Salomon Shift Pro 110 AT Women’s Freeride Ski Boots Review: A Hybrid Boot for Powder Days and Experienced-to-Expert Skiers

With the capabilities for both downhill and backcountry skiing, the Salomon Shift Pro 110 AT is a single boot for ladies to shred no matter what terrain they’re in or if they’re going up or downhill.

The Salomon Shift Pro 110 AT women’s freeride boots ($700) are innovative, sturdy, and sleek. They were developed as an extension of the Salomon Shift product line, which changed the game for the freeride community. This line gives those who want to ski and explore uphill, off-piste, and in the backcountry a way to do so — and only needing one pair of boots to accomplish that goal.

While there are no technical updates to the 23/24 boots, the boot can now be paired with the brand-new QST Echo 106 ($800), Salomon’s inaugural freeride-inspired backcountry ski, which is unisex. Combined with the Salomon S/Lab Shift 13 MN ($600) unisex touring binding, the setup is an ideal choice for skiers eager to travel uphill and downhill without needing to change their setup.

In short: The Salomon Shift Pro 110 AT ski boots are designed for women who typically ski the resort plus a handful of short missions, backcountry days, or uphill laps in-bounds. These boots are powerful and supportive, yet still lightweight, making them a great hybrid boot.

Salomon Shift Pro 110 W AT: Review

Overview

Salomon was born in the French Alps in 1947, followed by the brand’s debut ski boot launch in 1979: the SX90, known as the “famous orange boot.” The SX90 was the first boot designed with heel retention and as a rear-entry boot, which was quite the accomplishment at the time.

The design provided more comfort and increased performance by minimizing heel movement. Salomon continues to be a front-runner by developing innovative gear for backcountry exploration, such as the Shift Pro ATs, and equipment for athletes seeking dynamic objectives in the mountains.

The brand launched both the Salomon Shift Pro 130 AT men’s freeride boots and the women’s model in the 2020/2021 winter season. The version I have is the second iteration that premiered in the 2021/2022 season, and there were no updates to the boot last winter.

I work long days on snow all season long, wearing my ski boots. The Salomon Shift Pro 110 ATs allowed me to wear one single boot bell-to-bell while managing safety and terrain at Brian Head Resort, where I’ve been a ski patroller for 2 years. I’ve been wearing these boots for just as long in southern Utah. Ranging from an elevation of 9,600 feet to 10,920 feet, nearly one-third of the resort is advanced and expert terrain while the other two-thirds is tailored to beginner and intermediate skiers and riders.

When I slide my toes into the ski boots on crisp mornings, my feet typically aren’t freed for 8 to 10 hours. Despite that time card, I was comfortably able to take evening uphill laps at the mountain with friends wearing the Shift Pro 110 ATs, which I combined with the S/Lab Shift 13 MN bindings.

While the boots are snug, they’re stiffer and slightly heavier than other backcountry-specific ski boots for women — like the Salomon MTN Summit Pro (1,020 g, 2.25 pounds) and the Dynafit Radical W (1,390 g, 3.06 pounds) — but served the purpose just fine. Plus, with a hybrid boot, I didn’t need to pack, own, fit, maintain, or store multiple pairs of ski boots throughout the season. That’s big savings.

Fit and Security

Beyond comfort, what stuck out to me about the Shift Pro 110 ATs was the secure fit, responsiveness, and a strong feeling of connection to the ski and terrain beneath me.

These boots met me where my skiing ability was, yet allowed room to excel without feeling like I was losing control like in the steeps or tight turns, due to an excellent overall design and shape in the liner and shell.

My heel stayed locked — with zero lift — and my forefoot didn’t slide around. But my foot could still engage when turning on hardpack or ice, and the boots quickly responded, transferring that power to my skis to drive the edges into the snow.

Liner

Designed anatomically for women’s feet, the Custom Fit 4D liner is preshaped with plush foam that fills all the right gaps after you pull on the boots. Specifically, the liner’s tongue and underside are strategically cushioned to support the shin and instep. The cuff is likewise tailored and lower-placed reinforcement near the Achilles to support a woman’s calf muscle.

