Another excelllent Alpina ski boot
Pros: Great fit, comfortable, very good value
Cons: Aluminum Buckles bend easily, boots are a little heavy
Been skiing different renditions of Alpina race boots for over 15 years now and they never disappoint! I get these out at Strands in Worcester MA, (Leif is a great boot fitter). I typically ski 35-50 days a year and Alpinas' usually last me a good 4 seasons before I need to upgrade them. The One 12 is a bit of a roomier shell than the last Alpina race boot I had but because they have foam injected liners and custom footbeds that come with the boot as standard accessories, the fit is always perfect. These boots have a 130 flex so they really make a better all mountain boot than a hardcore race boot. I don't race, but I do run gates on occasion and these boots are fine. Great feel from boot to ski to snow, Power and movement is transmitted nicely to the ski. The liners stay very true to fit over the season and after 3 seasons on these they have yet to pack out or break down. This is a great boot for someone with a narrow foot and good arch. I have tried on Langes, Nordicas and Head race boots and the Alpina is very comparable in fit & flex. At under $500.00 with foam liners and footbeds, this is the best kept secret in ski boots going. The new version looks to be the same boot with a new red color and improved liner. The only negative is that the buckles are soft and have bent on a few falls. They bend back easily but it is more of a pain than anything else. I have yet to find a better boot for the money! This is my 4th pair of Alpina "race" boots and every version has been excellent!
