The newest Scarpa Maestrale (and Gea) ski boots have many updated details
We’ve skied just about every generation of the Scarpa Maestrale Ski Boots — and its predecessor, the Spirit Three. In 2023, we likened the Maestrale to the Toyota Tacoma of alpine touring ski boots — a utilitarian backcountry ski boot that gets more capable with every generation. The new 2024 Maestrale turns up the performance with a lighter, stiffer, and more adjustable design than ever before. All while maintaining a walk-friendly feel on the uptrack.
The 2024 Scarpa Maestrale (and the women’s Scarpa Gea) AT ski boots see their biggest redesign since their debut in 2010. As per Scarpa, the 2024 Maestrale is “completely redesigned from the ground up.” It features Scarpa’s bio-based plastic throughout and is the lightest Maestrale to date, shaving approximately 50 grams per boot.
Despite the redesign, the new Maestrale retains the original character that’s made it one of the best-selling AT ski boots on the market — namely, a lightweight feel and utilitarian performance that drives a wide range of backcountry skis.
First Impressions of the New 2024 Maestrale Alpine Touring Ski Boot
The new Maestrale overlap cuff design adds downhill power
Right out of the box, the new Maestrale looks to have a lower profile shell design than previous generations. It still features a familiar three-buckle design, a robust power strap, and a clean, external walk/ski mode mechanism. But between a series of updates to the buckle and walk mechanism, new tongue and cuff design, plus material updates, Scarpa has successfully refined and tuned the new Maestrale ski boot to further maximize downhill performance without compromising on its easy walking feel.
Design Updates
102mm Last — The new specs show a 102mm last versus 101mm from the previous generations, but the overall fit and feel of the boot are similar to previous generations. I would still characterize the overall fit as being on the neutral (vs wide or narrow) side when compared to other brands. In addition to the wider forefoot, the new Maestrale has a narrower heel cup. The idea is a more accurate fit, offering width where most feet need it and a more precise heel fit for an overall more accurate fit.
Updated Tongue Design — Previous generations of the Meastrale featured a hinged tongue that opened to the side. The latest boot features a more traditional AT boot tongue that folds forward. The updated design opens up the forefoot more easily for improved entry into and exit from the boot.
Updated Cuff Design – The new cuff features a more complete overlap design than previous generations, offering added downhill power.
The walk mechanism lets you set the forward lean at 14, 16 or 18 degrees.
Overall Flex — Scarpa specs the Maestrale flex rating at 110, the same as previous generations. That said, the new tongue and cuff design lend the boot a responsive, powerful feel.
Walk Mode — The external walk mode mechanism is cleaner, simpler and easier to use than previous generations. Combined with the new cuff and tongue design, the Maestrale offers a relatively free-moving feel in walk mode. You can find more walk-friendly boots, but the Maestrale strikes a good balance between walkability and downhill power.
Forward Lean Options — Like last year’s boot, the forward lean spec is 16 degrees with + or – 2 degrees of adjustment. After a day of touring in the neutral 16-degree mode, I adjusted it to 18 degrees and have been using that ever since. Adjustment is quick and easy but is best set at home before you hit the snow.
Little Details that Matter — The boot features a lower stand height than previous generations, meaning your foot is closer to the ski and to the ground for an improved ski feel. There is also an extra layer of insulation underfoot for added warmth. The new Vibram sole offers more ground contact for better traction when hiking or scrambling. Finally, the instep buckle strap is now field-replaceable.
How Does the 2024 Maestrale Tour
The general ‘bigger-is-better’ motto haunts backcountry ski gear as much as it does other stuff in our lives. But to Scarpa’s credit, they have restrained from over-building the Maestrale. The Maestrale RS and the 4-Quattro ski boot models fill the more-is-better role in the Scarpa line, and the standard Maestrale remains a balanced backcountry ski boot that walks and skis well. The latest edition drops 50 grams per boot and weighs a respectable 1400 grams / 3lb 2oz per boot. Fifty grams may sound inconsequential, but it makes a difference over the course of a long day of skiing up and downhill. While 1400 grams is not rando-racer light, it’s light relative to the boot’s downhill performance and is right in there with the competition — The Dynafit Radical weighs in at 1520 grams, the La Sportiva Vega at 1445 grams and the Atomic Backland XTD at 1380 grams.
The new walk mode mechanism makes for clean transitions between ski and tour modes. The advertised 61-degree range of motion in the cuff maintains an efficient stride on the uptrack, and the new tongue design contributes to a smooth range of motion in walk mode. The new overlap cuff does more for downhill power than uphill efficiency, and getting the best range of motion on the uptrack requires releasing tension on the power strap, upper buckle, and instep buckle, at least partially. Once loosened, the new Maestrale makes for a smooth, efficient uptrack stride.
How Does the 2024 Maestrale Ski
Contrary to popular belief, stiffer is not always better when it comes to ski boot performance. A stiff flex rating may define performance in a race ski boot, but a backcountry ski boot is better served by a progressive flex versus some target flex rating. While the Scarpa Maestrale has evolved over the years, Scarpa has stayed true to the boot’s relatively modest flex, and the new boot shares the same 110 flex rating as earlier generations.
So what do the evolving materials and carbon add to a boot if they don’t change its flex rating? Carbon reinforcements reduce boot weight, making a boot stiff where it needs to be and promoting flex where needed. The new cuff and shell design do just that. They create a lightweight, stiff boot that still offers a reasonable degree of progressiveness to the flex. Unless you are sending it like in the movies, a modest flexing boot like the Maestrale promotes better form, walks better, and is better suited to the all-around backcountry touring that most of us do. The 2024 Maestrale drives a wide range of skis and has plenty of power to handle the occasional resort day on your way to hut trip. The new wrap cuff, combined with the carbon-reinforced design and burly power strap set you up for full control of your skis.
Bottom Line – A Balanced Backcountry Boot for Dedicated Touring
The 2024 Scarpa Maestrale may be completely redesigned from the ground up with new features and tech, but Scarpa has stayed true to the balanced performance that has made it one of the world’s best-selling AT ski boots. From its quality intuition liner to its signature three-buckle shell design, it’s a boot you can slide into and hit the skin track without missing a beat. It’s lighter, the buckles more refined and the fit better than ever. It’s a dedicated touring boot for skiers who are as dedicated to the descent as they are to keeping a balanced uphill program. You can pair it with a lightweight touring ski like a DPS Pagoda 112 or a more all-around board like a Volkl Blaze 106. Either way, you can count on solid performance for hut trips, routine backcountry tours and spring volcano missions alike.
2024 SCARPA Maestrale – $850
Weight: 1400 grams/boot, size 26
Last: 102mm
Flex: 110
Forward lean: 16° (adjustable +/- 2°)
Cuff Range of motion: 61°
Check prices and availability of the Scarpa Maestrale Ski Boot
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