfa again knowing there is product support like that!

[DPO777]

I am a little bummed out. Went for a 15 km tour on Saturday morning. Mostly skiing across our local large lake. Three inches of fresh powder over top of a nicely consolidated, wind-swept base. Great fast cruising conditions for the USGI's. No steeps, no crazy terrain, nothing weird. Just kick and glide. Looked down to open my bindings when I got back to the truck, and the NNN-BC outsole of my Alfa Performs is beginning to pull away from the leather uppers! Only ~200 km on the boots.

These boots feel and look like very high quality, the fit and finish is tight, and they are incredibly comfortable and light. They have broken in great and they are super comfortable to ski in. They are not the most supportive boot in the world, but that was what I expected when I bought them as a more distance touring boot. Up until now I was very happy with them.

I really hope this was a one-off - my early opinion was very high on the Alfas and their fit works well for me. I sent pictures to the store where I ordered them from. Once I hear back from them, I will send on to Alfa as well.

For now, an aesthetically unpleasant repair with some Goop and then we will see how the rest of the seam holds up. Will report back on how things progress.

Boot 1.jpg

Boot 2.jpg

Boot 3.jpg

Boot 4.jpg

IMG_20190111_1635221.jpg

IMG_20190114_1854294.jpg

Oh man that is wild!

Nice recovery though

Quality control issue for sure. I still use a pair of 75 mm Alico leathers and it over 20 years for the boots to come apart at the toe lower non threaded seam.

Its not pretty but that darn Goop holds like a son of a gun. I used shrink rap to hold them while drying near the wood stove. That was a bit of a mistake as I was forever peeling off bits of shrink wrap. Oh well the snow doesn't know the difference

Decent that Alfa came through on replacement rather than leaving you out in the cold wondering. Now you have two pairs. One for all the cruddy days and one go out on the town via the trails.

Goop Repair. Warranty expired

[DPO777]

ALFA Quest Dynamic / Kikut Perform GTX NNN-BC Ski Boots

As some of you know, I buy and sell a lot. I’m a gear head, I can’t help it (I have been working on it a lot lately). I need to try all the cool stuff in the tele world. I buy several pairs of boots and bindings every year, and way too much skis too. But I do not have the time to review everything. In fact, I review only a very few items every year. As some of you know, when I take the time to review something, it’s because it’s really worth it. It’s because the gear is just too good to be ignored. And the ALFA boots are one of these.

I got my hands on a pair of the ALFA Quest Dynamic boots, which for the 2018-2019 season are now called the Kikut Perform GTX. Almost the same boot, different name. I also just got my fifth pair of Alpina Alaska this summer, I am totally sold to them. So as you can imagine, it’s very hard for me not taking the Alaska as my reference boot. I never thought this would happen someday, but I love the ALFA boots even more than the Alpinas, and for several different reasons.

ALFA Quest Advance Kikut Perform GTX.jpg

First of all, comfort. They are just THE most comfortable boots I have ever tried. Ok, I remember saying this about the Alpina Alaska when I first tried them too. I have to admit that the ALFA boots feel even more comfortable than the Alaska. Not sure how I would define the word comfortable, but it’s not related to my feet or the fit of the boot. It’s just the overall feeling, how my feet, body and mind feel with the boots on.

They also fit my feet much better than the Alpinas. The overall width and the toe box is about the same as the Alaskas, maybe a tad narrower. But from the inside, they feel a bit bigger. Probably due to the leather thickness, which is thicker on the Alaska. I think it’s better here to figure the correct size with the original EURO point. I usually wear 10.5 US, but according to Alpina, my Alaska are 8.5 US! And as Ben pointed out earlier, the same seems to apply with Alfa size conversion. Hint: stick to EU!

ALFA ALPINE Boot width.jpg
The tongue on the Alaska always bothered me. It never seemed to fit properly, always moving, or making bumps somewhere, even after years of “training the tongue”. Quite a small annoyance you will say. But after trying ALFA boots… WOW! It’s so damn easy! No matter how you do it or how fast you lace up your boots, the tongue always fits perfectly into place! I know it sounds weird, but I never realized how much the Alaska tongues have been bugging me over the the years until I tried the Alfas. WOW, I love these boots!

Speaking of lacing, I never really got the Alaska lacing pattern. The combination of closed, open and locking eyelets never really worked for me. I always found myself fighting with their lace system, no matter the technique or pattern. Again, not a big annoyance, considering how much I love everything else. BUT... Guys, lacing the ALFAs is a dream! So easy! It takes half the time, and it locks your feet into the boot in a way I never seemed to achieve with the Alaskas. No complex combinations like on the Alaska, just a very simple lacing system like you find on most mountaineering boots. And it works perfectly! At this point, ALFA wins. I am sold already. I feel MUCH better in these boots, tightly laced, with the tongue exactly where it should be every time, securing the feet at it should.

