Scarpa T4 vs Crispi Svartisen: XCD Boot Comparison

This is our extended breakdown between two downhill-capable XCD boots: The Scarpa T4 vs Crispi Svartisen. We dive deep in this video to break down the similarities, differences, and suggested binding pairings to get the most out of your setup.

This video is broken up into chapters so you can easily skim between the sections you want to dive into, or, you can continue below for a full transcript of our discussion. Thanks for tuning in!

Scarpa T4 vs Crispi Svartisen

Full Discussion Transcript

Tyler (Host) × David Grissom (Voile General Manager and Partner)

Tyler: Hey everyone, Tyler here again. We’re back with the second installment of what we’re calling The Voile Show. Today I’m here with Dave, and we’re breaking down the Scarpa T4 vs the Crispi Svartisen.

We’re going to talk about what each boot is good for, where it thrives, where it feels a little undergunned, and then we’ll get into binding pairings, which is a huge part of the conversation with XCD boots.

You ready?

Dave: Ready to get rolling.

Tyler: Let’s do it.

Generally speaking, what style of XCD skiing are these two boots geared toward?

Tyler: Last time we talked about the Alpina Alaska compared to the Svartisen. Now we’re talking Scarpa T4 vs Crispi Svartisen. What type of XCD skiing are these two boots geared toward?

Dave: There’s a pretty big gap between them in performance, weight, and flex. In the last video we said the Alaska was more touring, and the Svartisen was more turning foused. This comparison is a little different. I’d describe the Svartisen as more touring-focused, and the T4 as more turning-focused.

Tyler: Yeah, internally we’ve been trying to define the “niches inside the niche” with XCD. We’ve been calling the main category XCD, and then the next step up XCD Crossover, where things start leaning more turning-focused and the gear changes.

Dave: Exactly. And with the Svartisen, my experience is it’s a great turning boot and touring boot, but it’s more like: you’re making a bigger radius turn, setting the turn, and holding it. With the T4, I can do faster transitions. More of what I’d call “parallelemark.” You can really see the downhill performance gap.

And then we’ll get into bindings, because it gets interesting when you start pairing the T4 and Svartisen with different setups.

What’s similar about them? Why do people compare these boots?

Tyler: People are shopping between these two. What do you think feels similar about them, or why do people compare them side by side?

Dave: Low cuff, lighter weight in their categories. The T4 is lighter than something like a T2 or older four-buckle tele boots. I think people want less weight, but still decent performance touring and turning.

What’s the core difference between them?

Tyler: What’s the biggest difference?

Dave: Weight and downhill performance tradeoff. It’s a big jump from leather to plastic. You’re jumping up in weight, stiffer flex, and the big benefit is performance.

If your priority is turning and pushing terrain, the T4 does that. If you’re mostly in lower angle, the Svartisen makes a ton of sense.

Tyler: So they overlap in the category, but the T4 has way more downhill DNA.

Dave: Definitely.

Scarpa T4 – On Snow Performance

Tyler: Alright, let’s shift into on-snow performance and just talk about the T4 as a whole. If someone’s looking at this boot, who is it really for?

Dave: I’d say it’s for someone prioritizing turns. They want faster transitions between turns, more stability, and more downhill performance overall.

With the T4, I can ski more dynamically. I can make shorter radius turns. I can transition faster — almost what you might call a “parallelemark” style. It’s just a quicker, more responsive boot compared to the Svartisen.

Tyler: And that’s coming mostly from the flex difference?

Dave: Definitely. It’s quite a bit stiffer than the leather Svartisen. That’s immediately noticeable. There’s always a tradeoff. You gain performance, but you gain weight and stiffness. It’s that jump from leather to plastic. You’re stepping into a stiffer flex, which gives you more downhill control.

Tyler: How about comfort? Because plastic can scare people a little.

Dave: The Svartisen is incredibly comfortable right out of the box — probably the most comfortable leather boot I’ve skied in.

The T4 is comfortable too, especially once you mold the liner, but it’s still a plastic boot. It’s going to feel different. It has a walk mode, and it walks fine, but it’s not going to feel as naturally flexible as leather. That said, my experience with the T4 out of the box was still good.

