The perennial favorite Mach1 MV W has returned but in a burlier, badder build--the 115 flex model!
Great snug fit outta the box. Absolutely perfect narrow fit. Hugs everywhere snug but not too tight anywhere. Firm with good grip yet comfortable to my hot spots. These were a few of the many comments testers made about the fit of the new Atomic Hawx Ultra 130 RS GW. It has historically been one of the narrowest boots at our test--and this year was no different--but usually it comes with its share of complaints about its tight fit hammering on bony points. Not this time around, testers said, citing a shockingly comfortable combination of tightness and anatomical shape. The other typical gripe about the 130 flex Hawx Ultra has been its difficulty in getting on and off, especially when cold. That too has vanished from testers' commentary, as this year's liner revisions have created a much more user-friendly mountain-slaying beast. For less aggressive skiers looking for an even easier way in and out of this narrow boot there is a non-RS version that is a little less stiff but even more friendly and less beastly. Our crew liked the beast.
And the Hawx Ultra remains a predator--if our predatory behavior metaphor can be applied to how it helps a ski to slice, gnash, crush and generally gobble up whatever terrain or snow surface it encounters. Testers have always liked how the Hawx Ultra skied but this year they came up with fresh ways to describe how quickly it responds to foot movements, how able it is to return to a balanced, centered position, how accurately it guides the ski through difficult snow and how powerfully it transmits brute strength to the edge when it matters. If one were to point to its best qualities based on testers' feedback this year it would have to be its anatomical fit and its agility--both those categories received 4.91's (out of 5.0) after getting put through the paces by 12 different testers. That's saying something we think.
There is a spot on our test app where testers are asked to list the boot's worst qualities. There were several entries there, but they all read something like: "Nothing to report here." That also says something about the revised Atomic Hawx Ultra 130, which to our mind has not always gotten the props it deserves, as spelled out this year by one tester who said, still one of the very best narrow class rippers on the market.
You may have seen the aqua blue boot in the Beijing winter olympics on the Israeli skiers--a Kastle! This is their introductory year as a player in the boot market and we were stoked to have a chance to test their K130P, a medium width all-mountain minimalist modeled after classic, four-buckle overlap go-everywhere, do-everything boots that never go out of style. Testers were generally impressed with this start-up, though starting the try-on and testing process required some negotiations with the lace-up liner bouncer guarding the boot entry door--some preferred lacing up the liner first and entering the shell plug boot style while others pulled the laces and went in normal style. The plastic edges on the model we tested were noticeably sharp but we expect that final production will round-off those bitey bits.
Once in, testers liked the snug medium fit that was particularly well-latched-onto the ankles and heel and snug over the midfoot and through the instep. Testers said there was a bit more of a relaxed fit found in the cuff, which they said trended a bit forward-leaning compared to the current norm and was a genteel 130 (meaning it felt a little softer than). Testers said that the lace-up liner felt a little unfinished, or at least needed a good heat mold job to get it to stretch out to better match the interior dimension of the shell.
Testers with a penchant for quick twitch lateral moves and an old-school forward lean angle fell in love with the K130P, calling it catlike and agile with some serious teeth to sink into edging on hard snow as well.
The features set is quite traditional, with niceties limited to dual pull loops on the liner, removable buckles, a cam-buckle power strap and a Velcro rear spoiler. Testers liked the slick, flip-out lever arms on the lower shell buckles. Those testers who didn't love the color did admit that it skied better than it looked--so there's that!
While the Dahu boot (based in Switzerland) was released in the North American market just before the Covid pandemic, this was our first chance to test the boots and according to Dahu they are treating the 2022-23 winter season as a re-introduction of the product now that things are returning to a bit more normal program.
Our women's test team is a particular tough bunch--both in how they ski (all day long, everywhere and well) and also in how they respond to newcomers (testers and boot models alike)! So as you might imagine, the new Dahu design met with some serious barriers that it had to break down to earn a silver medal in its first foray into our annual boot test.
