The Scarpa 4-Quattro GT WMN still stands out for our test team as a great value in an under-rated package for all-mountain and out-the-gate adventuring.
Armada’s entry into the boot realm continues to evolve this year with the arrival of the walk-mode enabled AR ONE AF 130 MV, that we tested this past Spring in a variety of different snow conditions and terrain. Testers applauded the new, releasable cuff for the expanded scope of adventure opportunities it offers.
As evidenced by the introduction of the Armada AR that sported toe tech fittings with a fixed cuff, a walk mode is not an absolute necessity to shuffle up a ridgeline on skins to hit a nearby line. However, the AF’s cuff release mechanism opens the door now to bigger and better lines a little farther out--though long tours are still not the Armada’s forte, given its more alpine-ish weight class. But a hike mode also offers more versatility to the freeride and freestyle skier who might be hiking up and down the half pipe or spending hours building a massive jump—and of course, a walk mode is always an apres mode given the right circumstances.
Our test team likes the way the Armada boot skis, especially in soft snow where its slightly-under-edged stance bias makes for a loose and slashy attack on deep drifts and wind sculpted hits. They also liked it on smooth surfaces, carving arcs getting from one stash to another, though it takes tipping it just a little further to get the ski to trench-ripping angles. Big testers felt the new releasable AF cuff was more prone to folding over on heavy terrain hits or very hard flexion in comparison to the fixed cuff AR they’ve tested in the past, but didn’t find that it hampered their confidence while skiing aggressively across the whole mountain.
The initial fit of the AF 130 MV was not without a few pinch points for our test team, who found that the inside ankle pocket and medial instep zone was a common issue for most of them. Cooking the Team AF liner improved the fit substantially, and a couple of them mentioned that they’d employ a shell-morphing Memory Fit oven cook job it they were going to take next steps toward a hotspot-free fit.
The AF 130 MV offers a modified three-piece construction that involves getting some overlaps and buckle straps oriented properly for clean closure and fit—for skiers accustomed to similar cabrio designs they’ll feel right at home, while others will need a few trials to sort out the system.
This season’s test marked the third annual entry of the Scarpa 4-Quattro Pro, this time in its new, pearl blue color way, which testers said was a big improvement! Unchanged was how strongly the 4-Quattro Pro skis, which testers find especially commendable, given how well this freerider also tours.
The ease of cuff release and lock is a tester favorite in the hybrid group—simple and solid, without glitches. The cuff’s range-of-motion, once released, is long and its quality of rotation is smooth and natural-feeling, testers again report. They say that the 4-Quattro line sets the bar for “backcountry-boot quality” touring character within descent-oriented freeride boots. That the 4-Quattro Pro also skis down alongside the best (but heavier) on-off-area boots we test, is a point of commendation our test team continues to make.
The boot is remarkably light for how strongly it skis. The Pebax Rnew shell and cuff are the primary shavers of weight, and again, Scarpa executes a highly transmissive chassis using renewable plastics made from Castor bean oil—our test team says Scarpa is doing the best job in the industry with plant-based plastics, which are commonly not-associated with strong and stable ski performance. Testers say the lightweight plastic, in combination with the fully moldable Intuition tongue-style liner make for a very stripped down hybrid. You want a lighter boot? It isn’t going to ski as strongly as the 4-Quattro Pro.
Testers do remind potential buyers that the out-of-box fit is nothing like its feel, post-molding. The initial fit is much narrower than the 100mm last would suggest, and the feel against the foot’s bony prominences is a bit harsh, testers say. After proper liner molding the fit is customized to the skier and the fit tension is more mediumish, though testers say they’d call it a 99mm at best—this is a close-fitting medium.
Our test team agreed that the stance of the 4-Quattro Pro is more aggressively forward-leaning than the current standard. They unanimously mentioned that they would explore the option to adjust the stance to Scarpa’s advertised 2-degrees more upright option. Some testers find the 4-Quattro lateral geometry a little “outboard,” or bowlegged, which produces an overly strong feeling inside edge angle at times. A good alignment tech can glue in thin shims on the lateral side of the liner as a way to negate this for a skier who needs it, since there is no cuff adjustment mechanism.
So, it’s not an alpine-centric Cochise, and it’s not a touring-focused Zero G—so, to misquote Rudi Garmisch of Hotdog fame, it’s not for skiing on zat side or ziss side, but right in zee middle!