The sole stiffness is not as extreme as the Alaska, which could be called ridiculously stiff. I still consider the ALFA Kikut Perform GTX sole quite a stiff one compared to regular tour-oriented NNN-BC boots. I can squeeze the sole with my hands with some force on the Kikut, while I need a lot of force to squeeze the Alaska. Actually, while I LOVE the Alaska BC sole for downhill, I find it way too stiff for XC skiing. The Kikut sole offers a better flex, while offering the same lateral stiffness as the Alaska. Remember that the stiffer is a sole, the more it can be problematic for heel lift inside the boots. (I have serious heel lift problems inside my Alaska BC, but no problem at all on the Alfa Kikut…)

Alfa Alpina SOLES.jpg
As you can see on the picture above, the sole on both boots look exactly the same. (Alfa on the left, Alpina on the right). Alfa have softer boots than the Kikut, and they have stiffer ones too. The Kikut sits in the middle, as you can see in this chart compiled by Lilcliffy and bgregoire.

According to ALFA, the Kikut is A backcountry ski boot made for moderate to challenging skiing in the mountains and alpine environments. I agree with that. Not too soft for serious and challenging terrain, and not too stiff for longer tours.

THE SCIENCE
The first very scientific test was crushing the toes. For my tests, I had the Alaska in one foot, and the Kikut/Quest Dynamic in the other. Please keep in mind that both boots were brand new, straight out of the box. No break in period for true super-scientific tests.

With a different boot on each foot, I crushed the toes in every direction. Lifted the heels to flex the boots at ball of foot (Crushing the fictitious bellow… ) They are both stiff soles, but there is definitely more serious stiffness on the Alaska. Not a huge difference though. I was expecting a bigger difference after squeezing them by hand.

For the real test, I just put my S-Bounds on the floor, stepped into the bindings and twisted the boots in every direction. I also asked the wife to stand on the skis to really feel the flex of the boots (A very advanced romantic Yoga posture called the Leatha S-Bandha Asana)…

Laterally, the ALFA is just as stiff as the Alaska. It offers the same lateral control and edging power. Exactly what we expect from this kind of boot. Flexing them forward, the ALFA is slightly softer than the Alaska for a smoother feel. They should be much more comfortable for longer tours. Moving them all around and dancing on the skis like it’s 1999 in the Chic-Chocs, the Alfa is quite softer than the Alaska, but here again, there is not a huge difference. The Alfa is very well built, offering a very interesting support for the overall smoothness of the boot. Very, very interesting.

ALFA vs ALPINA boot height.jpg
The Alaska is a bit taller than the Alfa. The last eyelet is about 1cm lower on the Alfa. Not much, but I could feel the difference. I am very curious to try other Alfa boots. I would really to see where the stiffness comes from in their other models, whether it comes from a stiffer sole, a stiffer cuff or both. Maybe it’s time for me to sell more skis and grab more Alfa boots. Unfortunately, most of my skis are overused and totally worthless.

I would really like to see where they stand in the cold, which one is warmer, as this is always a bit problematic for my old feet. Alfa's thermal insulating midsole sounds very cool to me. But that would have to be tested later in the season.

I bought both pairs brand new, thinking I would compare them side by side, keep the pair I like best and sell the other. And honestly, I just cannot decide. Yes, the Alaska is stiffer. But stiffer doesn’t mean better. For reference, I bought my softer Alpina BC-1550 and T5 boots after buying my first pair of Alaska BC. It all depends on what you plan to do. I just want to ski, that’s all. I can’t decide. You should see a pair of brand new boots for sale in the TeleTurnAround section soon. Either a pair of Alaska BC or a very nice pair of Alfa Quest Dynamic.

"A backcountry ski boot made from full grain leather for moderate to challenging skiing in the mountains and alpine environments. Developed with a focus on the highest comfort and the ability to withstand cold temperatures. The boot has a winter lining with GORE-TEX®, a thermal insulating midsole, as well as an anatomical insole. Extra toe reinforcements protect the leather from sharp edges."

ALFA Quest Advance / Kikut Perform GTX Ski Boot:Alfa-Kikut-Ratio.pngCross-Country: 70/100
Downhill: 70/100
Retail: 300$ USD
https://alfaoutdoor.com/shop/ski-boots/ ... form-gtx-m



Similar boots:
Alpina Alaska BC:AlaskaBC-Ratio.pngCross-Country: 40/100
Downhill: 90/100
Retail: 250$ USD

Alpina Alaska 75:Alaska75-Ratio.pngCross-Country: 70/100
Downhill: 80/100
Retail: 250$ USD

Alpina BC-1550:Alaska1550-Ratio.pngCross-Country: 80/100
Downhill: 40/100
Retail: 150$ USD

Thanks for the review on those boots Johnny. I am looking for a pair for my wife to move her up from the 75mm leathers. The fit and flex seems just right for her wide feet and skiing style.

She's a 37 but I always say 38 with her wide feet. Thought I just lucked out today on a clearance pair at $210 CAD but they only had size 40 left. Darn it.

There's time to hunt for almost spring gear deals while hopefully waiting for winter to return some snow...