This commentary is a repost of last season’s report; the associated FIND buttons connect to 2017 starting inventory.
The Alltrack Pro 130 emerged as 2014’s best in test for a medium fit (100mm last) in MasterFit’s on-snow evaluations, certainly a well-deserved feather in their corporate cap, but we suspect a measure of delighted surprise helped the Alltrack Pro over the top. One doesn’t expect a hike-mode (HM) model to offer first-rate performance in ski mode, nor does one hope a HM 130 will have the same flex resistance as an on-piste race boot with the same flex index, yet this new Rossi comes awfully close on both accounts. As a true 100mm last with a conforming inner boot set on a neutral platform, it’s instantly comfortable for many foot shapes, which never hurts first impressions.
Part of the Alltrack Pro’s appeal is that it behaves like a non-HM boot in ski mode; the flip side of this equation is that it also doesn’t behave a lot like a HM boot when in hike mode. Its limited range of cuff travel may also put limits on the duration of upward travel for which a skier might consider it suitable. But for someone who hikes to ski rather than visa versa, the Alltrack Pros are clear winners.
Now that the Alltrack Pro has been with us a couple of seasons, we have a deeper appreciation for the Sensor Grid design that sets this shell apart from a crowded field. By elegantly thinning the shell walls, the structure oxymoronically shed material yet gained strength and energy transmission. Most importantly, it allowed the shell to wrap the foot, bringing the shell and all its steering strengths close to the foot and lower leg.
Rossi has made all the Alltrack and Allspeed soles compatible with replacement WTR toe and heel pieces, but the Alltrack Pros, with their Posi-Block HM feature, are the most sensible place to invest in this switcheroo.