The Gea RS is Scarpa's stiffest and most powerful women's AT boot. It's designed to devour long ascents with the speed and grace of a gazelle while maintaining the ability to charge steep lines like a freeride champ. Scarpa buffed up the Gea RS this year with a lightweight design that's equally at home in pinner couloirs as it is on the skintrack. The Gea RS features the same aggressive 120 flex and 101mm last as its predecessor and now houses a revamped carbon-infused Grilamid shell that increases stiffness and power without adding weight. Scarpa ditched the front buckle, jumping to a lower-profile three-buckle system that eliminates bulk and increases the cuff rotation from 37 to an impressive 60 degrees in walk mode--a welcome change that drastically increases uphill efficiency. Scarpa was also able to shed about five ounces per boot, a change you'll definitely notice when you leave your buddies in the dust on the skinner. Scarpa finished off the Gea RS with a grippy Vibram rubber sole, so you'll be steady and confident while traversing icy ridges and slick scree fields.