The perennial favorite Mach1 MV W has returned but in a burlier, badder build--the 115 flex model!
The 2019/2020 Rossignol Pure Elite 120 was tested in the women's All-Mountain Traditional narrow category at Silver Mountain Resort by the experts at America's Best Bootfitters, powered by Masterfit.
The Gist
The Fit
Testers agree it's one of the roomiest of the narrow category—borderline medium—with a tall and upright feeling cuff and a roomy toebox (length, width & height). A few of our low-volume testers successfully dropped down one size in this model. On the whole, testers don't mind the extra room, and they say that the anatomical shaping is spot-on for the human foot and leg. They all love the faux fur, and universally praise the evenly progressive flex feel, if firm, at a legit 120.
Performance
Our taller, more aggressive skiers loved the Elite 120's tall, upright and stiff cuff in their normal size—they had the long leg leverage to get over the top of this boot and uncork its raw power and quickness. So too, did the shorter testers who were able to size down and get a lower cuff fit. Average height and shorter testers who stuck with their normal size felt a little pushed back onto their heels by the cuff and commented that they wanted a little heel lift to help put them in the driver's seat. Every tester, to a woman, agreed this is one powerful and responsive ride.
Cool Features
The fuzzy liner is made with Merino wool, so high warmth scores were not a figment of testers' imaginations. A set of GripWalk soles is available as an accessory (nice for walking, compatible with GripWalk bindings only).
The 2019/2020 Nordica Speedmachine 115 W was tested in the women’s All-Mountain Traditional medium category at Silver Mountain Resort by the experts at America's Best Bootfitters, powered by Masterfit.
The Gist
Our test team liked the step up to the 115 flex women’s Speedmachine this year, saying the additional horsepower drove big skis well without feeling unmanageable—and so stepped it up to a second place finish in the group. They loved the vertical room over the top of the foot and said that the ankle pockets are firmly performance oriented (read: mold the 3D Cork Fit liner). They appreciated its useful features, like the Power Driver power strap spoiler, adjustable calf and a functional cuff adjustment for dialing lateral stance angles.
The 2019/2020 Nordica Promachine 115 W was tested in the women's All-Mountain Traditional narrow category at Silver Mountain Resort by the experts at America's Best Bootfitters, powered by Masterfit.
The Gist
Edged for first place in the group by a mere two-hundredths and sporting a nearly perfect score for edge power and stability, testers said the Promachine is an absolute powerhouse that most claimed needed not a single fit modification out of the box. Lively and balanced, they said it’s also tall and firm against the leg, and they liked that just fine. This is a real skier’s boot, and one that appeals to the kind of shredder that might often opt for a stiffer men’s model.
The Fit
Testers used lots of evenly sprinkled 2's (1 tightest, 5 loosest) to rate the Promachine's fit in both the lower boot and the cuff. It's not race boot tight, but just right tight for the category, they said. Its tightest score was for the heel pocket and its roomiest was for the calf—that's a fit blueprint that will work for a lot of women. One tester whined about the heel pocket being too tight around the Achilles tendon, but our custom tests showed the 3D Cork Fit Primaloft liner did a good job of opening the fit where needed without losing a firm grip elsewhere, so we told her to quit whining.
Performance
Though testers called it the perfect mix of power and agility, it received a perfect score average for Quickness , Steering & Feel so apparently testers corroborated Nordica's claim that the thin shell wall Tri Force construction lightens the boot and provides better ground feel without a loss of torque. While the boot's lightness was noticed, it wasn't the primary element that testers were attracted to. They were far too focused on how well they skied everywhere on the mountain on the Promachine 115 W to worry about the boots myriad other good features, of which less weight certainly is one.
Cool Features
Testers like the rolling, grippy stride of the GripWalk soles that come mounted on the boot and noticed (and appreciated) the soles' aqua highlights that matched the rear spine and Power Driver power strap plate (which they also liked for its shin pressure displacement). Our techie testers also appreciated the full complement of useful stuff, like dual lateral cuff adjustment, a removable Velcro rear spoiler, two liner pull loops and four easy to use buckles (yes, with aqua highlights).
The 2019/2020 Lange LX 90 W was tested in the women’s All-Mountain Traditional wide category at Silver Mountain Resort by the experts at America's Best Bootfitters, powered by Masterfit.