Tyler: Terrain-wise, where does this boot really shine?

Dave: Low to medium angle terrain is the sweet spot. You can do a lot with it. Even though it’s just a two-buckle boot, it handles quite a bit. It’s very appropriate for that XCD crossover category — especially if you’re pairing it with something a little wider underfoot.

Tyler: Where does it start to feel like too much boot?

Dave: If you’re mostly just touring and occasionally making turns on really low angle terrain, it might be more than you need. You’re carrying more weight, and you’re essentially over-booting yourself.

Tyler: And on the flip side, where does it feel undergunned?

Dave: If you push into really steep terrain, firm snow, bumped-out snow, or more resort-style conditions, it can start to feel underpowered. At that point, you’d be looking at something like a T2 or even jumping into NTN. The T4 is powerful for XCD, but it’s still a low cuff, minimal plastic boot.

Crispi Svartisen – On Snow Performance

Tyler: Alright, now let’s shift over to the Svartisen and just talk about it as a whole. Who is this boot really for?

Dave: I’d say it’s for someone who’s prioritizing touring first and turning second — especially in low-angle terrain. It’s incredibly lightweight. It’s extremely comfortable. Honestly, it’s the most comfortable leather boot I’ve ever used. You can take it out of the box and go ski it.

If your days are built around covering ground, exploring, and making some turns along the way, this boot makes a lot of sense.

Tyler: And how does it feel underfoot compared to the T4?

Dave: Totally different feel. It’s an easy flex. Very smooth. It’s super easy to drop into a knee and make a tele turn, but you’re not snapping quick transitions like you would in the T4.

With the Svartisen, I’m dropping into the turn, setting it, and holding it. Bigger radius turns. Longer, more swoopy arcs. It’s a more relaxed style. It also walks incredibly well. That’s where leather just shines.

Tyler: Terrain sweet spot?

Dave: Low-angle terrain, no question. Rolling terrain, soft snow, meadow skipping, long tours. That’s where this boot is at home.

Tyler: What happens when you start creeping into medium-angle stuff?

Dave: It depends a lot on snow quality. If it’s soft, you can push it a bit. If it’s firm or variable, you’re going to feel the limits. You’ll need to make bigger radius turns and really hold your edge longer for stability. You can do it, but you’re working a little harder.

Tyler: Where does it feel like too much boot?

Dave: Honestly, if you’re purely walking — like not really turning at all — it might still be more boot than you need. At that point you could go even lighter, maybe into something like Xplore. But for most XCD use, it’s pretty well balanced.

Tyler: And where does it feel undergunned?

Dave: Steeper terrain, firm snow, variable conditions. If you’re trying to ski medium-angle terrain aggressively or you’re hitting firm snow, that’s where it starts to feel underpowered compared to the T4. Again, it comes back to priorities. If turning performance is the main goal, especially on medium angles, the T4 is going to feel more stable and powerful.

Binding Pairings – Scarpa T4

Tyler: Alright, let’s get into bindings. Starting again with the T4 — if someone’s building out an XCD crossover setup, what’s the primary pairing?

Dave: The primary pairing is the Switchback. It’s got that rigid heel assembly that pairs really well with a plastic boot. Performance-wise, it’s just a great match.

What was interesting in our testing though is that the T4 also works with the 3-Pin Cable. It’s a tighter fit because the boot is wider, and you’ve got to be a little careful getting the duckbill onto the pins, but it works. So the T4 actually has a pretty wide range. You can run it from a 3-Pin Cable all the way up to a Switchback X2.

Tyler: Let’s talk about the Switchback specifically. What’s the ideal use case for T4 plus Switchback?

Dave: Medium angle terrain, more turning, faster transitions. They’re really well matched in terms of performance and feel. The standout feature is the free pivot. You get frictionless uphill touring. That’s the big advantage over a 3-Pin Cable, where you’ll still get some resistance when you lift your heel. And what’s great about the Switchback is once you’re in, you’re in. You’re just flipping the switch between tour and ski mode. Especially on scaled skis in rolling terrain, that’s incredibly efficient.

Tyler: Any real tradeoffs with T4 plus Switchback?

