SCARPA Unveils Next Generation Of Maestrale, Gea Ski Boots

Earning accolades from testers for Outside, SKI and Backcountry magazines, SCARPA, maker of high-performance footwear for mountain sports, is releasing a completely re-tooled Maestrale and Gea alpine-touring ski boot collection for Fall 2023/24. The new models continue the category leadership of what have become the best-selling AT boots in the world, offering high-performance for both the climb up and the ski down, paired with sustainably sourced plant-based construction. 

In addition — in the lightweight ski-touring category — SCARPA is also releasing the new F1 XT in North America, a boot that provides astoundingly powerful downhill performance given its feathery weight. 

Of the fully redesigned Maestrale RS, Outside and SKI testers called out that they were “impressed by its versatility as a do-it-all AT tool.” As for the F1 XT, the same testers said it “blew our minds with both its blissful walking abilities and its capacity to drive any ski we threw at it.” 

The Maestrale RS and F1 XT — along with the SCARPA Quattro XT, a more freeride-oriented AT boot introduced in Fall 2022 — also earned Backcountry Magazine’s 2023-24 Editors’ Choice Award. 

Backcountry Magazine’s editors said the updated Maestrale RS (women’s version is the Gea RS) is “the ultimate do-everything AT boot.” The called the F1 XT made for “efficient travel without having to sacrifice downhill performance.” The Quattro XT, meanwhile, offers “a perfect blend of downhill performance with overall lighter weight and a solid walk mode.”

Fully redesigned for Fall 2023, the SCARPA Maestrale and women’s Gea alpine-touring boots offer more power for downhill skiing while simultaneously improving fit and features across the board. Long considered best-in-class AT ski boots, the Maestrale and Gea have stayed ahead of the pack thanks to ongoing evolutions to continually optimize their uncompromising performance for both climbing uphill and skiing down. For Fall 2023, new innovations include Carbon Core inserts in the upper cuff of the RS versions, which already offer SCARPA’s innovative Carbon Core construction in the lower shell. Carbon Core construction uses U-shaped carbon inserts co-molded into the shells that surround the lower foot and the upper ankle. This design optimizes torsional stiffness, directing power to the skis while still allowing for the progressive forward flex that’s so important to the movements in skiing. Third-party testing validates that SCARPA’s Carbon Core design results in less sidewall boot deformation than competitors, instead translating that power to the ski edge and facilitating the ability to drive wider skis. The regular Maestrale and Gea now also have a Carbon Core insert in the lower shell, while shedding 60 grams per boot (size 27). Other improvements on the Fall 2023 new models include: 

• More precise fit. Compared to their predecessors, the new Maestrale and Gea are slightly wider in the forefoot at 102mm, slightly narrower in the back part of the boot, and feature reduced volume in the instep. This evolved shape provides a more precise fit for the majority of skiers’ feet. 

• Lower stand height, putting skiers’ feet closer to their skis and to the ground for improved skiing precision. 

• Improved lower boot construction thanks to SCARPA’s Alpine Axial Hybrid construction. This design employs a boot tongue that is fixed on the medial side of the lower boot shell but floats over the other for excellent volume control, providing the power of an alpine boot in a much lighter-weight design. A new floating strap increases closing force over the instep. 

• An extra layer of insulation underfoot for added warmth. 

• First to market with Vibram’s new Traction Lug Technology, which features 25 percent better traction and increased surface area compared to the previous sole. 

• A new Wave Lite closure system on the lower boot shell, which is lighter and more adjustable, and provides better adjustment for a wider range of foot shapes. 

• An integrated, more powerful Booster strap on the stiffer RS models. 

• An updated Heel Retention Strap design that is field-replaceable. 

• A wider, beefier Speed LTM ski/walk mechanism that doesn’t increase weight and has 61 degrees of cuff range (16 degrees forward lean +/- 2 degrees). 

• Updated Intuition thermoformable liners provide the warmest, most durable inner boot option on the market. 

SCARPA also continues to build these market-leading boots using plant-based plastics, helping reduce its carbon footprint. The Maestrale and women’s Gea come in four models: Maestrale RS, 125 flex, 1460 grams (27); Gea RS, 120 flex, 1300 grams (25);  Maestrale, 110 flex, 1380 grams (27); Gea, 100 flex, 1220 grams (25). $949 and $849. 

In the ultralight AT-boot category, the 1145-gram F1 XT offers the ultimate combination of touring efficiency and downhill performance, Ideal for multiple-lap days, long ski traverses or steep couloir skiing. The 95-flex boot uses a Carbon Grilamid LFT cuff paired with a Cam Buckle Power Strap for power transmission. Underneath the buckles, SCARPA’s Overlap Shield Tech gaiter allows easy entry and excellent protection from the elements. On the lower boot, a Grilamid Fiberglass shell features a full-length Lambda Frame for torsional rigidity and power to the skis without excess weight. The buckle on the lower shell engages SCARPA’s Wave Lite Closure system for a secure uniform fit over the entire instep without pressure points. The Speed Light LT ski/walk mechanism is time-tested and provides an exceptional 72 degrees range of motion in walk mode. Inside, the Intuition liner is thermoformable and guarantees a warm, precise, comfortable fit.