Exclusive First Look: 2012-2013 Tecnica Cochise Pro AT boot
Flex: 130 flex
Last: 98mm
Liner: High end, Alpine race liner with a tight, defined fit, and firm c-shaped padding around the ankle.
Soles: DIN soles are standard, Tech soles sold separately for $70 retail.
The Tecnica Cochise Pro is the boot I have been waiting 10 years to actually come to market.
2012-2013 Tecnica Cochise Pro
It is a 98mm last, 130 flex, full blown, alpine boot (a la the Tecnica Demon 130), with a functional walk mode, and Dynafit / AT / alpine binding compatibility.
After growing tired of hoping for such a boot, I finally had decided to just build my own, source a spare Tecnica Bodacious lower and a bunch of assorted parts, and marry it to a Tecnica Cochise cuff.
Fate intervened, however, and Tecnica boot czar, Conor Brown, offered to build for me a…Co-Dacious? A Bo-Chise?
Prototype: Cochise Pro
He wound up mating a 2011 Bodacious lower with a 2011 Cochise upper, which replicates the specs of the 2012 Cochise Pro, allowing me to test the skiing, fit, and stride that will be present on the production 2012-2013 Cochise Pro.
I should add that this science experiment might appear on paper to be rather straight forward, but it is actually very involved and requires a number of parts and tools that are simply not widely available.
My proto-Cochise Pros weigh in (with an Intuition liner and Surefoot footbed) at ~1900g, or about 50g heavier than a Cochise with the same liner and Surefoot footbed.
For reference:
Black Diamond Factor with intuition liner and surefoot footbed is ~1950g
Technica Cochise with intuition and surefoot footbed is ~1850g
Dynafit Titan with Intuition and Surefoot footbed is ~1825.
After doing some further experiments with heat-molding the liner, I was able to get the boots up on slope for a quick session. I was on 78mm race carve skis shralping hardpack, which is a great way to test the stiffness, power and rebound of an alpine boot.
The skiing performance is very high, and legitimately compares to my now retired Nordica 98mm 130 flex Dobermann’s. I can’t say that I would want to race at a high level in the Cochise Pro, but for general all-mountain ripping-around, both the Dobermann and Cochise Pro are neck and neck.
The interesting thing is that the Dobermann—with the same Intuition liner and Surefoot footbed—is ~2400g. I’m very interested to find out through further testing across more terrain, the extent to which the lighter boot impacts performance on the down. Assuming that the boot has the same flex, stiffness, rigidity and fit, a lighter boot should be higher performing since the skier can (in theory) be quicker and more precise in his or her movements.
I walked around a bit with a 2011/12 Tecnica Cochise on one foot, and my proto-Cochise Pros on the other to test the walk mode and a get a good idea for the stride associated with each. In every meaningful way, they felt the same. This is not a surprise, since all the guts of the shell that interact with the walk mode are the same.
The fit has a noticeably higher volume than the Nordica Dobermann in the same size shell, however, and slightly more space than a Tecnica Agent alpine boot, but it certainly feels like a legitimate 98mm last. I would say the shape is most similar to a Salomon Falcon shell, though with slightly more upright forward lean (which, at least to me, is a good thing).
While there may not be that many people looking for a 98mm last, 130 flex alpine boot with walk mode andtech binding compatibility, there is a passionate minority that is, and has been looking for a LONG time. That said, if the boot fits nicely, and you are looking at a 98mm lasted, 130 flex boot for all mountain use, why would you NOT want the optional AT and Alpine sole compatibility, additional binding compatibility, a functional walk mode, etc?
I hope this is only the first of many entries into this class of boot, but Tecnica has managed not only to be the first to market, they appear to have set the bar very, very high, right out of the gate. There is no significant weight penalty, the walk mode is fully functional and seems to be very durable, the sole attachment system is totally bomber, and the last is going to be rather neutral, with great mold-ability and customization options.
I am very excited to continue to test this boot, and see where the design can take me.
But that’s not all of the news. For 2012-2013, Tecnica is also making the Cochise Light AT boot.
2012-2013 Tecnica Cochise Light
It’s a highly streamlined version of the 2011 Cochise (120 flex) AT boot, to make the boot as light as possible. It’s the same shape and flex of the Cochise, with a 100mm last; walk mode; a traditional, lighter strap (the Cochise Light ditches the Alu velcro strap and buckle); reduced weight buckles; it comes stock with Tech soles, and has a light weight, (Intuition-style) Thermoform liner manufactured by Palau.