At first glance the Dahu appears a little different, with its lack of buckles on the lower shell, but three-piece constructions aren't uncommon--it's how this three-piece hinges open, both to the front and rear that sets it apart. Yes, the shell releases so that the front tongue drops forward and the rear cuff flops back allowing the lace-up inner boot to enter or exit while on the skier's foot. Our test team has encountered other such designs in the past and found them to be a mixed bag of good, bad and otherwise, but its interaction with the Dahu was notable for the fact that testers discovered that it could ski!
The women's Ecorce 01X is available in both a 90-flex and a 110-flex and our testers put the stiffer model through the ringer. Depending on how a tester initially approached putting the boot on affected their overall opinion of the experience to a large extent. Testers who put on the form-fitted inner boot (which strikes one as a hybrid of motocross, snowboard and fashion snow boots) first and then attempted to fit it into the fully opened shell were met with some challenges and a few cuss words here and there. The fit tolerances between the liner and shell are quite tight, which avoids slop in the movement chain but makes slipping the liner into place a little tricky, though easily done with some practice and while seated. Testers who left the liner in place within the shell and loosened up its lacing system and unlatched the tongue to let it hinge forward, away from the liner, found that they could slip a foot into place without any hindrance. Said another way, testers who put the boot on this way said it was the easiest boot to put on they'd ever experienced. Lacing up the liner is a matter of pulling on the lace handle, running the lace lock down into place, wrapping the lace slack around the pull and stashing it into a small keeper pouch built into the liner tongue. Getting the shell tongue re-attached requires attaching two clasps on the medial side then the two buckles on the lateral side. Once the entry and closure protocols were managed once, testers didn't have any issues going forward. But yes, figuring out the system had a make-it or break-it influence on the tester's experience.
The inner boot is undeniably comfortable to wear and walk about in. It serves as a pretty cool looking snow boot and might be the best apres ski boot we've ever tested, however our test team wasn't about to let the liner's sexiness gain it any advantage--it had to ski or it was out.
How does it ski? Well, let's talk about how it flexes first, as that is the second most important thing about the Dahu boot--the combination of the tallish feeling liner tongue and highly tunable lacing tension there enables a well-distributed fit along the shin that oozes comfort, but in a snug and firmly cushioned way. Then, coupled with the characteristically even flex feel of the three piece shell construction the fore-aft movements in this boot are natural and comfortable in a way often not felt in more traditional designs. The 110 flex tested exemplified this positive element, offering a long--but not collapsing--flex feel that remained consistent in both pressure and comfort against the shin throughout its range of flexion. Chronic shin bang sufferers, do try to get one of these on your feet.
It does ski quite well, according to testers who were surprised at the blend of power and agility that the Dahu offered. The inner boot is mated to the shell with very close tolerances and the inner boot is not a mushy moccasin, so transmission of movement and energy was direct and accurate, testers said. The common complaints that several testers mentioned were related to stance. The out-of-box geometry is slightly more upright than the current norm, and the lateral set-up is a little softer to the inside edge than most. The fore-aft issue is easily solved with an in-box offset bushing that can be swapped onto the rear cuff which tips and locks it into a more forward position which most testers preferred. The lateral issue is remedied with material glued to the medial aspect of the shell, essentially filling the gap between the liner and shell since there is no lateral cuff adjustment mechanism offered on the boot. Testers also noticed that the exterior boot sole runs longer than traditional boots of the same size--not by a lot, but by enough that it's noticeable when walking and will certainly require adjusting or re-mounting bindings for skiers making a boot switch but choosing to keep their ski and binding set up as is.
What about bootfitting options, testers wondered? There aren't many fitting features outside of minor in-liner tweaks and liner heat molding. There's a possibility of a little grind or gentle stretch in certain spots, but this is not what the boot is really designed for. It's designed to fit well out of the box for the average foot shape, but it happens to fit extremely well for the typical foot's trouble spots. Testers who normally require forefoot expansion or ankle bone punches cited that the Dahu fit those areas nicely in its stock set-up. Testers' advice to customers is to be satisfied with the boot's fit as it is when considering a purchase, not hope for a fit that could be. Our test team pointed to the boot's ease of entry and exit and classic three-piece flex feel against the shin as the Ecorce 01X 110's best qualities, closely followed by a super out-of-box fit and good-enough all mountain performance to make it worth a look. In fact, after the boot test experience, two of our testers who are in charge of their shops' hard-goods buying brought in Dahu as a new line for the coming season. We think that's worth mentioning.
While the Dahu boot (based in Switzerland) was released in the North American market just before the Covid pandemic, this was our first chance to test the boots and according to Dahu they are treating the 2022-23 winter season as a re-introduction of the product now that things are returning to a bit more normal program.
The Ecorce 01X in the 120 flex option is Dahu's all-mountain model which represents its best-selling and most-available for try-on model at dealer locations. We tested it in the All-Mountain Traditional medium width category alongside nine other models (all traditional four-buckle overlap designs) to see how it would fare within this most-competitive boot test group. At first our test team was surprised that it wasn't instantly out-classed, and then they were shocked that the Ecorce 01X 120 ended up comfortably holding its own in the middle of the pack. By the end of the ten-day test period and many individual tests on the boot later, our test team declared the Dahu brand, and this model in particular, the good surprise of the test. Bravo Dahu!
There's a lot to unpack when covering a brand new model and especially so with a design as unique as this is. Let's start by not unpacking the liner from the shell--while you could unpack it (and marching around in the closely fitted, long lace system liner is an apres warrior's dream come true), it is not the easiest way to get into and out of the boot, which when done properly is hands-down one of the very best features of the Dahu system. With the liner loaded into the shell, its rearward-hinging cuff locked into normal skiing position and the forward external tongue (it is a three-piece design) released and out of the way it's ready to suck in some foot. And it does! With the long lace system (many eyelets, lots of slack and a handy lace lock) completely loosened up, the slide into the boot is easier than any other boot on the market, period. Same with getting it off, release the shell's external tongue, loosen the liner's lace system and bam, you're outta there. This entry and exit protocol is the best way for skiers who intend to use it like a traditional boot: get to hill, put on boot, ski, take off boot when done, leave. However, for those who want to deploy its secret apres ski weapon or enable a rapid switch from skiing to driving, the rear portion of the shell can be released as well and the liner (with foot) can be pulled out easily and the snow-boot-stomp-around can begin. Getting the liner (with foot) into the shell system is a little trickier but with some practice it's accomplished, and done so most easily while seated.
But how does it ski? Well, let's talk about how it flexes first, as that is the second most important thing about the Dahu boot--the combination of the tallish feeling liner tongue and highly tunable lacing tension there enables a well-distributed fit along the shin that oozes comfort, but in a snug and firmly cushioned way. Then, coupled with the characteristically even flex feel of the three piece shell construction the fore-aft movements in this boot are natural and comfortable in a way often not felt in more traditional designs. The 120 flex we tested exemplified this positive element, offering a long--but not collapsing--flex feel that remained consistent in both pressure and comfort against the shin throughout its range of flexion. Chronic shin bang sufferers, do try to get one of these on your feet.
It does ski quite well, according to testers who were surprised at the blend of power and agility that the Dahu offered. The inner boot is mated to the shell with very close tolerances and the inner boot is not a mushy moccasin, so transmission of movement and energy was direct and accurate, testers said. The common complaints that several testers mentioned were related to stance. The out-of-box geometry is slightly more upright than the current norm, and the lateral set-up is a little softer to the inside edge than most. The fore-aft issue is easily solved with an in-box offset bushing that can be swapped onto the rear cuff which tips and locks it into a more forward position which most testers preferred. The lateral issue (for those who have one) is remedied with material glued to the medial aspect of the shell, essentially filling the gap between the liner and shell since there is no lateral cuff adjustment mechanism offered on the boot. Testers also noticed that the external boot sole runs longer than traditional boots of the same size--not by a lot, but by enough that it's noticeable when walking and will certainly require adjusting or re-mounting bindings for skiers making a boot switch but choosing to keep their ski and binding set up as is.
What about bootfitting options, testers wondered? There aren't many fitting features outside of minor in-liner tweaks and liner heat molding. There's a possibility of a little grind or gentle stretch in certain spots, but this is not what the boot is really designed for. It's designed to fit well out of the box for the average foot shape, but it happens to fit extremely well around the typical foot's trouble spots. Testers who normally require forefoot expansion or medial ankle bone punches cited that the Dahu fit those areas nicely in its stock set-up. Testers' advice to customers is to be satisfied with the boot's fit as it is when considering a purchase, not hope for a fit that could be. Our test team pointed to the boot's ease of entry and exit and classic three-piece flex feel against the shin as the Ecorce 01X 120's best qualities, closely followed by a super out-of-box fit and good-enough all-mountain performance to make it worth a look. In fact, after the boot test experience, two of our testers who are in charge of their shops' hard-goods buying brought in Dahu as a new line for the coming season. We think that's worth mentioning.
Aside from cosmetic updates for the Tecnica Mach1 MV 105 W it returned to the boot test unchanged from its previous entry where it topped the Gold Medal boots in the All-Mountain medium group. This year's score and last year's score are within a tenth of a point and again testers put it on the podium in this heavily-stacked category. The fixed cuff, All-Mountain medium width group is always receives the most entries (paralleling historical market share trends) and offers the highest gold medal score average of our women's test. The Mach1 MV 105 W has been in the top tier of this strong group every year of the past several, and testers were still impressed with its superior blend of performance and comfort traits this time around.
Testers repeatedly comment that the Mach1 MV should not ski as well as it does given its 105-flex billing (they say it skis as strong as the 110-120 flex models) nor given its high level of comfort and cushioning. This is an easy boot to put on and wear around without any liner molding or a bootfitter's help. Straight out of the box and onto blue square groomers is this boot's jam--if that's what the skier's into--but testers say it just as easily can come off the rack and off the lip of a big drop or hammer through the nastiest of semi-frozen, tracked up crud. Huge fit and performance bandwidth without unnecessary fluff or features is what testers continue to praise the Mach1 MV 105 W for. Testers say that the toebox seems a bit roomier than expected for the snug-medium hold on the ankles and heel, but most were just fine with a little extra breathing room for the pigs.
Stance-wise the Mach1 specs hit the bullseye for lateral and fore-aft balance, and testers continue to love the flex feel against the shin and they say that the height of the cuff against the leg is ideal.
Is it a power boot or an agility master? Some boots have an obvious bias in one direction or another and therefore attract a particular type of skier. Testers say that the Mach1 MV's magic is its perfect blend of both traits--a no-compromises all-mountain performer that fits with instant ease. It's no wonder that it rises to the top each year.
Testers can't dislodge the Tecnica Mach1 MV 130 from the very top of the All-Mountain medium width group. It might trade off first or second position, but it's got a lock on that penthouse suite, it seems. The Mach1 MV is unchanged this season but our test team has not tired of it, and uses it as one of the gold standards within this very competitive group to judge newcomers by. Testers still get a kick out of sliding a perfectly fitting medium volume straight off the rack, buckling up, and then making the best turns of the day without having to fuss with any stance changes or hot spot worries. Eleven testers shared their experience with the Mach1 MV 130 this year and couldn't come up with any complaints--except for a few guys who are getting tired of orange.
For a legit 130-flex, testers said the entry and exit was surprisingly good. And for a serious, all-mountain performance boot testers said it was shockingly comfortable without feeling mushy or prone to pack-out. They said the anatomical shaping of the shell is mirrored well by the liner's form and firm-enough materials to provide a secure grip along the foot and leg without feeling harsh. The MV offers a distinctly more-open fit than the Mach1 LVs we have tested, with several testers mentioning that the MV's calf fit was open and flared for a comfortable fit along the lower leg without trending into gappy, fore-aft balance issues.
It's getting harder and harder to find boots without good stance angle set-ups, but the Tecnica Mach1 exemplifies what most testers are looking for in fore-aft and lateral geometry. Testers lodged zero complaints about the stance, which means that when somebody does need some personalized tweaks they're working from a good, neutral home base to start. With dual cuff adjustments laterally, simple rear spoiler mods for improving one's fore-aft balance and an option to install Cantology shims for those needing true canting, the Mach1 platform sets skiers up for stance alignment success.
Our test team loves a polyurethane shell and cuff in the All-Mountain category, and they get that stable, predictable power and accuracy in the Mach1 line-up. The newest part of the performance build, the T-Drive apparatus on the rear spine of the boot, connects upper to lower boot with a spring-loaded, fixed-but-flexible feel that solidifies the transfer of movement to the ski without having to overly stiffen the plastic over the top of the foot for the sake of better fit wrapping and boot entry. Yes, T-Drive looks like a gizmo, but our tests in the past of T-Drive models versus non T-Drive models showed that it works as billed. For performance metrics, the Mach1 MV 130 got its best scores (two scores of 4.85 out of 5.00) for Edge Power and Quickness.
Testers generally like the up-hooking cam buckle power strap, even if they can't connect the boots easily for a sling over the shoulder type carry. The CAS liner and shell features allow for targeted bootfitting solutions and our test team appreciates their simple, functional approach.
Our bootfitter testers were especially excited about the fit changes that Salomon brought to its new, narrow all-mountain boot. The S/Pro Alpha 110 W EL is all-new, but testers still compared it (in favorable ways) to its narrow predecessor S/Max. The loved the way the new Alpha's lower shell, or clog, contoured around the forefoot in an anatomically matched grip on the foot's wide spot, but they really, really loved the new fit over the midfoot and up through the instep. They said the fit over the bony top of the foot is more domed and contoured to match the body, with a nice and open transition through the instep into the cuff. The tongue is both adjustable and customizable, which they appreciated, and the heel and ankle pockets provided true-narrow control without any sacrifice of comfort.
Yes, the women's Alpha skis well, they said, citing its quick-witted transitions arc to arc through a variety of terrain and snow surfaces as its strong suit--lively, quick cruiser was it's call sign, they said, rather than brutish crusher-stomper. Testers felt that the taller, longer legged skier would be best suited to the S/Pro Alpha's tall and upright cuff character for the sake of getting forward, which some felt was a challenge. Testers mentioned that the Custom Shell HD lower and upper boot would serve a skier well in the quest for more personalized stance angles, which we've shown with repeated tests to yield subtle yet performance- and fit-enhancing improvements.
Testers loved the liner feel throughout the shell and cuff and commented that the S/Pro Alpha 110 W EL was one of the easiest boots to get on and off in the category. They unanimously approved of a return to a laterally adjustable cuff (gone here is the non-adjustable Dual Pivot attachment point), and the adjustable mounting position for the shell's instep buckle was a hit, as was its overall shift in placement closer to the throat of the boot which helped avoid top-down pressure over the bony (cuneiform bones) midfoot. The girls wondered why they didn't get a cam buckle power strap like the boys but they didn't complain about the fat 45mm Velcro strap optioned on the 110. A few discerning testers noted the new mono-injected lower shell and praised the move away from the bi-injected Core Frame that had made their navicular heat stretches a little tricky in the past.
Oh, and that EL in the name? Ever Lasting? Even Lovelier? Extra Lusciousness? It's Expert Line, which means the buckles and attachments are removable and the tongue is customizable. Does it ELevate performance? Does it provide more ELegant bootfitting solutions? Maybe. What the EL, we like it.
Testers loved the new fit and performance elements in Salomon's all-new S/Pro Alpha 130 EL (there are so many!) and had virtually zero complaints outside of those about yet another arcane boot naming structure and some testers' resistence to its very Smurfy blue. Several testers called this the best Salomon they've ever tested and virtually all of them applauded the S/Pro Alpha's arrival as an improvement over the previous S/Max narrows--and we thought those were pretty great too! The Alpha's highest score (a 4.80 out of a perfect 5.00) was awarded in the Anatomical Fit & Initial Feel parameter, which points out one of our testers' favorite aspects of this newly classic Salomon--the dialed fit.
