Expert Review: Scarpa Maestrale 110 Ski Boots · 2022
Touring near Whitefish, Montana. All photos courtesy of Oliver Van Everen
About this Review: This review is my honest opinion of the ski boots, which I purchased with my own money in the fall of 2019.
My take
The Scarpa Maestrale boots set the gold standard for alpine touring boots; they are lightweight for the uphill yet crush the downhills. Geared for advanced to expert skiers, they are comfortable and warm—allowing for all day comfort. Whether I’m crushing turns out of ski-resort bounds or out in the Alaskan wilderness, these boots will do what I need.
About the boots I own
- Model: Scarpa Maestrale RS 2.0 Boot
- Size: 27.5
About me
- Height: 5’9”
- Weight: 160lbs
- Street shoe size: 9.5
- Experience: 20 years of skiing
Test conditions
- When I bought these: Fall 2019
- Days tested: 100
- Skis: Black Crow Navis Freebird
- Bindings: Dynafit Rotation 12
- Where I’ve used it: Mainly Whitefish, MT, but I’ve traveled across the West Coast and Canada and spent half of a season on the East Coast
- Terrain: Ice, crud, groomers, powder, essentially every condition
How they perform
What I was looking for
I was looking for a warm, comfortable alpine touring boot that I was happy in on long days in the backcountry. I hoped to find a lightweight boot where I could crush the uphills without compromising stability and performance on the downhill.
Why I chose this gear
This boot came highly recommended to me and checked all of the boxes that I was looking for, ability to alpine tour, range of motion in walk mode, comfort, and weight. I had a few other options that I was interested in, but the Maestrales quickly rose to the top of my list as they seemed to fit all my needs.
General Wear and Tear
What I love about them
- Accuracy of Claimed Fit: I have high arches and have always had a hard time finding boots that fit my feet well. But these boots fit my feet well, exactly as I was told they would.
- Comfort: These are incredibly comfortable boots. I have been happy skiing in them all day, and with the range of motion in walk mode, I often forget I am wearing ski boots.
- Flex: As an AT boot, they are expected to be much softer than a resort boot. Though they are still enough to be able to carve up the groomers comfortably.
- Ease of use: The buckle design on the Maestale’s is unique, especially the instep buckle. It does well in holding my heel in the heel pocket while hiking as well as skiing downhill. The lowest buckle with the cable is slightly complicated and uses multiple anchor points, doing well to distribute power.
- Resort: As an AT boot, it is clearly not designed for resort use; but in my experience it does very well.
- Backcountry: The cuff mobility and friction in the Scarpa Maestrale is excellent; the range of motion allows for great skiing and comfort in the backcountry.
- Walk mode: The ski/walk mode external lever works as it should. In good conditions, it is easy to switch into ski mode. The range of motion in walk mode is great for hiking uphill and great for walking in the parking lot. Though the external ski/walk mode lever often ices up and it becomes difficult to put the boots back into ski mode.
- Grip: The Vibram sole is a welcome addition to this boot. From walking through the parking lot to riding on a snowmobile, they have had a surprising amount of grip.
- Durability: The boot has held up well during my years of experience. I have used them on snowmobiles and the sole is beginning to see wear, but overall it is great.
Issues I’ve encountered
- Weight: They are not the lightest of alpine touring boots. But for a boot that is incredibly capable for downhill, these boots are plenty light.
Backcountry Day with the Scarpas
Favorite moment with this gear
My favorite trip in these boots was a family snowmobile camping trip to the Colorado backcountry in below-zero temperatures. Skiing and snowmobiling all day for a few days in a row, my Maestrales were my only footwear, and I was very happy with the performance and comfortable the entire time.
Value for the money vs. other options
The purchase price of the Scarpa Maestrale RS boots is slightly below the average for a high-quality AT boot. The Maestrale boot lineup has been on the market for quite a long time, and historically their value has held up very well over time. In comparison, a Technica Zero G Tour Pro boot has a higher purchase price, yet is a very similar boot.
Final verdict
The Scarpa Maestrale RS boots are a time-tested boot that Scarpa has been upgraded overtime. The overall performance is very high and is optimized for the backcountry skier who doesn’t want to compromise any performance on the downhill. There are boots that outperform the Maestrales on the downhill or the uphill with lower weight, but I think they are the perfect well-balanced boots for most backcountry skiers.
