Alpina BC 1575 Back-Country Nordic Cross-Country Ski Boots with 3-Pin Soles

Boot works great when you out breaking new trail. They do run small. I ordered a size up. They are heavy. Appear to last a long time.

Try these out on the trail. They seem to work for some people, but for others, myself included, they are mini toe guillotines. (Check out reviews on other sites). I bought mine at the end of the last season on sale so no easy return. On the trail they were brutal, not even blisters, skin rubbed off and raw in less than a couple Ks. I tried breaking them in, 15 minutes a day for several days, two pairs of socks, soaking the toe leather with boot oil. Agony. I couldn't send them back, and I really can't casually spring for boots, so I tried a minor mod, (they were garbage if I couldn't get them broken in, so what the heck), If you look at the picture the ridge of sole material which wraps around the toe has a convex shape where it rises up over the part of the sole that is clamped to the ski. That configuration forces the leather to crease in a single deep crease just behind it. I took a very sharp knife and trimmed that down so that the ridge does not have the convex shape but rises in a straight line. It seems to have been a huge help, I was out all afternoon with no pain, or blood. I don't know how much I've weakened the boots, but they were unwearable and dangerous to try to go any distance in. If you're in my situation and try something like this, it is at your own risk, of course. Good luck. Other than that, they're actually pretty comfortable and seem like they'll be good for some casual amateurish back country skiing