We find the Decoy’s all-black with fuscia plumage attractive, certainly, but we do take issue with the new species name. Decoy would imply a facsimile or imposter, but this boot is the genuine article—yes, it keeps the Zero G family name but it’s a brother from another mother and she’s a bit of a brawler, apparently.
The Zero G shell shape remains intact, but the lower shell is constructed of traditional boot-building polyurethane and the cuff is a carbon-infused Grilamid creation a la the new Tecnica Mach1 builds. The new shell and cuff materials in combination make the Decoy Pro a much stronger-skiing, more stable Zero G.
To compare the Decoy Pro to the Cochise is less fair, as the Zero G platform tours alongside the best of the backcountry boot category whereas the Cochise remains fairly hike-limited and more tethered to a chairlift for primary ascension. The Decoy Pro really does manage to meld the best of both lines to forge Tecnica’s best do-it-all model for up and down, to date, according to our team that has tested both ranges since their inception.
The extra horsepower of polyurethane comes with a weight toll, but testers thought it was an acceptable burden to carry, so to speak. The Decoy’s total weight is 430 grams more than the skinnier Zero G Tour Pro, which appropriately matches the weight of a can of beans—appropriate because testers said that giving it the beans, to reference motorsports parlance, is exactly what they did with this boot once they got it on snow. They said that high-speed, hammer-down descents through variable terrain were the Decoy’s happy place, and in particular, they mentioned that the boot offered a high level of tactile connection to the snow surface through its thin, low-clearance and full-molded GripWalk outsole.
A couple of our largest testers felt that the boot flexed excessively underfoot but admitted they only felt this when standing hard against it on firm groomers which is likely not the preferred habitat for this new half-breed. They did love the sole’s compliance for a smooth roll on and off edge and felt that it enhanced a natural feeling stride with the cuff released for uphill applications. Testers did mention that the heel felt low on the floor of the boot, and several testers tried adding a small amount of heel lift to the boot floor and reported improved fore-aft balance.
The in-between liner (lighter and thinner than Cochise but heavier and more padded than Zero G) hit the sweet spot for testers who said it held them securely for skiing and climbing and had enough substance to resist any noticeable pack-out during the two-week testing window.
While our women’s test team was indeed lured-in by the new Tecnica Zero G Decoy 115 W (specifically by its luscious Progressive Pink cosmetic), what they found when they got their feet into it and onto snow was that this was no stand-in but rather the real deal. They said that for skiers who have still been seeking a boot with legit, backcountry touring skills that doesn’t compromise on real skiing power, the search is over.
Sure, you’ve heard this claim before but the freeride boot space continues to expand and improve and luckily for us the one-boot-that-does-it-all is as close to reality as it’s ever been. The difference now, is that where most alpine brands have previously hike-ified solid downhill boots (i.e. the Cochise was born of Mach1 DNA), the new Decoy is a descent-erated backcountry boot. Tecnica took the Zero G, which was already a hell of a good-skiing BC boot and put it on an all-protein diet in the form of a polyurethane shell and cuff—you know, real boot plastic.
This made perfect sense to our test team, who have had previous experience with both ends of Tecnica’s freeride-BC spectrum. They’ve loved the alpine mannerisms of the Cochise boots but always found the cuff’s range-of-motion and quality of movement a bit lacking in touring mode. On the other hand, while the Zero G Tour Pro W has crushed the others in the backcountry group with its skiing strength, it didn’t have the torque and stability of the Cochise. Taking the nearly flawless blend of up and down found in the Zero G line and giving it a bit more power for managing bigger, wider skis in demanding terrain was a good call, testers agreed, saying that it was the ideal hybrid of the two genetic donors.
Yes, there’s some added weight associated with muscling-up, but it’s not much—the Decoy shell is 330 grams heavier than the women’s top Zero G (the weight of one 12 oz can of PBR) and the Decoy liner is about 100 grams heavier (the weight of a bar of soap). While it might be difficult to put one less can of PBR in the day pack, consider that backcountry skiers don’t even use soap, so we think these are pretty acceptable trades for higher descent performance.
Speaking of the Decoy’s in-betweener liner, testers appreciated the additional structure and padding in comparison to the thin and ready to pack-out stock liner of the Zero G—it held them in place for the run down but they really liked the secure-but-padded lock on their heels during the ascent, avoiding excessive movement (and blisters).
The Decoy’s underfoot connection with the ski is exceptional, testers concurred, saying that they could feel texture changes in the snow through the boot’s thin but rigid sole. They did not all love the underfoot low ramp angle of the Decoy, and a few testers commented that adding a quarter-inch of heel lift improved the fore-aft balance of the set-up substantially for them.