Dave: Not really. If anything, if you want more downhill power, you jump to the Switchback X2 since the pivot point is a little further back and gives you more engagement. But as a crossover setup, the standard Switchback is hard to beat.

Tyler: Okay, now what happens if someone says, “I want to drop weight and run the T4 with a 3-Pin Cable instead”?

Dave: You’re going simpler and lighter. That’s the main reason to do it. Downhill performance is still surprisingly good because the boot is doing a lot of the work. But you lose that true free pivot efficiency on the uphill.

You can detach or stow the cable for touring, but it’s still not the same as a full free pivot binding. So it’s really a question of: do you want weight savings and simplicity, or maximum uphill efficiency?

Binding Pairings – Crispi Svartisen

Tyler: Alright, now let’s switch over to the Svartisen. What’s the primary binding pairing here?

Dave: Definitely a 3-Pin Cable. That’s the sweet spot. You could run the 3-Pin Cable Traverse if you want a little more riser. Or even an HD Mountaineer if you want a cable-less option. The three-pin style bindings were originally designed around leather boots. The flexible spring and the boot flex just work together naturally.

Tyler: We get asked a lot: can you put the Svartisen in a Switchback?

Dave: Yeah, and our answer is no — not the standard Switchback with the rigid heel assembly. The heel assembly is too stiff for a flexible leather boot. You struggle to get it on, and even once it’s on, the springs don’t really engage properly when you lift your heel. It just doesn’t work right.

The New Option – Switchback Cable

Tyler: So that brings us to what we’ve been working on. What are we calling this?

Dave: The Switchback Cable. It’s essentially a Switchback with a cable heel assembly that flexes naturally with a leather boot. You get the free pivot, but with a heel setup that actually pairs correctly with something like the Svartisen.

Tyler: And we’ve actually been skiing this, not just talking about it. The big standout feature is free pivot with a leather boot. That’s something people have been asking for. Tradeoffs?

Dave: Mostly weight. You’re adding a little compared to a 3-Pin Cable. Also, the hinge point is more neutral and slightly further forward compared to a 3-Pin Cable, so the downhill feel is different. The 3-Pin Cable has a slightly more active feel in the turn.

But for someone who wants efficiency, hates transitions, and just wants to flip a switch and keep moving on rolling terrain — it’s a very compelling option.

Buying Guidance

Tyler: Let’s zoom back out. If someone is stuck choosing between the Svartisen and the T4, what’s your advice?

Dave: It comes down to priorities. If you want to make more turns, ski medium-angle terrain, and push conditions a little more — go T4. If you’re mostly touring, skiing low-angle terrain, and making some turns along the way — go Svartisen.

There’s a noticeable jump in weight and performance between the two. You just have to decide what matters more to you.

Tyler: How does touring length and frequency factor in?

Dave: If you’re doing long touring days and prioritizing covering ground, the Svartisen paired with a 3-Pin Cable is hard to beat. It’s lighter and incredibly comfortable. You can still do long days in the T4, especially with a free pivot binding, but you are carrying more weight. So you have to be okay with that tradeoff.

Tyler: Who is the Svartisen wrong for?

Dave: Someone who wants to ski medium-angle terrain aggressively and make a lot of turns. It’ll feel undergunned there.

Tyler: And who is the T4 wrong for?

Dave: Someone who’s mostly touring and not really prioritizing downhill performance. It might be more boot and binding than they actually need.

Rapid Fire

Question	Answer
More forgiving boot?	Crispi Svartisen
More powerful boot?	Scarpa T4
Lighter boot?	Crispi Svartisen
Better for long days?	Crispi Svartisen (especially long touring days)
Better for making turns?	Scarpa T4
Better for newer tele skiers?	Scarpa T4 (more stability and support)
Better for experienced tele skiers?	Depends on priorities. More touring = Svartisen. More turning on medium angles = T4.

Tyler: Alright, that wraps up our discussion here. That’s the Scarpa T4 vs Crispi Svartisen. We covered XCD, XCD crossover, binding pairings, and even touched on a new binding coming soon.

As always, these are just our opinions. Let us know what you think in the comments — and we’ll see you next time for the next discussion.

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