Skis and Gear Discussion > Gear Garage
Krypton Pro boots
Svend:
I'm looking for some feedback from anyone familiar with the Dalbello Krypton Pro boots. I've been interested in these for some time, since I tried on a pair a couple of years ago and found them to be an exceedingly good fit, and had a very smooth progressive flex pattern. Didn't end up buying them, but have had them in the back of my mind ever since.
As of the end of this season, I'm finding my own boots (Tecnica Inferno 110) a bit on the soft side, and somewhat lacking in edge grip. They are a very good fit for me right out of the box, but they do come up short in performance at times. Side note: I will try to up their performance with some Booster straps, which I will try in Banff in a couple of weeks, but in the end, I think I might need like some new boots.
The 3-piece boot design seems to be gaining some traction, with Nordica's introduction of the Firearrow line, and Dalbello's expansion of their own model lines. The Kryptons certainly have their devotees, if some of the reviews on Epic are to be believed. And their advantages seem to be numerous wrt. easy adjustment of flex, alignment and fit.
So...has anyone here have experience with these? Skis, or has skied in them?
In particular, I am concerned about two things: rebound and power to the edge. For rebound, I have read that the 3-piece boots do not have the same ability to help the skier return to neutral, as does a good overlap boot. Is this true?
And regarding edge grip, I want my next boots to have better edge grip than my Tecnicas. When I switched from a Lange Comp Pro to the Inferno, I lost a significant amount of edge grip, just by switching boots. And I want it back, darn it!
Any other pros and cons of these boots that you know of, let's hear it....
Thanks!
LivingProof:
Svend,
My boot review experience is very limited as I've been in traditional 4 buckle Nordica Speedmachine 130 for 4 full seasons. In Tahoe, I tried on several 130 4 buckle designs to determine if I could downsize, but, all were very painful at the toe area.
Going back several seasons, Dalbello had many advocates in the Epic forums, but, the majority seemed to be western soft snow skiers. In this forum, Bushwacker continues to ski Dalbello ( I believe, in part, because he has very wide foot ). High Angles skis on both Dalbello and a 4 buckle Head, so, I hope he will comment. The Epic reviews of the new 3 buckle Nordica Firearrow are mixed. Harb is not a fan of either Dalbello or Technica, and he sure knows boots. Harbs thinking is that stiff boots keep you centered better as pushing boots forward is wasted energy.
I detect a growing movement from Dalbello back to 4 buckle, Philpug and Ron made the transition after years of major Dalbello love. Both don't look back.
At your size and growing skill level, I say go for a 130 4 buckle design. You need to go through the process of trying each for fit. I would be surprised if most who post here would disagree with the 130 4 buckle design recommendation. I would wait a year and see if Fisher gets their fitting/liner issues resolved on the new 130 shrink wrap boots.
I don't think Booster straps will aide you existing boots, I have a pair not in use, so, if you want them, let me know.
HighAngles:
If the shell fits and it's the right flex then it's a good boot for you. However, I find that most people are led astray by the boot liner. Ignore the liner and find the shell that best matches your foot. Try lots and lots of shells. I think I tried everything available until I found that the Head Raptor shell matches my foot best. Get your foot into the smallest shell possible. I believe that skiers looking for a performance fit should strive for the least amount of liner between their foot and the shell. That's what leads to a truly responsive boot fit. If you have a very good fit then you will have good circulation which means you will have warm feet.
I skied in the original Dalbello Krypton for one season when it was first introduced. I found that the shell didn't match my foot well enough and went back to skiing in Flexon/Full Tilt shells. I had tried a number of times to go to a traditional 2-piece 4-buckle boot, but those attempts were not accompanied by an exhaustive search like I went through last season. Now that I've spent a lot of time skiing in the Head Raptor 130RS and B3 RD I can't imagine ever being able to get the same performance out of the currently available 3-piece boots. But that's just me - YMMV. I do miss the easy on/off of a 3-piece though (but lots of silicone spray definitely helps with the Raptors :D).
Note that next season Dalbello will have the new KR2, the second generation of the Krypton shell. The new shell owes a lot to the Scorpion line of racing-inspired boots and has a much more anatomical fit. I tried on the 26, but I'm really a 25 shell and those won't come out of manufacturing until next Fall. Nonetheless, I think that the KR2 is significantly improved and well worth waiting for if you're seriously considering the Krypton.
Svend:
Mike -- any particular reason why Harb doesn't like Tecnica? Not that I hang on his every word (or any of his words, for that matter, not being one of his disciples), but I'm interested to know. FYI, the Krypton Pro is a narrow-lasted boot (98mm) with a stiff flex which is adjustable up to 140 using replaceable tongues and spine widgets. I don't think it will be too soft fore-aft :D and will be a substantial bump up the stiffness scale from my Inferno 110's.
I should point out, however, with flex indices varying so much between brands, the 110 on my Tecnicas feels about the same as the 120 did on my Langes. Just laterally not as powerful as the Langes.
That said, I am definitely ready for a 130. I found that with my present boots, driving a stout ski like my Mythics through crud and heavy snow was not as "assertive" as I would have liked.
H-A: thanks for your insight. I take it that you have nothing against the Krypton, in general? Any reason why the performance isn't up to a good 2-piece shell? This is really the crux of my question, so curious to know more.
