Black Diamond Prime

rated 3.5 of 5 stars average rating
Reviewed by 1 Trailspace user

Very good lightweight touring boot. Comfortable for…

Rating: rated 3.5 of 5 stars
Source: bought it new
Price Paid: $475

Summary

Very good lightweight touring boot. Comfortable for wide feet.

Pros

  • High quality construction (pebax material, amazing liner)
  • Lightweight
  • Comfortable, suitable for wide feet
  • Efficient attachment system

Cons

  • Buckles can break (wire)
  • May constrict the shins when touring

I have the first version (white and grey) of these boots. Very comfortable, suitable for people with wide feet. The heel stays tightly in place. Warm too, and I love the Boa attachment system for the liners.

Good performance when skinning, sufficient articulation, although there is pressure on the shins, due to the plastic overlapping at the front. I prefer boots with a tongue like the Dynafit Zzero, because you can loosen it to gain space when skinning. The BD Prime don't have that. Works well with Dynafit bindings

Solid Vibram outer sole. The buckle wires are fragile, I broke one wire after 1.5 season. But it was also easy to fix with hay wire and eventually replace with a new wire.

Overall, I really like these boots, they are an excellent option for touring. They don't perform great when you want to charge hard in steep, difficult terrain though. For that reason, I would recommend the stiffer, 4-buckle version, i.e. the BD Quadrant, which seems to be a better compromise for a touring boot with solid downhill capacity.

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