Very much targeting the entry level piste market, this female-specific boot majors in comfort and flex, but also wraps in good support - thanks to the three-piece cabrio design. A soft flex rating is no bad thing at this end of the market, and the light DB Hyperlite construction of the Dalbello Panterra 75 emphasises day-long comfort rather than any aspirations to aggressive riding. The Ski & Hike mechanism gives a decent 33 degrees of motion, and the almost-inevitable Gripwalk soles are present and correct too.
The women's-specific element is essentially down to the women's Low Profile Geometry Cuff - a removable cuff insert that can expand the boot top opening by around 5 cm and lowers the overall boot height by 1.5 cm. It's not a lot, but does have a significant impact, especially when paired with the built in flex control and adjustable cuff alignment, which allow quite a range of personalisation without resorting to more costly fitting - ideal at this end of the market. Indeed, the cuff buckle catch itself can moved into three different positions (total range = 30mm) without tools, allowing quick tweaks wherever you happen to be. That said, both liner and shell can also be thermo customised if needed, as you'd expect.
Another key feature is a wide opening for the foot, allowing easy donning of the boot, as well as a narrower heel that Dalbello claims is more suited to womens feet.
In use, that three-piece design gives smooth and progressive flex on easier ground, allowing confidence and skills to be built in comfort. However, there's still plenty of feedback and enough control to take on more demanding intermediate conditions too.
Buy Dalbello Panterra 75 Ski Boots: From £205.99 at Amazon (UK) <<Best Deal>>
Buy Dalbello Panterra 75 Ski Boots: From $306.99 at Amazon (US)
Buy Dalbello Panterra 75 Ski Boots: £290 at Snow & Rock
