Rossignol hit a home run when they launched the Alltrack line of hike mode (HM) boots 4 seasons ago. In 2016 Rossi essentially re-built its entire collection around the foundation laid by Alltrack, creating a parallel universe of classic overlap shells (i.e., no hike mode) dubbed Allspeed. Within its middle-of-the-bell-curve realm, Allspeed has all the bases covered: every flex from 80 to 130; narrow-, medium- and wide- lasted iterations and a choice of men’s and women’s models. The evergreen Alias and Kiara (women’s) models fill in the need for an ultra-wide chassis.
Nature and boot brands abhor a vacuum, so Rossi has attached a hike mode (HM) à la Alltrack to a 104mm last and applied the Track tag to it. Insulated with Wintherm®, a reflective aluminum membrane to reflect and retain heat, the Track liner is customizable to deal with any fit issues its cavernous interior might not accommodate. The instep area is softer and more flexible, so big feet can get in and out without assistance.
Skiers with ginormous feet aren’t necessarily hikers, but the hike mode mounted on the rear spoiler is nonetheless handy for traversing parking lots and other non-skiing activities. Skiers concerned about traction when walking should know that all Track models are compatible with separately available Walk to Ride (WTR) soles.
The Track series rounds out an HM collection headlined by the Alltrack Pro series of 100mm (medium) all-mountain boots and the Alltrack trio of 102mm (wide) HM boots.
Skiers who don’t want or need a hike mode are offered an equally well-stocked selection of all-mountain, 4-buckle boots bearing the Allspeed tag for men and Pure for women. Allspeed Elite models are 98mm (narrow) shells; Allspeed Pro fills the 100mm, medium slot and Allspeed takes care of wide feet with a 102mm last.
The signature technical feature of Allspeed boots is a trim, anatomical spine called Sensor Blade that serves as the boot’s power source. Sculpted cutouts reduce weight and reinforce the lean but muscular structure. The rear screws that connect the cuff to the shell can be rearranged or removed to alter the forward flex.
The keys to comfort are held by the inner boot, a Custom Liner pre-molded to retain the heel and ankle securely. Thinsulate™ insulation keeps feet warm and dry without adding bulk, so the liner can be close fitting for more sensitive steering. An Easy Entry Insert over the instep makes this area of the shell more pliable so feet can slide in and out without being pinched in the process.
All the Allspeed models can be retrofitted with Walk to Ride (WTR) soles that substitute a grippier tread pattern for the standard DIN sole. This modification probably makes more sense to apply to an Alltrack Pro model as the Alltrack is bedecked with a hike mode, but there’s certainly no harm in swapping the soles on an Allspeed if you want better traction when on foot.