2012/13 Tecnica Cochise Light/Cochise Pro 130
For years, I’ve been on the hunt for the perfect balance of downhill performance and back country mobility in a touring set up. I like to ski dynamic lines with speed, to point it, and land good size airs when the conditions warrant. I also want a set up that can lay down carves on wind buff, inspire confidence in steep/technical/firm terrain, and is still playful enough to wiggle though the trees on a storm day. Enter the Tecnica/Blizzard Cochise line.
Tecnica and Blizzard have made a beautiful match and are
leading the charge in the Dynafit compatible performance category. Two boot models are offered, the Cochise
Light and Cochise Pro 130. Both answer the call for a high performance
tour-able ski boot. In my Cochise Lights, I can rally BC laps in the morning
and head straight to KT without changing my footwear (I’ve waited years for
this). After 6 weeks in the boot, I can confidently say they are my favorite
ski boots …ever, period.
Testing grounds:
From Squaw Valley’s Chimney to Chute 75 I’ve rallied these
suckers hard in bounds. BC testing ranged from laps on Tahoe’s West shore, to
big vert days in the High Sierra on Matterhorn Peak and Red Slate.
Performance:
The skiing support these boots offer is not only far better
than any BC I’ve skied, they rival my fixed flex, race oriented Tecnica Diablos
for performance yet walk as well as my previous Dynafit compatible boot, the
Dynafit Titans Ultra Light. Forward flex
is smooth and progressive and does not feel like it ‘bottoms out’ at the end of
the boots flex range. Ski control is responsive and precise.
Weight:
The Cochise Light shells measured 3.3 lbs. on the digital
scale at home. For comparison, the Titan UL came in at 3.4 lbs. (Note:
Weighing/comparing shells offers a more apples to apples comparison for me
because my liner of choice is a Intuition wrap.)
Fit:
For me, the fit was not perfect out of the box. I chose to
drop 1 full size have the boot stretched by a boot fitter. At first I was
skeptical that we could get the boot to fit and wondered if I’d made a sizing
mistake, but alas, the boots now fit perfectly.
The Cochise Light is a 120 flex, 100mm last boot, the Pro 130 a true 130
flex, 98mm last. Both are a touch big for me in the vertical volume department,
hence the downsize/stretch. The stance in the boot follows the current trend in
race boots and is somewhat upright. I shimmed my heels and put spoilers behind
the cuffs to put me in my preferred position for skiing aggressively.
Wondering which boot is right for you? I’d say skiers that
spend 50%+ of their time in bounds go for the Pro 130. Spend most of your time in the BC, go Cochise
Light. Either way, you’ll be a happy camper in these boots. Looking for a second opinion? Read what Clem Smith from Stormy Day Sales has to say.
