The 4-QUATTRO SL offers excellent gliding performance, with "good ankle grip and no loss of power when making maximum turns." | SCARPA

These boots are said to have a unique strength among alpine touring boots. We will unravel the secret behind this strength based on the impressions of Yusuke Fukasawa, who has been using these boots for a long time

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A pair of boots that offers the gliding sensation of alpine boots

Many skiers want to be able to make sharp turns on steep mountain slopes with the same feeling as they would with alpine boots. This desire has led to a certain number of people climbing mountains wearing boots without a walk mode and using bindings that hold down the welt

Yusuke Fukasawa, who is based in Tsugaike Kogen and works as a badge test examiner and coaches athletes in the technical selection competition, while also skiing in the backcountry and creating a body of photographs, is one person who shares this view

"When I put on boots with a walk mode, I felt their flexibility. But without them, it's hard to bend your ankles back and forth when climbing, which is tiring and, frankly, tough. I'd really like to ski in alpine boots, but when I think about walking, I tell myself that it's a trade-off and I've been skiing until now."

The moment he put his feet into the Scarpa 4 Quattro SL ski boots, he felt they were "different from anything he had ever worn before." These boots have a 61-degree walking range of motion, weigh less than 1500g per boot, and have just the right amount of flex, making them an alpine touring boot with the performance and maneuverability of an alpine boot

"When I put my feet through the boots, I felt a tightness around my ankles that I hadn't felt with previous dual-purpose boots. My ideal boots should have a tight fit around my ankles and not lose power while turning. Dual-purpose boots tend to have a weak area between the upper and lower shells, which makes it feel like power is easily lost when you make a maximum turn, but the 4 Quattro SL doesn't give me that feeling. I can maintain power all the way to the end, and it feels like I can make a clean turn."

He analyzes that there are two reasons why the 4 Quattro SL does not lose force. One is the strength of the upper shell that wraps around the shin. Each piece is not thick, but it has a strong wrapping force. If you were to get your hand caught in it, it would hurt. This force ensures that the ankle fits very well. However, unlike alpine boots, they are not difficult to put on or take off; your foot slips in easily, and they wrap around your ankle and firmly tighten

Another advantage is that the sides of the lower shell and the area around the cant parts, where the most force is applied, are reinforced with carbon fiber. When force is applied, the lower shell expands, so there is no sense of the force being dispersed.
The rigidity of the rear of the boot is also not felt weak due to the shape of the part that rises from the back of the heel.

"I not only wear these boots to ski down the mountain, but I also use the base skis based on SL skis to ski down the slopes. I also do demonstration skiing during the exam. When I make long turns or go fast, the edges bite well when the force is on the boots and my body doesn't lag behind. So when I change turns, the boots are under my body so it's easy to switch movements. I can make sharp turns and the boots don't give in to the skis."

The 4 Quattro SL is a dual-purpose shoe that rivals alpine boots in terms of gliding performance. Only the 4 Quattro series from Scarpa is equipped with GripWalk soles, allowing you to choose from a wide variety of GripWalk-compatible bindings. The walk mode, with a 61-degree range of motion, makes forward movement particularly easy. You'll feel the benefits to the fullest when walking long distances on flat terrain

The inner boots are made of heat-moldable Intuition material. Incidentally, the model worn by Yusuke Fukasawa is from last season, but the next season's model will have a different color and second buckle, and the power belt will be stretchable

"Of course, it's great for mountain climbers, but for those who have been doing alpine or basic skiing for a long time and want to try powder skiing or climb a mountain and ski, this is definitely the best choice. You can ski with the same feeling. What's more, it's so light and has such a sense of security. It's amazing."

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