I’m not long back from a trip to Verbier. I took my new Atomic Access with Marker Barons and my down hill boots (Salamon Impact 10s). I loved the skis and the bindings and after a bit adjustment of skins was able to get places away from the piste in search of soft if not new snow.

When the skis had to come off to negoiate a short rocky step or snowy ridge I really, really missed my Scarpa Spirits that I’d left at home. The lack of rearward lean that took some getting used to while skinning felt postively debilitating when walking, even when I used crampons for extra security. Of couse I know my batterd old Scarpas wouldn’t be as good on the descent.

I know its been discussed endlessly but as boot designers get smarter it just won’t go away. I look at something like the Black Diamond Prime; as stiff as my downhill boot but lighter than my Spirits, am I missing something or are we rapidly approaching the nirvana of boots that can tour but are as stiff as their downhill cousins?

i hear some of the more hardcore scarpas are well received for bits of climbing and good descents

I ski with the Garmont Axon and think they work both ways

would stronglty suggest you look at the Black Diamond Factors - a good touring boot which can ski down anything. Given that it is a four buckle rather than three buckle boot, it is a little bit heavier than a pure touring boot - but still provides a very versatile option