K2 Ski Boots Review

'Whoa, whoa, whoa.'  That was pretty much everyones reaction in the ski world when they found out K2 was doing ski boots for the 13/14 season.  Starting a boot brand is no easy thing to do in 2013.  Fortunately for K2 they weren't building a brand from scratch, they already have the K2 name that is one of the most trusted names in snow sports.  Now that doesn't mean that K2 can come out with a crap ski boot and ride the K2 ski wave they created from bulding awesome skis and people will just buy their new boots.  Skiers grow emotionally attached to the boots that have served them well and are loyal to the brands that didn't let them down.  

K2 is no stranger to footwear, they have been producing inline skates and snowboarding boots for sometime, not to mention Full Tilt Ski Boots and Zoot running shoes are apart of the K2 family.  With the years they have underneath their belt producing different items that go on our feet for various activities you better believe they have an outstanding understanding of feet and how they work.  With all of the knowledge of foot widths and shapes from years of building footwear and computer aided design they were able to produce a ski boot relatively quickly, and by that I mean it only took K2 three years to come up with the Pinnacle and Spyne boots you now see on the boot wall.

The shells are made (injected) in Montebelluna, Italy where ski boots have been made for decades.  After the shells have been molded in Italy, they are sent to Hungary for assembly and to meet the intuition liners that were specifically designed for them. Once the shells are assembled, buckles are attached and all that jazz, the Intuition liners are put in the shells and heated to have a perfect fit with the shell.  Intuition liners that are designed specifically for a boot provide better energy transfer and response than non-intuition liners; because the ENTIRE liner has contact with the interior of the shell.  Don't forget Intution liners are also molded to your feet for better fit and performance.

Performance is really what sets the new K2 boots apart from everything else that you have seen and/or used.  K2 set out to make a true high performance all-mountain ski boot.  This is the first all-mountain ski boot that is NOT based off of a race boot.  When plastic ski boots were first made they were initially made for ski racers and what they needed at the time which was something stiff for their straight skis, forward flex was all that was really thought about.  Now with shaped skis it's not just about forward flex, the boots have to be responsive laterally, we're not just bending our knees forward anymore we're leaning side to side to make our skis turn.  

This is where K2's carbon fiber Spyne technology comes into play. K2 doesn't use rivots to connect the lower shell and upper cuff of their boots they use a male/female interlock that makes the boots more responsive laterally.  The carbon fiber Spyne also gives the boot more energy and rebound when you need it, if you're skiing hard the boot moves with you instantly, not lagging behind.  This also helps eliminate shin bang for those skiers wondering... even in the hike mode boots.

The new K2 boots, Pinnacle 130 and 110, have a pretty amazing hike mode, and yes I mean hike mode not walk mode.  A lot of ski boots with 'Hike modes' are great for getting across a parking lot or navigating a crowded bar but when it comes to actually hiking they are lacking.  The difference with K2's hike mode is it doesn't just allow the upper cuff to move backwards which is great for walking on flat terrain, it allows the boot to flex further forward which is crucial when you are hiking up something.  I'm not saying they hike as well as a Scarpa boot, but a Scarpa boot doesn't have the downhill alpine performance that the K2 Pinnacle boots have.  Because of the interlock Spyne that K2 came up with for all of their boots, the hike boots, Pinnacle 130 and 110, flex forward just like their fixed (non-hike mode) siblings the Spyne 130 and 110.  Most of the time when you add a hike or walk mode the boots get softer, not with the new K2's.  

If you are a follower of our blog, you know that we only blog about stuff we like and that will make skiing better or more fun.  Skis have changed a lot over the years much of the change has been pioneered by K2 with rocker and shape profiles especially.  People want responsive skis and having a responsive boot that doesn't weigh a ton and fits was lacking.  K2 stepped up and 3 years later produced a true all-mountain lightweight boot that fits, has an amazing hike mode without sacrificing downhill performance. These things are just plain awesome, you need to try on a pair, mold them up and have the best season you've ever had.