And no worries, I'm savvy to the shell fit being paramount. When testing boots, my first try is always with the liner out. Although I must admit that I've been paying attention only to the lower shell around forefoot and instep. I should probably learn what to look for in a good shell fit at heel and upper cuff as well.
BTW, the Krypton I tried a few years ago was different from today's design. The new shell has been altered a bit in the forefoot, making it roomier there, but retaining the narrow fit elsewhere. I haven't tried this latest version on for size. But what you said about the next year's changes have me interested. I will try to find more on this and see if it's worth the wait.
As an aside, I had an interesting conversation with a boot guy in a local shop here re. the differences between Tecnica and Lange wrt. edge grip. His response was that the shell shape (rounded vs. flat where foot meets shell), the solid build of the lower shell to the inside of the foot, and the positioning of the foot laterally over the inside edge of the ski, were some of the reasons that Langes have such excellent edge power.
My Tecnicas are actually an excellent fit. I'm normally a 27.5, but these are a 26.5. They feel like surgical gloves, completely enveloping my feet with even pressure. Especially snug heel, instep, and cuff hold. No hot spots, no grinding needed, and warm too (= good circulation). Just a bit of fore-aft and cuff alignment was all they needed. I can ski in them all day without aches or pains. They are so close in fit, in fact, that if I wear a medium-thickness ski sock instead of my usual thin ones, my feet hurt after 30 minutes. I don't think I could ask for a better shell fit from a 2-piece boot. If I was confident that a 130 flex version of the same shell would give me better edge power, I wouldn't hesitate to buy a pair on the spot.
bushwacka:
--- Quote from: LivingProof on April 10, 2012, 08:13:09 am ---Svend,
My boot review experience is very limited as I've been in traditional 4 buckle Nordica Speedmachine 130 for 4 full seasons. In Tahoe, I tried on several 130 4 buckle designs to determine if I could downsize, but, all were very painful at the toe area.
Going back several seasons, Dalbello had many advocates in the Epic forums, but, the majority seemed to be western soft snow skiers. In this forum, Bushwacker continues to ski Dalbello ( I believe, in part, because he has very wide foot ). High Angles skis on both Dalbello and a 4 buckle Head, so, I hope he will comment. The Epic reviews of the new 3 buckle Nordica Firearrow are mixed. Harb is not a fan of either Dalbello or Technica, and he sure knows boots. Harbs thinking is that stiff boots keep you centered better as pushing boots forward is wasted energy.
I detect a growing movement from Dalbello back to 4 buckle, Philpug and Ron made the transition after years of major Dalbello love. Both don't look back.
At your size and growing skill level, I say go for a 130 4 buckle design. You need to go through the process of trying each for fit. I would be surprised if most who post here would disagree with the 130 4 buckle design recommendation. I would wait a year and see if Fisher gets their fitting/liner issues resolved on the new 130 shrink wrap boots.
I don't think Booster straps will aide you existing boots, I have a pair not in use, so, if you want them, let me know.
--- End quote ---
krypton are a 98 mm shell that I have punched out to fit my foot which as you said is very wide.
I continue to use them because they are superior for skiing how I do, where I like to. there is not a single four buckle boot out there that lets you ankles flex move as freely as this boot at this is important for how I ski. Mot people will hate them when they make the switch. If your use to a boot holding you up these even at their stiffest 140 flex setting are going to feel like hell because most people do not have strong enough lower legs to actually support themselves. Even at 140 the flex since it has no stop point will feel soft to people use to plug boots or other 4 buckle boots.
Pros - The other great reason for this boot is the heel hold is accomplished though a buckle and not though a shell fit. for my wide foot it is impossible to find a boot that wide enough for the foot but low enough in the instep to hold my heel from moving. IN kryptons my heel does not move.
- easy to get on and off. No hair dryer needed.
- intution liners are stock. They keep my foot warm and fit better than anything else.
- lighter than most other alpine boots
- lateral they are pretty stiff
- because of 3 piece design with the buckle undone it is VERY easy to hike and skin in.
-extremely adjustable at home with cuff alignment, flex adjustment, and forward lean. Also has hard and soft boot bed. flex is really adjustable from 80-160. I run mine stiffer than any stock configuration for GS and SL gates and about 130 for the 2 super G races I did this year.
Cons
- will not give you power transmission of a plug boot, but I would argue for someone like myself who is nearly 100 percent off trail skier that power transmission is a performance inhibitor.
- for people with weak lower legs or balance skills this boot will suck untill they get use to it.
- the cuff flex travels inwards making it not as responsive to tipping as boots that harb likes, this is a IMO a valid concern but fixable. I moved the inside cuff hinge point on my forward and the outsides ones back letting my knees track outward instead of inward. Gave me alot better edge grip on harder snow.
I will never switch to a 4 buckle race boot till someone can hang with me for one day skiing one. I usually see alot of ugly skiing from people skiing 4 buckle boots which are optimized for groomers and not for off trail. The reason why so many people hate cabrio boots is because they are different and you are not going to like them in one day.
As for the nordica the volume is way to high for my foot but if you have a high volume foot its a decent boot if not as adjustable as the krypton. Lateral it is the stiffest boot I have ever skied on.
Tecnica suck except their plug boot. I used their 130 narrow lasted boot this year and the flex was fracked up on it. IT felt like it was 170 flex until you really pushed into it and then it basically folded in half. hard to maintain fore and aft balance when its opposite of what my kryptons are.
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