One tester’s written test-form commentary about the Lange Code 130 LV BOA was so succinct in its assessment of the all-new Freeride model that we’ll just share it here:
Wow! Such an improvement on the previous XT3 range in every way. The liner’s comfy, anatomically matched and firm. The entry is easy and the closure is amazing—fits snug throughout and has a perfect flex feel and stance. It skis as strongly as the Shadow boots and the new cuff release connection is proper (finally). Skis so well! Quick, predictable and solid.
The Code is the evolution of Lange’s long-revered XT and then XT3 freeride series, and it keeps the good (skis alpine-boot-strong and fits like a Lange) and improves on the not-so-good (touring functionality). Testers were unanimous in their opinion that the Code serves as the best example of Lange’s hybrid, tech-compatible boots so far.
The low-volume fit is precisely that, testers said—a legitimate narrow fit throughout the boot that applied a performance-fueling grip on the instep, ankles and heel along with a touch of breathing room in the toebox, forefoot and calf. There is a medium width (MV) version of the Code for those who want more middle-of-the-road fit tension, because they won’t be finding it here. The liner and shell collaborated to create a gap-free fit that hugged the foot’s contours and addressed the shin in a nicely wrapped and cushioned fashion. They appreciated the BOA cable closure on the lower shell but mentioned that the fit was so good to start with that it only took a few clicks of the dial to fine-tune their preferred tension level.
Testers liked the fact that this was a freeride boot that you tried-on and immediately knew what you were getting—no need for liner molding or hopeful fit work-arounds. The Code is ready to go play, out-of-the-box, they said.
Lange reportedly worried that modifying their time-tested Active V-Lock cuff release system by adopting an external bar linkage between cuff and lower shell might negatively effect their hybrid boot’s signature progressive flex feel. Testers say not to worry, as the flex feel is dialed for strong skiing through variable terrain, striking an ideal blend of cushion and resistance and handling hard hits and flexion of aggressive skiers driving the skis. One of our heaviest, strongest skiing testers found he could overpower the tested 130-flex, causing some forward cuff collapse, and so he noted that he’d be seeking out the 140-flex flagship model, which is only available in the LV, 97mm last.
The most obvious benefit of the new internal V-Lock design paired with the external linkage bar is the more unhindered cuff range-of-travel for hiking or touring it enables and the ease with which it’s actuated. This is the most friction-free cuff rotation testers have experienced in the Lange freeride range they’ve tested over the years, they said, and while the forward range-of-motion is slightly more limited than the available aft movement, testers said they actually liked the forward stopping point for more typical boot packing and hiking about where a bit of leveraged heel-off is helpful for a clear stride toward the next boot placement point.
One tester wrote that while she was skating to the lift for her first test run on the new Lange Code 115 W LV BOA she thought to herself, wow, this fit is awesome, and then she realized she hadn’t even buckled-up yet. It only got better from there, she said, as the buckles-top and BOA-bottom closure combination enhanced the already well-suited low-volume fit mapping for a gap-free grip on all parts of the foot and leg with a test-topping level of shin comfort.
In the past five years, Lange has proven to be one of the perennial leaders when it comes to a properly matched anatomical fit with tester-favored flex feel, so testers were not surprised to find themselves logging perfect fit scores for the new Code. They thought the heel pocket was serious in its intent to hold the rearfoot down on the floor for aggressive skiing but they found that the instep, forefoot and calf offered a bit of fit freedom that maintained sustainable comfort and warmth levels for an all-day on-snow experience.
Lange has been at the top of the leaderboard for on-snow performance within the freeride category for many years, at least as it relates to the descent—and testers assured that the Code 115 was every bit a lift-riding, piste-attacking, all-mountain weapon for those skiers who might not stray far from the chair. However, the Code marks a new direction for Lange in terms of its cuff release mechanism (more in-line with other category best-tourers) that has finally put it at the top of the freeride group for a flawless blend of uphill ease and downhill power.
The cuff’s range-of-motion is vastly improved with the new, external cuff to lower shell connection bar and testers also said that the quality of movement when released is smoother for a more natural feeling stride. The re-connection of the external bar mechanism was easily accomplished with gloves on, testers said, and it offered a straightforward, no-play lock-down for the descent when the time came.
