At first I was intimidated by the Kryzma’s stiff flex, but ultimately the boot actually improved my skiing and left me feeling more in control. I never experienced shin bang in the boot, and it provided excellent lateral support allowed me to control skis better at high-speeds than my Firearrows in chop, crud, and in bumps. This was especially noticeable in challenging, steep terrain, where the Kryzma’s 3-buckle configuration locked my heel in place very well, allowing me to transfer power to my skis efficiently and confidently. I spent significantly less time in the backseat wearing the Kryzma than I had in the Firearrows, and I could more easily maintain an athletic, balanced stance.
On groomers, the Kryzma provided excellent support through powerful long and short radius turns, and, on the whole, were again superior to my old Firearrows. The Kryzmas provided far better support around the foot and lower leg while still permitting a quick and efficient power transfer to my ski edges. I was also better able to manage super fat skis like the Volkl Kuro on groomers in the Kryzma.
Bootpacking
Due to the snug, performance fit and the stiffness of the Kryzma, I wasn’t particularly comfortable on hikes lasting longer than 10 minutes. For example, the boots were absolutely fine for the 6-7 minute bootpack up Baldy at Snowbird, but I would begin to experience hot spots on my heels on longer hikes. And to be fair, the Kryzma is not designed as an AT boot with any sort of hike/ride switch, it’s made with solely downhill performance in mind. So if you are accessing terrain in-resort via a quick hike, you’ll be fine in the Kryzma, but you might want to consider another boot if you plan to go on longer bootpacks regularly.
The Kryzma does not have a rubber, treaded sole like some freeride boots do, but a solid plastic, lugged sole. Even so, the Kryzmas have provided a nice amount of traction on hikes and while walking to the lift.
Durability
After more than 70 days of skiing, hiking, and walking through parking lots, the performance of the Kryzma’s liner hasn’t diminished at all. They’ve packed out a little bit, but not enough to prevent me from using them next winter. Likewise, the boots’ soles have held up well, and I’ll easily be able to get at least another season out of them .
Bottom Line
The Dalbello KR 2 Kryzma I.D. has undoubtedly improved my skiing in every condition, on all types of terrain, with it’s exceptional lateral stability and responsiveness. If you are an aggressive female skier looking for a high-performance alpine boot, especially if you have small, narrow feet, I highly recommend considering the Kryzma.