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Philpug

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We are seeing the advent of a new norm in ski boot and binding integration. Many manufacturers are adopting a sole design that allows skiers to walk more naturally and safely in ski boots. WTR (Walk To Ride) is the name used by Salomon, Atomic, Rossignol, Lange, and Look. Marker and its associated brands call the boot sole GripWalk and the binding feature SoleID. So, what is this new boot design, why is it relevant, and, more importantly, do we need it?

Before this new sole design was introduced, there were two standards in boot lug design: ISO 5355 and ISO 9523. ISO 5355 is the traditional ski boot sole. It might be solid, like on a race boot, or replaceable, but either way it has a solid, smooth area on the front lug allowing for a consistent interface with a binding's antifriction device (AFD). ISO 9523 is rockered and lugged for hiking in an alpine touring (AT) boot. Often it also has inserts for use with a tech binding such as Dynafit or Kingpin. WTR/GripWalk is a hybrid of these two: it has the flat area under the toe for smooth release of the ISO 5355 lug but the rockered sole of the ISO 9523 lug.

WTR/GripWalk is a consumer-driven design. The industry in general and manufacturers in particular conduct a lot of focus groups, and the one recurring theme among skiers is the difficulty of walking in ski boots. Yes, boots are for skiing first and foremost, but with ski area bases expanding and parking lots being moved farther away, it is a growing concern. Manufacturers are taking their AT platform soles and adapting them to an alpine application, which is great for skiers who stand and walk around in ski boots all day, like guides, coaches, and other on-snow professionals.

So, WTR makes it easier to Walk from the parking lot To click into your bindings and Ride your skis. It sounds great, but is it too good to be true? The concern is that the new norm is not compatible with all bindings, and definitely not with older bindings. Each manufacturer has taken its own path to accommodate this new boot standard, and almost all have adapted and modernized a previous toe piece design.

Atomic and Salomon Sth2 13 and 16 bindings were the first to integrate the WTR design. To change from DIN to WTR, you must change the toe height with the screw on the top of the toe and then visually check the toe height with a 0.5mm card between the boot and the AFD. Where the other manufacturers raise and lower the AFD under the boot, the Sth2 raises the toe height, which does change your ramp angle.

Dual WTR is Look's model designation. Adjusting from DIN to WTR is simply a matter of resetting the AFD with a half turn of a screwdriver. The boot position stays the same height, so the ramp angle remains consistent. It is available on the Pivot 12/14, SPX, and NX series. The Dual WTR is the only alpine/WTR setting that offers a clear distinction between the two settings.

Marker coined its system SoleID. A #3 Phillips screwdriver changes it from alpine to GripWalk (WTR) via a worm screw at the front of the toe. Like any other microadjustment, its toe height and clearance must be checked.


The Tyrolia Attack collection offers the FR (FreeRide) toe, which is adjustable manually with a #3 Phillips via a worm screw from the front of the binding. As with others, toe height must be checked for each boot, which according to Tyrolia's website, can be adjusted for all types of alpine boots (Type A only).

Another binding norm called MNC (multinorm certified) is found on the Salomon/Atomic Warden 13, Marker Lord, and Tyrolia Attack 14AT. MNC bindings will all accommodate all three soles: DIN, WTR/GripWalk, and AT. Look does not offer an MNC binding at this point.

Please note: this new design is not backwards-compatible, so a WTR or GripWalk boot very well might not work with your current binding. Think BluRay and DVD: all BluRay players play DVDs but not all DVD players play BluRay discs. You might be able to click into your old binding with a WTR sole, but there is a good chance that it will not release as intended. So if you have a quiver, it is likely that most of the bindings produced before this past season will not be compatible. Can you swap to WTR/SoleID bindings? You can on a flat-mount ski, but if your ski has a system binding, probably not.

If this sounds like the best thing since releasable bindings, you're probably wondering if you can convert your current boots to this new design. Well, it depends. It varies from brand to brand, model to model, and even year to year. For example, the answer is yes for recent Lange boots with replaceable soles, because Lange will be offering WTR soles as a stand-alone option. But make sure to check with your shop for availability and compatibility with each brand and model.
Salomon-Boot-Soles.jpg
image: evo
So how will the consumer know the difference? The concern will grow as more of these boots hit the market. Each of these manufacturers has a YouTube video explaining its system, but it will need to be a constant education process through their own sites, retailers, and media like Pugski.com.

