Scarpa Maestrale RS

[2wheeler]

[QUOTE=LeeLau;3849924]I checked in with Scarpa. They said they had 2 incidents this year that they know about and both booths were replaced. Hoping you were one of them. warranty@scarpa.com is who to contact.

Thanks for the info, I'll let both of the guys this happened to know to contact Scarpa directly.

[neck beard]

Is the general construction of the RS better than the orange?

I have second generation Maestrale oranges (not the first gen where all the screws fell out).

This week two tongue hinges broke on the same boot - the tongue and buckles aren't even attached to the boot anymore. Then one cuff bolt/cant adjuster fell out on the other boot and the cuff is now only half attached.

And I'm still skiing them somehow.

Boots have seen only 150 days of backcountry use.

Thats a total of FIVE tongue hinges I have broken now.

[LeeLau]

when i asked in the original RS review disappointingly the hinges are still the same thin metal. I broke four hinges of the original (2 on mine; 2 on Sharon's). The replacement hinges haven't broken but I've been super careful with them. Scarpa NA gave me a replacement parts kit - are you still around? I can give it to you and i can get a new kit.

Because the metal looks so thin I wouldn't be surprised to break another hinge but so far so good

[neck beard]

Yep, around until Saturday. Happy to take you parts package - thank you. Can't get any part locally without a 'few weeks wait'.

I was tempted to buy new boots but will hold off until perhaps Gen 2-3 of the RS

I think those hinges break from over tightening the buckles and pulling the tongue across the boot. A very weak correlation, but it seems my breakage rate increased as my liners packed out.

[LeeLau]

ok- my parts are in Van and i;ll be back in the city on Friday so make sure to come and get them

[2wheeler]

My one buddy returned his Meastrale RS s to MEC yesterday. He's going to try the Mercury instead.

[mtnjam]

Kind of a JONG question here, but are the shell sizes on the Maestrale half sizes or full sizes? (i.e. can I put a 26.0 liner into a 26.5 shell?)

[XXX-er]

Everyone uses one shell for 2 sizes being the full & half size up plastic ski boot but Scarpa break on the half while everyone else breaks on the full size so a 26 and a 26.5 scarpa are different shells

Gea & celeste (womens models) were the other boots I was looking at but I am very happy I went mercury and they are unisex so no more chick boots

[neck beard]

Lee - sent you a separate message.

Just for the record, skiing AT boots in steepish chop and chunder with one cuff half unbolted and the other tongue totally separated from the boot and floating free, where the tongue is an integral part of the boot closure system, it.... sucks.

[pfluffenmeister]

^^^ yes, that sounds unpleasant.


(ahhh! i don't want to know what the tips of my ski tastes like!).

[HHTELE]

Just got mine, and trying to sort a few minor issues.

1- Adjustable rear spoiler. Never had one. Why might I adjust it?
2- The black fabric gasket on the lower shell. Looks like a matter of time before I rip it with the tongue.
3- For some reson, on one boot, the tounge slips down when skinning. I loosen my cuffs a bit, but not completely. And the toungue slips down putting a weird pressure on my forefoot.

Any thoughts?

[D(C)]

I picked up a pair of these and decided to put them to the test in the resort this weekend. My previous boots were Dynafit Titans and my alpine boots are Rossi/Lange RL11 plug boots in ZB/ZB flex.

In comparison to the Titan:
- There is no play in the walk mode mechanism when locked in ski mode
- The forward flex is more progressive. On the Titans, I felt I couldn't really get into the flex in the upright lean setting, or I'd flop forward when in the more angled lean. On the RS, the initial flex is supple but they ramp up nicely.
- Lateral and aft support is stiffer - I did find myself wishing for more aft support at times in situations where tails need pressure to make snappy turns and may try sticking some spoilers to the back of my liners
- Fit is more anatomical out of the box

In comparison to my plug boots:
- The power transmission isn't quite the same due to a less firm fit - I feel this most when trying to make energetic turns in tight spots and trees
- Forward flex is definitely softer
- The lateral and aft support isn't quite as stiff
- The more upright lean setting on the RS is about 1 degree more upright than my plug boots and the more forward setting is about 5 degrees more forward than my plugs. This was measured very imprecisely by using an iPhone level app against the inside of the cuff of the boots with the liners in. I found the more upright setting felt better and the forward setting was way too forward, especially considering the softer flex. As mentioned above, I think additional spoilers would be beneficial.