Testers similarly liked the quick transition from ski mode to release via a quick flip of the bar, a pull-pop of the lower BOA and a couple flicks on the traditional upper cuff buckles. Our test team used this release protocol for a rapid shift into apres tailgate mode, but they assured that for more serious touring types it would enable a rapid turnaround for another trip up. They also thought that the light mint hue with peachy-pink BOA highlights struck a nice balance between function and frills, matching Lange’s new “best-of-both” hybrid character.
It would have been hard for our test team to imagine many improvements that needed to be made to the Cochise, but this year’s update provides several that were widely appreciated. Testers may have liked best one of the things that didn’t change about the Cochise—how well it skis, everywhere.
The revised Cochise experience begins with putting the boot on. It’s easier. The liner is completely new this year and the rear portion of it has a smoother strip of material that allows the heel to glide down into its pocket in one, unimpeded move. Once on, the grip on the heel and ankle is secure, testers report, and the feel against the sock is not aggressive or harsh but ideally soft, with a bit of firm structure that provided a confident, no slop feel while walking or skiing.
This year the buckles and cuff release mechanism are de-cluttered in that a cumbersome buckle catch got the axe in this new version and so did the miniscule lock-out switch on the cuff release (no one used it because they could hardly see it). Testers loved the straightforward closure of the Cochise’s four lightweight buckles on an overlap shell, and for the record, there were no complaints about the lack of a BOA cited on any test forms. The 99mm last width is dead-on-the-money for an even fit right in between narrow and medium, testers said. They remind us that there is a Cochise HV for those who need a more-open fit throughout, and say that the very snug 99mm feel is appropriate for all but the lowest-of-volume feet.
Sure, testers appreciated the firmer GripWalk material used on the updated soles as they strolled out to click into bindings for the on-snow tests, and they mentioned that the walk mode range of motion is as good as the Cochise’s has ever been (though still well short of Zero G levels). But what testers really got fired up about was how well the Cochise 115 W skis.
The Cochise has been one of those freeride boots that consistently descends as well (or better than) top tier, all-mountain alpine boots, and it hasn’t lost that asset as its other constituent parts have been improved. Testers say that there’s no indication that there’s even a walk mode on board when it’s time to ski, and they agree that Cochise 115 W’s balance of edge power and quickness is perfectly matched. A powerhouse, a ripper, super-solid and sneakily awesome were four testers’ ways of characterizing its on-snow character. Well said, we think.
Why is the Tecnica Cochise 130 the Best in Test, again? It’s because it is the versatile, MVP sort of boot that simply excels—not just in playing different positions but also across different leagues. Case in point, in the testing we did for SKI magazine this year, we pooled the best models from both the tech-compatible but resort-capable freeride class and the lighter, longer-striding backcountry touring bunch. The Tecnica Cochise can play both sides admirably well, though we have to admit, its skiing power plants one foot a bit more firmly on the resort side of that cross-category borderline.
When testers are putting a boot through its paces in this semi-combined category they really want to figure out if this boot fits as well as some of the best fitting boots on the market--or is it hoping to get a pass on its fit based on strong performance? They also want to know if it skis as well as a fixed cuff all-mountain boot--or is a skier supposed to forgive any weakness there on account of how well it tours? Testers say that the Cochise is one of those boots that fits and skis as well as any other boot we test, period, and it has what it takes to get a skier out a gate, up to a hut, or even (ugh) uphill within a ski resort’s boundary.
Of course, testers say that just because a freeridey, backcountry-ish boot tops the class for fit and performance and also handles itself well on a tour doesn’t mean they’ll overlook difficult entry or fussy buckles. It so happens that the Cochise had no flaws in that regard, testers assured. In fact, while the Cochise’s plastic chassis (shell and cuff) remain unchanged this year, the liner is completely revised and those two elements above are some of the happy beneficiaries of that update. The 130’s firmer liner is less prone to crumpling down on entry and the liner’s, Achilles tendon area offers slightly smoother material to help the heel glide down to its pocket, unimpeded. The cuff release apparatus brings a delete of its miniature lock-out switch because, well, because nobody could hardly see it, much less care about using it—so, buh-bye. And there are some other nice touches like nixing a fiddly touring buckle catch for less cumbersome touring and switching up its ground game to a firmer polyurethane grip sole for longer wear.
Interestingly, this year Tecnica also decided to jettison the Cochise’s on-board Recco chip at the request of many professional ski patrollers who use the boot but whom often are required to remove any distracting Recco reflectors from their person for the sake of more effective victim searches.