The Gist
One tester said of the new LX 90 W, fits big but skis small—meaning, skis as well as the narrow class which historically has out-performed the wides. Not so anymore. The fats ski every bit as well as the skinnies now, and this newcomer smoked the field. Testers loved the close-to-snow feel through the bottom of the shell, calling it agile and in-tune. Another said its edge power was alarmingly awesome for a 90-flex wide. Easy on, easy off, warm and looks good—a no brainer for the big foot ripper.
The 2019/2020 Lange RX 110 W was tested in the women’s All-Mountain Traditional medium width category at Silver Mountain Resort by the experts at America's Best Bootfitters, powered by Masterfit.
The Gist
Testers call the RX 110 W the industry standard for how a medium width performance boot should fit and ski. One tester said, The boot’s best qualities? All of them—the RX delivers every year, again and again. There were virtually no negative comments out of all the test cards, with unanimous agreement on its super neutral, dialed stance angles and a near perfect score for edge power and stability at speed. They call its V-shaped fit (party in the front, business in the back) flawless—first place.
The Fit
Testers say the RX 110 W is a benchmark for medium width fit characteristics without giving up on performance goals—meaning Lange hasn't blown-out the toebox and forefoot and fluffed-up the liner just to attract the wannabes. Testers say this top-shelfer fits like a Recaro seat built around the foot—firm and close in the heel and ankles and boot throat, like a custom foam liner a couple testers said. There's just enough room elsewhere to suit the average, medium-volume foot and leg, but without namby-pamby down comforter pandering. This one grabs on and holds ya. You're skiing all day, not mucking around in the lodge!
Performance
It's Lange's story again this year and it's where this medium really elevated above the rest. The pre-sculpted 3-D liner's exterior matches the interior of the shell in a mirror image, mating the foot and leg to plastic and transmitting every skiing movement to the skis. Testers said the boot knifed through all manner of junk off-piste and drilled hard snow like a power tool. The delivery to the edge was impressive, they said, but easily matched by the boot's snappy energy and feel for the snow underfoot, too. This power and agility combo can be attributed to the RX (and RS) line's Dual Core shell and cuff which utilizes a unique production method to sandwich a less-dense plastic within the shell wall itself to create a more energetic, resilient feel—testers gave the nod to it again this year.
Cool Features
The RX 110 W is about what matters and nothing else—so you get a Velcro power strap, 4 aluminum buckles (2 are easy-open ones on the bottom, nice with gloves on), a single-side cuff adjustment mechanism and replaceable Max Grip soles. The option is there to upgrade to GripWalk soles for 50-bucks if you have appropriate GripWalk bindings to suit. Oh, and the Dual 3-D Pro liner has Thinsulate in it. Sure, warmth matters.
The 2019/2020 Lange RX 110 W LV was tested in the women’s All-Mountain Traditional narrow category at Silver Mountain Resort by the experts at America's Best Bootfitters, powered by Masterfit.
The Gist
The bottom line is that testers love the way they ski in the RX 110 W LV. They say there’s something about the combination of its dialed stance angles, strong Dual Core polyether shell and cuff, and its anatomical shape that produces the best turns of the day. Testers love that it has one of the most-snug fits in the heel pocket of any boot in the class, but without being crushingly tight. The instep and navicular have a bit more breathing room, as does the calf, they said.
The Fit
Testers for the most part loved the liner construction in the RX again this year—almost like a foam-injected liner some said--firmer where it counted (heel and ankles), but softer in areas where some cushioning is nice (at the forefoot and over the top of the instep). They said the liner's rear control zone was almost too tight initially but felt those areas auto-mold with some wear time, and all agreed that the snug fit there was perfect for the category. This was one of the most-snug fits of the group—not race boot tight, but close, and testers loved that. The stance angles are neutral, testers reported, but they note that big calves don't fit well here and drive the leg a bit too forward. Thicker legs may want to opt for the medium-width RX W rather than the narrow-class RX W LV.
Performance
Like cornering in a Ferrari, one tester said of the RX 110 W LV—quick and aggressive with no play in the steering column. Another said, Responsive! Does what I want it to do--like a good man. Across the board testers commented on how snappy and reactive the boot felt edge to edge and how firm but elastic the flex feel was. Both of these characteristics can be attributed to the unique Dual Core plastic injection technology found in the RX (and RS) boots. A softer density plastic is sandwiched between higher density plastic throughout the shell wall, which is impressive in execution alone but even more surprising to find that the claims of increased energy and snap are for real!
