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Osprey's Kestrel 48 gets high marks for versatility. But what about the features? http://t.co/UXvcXhlmgv #backpacks
Garmont Cosmos
- Garmont Cosmos (2012)
What It Is
The Garmont Cosmos is an extremely lightweight, four buckle AT boot, with a claimed flex of 125.
Retail Price: $700
83
- 95-100 Extremely high recommendation.
- 90-94 Enthusiastically recommended. Exceptional.
- 80-89 Highly recommended - few reservations.
- 70-79 Recommended. Standard performance.
- 60-69 Fair. Recommended for certain uses.
- 50-59 Poor. Not recommended in general.
The Good |
The Bad |
The Verdict |
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The Garmont Cosmos is a very comfortable alpine touring boot, with welcoming fit and a forgiving on-snow feel being its primary virtues. It’s light and agile, ideal for longer backcountry days and more technical ski mountaineering objectives, though the power for this four-buckle boot leaves room for improvement. |
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Top comfort
Of all the boots I wore during our four-day boot test, the Cosmos were one of the most comfortable boots from the moment I put them on until the time I took them off. I’m not normally a huge fan of Palau liners but these worked really well.
Smart buckles
The buckle placement and ease of use were second-to-none. The two forefoot buckles were spring loaded, and recoiled away as if held by a second set of hands, making the process of getting into the boots quite civilized.
Softer than claimed
On my first run, I took one of my favorite skis (Faction 3.Zero: 112m underfoot) and found out quickly that the purported 125 flex index wasn’t accurate. Skiing through the broken powder, I surged forward each time I slammed into a fresh stash of untracked snow. Driving skis wasn’t a real option. Instead, I had to learn how to balance the ski cautiously, and I was felt like I was in check, expecting to fall into my ski tips.
After a few more runs, I found the sweet spot, as much from necessity than by virtue of the boot. Laterally, the Cosmos had a quick responsiveness, and I thought the upper cuff, when locked in ski mode, kept me from falling into the back seat. It’s worth mentioning my feet were warm and relaxed for the duration of my time in them.
Touring
The Cosmos were very nimble and skinning and hiking was blissful. The rockered lug sole was sensitive and the fore/aft range of the Cosmos was plenty for all day trips and long slogs.
How We Tested It
I spent four days skiing at the Backcountry/Outside ski test at Powder Mountain, Utah last March. We had deep snow, groomers, broken pow, crud and, yes, breakable crust. I skied the aforementioned Faction skis as well as a pair of Volkl Nanuqs (96mm waist).
The products featured in this test have been loaned to the Gear Institute. For more on our policies regarding editorial objectivity and sample returns, see here.
About the Author
Ready to Purchase?
Retailer |
Product Name |
Price |
| GearX.com | Garmont - Cosmos Powerlite AT Boot | $489.97 |
| evo | Garmont Cosmos Alpine Touring Ski Boots 2013 | $559.96 |
* When you use links above to make your purchase, a portion of the sale helps support Gear Institute.
Ratings
Fit/Comfort
9
10
Weight
7
10
Downhill Power
5
10
Walkability
8
10
Versatility
7
10
Value
7
10
Gear Institute Rating (Total Score)
83
100
Weight
6 lbs , 6 oz
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