Flex
Dalbello lists the Lupo’s flex as 110 or 130, depending on which one of the two included tongues you use. But flex ratings are not standardized in the ski industry, so one “130 flex” boot may feel softer or stiffer than another. To try to better locate the Lupo, then, I’ll compare it to a couple boots with similar stated flexes that I’ve used.
I was initially worried that the “C” (110 flex) tongue included with the Lupo would be far too soft. I was used to skiing a pair of Il Moro’s with a 120 flex rating, and at room temperature, I could easily flex deep into the boot. But once I got the boots on snow, I found the 110 flex “C” tongue to be just about perfect for me—quite comparable to the “120” flex on the Il Moro, in fact, if not a bit stiffer. The Lupo also flexes similarly to the Scarpa Mastrale’s (which is a stated 120 flex) and my old Lange RC Comps (120 flex).
Personally, at 135 lbs, I haven’t had a reason to swap in the Lupo’s 130 flex “B” tongue. With the stiffer tongue installed, I’m sure the boot would be substantially stiffer, and too stiff for me. But if you are looking for a boot with a walk/hike mode and a “legitimate” 130 flex, then I think the Lupo should be on your list along with the Tecnica Cochise Pro 130 (I haven’t skied the Cochise Pro, but Paul Forward has a lot of good things to say about it’s downhill performance in his review.)
Lastly, with respect to forward flex, one of the things I love about Dalbello’s Cabrio design is the on-the-fly flex adjustment offered by the upper buckle. Crank the top buckle down, and the boot can get really stiff; loosen it up a bit, and the boot will soften up. I love being able to adjust my flex quickly. I can take a lap through the park without shin bang, or make a short skin a lot more enjoyable. Then, if conditions get sketchy, I can really crank them down too. I’ve never been able to dial in this type of on-the-fly adjustment with 2-piece, four-buckle boots that have two buckles on the cuff.
Downhill Performance
I don’t have any negative things to say about the Lupo’s downhill performance. The boots are very precise, powerful, and responsive. I feel more confident skiing hard in variable terrain in them than in any other boot I’ve used.
The fit and performance of ski boots is rather subjective, but there are some factors that should help you decide whether the Lupo is a boot you should check out.
One big difference between the Lupo and the KR2 Pro I.D. is the lack of forward lean adjustment in the Lupo, which I mentioned above. In and of itself, that’s not a huge deal, but without using the included rear spoilers behind the liner, the Lupo has only 9 degrees of forward lean and it can’t be adjusted in any other way due to the walk mode.
In this way, the boot caters to an upright, balanced skiing style in general. And while you can increase the forward lean by 2-4 degrees with the spoilers, you’ll still be standing in a more centered position over your skis.
I didn’t have any issues adapting the Lupo’s 9 degrees forward lean, but if you’re are used to skiing a traditional boot with forward lean in the 11-14 degree range, you may have to adjust your skiing style a bit. If you’re used to, or are looking for, or a more aggressive race boot w/ forward lean closer to 16 or 17 degrees, the Lupo will probably be too neutral for you.
Bottom Line
If you are looking for a boot with strong touring capabilities, or a boot with a steep, aggressive forward lean, the Dalbello Lupo SP I.D. probably isn’t for you. But if you have more of a freestyle mindset and do a lot of hiking in the resort, it may suit you very well. Even though it’s a touch wide for my very narrow feet, for me, the Lupo SP’s performance and features make it just about the perfect boot for everyday lift-accessed use.
How does the Lupo instep compare to the cavernous instep on the Cochise 120? I have Fred Flintstone feet, and the Cochise with no insole fits my instep almost perfectly.
Hey Blister, any chance you can add to this review with reviews of Lupo TI models?
How does the forward lean of the Lupo compare to the Salomon X Pro 120? I’ve been skiing the XPro, but want something that fits a bit snugger, has a hike/walk mode, but skis similarly as far as stance is concerned. I can’t find detailed information about the forward lean of the XPro … with 9 degrees of forward lean, is it a significant difference?
Thanks,
Matt
Hey Matt,
Although I’ve never skied the X Pro 120, I imagine that it has more forward lean than the Lupo. The Lupo is a really upright boot for driving wider, neutral stance freeride skis while the X Pro seems a bit more traditional. Most boots land in the 12-16deg range while the Lupo at 9deg is a bit of an outlier. That being said, there is a lot that goes into forward lean and the shell geometry is only one of those things. Liners, fit and hinge point also impact forward lean a good bit.
Definitely go into a shop and try on the Lupo though, it might be a good fit for you and you’ll only know by checking it out in person at a good boot fitter.
Thanks for the reply, Sam – I really appreciate it. Try them on is probably the best advice out there. Thanks!
where do i find the c flex tongue? looked everywhere
Hey Ken, both tongues should have come with your boots. If you need a replacement tongue, I would contact Dalbello directly or through a local dealer.
I just received my Lupo SP IDs (2017 model) from evo.com. Only the one tongue came with the boots. Similarly, no additional tongues were advertised to come with the boots from evo. Maybe a change from the previous model years???
Hey Matt, yeah, after some digging it appears that they didn’t include both tongues on last year’s model. I would contact Dalbello directly for different tongues, it’s the best chance of getting replacement parts.
I bought the 2016 lupo so id and the game with a black and orange tongue with no markings, do you know which one is the c?
Hey Ken, on my pair, the black tongues are the “110” flex and the orange tongues are the stiffer “130” flex.
Hi Sam,
Skiing right now in a pair of Dalbello KR2 Core ID 110 but was thinking of getting a pair of Lupo SP ID because of the walking mode. Seems like the forward lean in the KR2 without the wedge is the same as in Lupo (9 degrees) but you have any clue about the flex….love the KR2 110 flex and now a bit worried that the Lupo would be too stiff even with the softer 110 tongue. Any idea if the shell in Lupo is stiffer overall than in the KR2 (as the tongues seem to be the same)?
Thanks,
Tor.
Hey Tor,
I think the 110 flex tongue should be fine for you. As far as I know, the lowers of the KR2 and the Lupo SP ID are the same (except for the walk mechanism). The Lupo with the softer tongue is not an overly stiff boot. It offers a forgiving and progressive flex.
Thanks,
Sam
What’s the successor to these boots? I’m at 140 days in the 15/16 model
I’m in the same boat as Jordan and find myself looking at Roxa now for a carbrio boot… The Lupo series seems to be leaning toward the AX last, and I’d like to keep a walk mode (so I’m not sold on the Krypton).
Hit close to 200 days in the SP ID. Thinking of either giving up the hike mode for a krypton 130 ID this year or the new Lupo Pro HD, with Alpine soles.
Thoughts?