Garmont Cosmos (2012-13) Review

October 18, 2012
Garmont Cosmos (2012-13)
GEAR INSTITUTE RATINGS
83
Fit/Comfort
9
Weight
7
Downhill Power
5
Walkability
8
Versatility
7
Value
7

The Good

  • One of the lightest four-buckle boots on the market
  • Comfy from the get-go—without even cooking liner
  • Buckles are well designed—very easy to negotiate
  • Rockered sole enhances walkability

The Bad

  • Very soft for a four-buckle boot
  • Forward lean could be more aggressive
THE VERDICT

The Garmont Cosmos is a very comfortable alpine touring boot, with welcoming fit and a forgiving on-snow feel being its primary virtues. It’s light and agile, ideal for longer backcountry days and more technical ski mountaineering objectives, though the power for this four-buckle boot leaves room for improvement.

FULL REVIEW

Top comfort
Of all the boots I wore during our four-day boot test, the Cosmos were one of the most comfortable boots from the moment I put them on until the time I took them off. I’m not normally a huge fan of Palau liners but these worked really well.

Smart buckles
The buckle placement and ease of use were second-to-none. The two forefoot buckles were spring loaded, and recoiled away as if held by a second set of hands, making the process of getting into the boots quite civilized.

Softer than claimed
On my first run, I took one of my favorite skis (Faction 3.Zero: 112m underfoot) and found out quickly that the purported 125 flex index wasn’t accurate. Skiing through the broken powder, I surged forward each time I slammed into a fresh stash of untracked snow. Driving skis wasn’t a real option. Instead, I had to learn how to balance the ski cautiously, and I was felt like I was in check, expecting to fall into my ski tips.

After a few more runs, I found the sweet spot, as much from necessity than by virtue of the boot. Laterally, the Cosmos had a quick responsiveness, and I thought the upper cuff, when locked in ski mode, kept me from falling into the back seat. It’s worth mentioning my feet were warm and relaxed for the duration of my time in them.

Touring
The Cosmos were very nimble and skinning and hiking was blissful. The rockered lug sole was sensitive and the fore/aft range of the Cosmos was plenty for all day trips and long slogs.

 


Subscribe
Notify of
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
USER REVIEWS

No reviews have been posted for this product.

Related posts
0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
()
x