Cool Features
A monoinjected polyether shell and cuff is a nice feature if there's going to be any bootfitting happening—this construction makes grinds and shell punches a snap for good bootfitters. Pretty basic, functional feature fare here. A single-side cuff adjustment and Max Grip soles are nice to have. GripWalk soles can be purchased as an accessory for use with appropriate GripWalk bindings.
The 2019/2020 K2 Anthem 110 MV was tested in the women's All-Mountain Traditional medium width category at Silver Mountain Resort by the experts at America's Best Bootfitters, powered by Masterfit.
The Gist
The Fit
Our test team's fit scores in the toebox and forefoot averaged out to a 3.67 (1 tightest, 5 loosest), and then tapered progressively back to a heel pocket of 2.83 and then flaring back open at the boot top to a 3.33. What do all those numbers mean? Testers translate the data to say the Luv MV's shape is well-adapted to the foot and leg, wrapping all the usual contours with a nice blend of plush and firm from the liner—just shifted a bit toward the roomy end of the spectrum. Lots of space for additional warmth that will suit the higher volume foot type well, they said. Given the removable spoiler (which most testers preferred removed) and the Luv's calf-room expansion adjustment, the Luv 110 MV is a super option for thicker-legged skiers, testers said. The generous out-of-box fit and the ability to expand it further via oven-cooked custom molding make the Luv worth a serious look from good skiing women who might normally limit their choices to wide last boots.
Performance
Testers were unanimous that the stance (sans spoiler) was on the money, giving the boot's dynamic balance the highest score of the five score categories it was rated on. Testers loved the Luv's lux liner feel against the shin and all agreed that the flex feel was solid, progressive and on-target for the 110 rating. While the Powerlite Shell is light (1650 grams in a 26.5) by way of thinned-out, stiff polyurethane construction (favored by most bootfitters), testers said less about its heft and more about its edge power, predictable stability at speed and its ease getting on and off—three things that often don't go hand-in-hand with new, lightened-up designs. Most testers described the Luv 110's performance attitude as solid, reliable, predictable and stable, rather than jittery or hyper-active, but the majority opinion was that if the foot properly filled the shoe it was properly quick edge to edge.
Cool Features
For their rather understated, classic exterior appearance, the Luv boots have a lot going on. The light weight Powerlite shell is custom moldable by way of the typical oven-cook-and-wear process, though testers said it would be unnecessary for most and a clear second choice to a custom molding performed on the pre-shaped LuxFit Pro Ultralon liner (which all testers agreed is far superior to K2 liners of the past) which would provide an enhanced fit match without risking excessive roominess from shell-cooking (our tests showed it works, for sure—almost too well). The women's calf adjustable rear part of the boot cuff is a slick design and easy to adjust, and the dual lateral cuff adjustment mechanisms are solid, though a little tricky for first-timers to sort out, and this year they are anchored internally with traditional, toothed T-nuts (bootfitters in the K2-know appreciate this). The grippy soles are both replaceable and cantable.
The 2019/2020 Head Edge Lyt 100 W was tested in the women's All-Mountain Traditional wide category at Silver Mountain Resort by the experts at America's Best Bootfitters, powered by Masterfit.
The Gist
Head did right with their wide one—that was what one tester said of the new Edge Lyt 100 W, and that sentiment was mirrored universally. A fault-free performance from this light and airy cavern was what the team agreed on—no problems with fit for the high volume foot and leg, no problems with speeding up the cadence when needed, no problems putting a big ski on edge at speed, and certainly no problems sliding this one on and off. Extra leverage buckles and Liquid Fit liner technology sweetened the deal.
The 2019/2020 Head Nexo Lyt 110 W G was tested in the women's All-Mountain medium width category at Silver Mountain Resort by the experts at America's Best Bootfitters, powered by Masterfit.
The Gist
Testers loved the all new Nexo Lyt 110 W G for its borderline narrow fit in the heel and ankle pocket with a slightly more relaxed and contoured medium width wrap on the forward part of the foot that combined to hold it all in a firm but well-padded grip. They gave it highest scores for both quickness and edge power, but they also dug the Liquid Fit liner injection technology for how it further customized the fit of the rearfoot in minutes.
The Fit
Testers said that the upper cuff tapered from an open and well sculpted boot top that would accommodate a thicker calf, down to a super slender boot throat just above the ankles. Some testers found this fit uncomfortably snug and suggested that a Form Fit shell molding session would be in order for them. The well-matched shape of the lower boot around the foot was testers' favorite Nexo Lyt fit element, which they said was pretty well set out of the box, but those who went through the Liquid Fit injection process all agreed that it got even better.