Leave it to Tecnica to give us more by giving us less—thanks for that, Cochise.
Testers have issued a sleeper alert for the Scarpa 4-Quattro GT WMN, and it comes with a double-meaning. First, they say good skiers who may have heard of the 4-Quattro and not paid attention need to wake up to the availability of the newly launched GT. Second, they say that this is a boot that will surprise many skiers with better-than-expected power, quickness, convenience and price.
Let’s start with the 4-Quattro GT WMN’s scores—out of six parameters, it received four perfect 10’s for its initial fit, its dynamic on-snow fit, its stance geometry and its convenience. That’s the most perfect scores awarded to any boot model at this year’s test, including men’s models. By the looks of testers’ written commentary on the GT, the numeric scores accurately support a story of expectations greatly exceeded, across the board.
The fit was found to be spot-on for a snug, medium-width fit and right in line with Scarpa’s advertised 101mm last (that’s rare) though perhaps a bit tighter than the target in the liner’s out-of-box form. Testers say that after a full thermo molding session it could accommodate folks on the thicker side of the medium width spectrum. Testers also liked the comfort and added warmth of the GT WMN’s extended toebox fit, which they said was closer to its BC cousin Gea RS than it was to its big half-sister 4-Quattro SL W (and in fact, the GT WMN’s boot sole length is 9mm longer than the SL’s).
As testers headed out the door they noted, first, that the GT walked like a dream, and second, that the full-length molded GripWalk outsole provided a broad swath of binding use options for skiers seeking a one-boot solution for on- and off-resort adventures.
The 4-Quattro GT WMN’s performance on descent was a delightful surprise for our testers who said it over-delivered by driving big skis at high speeds in demanding terrain with the power and stability of 110-class boots, not at all like the under-promised 90-flex catalog spec. Testers said it held edges strongly when needed but was quick to feather-off of them, schmearing at will, and was lightning quick in transitions and tight spots. That all of this downhill dominance came from a polyurethane (usually heavier) shell and cuff was not surprising—what was a shock were testers’ mentions of how light underfoot the GT WMN felt.
The 4-Quattro GT WMN’s uphill acumen was flawless, according to testers who donned skins and gave it some quick tour tests to assure that it brought ascent functionality matching Scarpa’s best. Long and smooth cuff range of motion and simple releasing and latching for up or down was the takeaway.
Testers unanimously suggested that good, bargain-conscious skiers should take away the GT, and quickly, since at $120 below the price of the SL it may not last long.
The new Scarpa 4-Quattro GT was one of the best surprises of this year's boot test for our crew, who have tested many different Scarpa freeride and backcountry boots over the years. Many of our testers have lamented the evolution of the Maestrale and preferred its fit and straightforward performance a few iterations back in the past. They say that the 4-Quattro GT is a great combination of old-school Maestrale fit elements with new-school freeride performance levels.
Our test team's experience with the 4-Quattro line-up last year had them wondering how the GT would be the same or different, and their immediate thumbnail was that it's similar in many ways to the 4-Quattro Pro and SL but with a much friendlier, more easily accessible fit and feel. Testers loved its instant-gratification fit layout that felt like a medium-width is expected to--snug in the heel and ankles, adequate hold through the instep without feeling low on the top of the foot, plenty of forefoot and toebox room to spread out and find a neutral homebase against the ski, with warm toes!
The 4-Quattro GT's longer boot sole length than other 4-Quattro models felt more appropriate to our test team for a 101mm last target and more true-to-size when compared to other brands' freeride models. They still grouse about the variety of buckle styles and various cabrio layers that need to be properly lined up for comfy closure, but they liked the less edgy-bitey feel of polyurethane plastic in the hand as they managed those flaps and fiddly layers. The GT would appeal to more traditional alpine skiers who are looking to get into the uphill game without giving up on what they like about their area-based boot experience.
The skiing was surprisingly strong in this so-called 110-flex. Testers felt it held up better that that to abuse and big guys and said it was on par with most 120-flexes for stability and support. Testers liked the stance angles and the flex feel that combined to put them right where they wanted to be to enjoy the downhill without having to play any new games they weren't expecting--it's a good boot with no surprises on the downhill.
For an upwardly mobile model, testers thought it was surprisingly light for a polyurethane shell and cuff. They loved the fact that it moved just like the 4-Quattro Pro or Maestrale RS when hiking or skinning, and they had no issues with the cuff release and lock actuation. Testers unanimously reiterated their love for the 4-Quattro's permanently molded GripWalk outsole for making boot-binding compatibility more straightforward, to everyone's mutual approval.
