K2 Dispatch Pro Boots

The new Dispatch boots are K2’s first real foray into the lighter-weight “free touring” category. They don’t compromise performance on either the downhill or uphill. They are a very stiff 130 flex designed for expert or heavier skiers who like to charge hard on the way down, yet their per pair weight of just 3,050g / 6.73lb is impressive and easy on the legs while climbing the skin track. 

The Powerlock 2.0 system provides a 60° range of motion in walk mode with a spring-loaded lock mechanism to secure the boots in ski mode. Providing 9-15° of forward lean that is easily adjustable to your skiing preference.

The Dispatch Pros are built on a 100mm last with a lightweight, eco-friendly Pebax material used in the cuff that provides an energetic and consistent flex across a wide range of temperatures. This 'Powerlite Tour Shell' as K2 calls it, is boot fitter friendly and completely heat-moldable for a truly custom fit for many foot shapes and sizes.

Inside the K2 Dispatch Pro Boots, you’ll find the Tourfit BOA Liner which uses a stiffer foam for a better and warmer fit. It is of course completely heat-moldable and comes with a built-in pre-molded ankle pocket. The asymmetric tongue allows for power and energy transmission while the BOA Fit System provides a more versatile fit and increased foothold across the entire foot. 

K2 has used Vibram Outsoles on the Dispatch Pro Boots for their superior grip and durability when scrambling rocky ridges and navigating slippery cafeteria floors. Their exclusive K2 tread is built to comply with ISO DIN 9523 standards which mean these touring soles are rockered for easier walking and compatible with Salomon Atomic’s MNC bindings along with Marker’s Sole.ID bindings.

Cuff: Pebax (heat moldable) 
Lower Shell / Shoe: Pebax (heat moldable)

• Backcountry ski boots designed for balanced performance
• 130 flex transfers power to your edges in tight situations
• 100mm last width balances uphill comfort with downhill performance
• Powerlock 2.0 walk mode provides easy striding on the uphill
• BOA tourfit liner moulds to your feet and traps heat for long days
• 4-buckle, 2-piece design offers a timeless fit and feel
• Vibram outsole effortlessly grips rocky ridges and slippery lots
• Powerlite Tour Shell
• Fastfit instep
• Fully Heat-Moldable
• Cam Booster Strap
• Switchback Buckles
• Honeycomb Boot board
• Cam Buckle

If you are considering the K2 Dispatch Pro Boots then you’ve also likely looked at their closest competitors, namely the Atomic Hawx Ultra XTD 130, Nordica Strider Pro 130 DYN, Fischer Ranger Free 130 Walk DYN Boots, Tecnica Cochise 130 DYN GW Boots, Lange XT3 Tour Pro Boots, and even the new Scarpa 4-Quattro XT Boots. All of these boots provide the very best in downhill ski performance thanks to their four buckle design and 130 flex rating and weigh around the 3kg mark. This is a super popular segment of the alpine touring boot market as it allows users to ski the resort as hard as they want and still have a boot that is light enough to tour in.

The last pair of K2 Boots I reviewed was the Pinnacle 130s almost a decade ago. In this time a lot of innovation has occurred and the new Dispatch Pro Boots are just as stiff and beefy as the Pinnacles but now weigh 50% less with far more range of motion in walk mode. You can take advantage of most of this cuff rotation while leaving the top two buckles and power strap engaged—release them and things only get better with the entire 60° of flex on offer. This impressive range of motion is surprising in such a stiff boot but very welcoming on the skin track. The flex is stiff but still very progressive and doesn’t feel like you are careening full force into that 130 flex rating. Switching from ski to walk mode is simple and the Powerlock 2.0 mechanism is easy to use while also very secure thanks to the integrated spring-loaded lock feature which ensures that accidental switchovers don’t occur.

Without question, the Dispatch Pro Boots are a hard-charging hybrid boot that can slay the resort and still go out of bounds for a few laps when needed. They have enough power to drive wider skis in technical terrain and yet are still light enough to tour with. While they won’t win any lightweight awards at 3,050g / 6.73lb per pair, it is impressive how K2 was able to keep the weight to a minimum while still providing so much performance.

On the fit side, the Dispatch Pro’s heel pocket is quite large and my foot shape required quite a bit of boot fitting to secure my foot snuggly into the back of the boot. With a 110mm last you would think that the Dispatch Pro Boots would be quite a large fit but on the contrary, I found the toe box to be a little cramped, and overall the width felt limited. This is due to the more alpine fit of the Dispatch Pro Boots and of course, every foot is different so your experience may be different than mine. 

While the BOA Fit System integrated into the liners is very convenient for lacing up a more snug overall fit, it did make getting into and out of the Dispatch Pros a little more challenging. Even fully opened the amount of room the BOA Fit System provided could have been more. The BOA Fit Systems provided extra foothold by cinching up the liners, especially over the shin, however, it didn’t provide much additional hold over the forefoot which is where I was hoping it would.

The Dispatch Pros are a high-performance, powerful, and comfortable boots that will allow you to ski anything on the mountain and not limit your skiing in-bounds at the resort. If you are looking for that crossover boot that can do it all, then give the Dispatch Pros a try, I’m sure you’ll be impressed.