After taking stock of all the new boots slated for release in 2012 (see the 2012/2013 AT Ski Boot round up). I was anxious to get to the business of trying them all on and finally put my old BD Methods into retirement. I spent the better part of a month trying on boots and finally settled on the Scarpa Maestrale RS.
My decision making criteria for boots:
Fit - If it doesn't fit my foot then no matter how the flex, walk mode or other features go it gets punted.
Stiffness - The boot needs to be progressive and stiff enough to drive a wide ski (105+) in challenging conditions.
Weight - I haul a heavy ski around and I find that it is easy to over power lightweight touring skis and boots in challenging conditions if I can save some weight in the boots it is a major bonus.
Walk Mode - How is the stride does the boot feel like it gets hung up?
Liner - I always run a custom Intiution liner so I am less concerned with cheap liners than some maybe but it is important to consider the quality and comfort if you don't have multiple liners
Fit
The Maestrale RS has a pretty average fit sporting a 101mm forefoot last. The heel is a little narrower so for people with heel lift problems it would be a good option. Scarpa eliminated the bulge in the mid foot which caused problems for individuals with flat feet (me included). One point to note is that I had to downsize one full size to get the proper fit. I have been a 27 in almost every boot since I was 16 but the shell fit told me otherwise. Make sure you get professionally fit if you are unsure.
I did have to get a little creative with the liner molding to accommodative my feet. Though not having to do any shell modifications was a major bonus. An extra big toe cap to give some more wiggle room. Those individuals with high insteps will need to evaluate this boot carefully as even with my flat feet there was some initial pressure on the top of my foot (fixed of course by cranking down the buckle during the heat molding).
Stiffness
This boot is stiff. The moment you lean forward on them you can tell that there is some great support. They are easily as stiff or stiffer than my Black Diamond Methods (now known as Factor 110). This was one of the major reasons why I never purchased the original Maestrale it lacked the stiffness I was looking for. After demo-ing them a few years ago I kept blowing off the buckets on the descent and only when I cranked the buckles to the point of pain and numbness did they perform ok.
Weight
Clocking in at 1550 grams with my intuition pro tour liners well the weight issue is pretty much moot. That is a light boot.
Walk Mode
60 degrees of movement it feels like there isn't any restriction in stride and walking feels like a dream. No more shin bang!
Forward lean
Rear lean
Liner
The liner at first glance looks to be a beefed up Luxury liner from intuition. The foam appears to be significantly thicker than my current pro tour liner. The stock liners will remain backups until the protour liners are worn out. But from a stock liner perspective there is significant value in getting a stock Intuition liner which alone would cost well over $200. Notice on the side by side picture that the stock liner has a much flatter tongue attachment which should help with keeping pressure points to a minimum.
Nice sewn Flex zone
Stock on left / Pro tour on right
The buckles seem to be a little oversized and could have been downsized for a more streamlined look likely without a sacrifice to stiffness. Also the swing away tongue is a little cumbersome to open up but on the upside allows you to get the liner and foot in and out with great ease. It seems that the fully replaceable hardware of the Maestrale has been replaced with rivets. The instep buckle looks to be a great tool to keep your heel pushed into the pocket but likely doesn't add anything else to the performance of the boot.
Nice and open but the buckles make it a bit cumbersome to move the tongue
With a purchase price of $690 + tax CDN. The boot isn't cheap but it is far less than the Dynafit Mercury its direct competitor. It has never been about the monetary outlay but fit and if the boot meets my needs then it was the right one regardless of price. The Maestrale Rs is positioned to continue Scarpa's momentum as one of the best AT boot makers around. Now to get them out on the snow!
