Next Seasons Gear Sneak Peek: The Atomic Backland Carbon and Carbon Light AT Boots
Atomic was the surprise talk of the recent SIA Show in Denver with the debut of their new alpine touring boots, the Backland Carbon and Backland Carbon AT. Not only do these AT boots look like they mean business, they actually do! I had a chance to ski both versions at the On Hill Demo Day at Copper Mountain Resort and they did not disappoint. Have a watch of the video overview we shot at the SIA Show a little further down.
Why are these new AT boots from Atomic such a big deal? Well how about a cuff rotation of 74 degree? (Thats more than your ankle can actually bend!) This is achieved by removing the tongue but even with the tongue in and the buckles and powder strap still done up the range of motion is incredible. The frictionless pivot point provides a natural flex and rotation so you could actually run in these boots (if you really wanted to). Top that off with a weight of 1058 grams for a size 25.5 in the Backland Carbon, 984 grams if you remove the tongue. That’s light!
The liner and shell utilize ‘Memory Fit’ which means that both can be moulded to your foot by heating them when fitting, thus both the shell and the liner will expand to accommodate your specific foot shape. The liner itself uses a perforated forefoot and sole so that the liner can actually breath and allow foot perspiration to escape. A quick dry lining also helps transport moisture so you have a more comfortable experience wile minimizing blisters and hot spots. The liner can also be washed so you can keep them clean and odour free.
So how do they ski? With a 120 flex they are plenty stiff, comparable to any alpine ski boot. The Free/Lock 2.0 on the spine of the boot ensures that the transition from walk to ski and back again is simple and quick while providing a solid ski mode. The Free/Lock 2.0 is built into the carbon spine of the boot which provides maximum power transmission with minimum weight.
There are only two buckles on the Atomic Backland Carbon, the one across the forefoot uses a ‘Cross Lace’ to securely hold your foot in place.
The top buckle even has a built in catch so you can simply open the buckle and start walking, close it up and ski down. No fuss, no muss!
A rockered sole for natural walking and tech fittings round things out for a truly innovative new AT boot from Atomic and one that we will be sure to review come Fall 2015. Let us know what you think by commenting on this post.
Some additional features for you:
Free/Lock 2.0 mechanism frees the cuff from the shell for 74° cuff mobility.
Frictionless Pivot creates smooth movement.
Quick Click Tongue system means you can remove the tongue for effortless climbing.
The lightest boot (Backland Carbon Light) weighs in at just 987g.
Carbon Spine provides extra strength but keeps weight down.
Cross Lace system wraps the foot securely.
Free/Lock 2.0 mechanism lets you adjust forward lean for skiing.
Extra supportive tongue can be inserted for skiing.
Liner is breathable and washable.
For more on next season's gear check out all our videos from the SIA Show here.
Here is the Atomic promotional video as well: