Tecnica Zero G Guide Pro Boot

It’s not surprising that the Zero G Guide Pro charges. With the overlap construction (two cylinders, upper and lower, that wrap around your leg and foot), four-buckle design, and beefy shape, it looks like a resort-crossover boot. But it is surprising that it tours almost as well as it drives big skis down 45-degree chutes. “Pick it up and you’ll understand why,” our tester says. More than a pound (and in some cases even a few pounds) lighter than typical sidecountry ski boots, the Zero G Pro Guide is the lightest boot in its competitive set. Tecnica shed the weight everywhere: The shell (made of Triax 3.0) is 30 percent thinner than traditional PU. They milled it where you don’t need support, then threw on super-thin aluminum buckles.

But a light boot doesn’t matter at all if it can’t articulate naturally when you’re skinning, which is why Tecnica cut out a slice on the spine so your ankle has more space to move: The Zero G Guide sports 44 degrees of ankle articulation, some 20 more than most crossover boots. (It’s still 20 or so less than a standard AT boot, so not the best boot for extra-long tours.) All said: a super-light AT boot that can charge. We were most appreciative when hunting bigger backcountry lines that required burly boots: “My 8-pounders with a questionable 27 degrees in walk mode? Or these featherlights?” a tester quips. They were designed for the backcountry, but if your resort skis have tech bindings, we think you found your one-boot quiver. Sizes 22.5-30.5