Introduction
The touring boot that can do it all.
Everyone looks for it.
It skips uphill on fairy dust.
Downhill you’re transformed into Candide; ripping turns, straightlining chutes, producing instabangers.
I’m a cynic.
There’s no such thing.
But every year we get closer.
And theTecnica ZeroG Tour Prois a fairly massive step in that direction.
How big a step?
The ZeroG Tour Pro (ZGTP)weighs 1300g in size 26.
It’s a claimed flex index of 130 (this is stiff!
); skis well; and, as befits a boot this light, tours well.
All boots (and touring boots in particular) are about compromises.
No boot can be the best at everything.
Be honest with yourself in making the purchasing decision.
Unless of course they are red; red boots are the fastest.
Interior with some inbound resorts soft-skiing day.
My skiing is usually in high moisture-content snow.
Accordingly, my preference is for bigger skis and relatively stiff boots.
Other boots I own;Dynafit Vulcanand theScarpa F1.
The ZeroG Tour Pro’s are it.
Pemberton backcountry
Specifications
ZGTP is a a completely new 4 buckle overlap boot from Tecnica.
Some notable specifications
- 1320g (26.5) weighed with footbed, laces or spoiler.
Lower cuff is Grilamid plastic.
- Last is 99mm; but eminently punchable for custom-fitting).
Mine punched to 105mm easily
- Removeable bootboard.
Non-replaceable but compatible with Shift, Tecton and all other tech bindings.
I’ve subsequently calmed down but this is still an amazing feat.
Let’s take a look at someboot weights.
My 2015 Scarpa F1s which are my light-weight spring and covering long-distances boot are 1232g.
The production ZGTP is actually a bit heavier than my sub 1300g protos weighing in at 1348g.
While advertised weight is 1315g that’s probably without footbeds and most everyone is going to use a footbed.
As you could see every part of the boot system is light.
Say no more - 1296g.
Let’s take a look at some other boots for relevancy.
There’s no getting around this.
Want to geek out on weight more?
Either ask in the article questions or look atthis Evo articleand dive in.
A well-executed overlap boot with a stiff ski-walk mech can accordingly have ski-feel tuned by cuff and shell materials.
Thelineup is as follows:
-Tour Pro: $899, 1315g and 130 flex.
Carbon infusedPebaxupper, Griliamid lower.
-Tour Scout: $799, ~1375g and 120 flex.PUupper, Grilamid lower.
-Tour(base model): $599 ~1500g and 110 flex with PU upper andPPlower.
The ZGTP has no cuff-canting as concession to weight-savings.
Two-part external ski-walk mechanism.
This is NOT going to ice up.
ZGTP will work with any tech touring bindings including Kingpin,TectonandSHIFTall of which have alpine-like heels.
Do not rely on any article and constantly work with knowledgeable retailers to check compatibility.
Bootsoles are vibram and show expected wear following 55 days of use.
The lighter grey pad is hard rubber and aligns with the AFD on SHIFT, Gripwalk or WTR bindings.
The ZGTP’s liner is now made by Tecnica itself.
The new liners are much better.
the Tecnica-made liners are holding shape and are still fairly warm.
All in all I’m pleasantly surprised by the Tecnica liner and would recommend you give them a chance.
Pre-production ZGTP liners were sub 200g without footbeds.
Remove it for 30g approx of weight-savings
Wire closure closeup and carbon upper cuff closeup.
All of the buckles are micro-adjustable.
Closeup of the adjustment piece for forward lean.
Simply remove liner and undo the two screws.
Then reattach external bracket with screws for a degree more forward lean.
Fit
Fit is the most important thing for any ski boot.
It doesn’t matter how stiff, how light, or how red boots are.
If they don’t fit they’re garbage.
Either verify the ZGTP fits you or work with a competent bootfitter to ensure they fit.
I am a size 26.5 in Dalbello, Atomic, Tecnica and Salomon.
I would characteriz the ZGTP as having a narrow toe-box; a medium instep and a tight heel pocket.
The ZGTP’s instep is medium volume.
In terms of heel hold, from least to most volume - ZGTP/Hawx XTD, Lupo AX120/ Vulcan.
However if you have questions about specific boots ask away.
For a boot in this category, touring is remarkable.
There’s not much fiddle-factor with transitions.
I set and forget the powerstrap and the lowest forefoot buckle.
All in all - there’s very little faffing around involved for transitions.
Breaking trail in the Pemberton area
Downhill
The ZGTP skis very well.
I’d have been shocked if there was any other outcome.
Use a spoiler or shim under the bootboard to get more forward boot lean angles.
The ZGTP is softer (not by much) then the HawX and comparable in stiffness to the Lupo.
The glacier has tons of traverse tracks which you hit on the fall line.
A good test was in chopped up 10cms of fresh snow on 20cms of previous storm snow.
