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Scarpa Freedom SL Women’s Review
October 8, 2013The Good
- Lots of range of motion when in walk mode
- Agile and responsive for the descent
- Grippy Vibram soles that are interchangeable
- Goes all the way down to a size 21.5 for small feet
The Bad
- 120 flex will feel too stiff for a lot of women skiers
- Narrow in the toe box
Female backcountry skiers who are tired of flimsy, soft AT boots will appreciate the stiffness and power that comes with the 120-flex Freedom SL Women’s. If you’re a charger both uphill and down, you’ll go even faster in this boot.
For a touring boot, we were shocked at how stiff this felt—it had a lot of power on the descent. On the uphill, switch it into walk mode and you’ll get a 27-degree range of motion (20 in the front, 7 in the back). The Pebax shell and carbon core construction make the boots feel as lightweight as slippers, and almost as comfortable.
Versatility
This boot was designed for skinning up backcountry climbs—and it’s clearly good at that—but it’s also tough enough to handle the beating you’ll give it inbounds at resorts. It comes with a grippy, tech sole, so buy the alpine sole for an extra fee if you plan on using it in normal alpine bindings.
Liner
The women’s specific Intuition liner is both warm, comfortable, and can be heat-molded for a custom fit.
Drawbacks
They’re not as lightweight as your old three-buckle AT boots, but they’re also way more competent on the way downhill.