Yes, testers also said the performance was top tier within this most competitive group of skilled descenders (4.60 for all performance metrics) but they all spent more time talking about the new fit map of the S/Pro Alpha. Most noticeably, the fit over the midfoot and through the instep is improved--taller, with better shaping over the midfoot bump (cuneiform bones) area with a new adjustable-customizable tongue and an instep buckle that has been moved closer to the throat of the boot and is also adjustable in its mounting position. Testers unanimously praised the design tweak for its simultaneous ability to offload pressure over the top of the foot while sucking the heel deeper back into its rearward anchor position. One tester felt that the instep buckle collided too much with the lower cuff buckle while closing up the overlaps but with some practice the buckling was not an issue of concern, the rest said. There is more vertical space over the toes, which most testers liked for warmth and free wiggling, though others felt they wanted to add a pad to the top of the liner to prevent unwanted rearward shifts--easily accomplished with a bootfitter's help. Testers agreed that the cuff fit was slender, tall and slightly more upright than the group average, and therefore its off-the-rack fit favored the longer-legged and those with lower-volume calves. Testers reminded that Custom Shell HD molding does treat the thicker calf well.
Stance-wise, testers were impressed with how this new narrow sat the fence between Frontside category piste power and an All-Mountain, more off-piste oriented neutral stance set-up. The lateral angles put the ski ever so slightly on an inside edge but not so much as to lock-up edge feathering or prevent a more surfy approach to terrain. Testers point out that the return to an adjustable lateral cuff mechanism (buh-bye Dual Pivot, we won't miss ya) on the Alpha makes quick stance angle adjustment a snap and will get most skiers where they want to be side-to-side without any other fuss. The fore-aft set-up is on the upright end of the spectrum, and shorter testers mentioned getting pushed back on their heels a bit. Testers point out that Custom Shell HD molding can offer some subtle stance angle customization, or a skier could employ a small spoiler between liner and cuff behind the calf to solve this issue.
So, the EL in the boot's name (BTW, Alpha means narrow S/Pro, HV means wide S/Pro, S/Pro sans prefix or suffix means medium) indicates Expert Line, which means that the buckles and cuff fasteners are all removable rather than riveted and that the power strap is an elasticized cam-buckle job, along with a tongue that can be adjusted for position and is also able to be dismantled in order to achieve some additional fit tweaks over the top of the foot. We think those features are all cool. Just EL? We say, El mejor!
Testers agreed that the Roxa R/Fit Pro W 105 was one of the coolest looking boots of the test, and on top of that they liked its energetic, spring-loaded flex feel that enabled quick moves and a spritely feeling return to center every turn. One tester said this was the best Roxa overlap design she'd ever tested. They also appreciated the top-tier raft of features that they've come to expect from the category's best boots: dual cuff adjustment, dual liner pull loops and custom-moldable Ultralon ankle panels, GripWalk soles and a traditional polyurethane build.
Testers were also in agreement that the length fit is short--so much so that a couple testers suggested skiers size up. However, any time a model fits shorter or longer than the category average it opens fit doors for those skiers who chronically find themselves in between sizes. Testers said that there was a pretty firm hold-down over the toes and the midfoot, but more relaxed fit through the ankles, instep and calf. For the right shape profile, this could prove a fit match made in heaven, though testers said that it missed the average shape bullseye on initial fit. They mentioned that wear time improved the fit tension inconsistencies, so a liner heat molding should be in the cards on this one, they thought.
Power to the edge was substantial when positioned to push against the ski, according to testers who gave more props to the R/Fit Pro W's flexy-springy cuff energy that generated a lot of rebound pop and an agile, attacking fore-aft feel. Testers said that the rebound energy bordered on nervous, but for active skiers who can harness this whip it could be a source of all-mountain fun.
Our test team has observed Roxa's boot lines evolve over the past decade or so and testers are impressed with the traditional overlap design of the R/Fit Pro range. Testers say it fits in alongside the top players in the All-Mountain Traditional category with a full complement of functional features like dual cuff adjustment, dual liner pull loops, GripWalk soles, a two-position instep buckle and custom moldable Ultralon liner ankle pockets. Testers liked the feel of the foot's connection to the snow through the lower shell for making quick moves through all-mountain conditions.