Its colors say Incredible Hulk, and testers say the 4-Quattro Pro’s superhero power is definitely there, thankfully without the bulk. This is a stripped and ripped freeride machine that packs surprising punch in a lightweight package, according to testers who said they didn’t have to get angry to tap into it. In fact, testers were quite happy to harness the power of this backcountry beast everywhere they pointed it.
Its performance scores represented its highest marks, with a smashing 9.5 for edge power and a quickness score trailing just behind. Testers commented that the responsiveness underfoot and direct linkage to the ski while on edge at speed and through challenging terrain were surprising for environmentally sensitive plastic.
The Pebax Rnew lower shell and cuff aren’t accomplishing this alone—the 4-Quattro Pro’s hidden super power is a carbon core that’s over-molded into the shell’s floor to drive the light, stiff, and connected feel underfoot that testers loved.
The Pro was a test favorite upon launch last year but testers might like it even more now that Scarpa teams it with a slightly roomier, cushier 4-Quattro GT in the line-up (which we liked too). Testers alluded that now having the two fit options may have given the 4-Quattro permission to be a bit more unapologetically itself—you do you, essentially. What that means fit-wise is that the Pro is more aggressively snug than its advertised 100mm last would suggest, and testers mention that entry is complicated by some edgy layering presented by the liner tongue, cuff overlaps and buckles. But, once that’s understood to be the nature of things (and the boot is allowed to warm up a little), testers say skiers can get to the business of loving how this boot dominates the down and the uphill, equally.
They say that while it’s surprisingly race-boot-reactive and powerful to the edge while skiing, its ascent is classically Scarpa--lightweight and smooth. The 4-Quattro’s lower hinge point for the cuff worked equally well for flexion on descent and an ergonomic stride going up in touring mode. Testers also mentioned appreciating the binding compatibility options that the Pro’s full-length, molded GripWalk outsole offered.
The Salomon women's medium-width Shift boot has been a winner for our test team every year since its debut, and while some years' color palette have been, uh, unique, testers say that Salomon has hit a homerun with this year's color way in the Shift Supra BOA 105 W. They also continue to love how this freeride utility model skis and tours, in equal amounts, and they all agreed that the BOA system on the lower boot was a welcome addition.
The entry and exit of the Shift Supra BOA 105 W was a slam dunk right from the start, with no reported constraints owed to the new BOA reel closure on the clog. Testers put it on, buckled and dialed up and went about their business. The big, flat buckles on the cuff were appreciated for their easy handling and testers felt the BOA was all value-added on this model--no complaints there whatsoever, and specific props were given to the variably positioned Exo Belt BOA cable anchor that testers liked for a secure lock on the instep, one click at a time. Speaking of buckles, the sideways flipping Twin Lock cuff release mechanism remains a test team favorite for its easy access and actuation--and testers say the resulting range of motion enabled in hike-tour mode is substantial and smooth-feeling.
The new liner in the revised medium width shift wasn't as much of a fan-favorite as its predecessor inner boot. This one is modeled after the new and narrow Shift Alpha's liner (which was similarly looked at with a side-eye by our team last year) and it shares some of the same fit issues. Testers say the out-of-box fit in the toebox and over the top of the foot is tighter than expected for a 100mm last, and a few testers commented that the lower shin and instep had an abrupt, sharp feel, with a lack of connection with the shin at the top of the tongue. Testers reported that the toebox and midfoot fit issue resolved substantially with some wear time and test runs. Testers for whom the shin and boot throat fit was an issue reported a more persistent problem. All comments came with the suggestion to consider a proper liner molding session if any hint of these issues were to arise, as their estimation was that the problem was central to the liner itself.
Testers had nothing but good things to say about the way the Shift Supra BOA 105 W commanded the ski edge with crisp engagement at initiation and complete control through all phases of the turn. They had particular praise for the stable and reactive polyurethane lower shell and how it seemed to headquarter the boot's power down low, with a nice feel for the snow and sensitivity to finely-feathered edging adjustments. As expected, a few testers mentioned a lack of fore-aft connection to the ski due to the "spilling-away" sensation of the liner tongue at boot top. They said cinching the 45mm Velcro power strap did improve that feel somewhat.
All in all, another gold medal performance for the medium width Shift, one of the most versatile and best-performing of the freeride group, testers agreed.