We are not yet sure if WTR will become the industry standard; it could be a few seasons before the design takes off. Some manufacturers are going all in, and others are still waiting for a clear direction. For the sake of the consumer, I do think the industry needs to unify the name: no WTR/SoleID/GripWalk confusion. Whereas touring soles are currently the exception, some say that in 5 years the square-lugged boot will be the exception; others say the specialty boot and the WTR/touring sole are a passing fad. Even among my industry connections, I am getting mixed responses, I have talked to six industry insiders and feel like I received eight answers. I will say, members here such as @SBrown welcome this new design and feel that the pluses outweigh the small cost in day-to-day performance. It will be interesting to see where this new sole takes us.
 

LiquidFeet

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What about people in solid sole race boots? Will they be left behind, needing new boots, if the design takes off?
 
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Philpug

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What about people in solid sole race boots? Will they be left behind, needing new boots, if the design takes off?
Thats a question that has come up. As I quoted one manufacturer, they feel that the solid sole race boot will become the exception down the road, like the tech boot is now. Could this happen? No one knows yet but if it does, it will make a lot of equipment obsolete.
 
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Philpug

Philpug

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I hate this. DIN soles have worked just fine for how long?
@epic, you are not alone. Are they trying to fix something that isn't broken? With the availability of so many boots with some sort of Vibram sole already, while these are better for walking, are we forgetting that they are still ski boots first and foremost?
 

Bill Talbot

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Who the hell does any real walking in their ski boots?(If so, WHY?) They are for SKIING!!!
Alpine touring, etc., is a splinter market. Lets not let them bastardize our Alpine ski boots.
 

SBrown

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On the flip side ... some of us walk a lot in our boots. There is a decent amount of hike-to terrain at pretty much every place I ski, ranging from a 5-min bootpack to a 45-min trip around the backside. For me personally, walking in my traditional boots hurts my knees more than just about anything. Slipping and falling on ice or rock also hurts. I am in the process of swapping out all my bindings to the Dual Pivots, so I can use either of my boots without much ado. I can live with a little less precision on the snow, but precision isn't really my deal anyway :D. I give it two thumbs up.
 

Mendieta

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OMG. Creating your own standars. Anyone remembers the DVD standards fight? Software " standards " dictated by one corporation? I share the furstration. Things like this should come from industry consensus through the proper channels. What's the point of fragmenting an industry where it' s hard enough to make money?

Great info, Phil.
 
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Bill Talbot

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On the flip side ... some of us walk a lot in our boots. There is a decent amount of hike-to terrain at pretty much every place I ski, ranging from a 5-min bootpack to a 45-min trip around the backside. For me personally, walking in my traditional boots hurts my knees more than just about anything. Slipping and falling on ice or rock also hurts. I am in the process of swapping out all my bindings to the Dual Pivots, so I can use either of my boots without much ado. I can live with a little less precision on the snow, but precision isn't really my deal anyway :D. I give it two thumbs up.


But what you are doing IS backcountry skiing and there is gear to suit your needs already in place. We don't have to compromise our Alpine DIN soles across the board for parking lot walkers... :nono:
 

SBrown

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But what you are doing IS backcountry skiing and there is gear to suit your needs already in place. We don't have to compromise our Alpine DIN soles across the board for parking lot walkers... :nono:

Not really, I am talking about in-bounds lift access. I don't want to change my boots and skis every time I want to walk somewhere. I like the option of using either boot depending on what I'm doing that day, too.

I agree that regular DIN soles don't need to go extinct, and I agree that some ... entity ... needs to tighten up the standards. But I'm totally over walking in alpine boots.
 

crgildart

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But what you are doing IS backcountry skiing and there is gear to suit your needs already in place. We don't have to compromise our Alpine DIN soles across the board for parking lot walkers... :nono:

I agree that changing SKI boots for WALKING needs is counter intuitive. However, changing ski boots for easier fitting and better comfort while skiing is something I always entertain.

Regardless, "parking lot walkers" are probably 90% of the top resort and ski gear money spenders. Vendors have been offering "walk mode" boots for a decade plus now and if that wasn't a big demand point we wouldn't be looking at further evolution towards the needs of "parking lot walkers".

