I have updated the review I posted for the Garmon Endorpin freeride/ski-touring boot after a season of use. The review can be found here:

http://snowslider.net/reviews/garmont-endorphin

Name : Garmont Endorphin Mg g-fit Men’s 06/07

Manufacturer Web site : http://www.garmont.com/

Weight: 4kg/pair size 27.5 MP

Sizes: 25-30.5 MP

This boot is Garmont’s latest offering for the expanding hybrid touring / alpine market. It’s aimed at a similar audience to their Adrenaline which are around 200g lighter than the Endorphins.

To reduce weight the cuff and lower shell are reinforced with carbon fibre in key areas while keeping strength. The Endorphin has the new lightweight Magnesium buckles and the upper buckles have the Garmont extra clip to aid walking.

Like the Adrenaline the Endorphin comes with interchangeable soles, an ISO alpine norm which will pair with any standard alpine binding and a vibram sole for mountaineering use which is compatible with bindings like the Fritschi Diamir Freeride Plus. The boot has three forward lean settings, two are ski modes at 20′ and 25′ and the third a free or walking mode.

The boot is available with the G-Fit 3 thermoform liners or the pad-lock liners which are not thermo formable but have a sole suitable for hut use. I have the pad-lock liners.

I’ve now been using these boots for a few weeks and I’m really happy with them. The fit straight out of the box was pretty good but I’ve had the lower buckles replaced with longer ones to prevent them pinching. So far, I’ve only used them with the mountaineering soles on them with my Fritschi Diamir Freeride Plus binding and Stöckli Stormriders. The longest climb I’ve done so far has been a couple of hours and I’ve found them extremely comfortable for that.

We’re a couple of hundred meters from the lift in Zinal so I walk up and down and ride the cable car each time I ski and I’ve find the Endorphin’s extremely comfortable to walk around in. It’s hardly why I bought the boot but it’s a really nice feature that it’s so easy to walk around in the snow and ice and the sole grip is fantastic.

Actually skiing the boot performs fantastically, Garmont really aim them at the sort of set-up I have and it works well. The snow at the moment is pretty hard pack and some edge control is required, the Endorphins are more than able to drive my skis at speed on that surface.

I’ve noticed a couple of things though, first, that I can’t ski with the boot on maximum forward lean which really surprised me and it’s also quite awkward to engage that most forward mode. You need to flex the boot as far forward as possible and pull the lock, there’s not so much positive location feedback that I can actually tell immediately if it’s engaged. I had more success sat indoors engaging this mode. The other thing I notice is that the power strap is utterly brutal, if you over-tighten it and suddenly load forward into the boot when skiing it feels like you’re about to break your shin! In fact, I suspect many people over-tighten power-straps it’s just it’s more dire in the Endorphin than usual.

I want to try the ISO sole sometime on my slalom skis and see how that works, I find it awkward to change boots on different days so I would prefer to use the same ones. This presents a dilemma though, the slalom skis need the ISO sole of course which would work with the Freerides so I could leave the ISO sole on all the time. But, I really like the practicality of the mountaineering sole just for walking about.

The real question is whether the boot lives up the Garmont hype that it’s viable replacement for a pair of pure alpine boots and my verdict so far is that the Garmont are delivering on the hype. The only note of caution I’d sound is that the boot is really quite stiff, surprisingly so really and it’s worth considering the Adrenaline seriously as it’s got a little more flex.

Taking the whole combination together, the Endorphins, freerides and stormriders I’d say I’m pretty happy with the one reservation I’d expressed about the freerides, namely that there’s a lack of the damping effect you get with normal alpine bindings and the feedback can be harsh from the ski sometimes. Here in Zinal right now it’s pretty hard pack and there’s frozen rutted sections, hitting those at speed won’t throw the skis but there’s an incredible amount of vibration thrown back into the legs. A stiff boot like the Endorphin doesn’t help this so again it’s worth seriously considering the Adrenaline if you expect to be hitting hard surfaces regularly.

As always there’s bags of information on PisteHors.com about these boots and this market segment.

Update : June 2007

Although at the end of the season I got some Garmont Mega Rides the Endorphins have been my main boot all season. I’ve used them for the mix of piste, freeride and touring that they’re intended and I’ve been really happy with them.

I use them pretty much exclusively with the Vibram mountaineering sole, this is due to a combination of factors. First is laziness, I really can’t be bothered to keep taking the sole on and off; there’s 11 or 12 screws on each sole and it’s not a quick task to swap the soles. Second, although we only live a couple of hundred meters from the cable car at Zinal it’s just easier to walk around with the mountaineering sole on snow and ice, this is even more the case for those times off-piste you need to scramble over some rocks to access a line or take a short walk at the end of a line. Third, I just tend to use my Stormriders most of the time anyway which have Fritschi bindings on them.