Performance
Testers found the Nexo Lyt to be, well, light! But they also said the edge power was top tier and had a damp, stable feel on hard snow and higher speeds that may be attributed to the Graphene powder additive that is mixed into the polyurethane injection. Testers mentioned the snug, performance medium fit around their feet equated into high quickness scores, but the thinner shell construction gave the Nexo Lyt 110 W G a closely connected feel, from foot to ski, they said. Some testers found the flex feel against the shin incongruous to start, but mentioned that Form Fit shell molding and Perfect Fit liner molding made improvements there.
Cool Features
So, new this year for some Head boots (Nexo Lyt, Kore, Vector) is the Liquid Fit liner. The ankle and heel area on both the medial and lateral side of the liner has thin, hollow packets into which the yellow syrup-like stuff can be injected to better fill the natural void spaces there. We tested this liner customization extensively at the boot test this year and testers like the simple and intuitive nature of it—you wear the boot while it's injected and choose when to say, "When!" We found it easy to decide when enough was enough for a better fit in the ankles and heel, but just in case you overdid it, it can be easily removed. We did some long-term testing on the injected liners and found that the material did not sag or ooze out of place over time—pretty cool stuff. GripWalk soles are available as an accessory purchase.
The 2019/2020 Full Tilt Plush 6 was tested in the women’s All-Mountain Traditional wide category at Silver Mountain Resort by the experts at America's Best Bootfitters, powered by Masterfit.
The Gist
Fit
Short and tight with snug closure over the top of the foot and a means-business wrap on the lower leg shaft—testers were happier with the overall fit after full liner molding using toecaps and pre-padding prominences. After molding testers still called this an easy going medium—wide last status is achievable by going up a size and molding the liner, they said. Testers liked the molded feel of the thick liner underfoot—good shape adaptation for skiers without custom footbeds.
Performance
The Full Tilt M.O.—too forward and too soft for our testers. One of our custom testers swapped on a stiffer tongue (a #8 that comes stock on the men's Descendant) and was immediately impressed with the taller stance and firmer, more supportive flex. Lateral moves were consistent and easily engaged, but the Plush lacked the turn finish of narrow sister Soul.
Cool Features
There is an adjustable forward lean mechanism, but with limited range to straighten the cuff. There is a lateral cuff adjustment that could be tweaked for more edge power and the shock-absorbing bootboard could be swapped (via the spare parts order sheet) for a rigid one for a bit more power under foot.
The 2019/2020 Full Tilt Soul Sister was tested in the women's All-Mountain medium width category at Silver Mountain Resort by the experts at America's Best Bootfitters, powered by Masterfit.
The Gist
For slender-footed, lightweight skiers looking for warm, soft boots, the 2019 Full Tilt Soul Sister may be hard to beat! The long-travel flexion that makes Full Tilt's classic three-piece designs popular with mogul skiers and park-and-pipe athletes was favored by testers who used a light touch on the tongue.
The Fit
It's a snug 99 mm lower boot when you stick with your normal size (because it runs short), testers say, with a cushioned grip all along the foot, especially side to side. But the women-specific Intuition Pro liner is highly moldable, opening up the fit at the wider and bony parts of the foot for more average width feet, too. Prior to molding, some testers felt the lateral edge of the spiral-wrapped liner as a hotspot, but after liner molding this blended in more evenly. The luxurious shin fit is a Full Tilt hallmark and the long-travel flex is a dream for skiers who suffer chronic shin-bang.
Performance
Just standing in the boot inside testers could tell its forward lean was extreme by modern standards and its flex was very soft (still softer than the 90 rating they cite for the #6 tongue this year). This forward angle was often made more so by either a large calf or a skier's tendency to press into the front of a boot (which pretty much all our women testers do). So, too forward and collapsing in flex was a common complaint on test forms. However, slender-legged, lightweight testers who focused on agile lateral moves loved the spry, airy feel of the Soul Sister.
Cool Features
Testers appreciated the revised Widetrack buckles on the FTS (Full Tilt Soul) shell for their lower profile and more easily adjusted release tab and ratchet system—however, testers new to the three-piece layering and wire bale closure struggled a bit initially with the Full Tilt rite of passage (into the boot). There are lots of options on aftermarket pieces and parts through Full Tilt dealers—say, a stiffer tongue
