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Salomon S/Pro Alpha 120 Ski Boot 2022 – 2023 | Review

Salomon retire their S/Max range in favour of this highly-customisable alpine boot

Why we chose the Salomon S/Pro Alpha 120: Customisable, powerful, precise 

Flex: 120
Last: 98 mm
Binding Compatibility: GripWalk
Weight (per boot): 1,824g
Price: £430

MORE INFO

The S/Pro and S/Max range from Salomon have long been a mainstay in the French companies’ range of downhill ski boots. Both of them offered some of the best performance characteristics we’ve felt in a boot but the main difference was in the general fit of each: the S/Max represented the narrow last, while S/Pro were the roomier option.

For the 22/23 winter season, Salomon has looked to consolidate these two boot ranges into a clearer single boot range. Now the S/Max becomes the S/Pro Alpha, while the old S/Pro lineup keeps its name and shape.

“Salomon has shaped the new shell to match a wider range of foot shapes and volumes”

This new S/Max Alpha keeps some of the performance-focused shape of the S/Max range, but Salomon has brought in a few key updates meaning this boot is able to cater to a wider range of skiers. Let’s take a look at these updates.

Build And Fit

Salomon has shaped the new shell to match a wider range of foot shapes and volumes. Firstly, Salomon has designed a thinner plastic. They’ve done some strategic positioning on the second lower buckle, over the instep, to remove any potentially painful pressure crushing down on your instep and arch. This buckle can also be moved between three different positions, to match the kind of fit you’re looking for, depending on the performance and comfort levels you’re after.

This adjustment in plastics also makes it slightly easier to get into the boot. We’ve seen these methods used quite a bit with touring boots to great success, so can totally get behind Salomon using this approach here. 

Next up is the easily-personalised fit which, you guessed it, can be adapted to match the unique contours of your feet. This includes the standard stuff like Salomon’s CustomFit 4D liners (which includes the mouldable Talyn material that helps to deliver a fantastic hug around your foot).

This customisation continues with Salomon’s Custom Shell HD, an aspect of the boot which essentially does the same as what goes on within the liner. By heating the shell of the boot for 10 minutes (drop your boots into a Salomon certified bootfitter to do this), the lower conforms to the shape of your foot, allowing for less pressure, more comfort and, most importantly for performance, a tighter fit.

So with all that customisable tech going into the boots, skiers can push the initial 98 mm last up to 104 mm, giving wider footed skiers the option of sizing up their boots to get the best performance-focused fit possible. While we’re not claiming boot customisation is a new thing to the market (far from it), it’s pretty impressive to see Salomon pack in this sheer level of customisation into a single boot.

All of this is moulded from a PU plastic that gives the same level of power and progressive flex that the initial S/Max boot range became so well-known for. In this case, the S/Pro Alpha offers a 120 flex rating that would be suitable for heavy intermediates to lightweight expert skiers. Thanks to the large amount of customisation on offer, the S/Pro Alpha 120 will also fit an impressive amount of foot shapes and volumes.

What Is The Salomon S/Pro Alpha 120 Good At?

Customisation: 10/10
Power: 8/10
Comfort: 8/10

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