I’ve now made a number of tours using these boots and found the uphill performance just fine, it’s true that these are a much heavier boot than classic ski mountaineering boots at around 4200g per pair with the padlock inner (as a comparison my Mega Ride boots are 3200g with G-fit inners), but, they’re still reasonable for day tours with climbs of 2 or 3 hours.

I’ve been really, really happy with the fit of these boots, they’re the first I’ve had for a long time that just fit out of the box. Initially I needed a slightly longer buckle near the mid-step but I think the inner has packed sufficiently now that the stock buckles would be OK, in fact I’ve “borrowed” the longer buckles for my Mega Rides right now.

I have had an impression that the fit of the Endorphin is great but just not quite perfect for me and I’d been thinking about getting some new liners for next season just to get to that perfect fit. My Mega Rides came with G-Fit inners which are thermoformed, the fit of these boots just feels perfect and I think this mostly due to the G-Fit liners which have the most effective thermoforming process I’ve ever come across. As a result I’ll be swapping my pad-lock liners for G-fit next season and getting a 250g weight saving at the same time.

I’d advise anyone buying the Endorphin to go for the G-Fit liner, the fit will be better and it’s lighter so it’s a win-win really, the only downside is that while the padlock liner can be used as a hut boot the G-Fit cannot.

My guess is that next season I may use the Endorphins more with the ISO Alpine soles on them and use the Mega Rides as a pure touring boot both with the StormRider XL’s and my StormRider PIT Light touring skis.

Update : Feb 2008

I’m surprised to say I’m using these boots slightly less right now than I expected, I recently got some Black Diamond Voodoos and I’ve been using them with my Garmont MegaRides. What I found was that the Endorphin is just too stiff for that ski, this isn’t really surprising though, it’s a very stiff boot and needs matching with a stiff boot, in fact as a rule I’d suggest that you would only pair the Endorphin with an Alpine type ski, ie good for a Havoc ski, bad for the Voodoo. This is no reflection on the quality of the Endorphin, it’s just a personal choice that I made for better uphill performance and reduced weight.

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Name : Stockli Laser SC (really it’s Stöckli or course, and better rendered as Stoeckli)

Manufacturer Web site : http://www.stoeckli.ch/index_fr.htm

First Use : March 2005

Size(cm) / Radius(m) : 158/11 168/13 178/15

Side cut : 107-63-90

click on photo’ full-size version

Why : I’d had a pair of Volkl 5 star’s that I was really unhappy with, after a very short time they’d suffered a lot of damage so I wanted to replace them. Living in Switzerland the idea of a Swiss ski appealed and I went along to a test at Les Mosses where I tried some Laser SL’s and some Laser Cross Pro’s, the SL’s impressed me a lot while I didn’t really get on with the Cross Pro’s at all. A few days later I picked a pair of SC’s up for a test at Torgon and immediately liked them, I took another test at Meiringen mostly to check I’d got the right length and then bought some.

There’s several reasons why I like Stockli skis, they are a simple no-nonsense design, hand-made in Switzerland. They’re robust and solid, my Stockli Lasers are at around 100 days usage and look good for next season and I can’t say I’m especially careful about where I ski. Here in Switzerland the customer service is just exceptional, it takes a little time to select skis like the Lasers or Stormriders as being hand made the flex or stiffness of the ski alters a little between each pair, the guys in the store always take the time to ensure you’ve the right pair. When I holed my Lasers badly and beyond my ability to repair I expected to need a new pair but the local Stockli store looked at them and repaired them for a nominal charge, a repair’s that’s so good I can hardly see it and one that certainly feels good to ski on.

The Laser range are competition orientated skis, ie there is a GS model and SL model as well as some DH skis not on general release. The SC is basically a FIS Masters ski with turn radius and performance lying somewhere between the GS and SL’s. This should, on paper, make it an ideal piste ski for a reasonably fit skier, the flex is never going to be forgiving enough for a lighter recreational skier though. One of the main things that makes this such a great ski on piste is the edge hold, this is so consistent across a variety of surfaces that you almost become unaware of the surface below. On the most icy days you’re only aware of hard icy sections when you come across other skiers stationary or if it’s quiet enough you can hear the edges slicing into the ice.

While this is not a forgiving ski it doesn’t punish you as severely as some race slalom skis if you do get the weight slightly wrong however compared to some of the mass market skis with softer flexes the Laser SC does require you to be very close to the optimum position and weighting to control the ski.