Personally, I'm fine with this solution..

yaktrax-skitrax-ski-boot-protection-14.gif


They're rockered and get left hanging on the rail in front of the lodge with my ski lock cable.
 

Eleeski

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I hate walking in boots. I don't really like walking for a really good run - even if it's really good. That might not change if my boots were more comfortable but I might do it a bit more if the boots were better.

I have confidence in the boot engineers. They will be able to make an entirely new and workable boot system - especially if they aren't limited by strict standards. Eventually, standards would be nice but make the product work best - then create the standard.

Eric
 

crgildart

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I have confidence in the boot engineers. They will be able to make an entirely new and workable boot system - especially if they aren't limited by strict standards. Eventually, standards would be nice but make the product work best - then create the standard.

Eric

I suspect that when 95% of all non FIS race skis are 80mm or wider underfoot we will see the boot lug and binding wing standards go wider. Boots will be a lot more comfortable when that happens, when the bottom of the boot is actually as wide as the bottom of your foot. It will also allow the sole of the foot to be closer to the snow for a tighter interface between the leg and ski base/edges. No more booting out because the ski will be wider than the boot still.. Bummer is that you'll need some kind of plate adapter or all new bindings on all our retro gear to ski with wider boot lug. Most if us retro grouches will have plenty of older boots to use though. and they will be available used CHEAP!
 

SBrown

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@epic, you are not alone. Are they trying to fix something that isn't broken? With the availability of so many boots with some sort of Vibram sole already, while these are better for walking, are we forgetting that they are still ski boots first and foremost?

But is this entirely true? Clearly there is at least a desire, if not a need -- and since this is all discretionary spending, aren't desire and need the same thing? Purchases of touring boots and other gear have been growing at double-digit rates the last few years. Sure, it will taper off, but just because many are satisfied doesn't mean everyone is.
 

Bill Talbot

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I hate walking in boots. I don't really like walking for a really good run - even if it's really good. That might not change if my boots were more comfortable but I might do it a bit more if the boots were better.

I have confidence in the boot engineers. They will be able to make an entirely new and workable boot system - especially if they aren't limited by strict standards. Eventually, standards would be nice but make the product work best - then create the standard.

Eric

Tail should not wage the dog. Standards need to be in place. This is exactly what started the current mess in the bike biz. Headset and bottom brackets with manufacturer specific proprietary nonsense. We really don't need this in the ski industry too.
 

graham418

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What about those walking aids you could fit onto your boot soles? A rockered thing that would slip on so you could walk through the parking lot and then do something with when you ski. I understand they never really took off, and there is always the question of how to store them while you're skiing.
Is that something that needs to be revisited or reinvented?
 

SkiNurse

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I bought the Lange RS boots in February. I love them, but when it came to any walking or, say, doing a short hike in Taos, the slipperiness of the soles were scary! I hae cat tracks, but the problem with them is that I have a small foot and have to twist the cat track quite a bit & they have a tendency to pop off with any lengthy trek. I decided to put on Vibram soles on my boots to help with the traction. (That's the brand my boot fitter offers) They have made a huge difference. Less time on the tushie, means more time skiing. :thumb:
 
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Philpug

Philpug

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I bought the Lange RS boots in February. I love them, but when it came to any walking or, say, doing a short hike in Taos, the slipperiness of the soles were scary! I hae cat tracks, but the problem with them is that I have a small foot and have to twist the cat track quite a bit & they have a tendency to pop off with any lengthy trek. I decided to put on Vibram soles on my boots to help with the traction. (That's the brand my boot fitter offers) They have made a huge difference. Less time on the tushie, means more time skiing. :thumb:
Yes and that is a common modification of a race style flat bottom boot. But what you put on your shell is still a DIN compatable sole, the WTR is more of a rocker sole and different dimensions. They put a sole on your boot that looks like the top one of the three in the first image.
 

SkiNurse

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Yes and that is a common modification of a race style flat bottom boot. But what you put on your shell is still a DIN compatable sole, the WTR is more of a rocker sole and different dimensions. They put a sole on your boot that looks like the top one of the three in the first image.
Right!
 

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