And it comes in at 1580g, in a 310mm BSL.
Yeah, that’s right. It is weight competitive with a Dynafit Zzero Carbon Green Machine Touring boot (also 1580g).
We haven’t yet had the chance to test the Cochise Light, but we’ll certainly let you know when we do. We are very curious to see how the stiffness compares with that of the standard Cochise due to the different strap system.
Comments:
Questions? Comments? Tell us what you think.
November 21, 2011 at 9:14 pm
Wow, Tecnica is really stepping it up! The Cochise light is very appealing to me. I find that weight a bit hard to believe. Thats a huge weight loss just for different buckles, strap, and liner. Is the plastic the same as the standard Cochise? I wonder if the flex will be the same. Its awfully early to be previewing 2012-2013 boots, any chance this is going to be a mid-season release?
November 21, 2011 at 9:43 pm
And here I was, perfectly happy with my Agent 130´s and Quadrants. Damn. Looks like Tecnica has been doing some really serious R&D in the last few years.
November 23, 2011 at 3:51 pm
Very cool. It looks like it might become hard to find a 4 buckle AT boot at some point, but if these have all of the performance……..
November 24, 2011 at 1:19 am
Wish the Pro’s came in a 100mm width.
November 24, 2011 at 2:28 pm
hey MM- the pro’s do come in a 100mm last. they are called the standard Cochise. the only difference between the PRO and standard cochise, realistically, is the internal shape (98mm vs. 100mm). the cochise pro is slightly stiffer only because the wall thickness of the plastic is thicker due to the narrower last.
cheers!
November 29, 2011 at 10:04 am
like every time thanks for the info.
for me the last of the cochise was more than 100mm, good flex, but too much room (and no inside foot good molding).
only one thing: on paper, the fourth buckle/strap was a good idea.
one time I try it, the strap is more powerfull than the buckle.
you can’t close it if you strap first: three buckles are lighter with the same effect.
I’m sure it’s more marketing than it is usefull!
December 3, 2011 at 4:08 pm
Good job, Marshal. Tecnica either has very good ears or could read our minds for next years lineup.
December 7, 2011 at 8:01 am
all this sound very exiting
one thing very important for me : progressivity of flex.
sometimes on At boot, with the ski/walk mecanism you have a little gap, play on the flex.
I hope tecnica will look carefully after that…
December 7, 2011 at 5:01 pm
Looks interesting! When is the Cochise Pro going to hit the retail shelves?
December 7, 2011 at 5:25 pm
should be out fall, 2012
January 13, 2012 at 5:42 am
Wow,Cochise Pro what a story and very impressive weight.
January 22, 2012 at 9:21 am
Outstanding work Marshal! I like the new Tecnica boots and will definitely look at this boot when I get the chance to – right at the top of my list!!!
February 22, 2012 at 6:18 pm
Hmm, after the SIA show, I’m wondering if this will be competing with Salomon’s quest max 120 and the Lange XT130, although I’m not sure if those have swappable at/alpine sole blocks.
February 29, 2012 at 8:09 am
C Haugan
Neither the Salomon or Lange will also have a swappable Tech sole option nor are they any where near as stiff as the Cochise 130, the Lange XT 130 felt as stiff as the Cochise 90. The range of motion on the Cochise Pro 130 is also twice what the Quest and Lange XT. Both boots still have a lower spine that goes up the back of the ski boot so even if you release the walk function your lower leg runs into the spine in the back of the boot and you end up with virtually no rearward range of motion. The range of motion in the Cochise isn’t as good as a Maestrale or a TLT-5 but as you can see from Marshal’s review it’s pretty comparable to the Titan series from Dynafit and more than a Factor from BD.
April 3, 2012 at 9:17 pm
Have you guys gotten to test the Cochise Light yet?
April 4, 2012 at 9:34 am
hi justin, i have a pair of cochise lights headed my way shortly. i am very interested to see how the different strap and liner effect the skiing of the boot. thanks!
April 9, 2012 at 7:15 am
Marshal, thanks for the great reviews and info on this series. Do you know if the Standard Cochise will have the better liner for 2012-13? I don’t think the narrower Pro will work for me, and I also have a high instep. I tried on the current Cochise and was very happy with the fit–just wondering about the liner quality.
April 9, 2012 at 8:16 am
greetings nick, the 2011/12 liner was much nicer than what i sampled in this review, sort of a standard mid-high end liner, and the new liner for 12/13 is legitimately as nice as any stock liner on the market.