After a suggestion from a trainer I’ve actually been skiing these off piste and in powder and having a great time, it takes a little work and practice but it’s tremendous fun. In all but the deepest of powder the added agility of the Lasers has increased my enjoyment of the day beyond measure in fact.

My SC’s have Tyrolia Free Flex Plus 15 X bindings on a Tyrolia race plate.

click on photo’ full-size version

The bindings are superb particularly with the plate which acts as a limited shock absorber ironing out some of the more extreme feedback when traveling quickly on hard pack surfaces.

The Good : a versatile ski perfectly adjusted for a strong skier, fantastic performance and, for me, the most perfect piste ski I’ve ever tried. A consistent flex and a powerful rebound out of each turn that makes ever turn exhilarating.

The Bad : very little, the ski needs a lot of work to get the most from so it’s not for everyone.

Notes : Like most Stockli skis this runs on a two year life cycle, this model was actually the 2003/04 2004/05 ski and was replaced by a new model SC for 2005/2006 which is the current model. I’ve not had a chance to try the new model so far.

Name : Fritschi Diamir Freeride Plus

Manufacturer Web site : http://www.fritschi.ch

DIN release range: 4 - 12

Weight: 2040 g

Binding sizes (boot sole length): small 245-300 mm, medium 280-335 mm, large 325-365 mm

Fritschi have updated their Diamir Freeride for 2007 adding the suffix “Plus” to the name. The Freeride Plus aims to offer the possibility of an alpine binding performance in a touring binding, this means a greater DIN range in effect to allow for more dynamic skiing. Compared to the original Diamir Freeride there’s a new Power Transmission Control (PTC) system and a redesigned front hinge. Basically, the upgrades are supposed to improve downhill performance. The new model keeps the same DIN range of 4-12 with the weight slightly up from 1990g to 2040g. The Fritschi Diamir Freeride Plus won the ski binding category at the ISPO European Ski Awards 2006


The basic principle for a touring binding is that heel section of the binding can be released allowing the foot to hinge at the toe mount. The heel part of the binding can then be moved to stop at different heights to control the angle between the sole of the boot and the ski/slope, basically the higher the stop then the steeper angle of the slope to be climbed. The pivot at the toe allows the skier to slide the ski forward until the sole is flat onto the binding, this is a fairly natural movement similar to walking and relatively simple to master. Climbing skins are fixed to the base of the ski, the bristles stop the ski sliding backward but lay flat in the forward or uphill direction.


On steeper or icy ground and on traverses crampons can be attached, I’ve some Diamir Axion 82’s. The clever feature with these crampons is that they can be fitted before needing to be used, fitting crampons too soon is awkward as you get some resistance when ascending but trying to fit crampons at the last minute is dangerous. Here you can see the crampon in deactivated and then activated mode.





For downhill skiing in general use the binding feels just fine, movements feel directly transferred to the ski so the PTC mechanism seems to work. But, modern alpine bindings are clever things and are engineered to provide instant response and feedback for the skier while minimizing some of shocks coming back from the ski. Measured against this type of modern Alpine binding the Diamir Freeride Plus has some issues, in the most vital area of transmitting the skiers movements from the boot to the ski the performance is good and the feedback is sufficient, the problem is that some excess forces are transmitted back from the ski to the skier. This basically means that when moving at speed on hard surfaces, like an icy frozen piste for example, a lot of chatter is transmitted back to the skier which is tiring and takes some strength to absorb. This is more pronounced with very stiff skis of course.

I’ve got two pairs of Freerides and I’ve had them in daily use now for over two seasons. One pair is mounted on some Stöckli Stormrider XL’s and the other on some Black Diamond Voodoo’s. I think they ski just fine, since the Marker Duke came out there’s been various criticisms of the Freerides that they somehow lack in performance, I just don’t find this is the case, I spend most of time skiing off-piste or ski touring and these bindings just work fine for me. At 2040g they’re at the heavy end of touring bindings but that compares well with the Explore, although the Explore is a lighter binding if you add the brake, as most people do, then the weight comes closer. Doing regular ascents with a binding like the Duke that weighs in at 2600g just doesn’t appeal.

I use my Freerides with AT boots all the time, on the Voodoos I use Garmont Megarides, the flex of the ski and boot matches nicely, while on the Stormriders I use a pair of Garmont Endorphins which are quite a bit stiffer. Mostly I like the weight of the Voodoos and Megarides, it’s a couple of kg lighter than the other combination.
The Good : Behaves much like an alpine binding in most conditions.

The Bad : some increased chatter from the ski/binding which can be tiring

Shop for Touring Bindings at Facewest