Don’t let the two buckles mislead you. Salomon created a top-notch everyday/all day AT boot that is performance driven. It comes with an honest 120-flex pattern, compulsory tech fittings, and a well-balanced uphill/downhill partnership that made this boot one of our favorites of the year. 

It’s built with a Pebax upper cuff, reinforced carbon spine and Grilamid scaffo (lower cuff), and the material relationship is working. It created a smooth driving flex consistency as well as quick edge-to-edge responsiveness when we snapped short swing turns in tight conditions. They were just as powerful when opening up speed on groomers. And skiing a powder field was obviously just a delight. Again, with only two buckles, it was easy and quick to ratchet them down for the descent or open up for the climb. 

Versatility
The Mtn Lab is a little under gunned to be a resort-based freeride boot you charge in bounds everyday. They can do it, it’s not what they were designed for. That said, it does punch above its weight class, especially for a two-buckle boot. From roadside hikes to long, technical and/or consequential pursuits in the alpine, the Mtn Lab is a solid option. Their own thermo-formable tongue liner worked great after just cooking them once. There was a sufficient amount of tongue material that shins felt protected when driving the skis, but the ergonomics were also there for skinning. The 98 mm last makes it a little difficult for wider feet to appreciate the boot. Also, and this is minor, the fore movement of the upper cuff when the boot is in walk mode hits a soft wall in the deepest part of the stride. It’s not bothersome, just noticeable.