Interview with Bruno Compagnet with SCARPA Mistral

A boot capable of remaining over time constant and intended like the wind from which it takes its name: Mistral. An orange icon that bears SCARPA‘s signature, and is accompanied in the photographs of the latest redesign by another icon: Bruno Compagnet. A symbol of his passion for powder and backcountry skiing, his strong connection to the mountains has also led him over the years to develop a new way of experiencing off-piste skiing: his brand, Black Crows. To celebrate this exceptional pairing, The Chamonix freetourer took the Orange Legend (Mistral) from Norway to Sicily via the Aosta Valley. It all started, as is often the case with great partnerships, by accident. A ski test, mutual friends, and Bruno began his journey with SCARPA.

After so many years and endless skiing, what keeps your passion going?

To answer that question, I would almost be tempted to show you my Instagram feed and let the images speak for me. Let’s say that beyond the beauty you immerse yourself in, I have also changed and so has my way of skiing, it’s no longer like it was when I was 25 years old: the equipment, the skis and the mindset have evolved and what makes it all special for me is everything that is included in skiing such as knowing the mountain, sharing good but also difficult moments with friends. In short, if the passion evolves with you it can accompany you for a lifetime!

What emotion do you seek when you are on skis?

Skiing is an essential thing for my survival the winter … perhaps because of the magic and the sort of dreamlike state you enter as you descend a mountain covered in a glittery blanket of fresh snow in total freedom. But there is also a part of reality in this dream: the fatigue of the ascent, the physical effort and sometimes the psychological battle to get to the top.

What is your greatest fear?

Most men live with fear. The fear of losing a job, or a family, or growing old-or the future ahead. In general all of us are afraid of death. Steep skiing in the mountains in general puts you in situations where you have to face death and accept your fear in order to control it and complete the descent. This kind of situation and experience is not commonplace in our societies where the virtual takes more and more space at the expense of the real. You can’t joke or play around when you ski in the mountains.

The Orange Legend

On the feet of ski mountaineers of all levels for more than 10 years, it accompanies ascents and descents with unbeatable fit comfort and all the features for maximum performance in the backcountry. The hull with Carbon Core technology ensures maximum control, and makes the Mistral the lightest and most dynamic ski mountaineering boot due to the natural properties of carbon. Made of renewably sourced Pebax Renew is completely PVC-free. High-quality closure systems, such as the Wave Closure M-LITE and Power Strap, ensure a precise and comfortable fit. But what does a skier of Bruno’s caliber look for in a boot? “My criteria are precision, flex and uphill movement, crucial aspects in a ski touring boot; let’s also not forget weight, which can be an enemy in a mountain environment,” he tells us. The Mistral is the boot I use every day and alternate with the F1 XT also from SCARPA that I opt for on longer days where I combine touring and walking sections.”

A boot that has evolved over time and that you forget you have on your feet during long days at altitude. Of course, we could only conclude the interview with a specific question to Bruno:

Which ski is the best companion to the Mistral in your opinion?

I will be completely honest in answering this question. I no longer use alpine ski boots for many reasons: first of all, because I have obviously turned my practice toward ski mountaineering and high mountain skiing. I moved as far away from the ski slopes as possible to become a powder hunter. To do this and explore the mountains you have to have the right equipment, and SCARPA’s boots meet my needs perfectly. I wear them with all my Black Crows brand models from Big Mountain to Free Touring models. I even wear them with monoskis–a sight to behold! In any case, my favorite setup remains the classic orange duo: Mistral and Draco Freebird 183.