Nitro Skylab Boot

How to measure your foot:

• Place a sheet of A4 paper flush against a wall or door
• Make light contact with the wall or door with your heel
• Draw around your foot / mark the longest point
• Measured length = MONDO length + liner allowance
  
  

Skylab liner allowance:  10mm to max. 15 mm

In a NEW splitboard boot, your feet fit snugly without causing pain.
The boot should fit snugly around your feet and toes, touching the liner.
It will get bigger with each tour due to the INLINER material and abrasion.
Rule of thumb: touching YES - pain NO

Vibram Outsole with ECOSTEP
Vibram grip and traction and an Eco-friendly approach: This is the eco-sole from NITRO …. made of Vibram® ECOSTEP™ Compound, an eco-friendly recycled rubber compound developed by Vibram® and made up to 30% of recycled rubber. The rubber scrap generated by Vibram’s production process is recycled in order to produce Vibram® Ecostep compound. It’s a High-quality compound formulation, which offers a very good Vibram grip and traction on snow while preserving the environment through the waste reduction.

Air Dampening
Our trusted AIR suspension technology is now featured on even more models. The best shock absorbing technology on the planet sucks up hard landings and keeps your heels from getting bruised. This noticeable difference in ride and comfort does not compromise response or control.

Endure Gravity Foam Toe Protection
This product is made with Endure®, a material developed and distributed by Gravity Group Srl. Endure® can withstand the most challenging and demanding outdoor conditions. It is long-lasting, even in wet and cold environments preserving its flexible behavior at very low temperatures without cracks. In addition, endure® has a high-tech closed-cell microstructure that allows achieving the highest toughness while keeping the lowest weight. At equal thickness, it is up to 50% lighter than rubber. Conceived as a higher-end replacement for rubber, Endure® prevents all the drawbacks in the use of rubber related to environmental impact. It is entirely made in TPU, which makes it 100% recyclable.

Therminator Shield
This reflective thermal layer between sole and liner will reflect your body heat
and keep your feet warm all day.

Hike `N`Ride Construction
A construction specifically made for making the transition and performance between hike and ride mode easier and more beneficial for the rider (together with the forward lean adjustment and auto power strap). Hike mode offers a softer flex and ride mode is more responsive and rigid flex.

After the Incline, the 2nd splitboard boot from Nitro.

Besides the very technical Incline, Nitro still had a gap in its portfolio. This has now been superbly closed.
The Skylab has the best fit and flex for our internal test with different foot shapes.
Both my everyday foot and “special” feet had a great fit and fit.

Design and workmanship

Visually, the Skylab is simple and functional. The shoe has a clean, technical design that is optimized for use in the backcountry. The workmanship is of high quality, which speaks for a long lifespan in demanding terrain. The upper material is water-repellent and offers solid protection against moisture and cold.

The reduced weight of the boot is particularly striking. Nitro has taken care to make the Skylab as light as possible to make ascents easier. This is immediately noticeable when you put the shoe on and start walking – a pleasant lightness, without the shoe losing any of its stability.

Fit and comfort

The Skylab's fit is suitable for medium to wide feet and can be perfectly adjusted thanks to the TLS Twin Lacing System. This two-zone lacing system allows for precise adjustment of the forefoot and shaft areas independently of each other, which is particularly advantageous on longer tours and in varying terrain.

The boot is equipped with a Cloud 5 liner, which is not only very comfortable but also provides good thermal insulation. The liner can be thermally adjusted so that the boot adapts perfectly to the individual foot shape. In addition, the Ortholite® footbed technology provides additional comfort and better moisture regulation.

Performance and intended use

The Skylab is specially designed to meet the requirements of splitboarders. Thanks to its Vibram® Icetrek outsole, the boot offers excellent grip even on icy and steep ascents. This sole shows its strengths in tests when hiking in the backcountry, where you are on different surfaces – whether in snow, on rocks or in ice.

The flex of the boot is in the medium range (5/10), which offers a good mix of support and freedom of movement. During the ascent, the shoe feels pleasantly flexible, but at the same time offers enough stability for the descent. It is therefore aimed at riders who are looking for an all-mountain splitboard boot that scores points for both technical ascents and demanding descents.

Ascent and descent performance

On the ascent, the Skylab impresses with its lightweight construction and ergonomic fit. The sole provides good grip even on slippery surfaces and the shoe ensures a comfortable freedom of movement without losing stability. On the descent, the boot offers good responsiveness, which is particularly advantageous when riding fast in changeable terrain.

With a medium flex, it is not the stiffest boot on the market, but it is precisely this flexibility that makes it so versatile. The Skylab is a solid choice for riders who, in addition to splitboarding, also enjoy riding in powder or backcountry terrain.

Conclusion

The Nitro Skylab splitboard boot offers an excellent combination of light weight, comfort and performance. Particularly noteworthy are the TLS lacing system, the low weight and the grippy Vibram® outsole. The boot is aimed at splitboarders who are looking for a reliable, comfortable and versatile boot that performs well on long ascents as well as demanding descents.

Thanks Nitro for this great boot!

© splitboards europe all pictures | riders: DAV Camp Basic | location: Montafon