I thought they did really well in the resort, definitely more powerful and precise than the Titan. That said, they're no replacement for stiff overlap boots, especially on harder/crappier snow. I definitely had to ski more relaxed and cruisy, or put in serious amounts of energy to get the responsiveness I'm used to.

My sizing:
- Scarpa Maestrale RS - mondo 26/298 mm bsl
- Dynafit Titan - mondo 25 - 292 mm bsl - killed my toes in walk mode
- Rossignol RL11 - size 7 - 292 mm bsl

[auvgeek]

Why can't they make a stiff and progressive boot? RS is just a bit too soft for me, even w/ booster strap and powerwrap. Sure, I can adapt my style, but dammit that's not the point. It would be awesome if they'd just sell tongues of different stiffness so those of us who want a stiff-ass boot could be happy. Cochise 120 was too stiff for me (literally could not flex that boot at all -- but it was a size too big), and now the RS is too soft. Goldilocks has nothing on me. Fuck.

Maybe I'll do that carbon stringer mod I read about somewhere. Seems overkill, but might be worth it?

/rant

[lynchdogger]

Why can't they make a stiff and progressive boot? RS is just a bit too soft for me, even w/ booster strap and powerwrap. Sure, I can adapt my style, but dammit that's not the point. It would be awesome if they'd just sell tongues of different stiffness so those of us who want a stiff-ass boot could be happy. Cochise 120 was too stiff for me (literally could not flex that boot at all -- but it was a size too big), and now the RS is too soft. Goldilocks has nothing on me. Fuck.

Maybe I'll do that carbon stringer mod I read about somewhere. Seems overkill, but might be worth it?

/rant

Who does your nails? You whine more than both my daughters combined.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using TGR Forums

[auvgeek]

Who does your nails? You whine more than both my daughters combined.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using TGR Forums

Well played sir; well played.

[Read: good reminder, I'll shut up now.]

[lynchdogger]

Well played sir; well played.

[Read: good reminder, I'll shut up now.]

I'm just glad someone on this oversensitive site can still handle a little sarcasm.

Good luck with boots.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using TGR Forums

[buildakicker]

My "new" favorite thing about the Mastrale RS (coming from BDel Factors) is the lower buckle location. I feel I will suffer less broken buckles riding the sled out to the goods with these...

[Name Redacted]

My "new" favorite thing about the Mastrale RS (coming from BDel Factors) is the lower buckle location. I feel I will suffer less broken buckles riding the sled out to the goods with these...

Sounds like a lot of people take the lower buckle off anyway. I tried some on the other day and the buckle seemed to have little to no effect on the fit.

[buildakicker]

^^ Personally I like the one closest to the toes. I could see how folks would like to ditch the "over arch" buckle.

[I've seen black diamonds!]

Anyone has issues getting their RS's punched out? Should I go to a bootfitter with experience working on nylon boots? Or will the guy who mostly works on race boots be ok?

[Rghnck]

Just got mine, and trying to sort a few minor issues.

1- Adjustable rear spoiler. Never had one. Why might I adjust it?
2- The black fabric gasket on the lower shell. Looks like a matter of time before I rip it with the tongue.
3- For some reson, on one boot, the tounge slips down when skinning. I loosen my cuffs a bit, but not completely. And the toungue slips down putting a weird pressure on my forefoot.

Any thoughts?

I have just one skin under my belt with these but I have the same isssue with tongues slipping down when skinning.. I usually skin with pretty loose buckles tho, gonna try with the shoelaces and see if that helps.. Other than that they skin and ski wonderfully.

[Mark-R]

Anyone has issues getting their RS's punched out? Should I go to a bootfitter with experience working on nylon boots? Or will the guy who mostly works on race boots be ok?

I have really wide feet and had mine punched several times to finally get the width I need in the sixth toe area. They do punch well but the person doing it should have some experience with non-PU boots. I heard the grilamid goes soft fairly suddenly so lower heat and longer with the heat gun.

[jamesp]

the g/f's Gea RS were punched without problems. mtnlion did the fitting, he used a water bath to heat the shells.

[Speedfreak]

Anyone do the shin "plate" mod and have an opinion on how the boots ski post-stiffening? I have a few sets of "plates" left over from old plug boots and I'm thinking of going that route to stiffen them up a bit more.

[D(C)]

I have really wide feet and had mine punched several times to finally get the width I need in the sixth toe area. They do punch well but the person doing it should have some experience with non-PU boots. I heard the grilamid goes soft fairly suddenly so lower heat and longer with the heat gun.

Where did you get yours done? I need to get a couple punches on my pair.