Best Crossover Resort/Ski Touring Boots of 2024
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The Safe Bet: The Atomic Hawx Ultra XTD 130 BOA GW does everything really, really well.
For the Adventurous: Dynafit's new Tigard 130 has a unique take on the genre, that really sets it apart.
Historically, there’s been a deep divide between touring, or AT (Alpine Touring) boots, and pure inbounds, or Alpine boots. Sure, brands have tried, for years, to bridge that gap with the holy grail, a boot that skis as well as your favorite alpine boots, but can still walk uphill efficiently, but historically, most of those attempts have fallen short of that goal. Luckily, boot brands have finally cracked the code, and this year’s crop of crossover, or 50/50 boots is better than ever before
Best for folks looking for a truly powerful inbounds boot that can still walk: Atomic Hawx Ultra XTD 130 BOA GW
Best for skiers who want a powerful touring boot that can handle some inbounds skiing: La Sportiva Vanguard
Best for smooth transitions and great efficiency combined with a lot of power: Dynafit Tigard 130
Best for great inbounds performance, with the option to tour: K2 Mindbender 130 BOA
Best for folks who spend a lot of time touring, but ride lifts occasionally: Scarpa 4-Quattro SL
Best for fans of three-piece boots: Roxa R3 130 TI I.R.
So, what makes a crossover boot great, and what sort of skiers should be shopping for one? Well, in recent years, backcountry skiing has surged in popularity. More and more folks are learning that walking uphill to earn their turns is enjoyable, and a great way to experience the mountains. But, purchasing a dedicated setup just to tour on adds an extra layer of expense and complexity. So brands are working to create skis, boots, and bindings that can walk uphill, but still have the comfort, safety, and power that your average skier is looking for,
So the boots in this class are great for anyone who is splitting their time between the resort and the backcountry and only wants to use one setup, or anyone who is thinking that they might want to try backcountry skiing at some point. All of the boots on this list have tech fittings, and a walk mode, which means that they’re compatible with touring bindings. But that doesn’t mean that they’re incompatible with the rest of your gear. It just means that they have a broader use window whether or not you ever take advantage of that.
If you want your new gear to be future proof, you should be shopping for a crossover AT boot. It will perform well inbounds, doing what you’re used to, but, if you ever decide that you want to get into backcountry skiing, you’ll be ready with a boot that’s prepared to go uphill. And if you never get into backcountry skiing, well, you’ll appreciate how much easier the walk mode makes getting around the base area.
Like all choices in skiing, every crossover boot comes with compromises. It’s hard to make lighter boots ski downhill with quite the power and suspension of heavier boots. And it’s hard to make heavier boots go uphill with the efficiency of lighter boots. So, even though some folks call this class of boots “50/50” boots, for the split between inbounds and touring, that ratio is rarely that simple. So it’s a good idea to be honest with yourself about how much time you’ll spend touring on these boots, and how much time you’ll spend skiing inbounds.
We’ve classified each of these boots with our suggested ratios of inbounds to uphill use. Any of these boots can be used for 100% touring, or 100% inbounds skiing, with no issues, but this split represents what they’re best at. So that number is a good place to start, along with determining which boots will work best for your foot.
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Stated Flex: 130
Weight (size 27.5): 1842 g
Our suggested inbounds to touring ratio: 80/20
Best for: Folks looking for a truly powerful inbounds boot that can still walk.
Read Powder’s full review of the Atomic Hawx Ultra XTD 130
Atomic’s Hawx XTD line has been a leader in this crossover category for a long time, but the most recent version received a significant overhaul that positions it as an even more compelling option. In addition to the BOA closure on its lower cuff, the new Hawx Ultra XTD also gets a bunch of other, less obvious updates that make it a more powerful downhill boot than any previous Hawx. The new Hawx truly skis like a 130 flex alpine boot, with all the power, support, and suspension that entails. If you’re mostly planning on skiing inbounds, and might tour a little, this is one of the best options available. And the women’s version is available in smaller sizes than many other boots.
Those changes did make the Hawx heavier, so it won’t be as efficient on big backcountry days. And the Hawx does have one of the narrower, lower volume fits on this list, so talk to a bootfitter if you have wide, or tall feet. But, if you’re looking for the pinnacle of inbounds performance, with the ability to still go uphill, check out the Hawx Ultra XTD 130 BOA.
Stated Flex: 130
Weight (size 26.5): 1468 g
Our suggested inbounds to touring ratio: 40/60
Best for: Folks who want a powerful touring boot that can handle some inbounds skiing.
Read Powder's Full Review of the La Sportiva Vanguard.
If the Hawx Ultra is an inbounds boot that can walk, the Vanguard is a walking boot that can ride lifts. It’s one of the lightest boots on that list, and that’s more evident in inconsistent snow. While it can drive big skis with no problem inbounds, it doesn’t have quite the support and suspension of some of the other boots on this list. So if you’re mostly skiing inbounds, you may want to go with a heavier boot. On the uphill, the Vanguard uses a really unique cuff design that gives a lot of support, while still having a smooth, easy to access range of motion. It’s very efficient uphill, and will work well for a lot of folks as their only touring boot.
