It stayed relatively cold the whole time I was in Niseko, but I was quickly able to adjust my skiing style to the Gaia. Once I found a comfortable stance—more forward and aggressive—I was able to control them effectively and have fun powering through the untracked powder and deep chop. But the Gaia does not mess around: it is one stiff boot.
Back in the U.S., I made the wise choice of heading to Alta for spring break, where I skied the Gaia in milder Utah temperatures. Throughout the week I experienced everything from glorious powder from a 35-inch storm to endless hardpack groomers once the sun decided to stick around. As the Gaia softened up, I had a lot more confidence charging and working the boot in each turn. While ripping down fast groomers, the boot had a playful feel through each carve, and it skied more dynamically through large bumps down High Rustler. At the end of a sunny and fun week, I was extremely pleased with how well the Gaia handled inbounds.
I also could not have been happier taking the Gaia into the backcountry this winter. The amount of forward and reverse flexion it afforded in walk mode made skinning a breeze—at least compared to my previous boots. I was sure a touring-specific boot would be lighter, but I certainly value high-performance on the way down. Here, I found the weight/stability ratio of the Gaia to be perfect. The top-cuff buckles also have an extendable metal clip so they can stay very loose but still attached and not flopping.
Besides the Gaia’s initial stiffness in the cold, my only other complaint is the positioning of the two bottom buckles, which latch in opposite directions. This is not a big issue, but was slightly annoying when I reached down to buckle my boots quickly and found myself grabbing the wrong end.
As my first boot off the racing circuit, I was pleased with the uphill and—more importantly—downhill performance of the Gaia. I was expecting to be tossed around the mountain, swimming in too wide a boot and fighting for control. Instead, I was satisfied with the Gaia’s flex, and actually found it too stiff at times. In terms of touring, it allowed for an easy skin up and a ripping run down.
If you are an advanced-to-expert woman who spends more time inbounds, but still loves to get after it in the backcountry, the Gaia delivers.