Krypton Pro boots

[Liam]

Hey Svend,

Yeah, I'm sold on this boot.   It did require some adjustments (fairly similar to stuff Josh said), You can't 'hang' on the front of the boot and expect it to hold you up, you definitely, at first, find your calve/ ankle/ shin balancing muscles and joints feeling a little more taxed from supporting your throughout a turn, but as they get stronger and your balance improves, this goes away and the boot feels great.  Some thoughts:

1. Is it 'softer' well the flex is rated to a 120 as I have it set up but there is definitely a more dynamic amount of flex than the Dalbello Scorpion 110 a spent some time in, though the foot fit is very similar.  For me the flex is great, and you can easily (as in a 1 minute switch) pop in another stiffer tongue (they make two that are progressively stiffer) if the stock tongue isn't enough.   But I find with all the rear plugs in, and the wrap around intuition liner, the boot is plenty stiff for my skiing. 

2.  The big difference is how it flexes and where:  The pivot is much lower on these boots and so more ankle flex and absorption is possible than in a standard 4 buckle.  It is different--better or worse is up to the user, but it is different-I like it, especially in chunky or challenging snow conditions.

3. Downsides:  Biggest one is more of a nettlesome attribute:  The Middle Buckle is the who key to the design....it is a real **** to lever it down, the cam spring has a lot of resistance and you can't easily close the buckle on the lift or just reaching down, it take real effort to clamp it down at the useful level of tension.  A bit of a bother.

4.  Easy as hell to put on or take of and real easy to remove or insert the liners (I take them out now after every ski day).

I like it--especially for someone who has to hike and work in his boots, they're money.    I could see why a hard core racer type might not want them however, but that ain't me.

[Svend]

Hi Liam,

Sorry for the late reply.  I've been...well...skiin g actually.  In Banff, last week.  Brilliant conditions.  Combined it with some business in Calgary, and added a few days on the slopes with my wife, who flew out when the work was done.  But, sadly, our season is now done.  Time to get the bikes tuned up.

As for the Kryptons, thanks for the great feedback.  It happens that I tried the Fusion in a Calgary shop last week, and found it to be a near perfect fit.  Snug almost everywhere -- forefoot, instep, shin, calf, ankle.  A really good fit all around, except in the heel pocket.  In this area there was a fair bit of room, which could be a deal breaker unless there is a widget that takes up that space.

Otherwise the boot looked and felt really good.  Forward flex was more solid than I expected, and would be better yet with a stiffer tongue.  For a 120 flex, it felt about as stiff as what I would expect it to be -- much more solid than some of the 130 boots that I tried that day (Atomic Tracker, Tecnica Bodacious), but slightly softer than other 130's (Lange RX).  The medial side below the ankle and midfoot seemed especially strong, with a thick wall of plastic there.  Nice, and something which promises good edge control.

Forward flex pattern seemed very even and smooth.  None of the "hitting a wall" feeling like on some 2-piece boots.  This is the characteristic that I really like about the Kryptons -- the flex pattern is so smooth and even.  Only a couple of 2-piece boots that I have tried come close (sp. Head Raptor, Tecnica Inferno, Lange RX).

I didn't really make note of the support or rebound.  The shop guy said that a Booster strap would work well with this boot, so something to keep in mind if you're missing the rebound / return to center that a solid 2-piece gives.  Might be worth an experiment.

Thanks for the feedback.  Glad you're liking your Kryptons.  I could sure see how they would be ideal for a patroller.  So comfortable, no hot spots or weird fit areas. 

Cheers,
Svend