It is important to note, that the Vanguard doesn’t use GripWalk soles like the rest of the boots on this list. So you’ll need to use an MN (Multi Norm) binding, like Salomon’s Shift, or the Strive MN. That’s not a huge issue if you’re mostly touring, but if you want to use the Vanguard with a full quiver of inbounds skis you may have to swap some bindings around. But, if you’re looking for a touring boot that can also handle inbounds skiing, the Vanguard is a great option.
Stated Flex: 130
Weight (size 27.5): 1675 g
Our suggested inbounds to touring ratio: 50/50
Best for: Smooth transitions and great efficiency combined with a lot of power.
Read Powder’s full review of the Dynafit Tigard 130
The new Dynafit Tigard is a really interesting boot. Some of the boots on this list, like Atomic’s Hawx XTD are touring versions of inbounds boots, the brand has slimmed them down and added a walk mode. Dynafit is coming from the other end of things, they make excellent touring boots, and the Tigard is their most inbounds-capable boot ever. Luckily, Dynafit knocked it out of the park with the Tigard. Of course this boot walks well, it says “Dynafit” on the side after all, and it also transitions from walk to ski mode more quickly and efficiently than any other boot on this list. But what’s really surprising about the Tigard is how well it skis.
No, it doesn’t have quite the downhill power and suspension of the Hawx, but it’s closer than it has any right to be. This is a boot that can confidently drive big skis in variable snow at high speeds. We wouldn’t hesitate to do a full season of inbounds skiing on the Tigard. And if you want to tour, it’s ready and raring to go. There are few boots that walk the exact center line between touring and lift-accessed skiing as the Tigard.
Stated Flex: 130
Weight (size 26.5): 1941 g
Our suggested inbounds to touring ratio: 80/20
Best for: mostly inbounds skiing, with the option to tour.
Powder’s Full Review Coming Soon
We don’t want to spoil too much of the full review, but we were really impressed by the Mindbender 130 this winter. In some ways, it’s very similar to the Atomic Hawx XTD. It uses the same BOA closure on the forefoot, and has a similar target audience. But the Mindbender leverages that BOA closure to better advantage than the Hawx. While the Hawx is a fairly low volume, narrow fit, the Mindbender is wider, with a higher volume throughout. But, the BOA system allows you to crank it down tighter, if you have smaller feet, than regular buckles do. So the Mindbender Team will work better for a wider range of feet than the Hawx.
Beyond that, the Mindbender is a touch softer in the start of its flex than the Hawx, but ramps up consistently, and has plenty of stability and power. It will work just fine for purely inbounds skiers, but has a surprisingly smooth range of motion and walks just fine. The extra BOA on its liner makes it easy to cinch down the fit to ward off blisters, and the elastic power strap provides a nice rebound. The Mindbender is just a really easy boot to recommend to a lot of skiers, and that universal appeal helps it stand out.
Stated Flex: 120
Weight (size 27): 1409 g
Our suggested inbounds to touring ratio: 30/70
Best for: Folks who spend a lot of time touring, but ride lifts occasionally.
Read Powder's Full Review of the Scarap 4-Quattro SL.
There’s no getting around the fact that Scarpa’s 4-Quattro is the lightest boot on this list, and one of the most uphill-capable. It’s a pleasure to tour in, with a great range of motion and a natural stride. It’s not quite as quick and easy to transition from ski to tour mode as the Dynafit Tigard, but it walks as well, with an even lower weight dragging you down. On the down, it doesn’t have quite the power and suspension of a true alpine boot, and bigger, more aggressive skiers will want to look at the heavier options on this list for inbounds skiing. But, for occasional inbounds laps, or, for smaller folks, the 4-Quattro SL delivers an impressive combo of walkability and downhill performance.
If you mostly tour, and value weight and efficiency, but want to spend time riding lifts as well, in the same boots, the 4-Quattro has your back. It’s happy on long, challenging skin tracks, or spinning hot laps under the chair. It does have a lower volume fit than some of the other options on this list, so make sure it works for your foot.
Stated Flex: 130
Weight (size 27.5): 1590 g
Our suggested inbounds to touring ratio: 60/40
Best for: Fans of three-piece boots
Powder’s Full Review Coming Soon
Roxa’s R3 130 has been around in one form or another for quite a few years now, but it just keeps getting better. Roxa keeps making incremental improvements that bump up its performance, and this latest version is pretty impressive. It foregoes the traditional overlap, four buckle design of most of the other boots on this list, for a three piece design. That gives it a slightly different flex profile that fans of Full Tilt boots will really appreciate. It’s also really easy to get on and off, like most other three piece boots.
On the way up, it’s not the most efficient boot on this list, but it can get the job done. For longer climbs, it’s worth taking out the removable tongue to get a better range of motion, and with the tongue removed the R3 130 is ready for big ascents. On the way down, it feels exactly like an inbounds, three-piece boot. It’s got a nice linear flex, and plenty of support to drive big skis in any conditions. If you’re a three-piece diehard who wants to tour, the R3 130 TI I.R. is a great boot.
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