Testers were mixed in their opinions of how well the shell and liner fit the average foot shape, as some mentioned a tighter toebox and forefoot with a more relaxed heel and ankle pocket fit. Most were in agreement that the instep and cuff were fairly open in fit, relative the average for the medium last group. Testers with chronic ankle bone issues and thicker calves found the R/Fit Pro 120 a fantastic match for their fit needs. The liner fit improved for testers throughout their on-snow testing, indicating that the overall fit would improve with heat molding the liner.
Testers found the connection to the snow and terrain well-linked and positive underfoot when standing over the boot's powered-up sweet spot but slender legged testers found themselves seeking the upper cuff's best positioning, whereas the thick-legged felt locked-in where they needed to be for fore-aft balance and a position to attack tricky terrain with.
We had expected Rossignol to submit the Pure 80 in the wide-last group of the All-Mountain Traditional category but a lack of availability meant that we had to test the 70-flex version of it. This isn't a problem for our test team, who might be used to seeing women's boots in the 100-110 flex on average, as they know that a large part of boot testing is understanding the target audience for a given model. However, this doesn't give a boot a pass on how it fits, stands, flexes and performs on descent--it just might require a ratchet-down on testers' expectations as it's not a boot designed for high level skiers. With all that said, the Pure 70 was a sleeper in every sense of the word. It won the category and received four perfect scores, out of five, for Anatomical Fit, Dynamic Balance, Quickness and Convenience.
Our test team said that the Pure 70 was not a bucket, fit wise, and managed to contour around good anatomical shapes, if pretty darned roomy. They commented that the hold on the ankles and heel were enough to render a sense of control even when the room elsewhere was open and airy. The calf fit was slightly more snug due to a slightly taller fit than expected for the category, but the slightly tall and slightly upright cuff set-up worked well to buttress the better-than-70 fore-aft support while skiing in all-mountain conditions. They didn't mention anything about the new shell shape revisions or hinge-point change in the new Pure line, specifically, but they said that it flexed better and skied better than the soft flex wide rides from Rossi in the past.
Testers liked the fact that the 102mm Pure does come in a stiffer 80 flex which would work well for women looking for a little more flex support, and they noted that there is a heated version of the boot though their warmth scores were good as it was. They didn't know if anyone needed the comfort of the 60-flex given the level of fit luxury they found in the test model, and at a list price of $350 the Pure 70 was already the best deal of the boot test by far.
While the boot's name, Pure Pro 100 has been around for a few years, this season marks a completely new shell and cuff design (new molds) and all-new liner to suit. Testers loved all the changes and also what didn't change. The 100 mm Pure boot was known for its easy going, comfortable fit with lots of faux fur and a little extra toe room, all of which tended to keep it just out of the tip top tier in the performance score categories. The new Pure Pro 100 has kept a lot of the easy: easy on and off, easy to fit without hot spots, easy to stay balanced. But it has upped its game in terms of how its fit is more closely matched to anatomy rather than reliant on liner cushioning. It no longer fits longer--at least not any more than other models in the group. And it transmits movements to the ski with less slop in the liner linkage--testers said that the liner felt married to the interior of the shell for a zero-delay feel for the snow.
Testers also said that the 100's flex feel is changed for the better--a little more substantial than billed but still evenly cushioned along the shin and able to maintain even pressure distribution between shin and tongue throughout the flex range. They said the fore-aft positioning is slightly upright and a little tall feeling on the leg, both of which enhance the feeling of a 100 flex that punches above its weight class. One of our testers with a keen eye for calf room said that while tall on the leg, the flared cuff shape suited a higher volume leg well, and she noted that while a slender legged skier might need to adjust the cuff to its slightly more forward leaning position, the thicker calf would probably do the trick for a perfectly balanced fore-aft stance.
Testers rewarded how this 100-100 fit and skied with four perfect 5.00 scores out of five. The boot skied at the top of every testers ranking list in the medium width All-Mountain category, and as such it was not a surprise that it took the top spot out of 9 very good boots. What did surprise our testers in the end was that the Pure Pro 100 received the highest score in the entire women's test field--and the men's as well. Tip top.