There’s an elastic toebox, allowing plenty of wiggle room and mobility in the forefoot zone, which feels great on the uphills. The exterior edge of the liner is reinforced with Talyn, a stiffer material.

This preshaped liner makes for a more comfortable fit for individuals with average-width feet, which is a match for me. I also have a medium-to-high arch and an average-width heel. The shell and the liner are sized for individuals in between a narrow and wide fit.

If you have narrow feet and like a snug fit, these might not work as well for you. If you have wider feet, you may need to have the boots punched out more. Despite the overall great out-of-the-box fit, when I got the boots I invested in a boot fit and heat molding for the liner, which dialed every millimeter in.

Walk-Mode Mechanism

While touring with these boots, there was an ease of transitioning at the top of a climb from uphill mode to ski mode. With other ski boots, I’ve noticed that the mechanism for switching into walk mode can often be difficult to reach, maneuver, or take a lot of energy to lock. Some even feel wound too tight and snap into place, biting your fingers, or are difficult to align with their mount.

The simple design on this boot is a grade higher. Called Surelock, the walk-mode mechanism is where you can shift from ski to walk mode in the boot. The mechanism was easily reached on the exterior of the boot — no awkward movements required — on the back of my lower calf, and the smooth, horizontal switch effortlessly opens or shuts sideways. This motion is as simple as flipping on a ceiling light.

There’s a solid lock for the mechanism, too, which easily engages, making transitions fast.

Weight

In my experience, the Shift Pro 110 ATs are a do-it-all ski boot rather than a super lightweight or touring-specific boot — there are tradeoffs with both. Most days, I’d rather have a tad more weight for a well-balanced, built-out, anchored boot. This build gives you stability without sacrificing too much extra weight for the uphill days.

For example, Salomon’s S/LAB MTN men’s touring boots weigh 1,551 g (3.42 pounds), and the Shift Pro 110 ATs weigh 1,570 g (3.46 pounds). The two are nearly the same weight.

Furthermore, when comparing the Shift Pro to other hybrid models — like the K2 Mindbender Women’s 95 Mid-Volume Alpine Touring Ski Boots that are 1,600 g (3.53 pounds) — the Salomon Shift AT 110s are even a bit lighter.

Shell & Appearance

The Salomon Shift Pro 110s are well-constructed to handle long days and full seasons with the added bonus that they are aesthetically pleasing to look at, in my not-so-subtle opinion!

That light-toned shell — which was previously a gorgeous light blue that we wish they’d bring back — with the speckled black buckles is simple yet stylish.

Construction-wise, the shell is made of polyurethane with a fiberglass core frame, giving your feet a good read on the terrain and allowing you to really put power into your turns. From dropping big lines to wearing them at après, these boots look and feel good.

Buckles

With four aluminum buckles — two on top of the foot and two on the shin — the Shift Pro 110s are plenty stable and adjustable. The instep buckles have three levels of tightness.

There are two hooks at the end of the top two buckles that you can attach the latch onto for the uphill or when walking. This feature aids mobility and comfort while on the skin track or booting up a couloir.

Salomon Shift Pro 110 W AT: Conclusion

If you are looking for a one-quiver boot, this could be the pair to invest in. The performance-oriented design provides surety and power through the polyurethane-fiberglass shell and a moldable, cushy liner.

This boot’s versatility comes from having steel tech inserts that are compatible with pin touring bindings. A GripWalk sole provides better grip and a more natural feel while walking.

The boots are efficient when switching from using downhill bindings to tech bindings with no loss of security or chargeability in comparison to other touring-specific boots that aren’t able to support as much downhill pressure because of a lower flex.

The Salomon Shift Pro 110 AT women’s freeride boots meet a variety of needs from staying inbounds to tearing up ungroomed snow or touring to find untouched snow in the backcountry. You’ll get the bonus of looking striking while charging the mountain in a tasteful pastel-colored shell.

You can find the boots listed on Salomon.com or look for local retailers through the “show all local options” feature on the product page in August 2023 when the boots will be restocked.