The perennial favorite Mach1 MV W has returned but in a burlier, badder build--the 115 flex model!
Dennis Hopper boot. Get it? Easy rider! (nobody gives a shit about Peter Fonda) Easy on, easy fit, easy to ski, easy to like, said testers. The all-new NXT N1 is Nordica's wide rider too—it's 102mm with room to spare, testers say.
The open-for-business lower will comfortably house the largest, thickest of feet, and the boot's clever Cuff Profile calf adjuster can flare open the back of the boot top to accommodate even elephantine calves. This one is designed to never elicit even a hint of foot squeeze at initial try-on. It runs long, gives weight-bearing forefoot splay a wide berth and wraps it all in a soft (but not mushy) liner.
But if you think the NXT is all comfort and no performance, think again. Testers gave it high marks for smooth transitions turn-to-turn, a solid connection to the ski and a relaxed, upright stance that makes all-day cruising an attainable goal. Some testers said it didn’t really hit the 120 flex mark but with the next-step-down N2 at 100, that's probably as it should be—let’s call it a 113.25 flex.
Laterally and torsionally the boot held up to abuse with a damp and easygoing attitude. It was just fine everywhere on the Bachelor volcano, testers said, and will be a fine ride for most good skiers with higher volume feet and legs. Thick footed charger-rippers may want to go with NRGy, because NXT may just not appreciate the stress. Skiing's supposed to be fun, right?
Testers who've been following Nordica's medium-width boot evolution over the past few years were excited—and anxious—to ski the all-new NRGy Pro 1 after faltering starts with former Hell & Back and Fire Arrow models. Just getting it on their feet inside gave them good vibes. After just a few turns on the hill, they broke into smiles—it skis! After a couple runs their heart rate monitors edged higher. It really skis!
Testers found the flex even and natural—though a firm and upright 130 flex for sure. It used that functional flex to crush all manner of terrain and mix it up, turn-shape-wise, through variable snow and over smooth surfaces. Nordica’s return to a polyurethane shell construction from Triax plastic used previously put a smile on the face of our testers who liked its predictable, snappy feel. They also agreed that the neutral balance underfoot made for smooth, strong turns anywhere. The NRGy is a versatile platform and the 130 version we tested matched particularly well to bigger, stronger-skiing guys.
The cuff rides slightly taller than average in the category, so some of our shorter testers struggled to get out in front of the stout upper. They suggested that the 120- or 110-flex Pro 2 and Pro 3 versions might suit guys built like them better. The fit in the lower boot runs longer and wider than most others in the medium width group, and the tall fit over the top of the foot and up through the midfoot favors both thicker and higher-arched feet.
The auto-moldable ankle pockets started off snug and their fit improved by the run. The ankle area speedily conforms if you take the time to heat mold the Custom Cork liners. The Pro 1 and Pro 2 liners offer chipped-cork molding packs integrated into the ankle areas.
The SX 120 is versatile and delivers lots of bang for the buck. Its 102mm width is going to work for more skiers—and at a better price—than the brand’s big gun mediums and narrows. And it delivers all that without sacrificing much on the performance-meter.
The SX represents the latest link in Lange’s fixed-cuff evolution. The founding RS shape and stance platform spawned the all-mountain RX line which then swelled to accommodate a thicker, higher volume foot and lower leg in the SX. Lange's so-called Four Pillars technology—1) neutral stance geometry; 2) mono-injected construction; 3) anatomical liner with limited seams through the toebox and tongue; and 4) it's available across the last width spectrum. Rather than proffer some anomalous mush bucket to accommodate the wide foot/relaxed-fit market, Lange blew-up what they knew worked into a higher volume fit.
Testers who don't typically like skiing wide boots liked the SX 120. Not because it isn’t wide; it's right in line with what we’d expect of a 102. But it’s roomy, not sloppy. Testers also liked the SX because it stands right. It balances under the foot and grabs the lower leg in a neutral but strong and functional way. This boot skied well even when the tester’s foot and leg didn’t fill its caverns. But pack it full of foot and the quickness scores go way up. It's a one-percent boot for the working class foot.
Lange has long been known as a performance brand, dating back to its domination of the 1968 Grenoble (France) Olympics where it captured five of the six Alpine gold medals awarded. But if you don't think of Lange boots as comfort and convenience players then you haven't been paying attention the last few years. Of all the brands, we think Lange has struck the best balance between performance, fit, stance and convenience across its range. This observation comes from multiple years of recent boot testing where Lange models have topped each category.
The RX chassis has become benchmark for the combination of elements listed above, to the point of becoming a category fixture--changing little each year, yet maintaining its pack leader status. One of the things we like about the RX boot is how Lange refuses to make changes for change sake alone—there's just no reason to change a winning recipe.
For this year, we’re treated to a slightly different external layer on the liner and a stitching modification on the tongue. As a test team that's seen many great boots disappear simply because the factory felt the need to make a change for marketing purposes, we applaud the fact that Lange continues to send this winning horse to the post even as it ages up.
As far as narrow boots go, the RX 130 LV is not abusively tight. Testers put it in the middle of the narrow group for fit tension. And they mentioned it has a slightly longer fit and a bit more toebox room than many other narrows.
A few testers mentioned that the forward flex felt a little softer and longer-traveling than other 130's, which most testers liked for easing the shin fit in off-piste bashing. This is the nature of many 130 and 120 flex boots now—slightly softer in flex than expected but still laterally and torsionally stable for driving a ski on edge. This is a good combination for the vast majority of skiers who want a performance step-up without a rigid feel against the shin or difficult entry and exit.
With its rookie year in the rearview mirror, the Spyne 130 LV put up solid numbers and avoided a sophomore jinx. It came to camp with an improved liner and a new look that our scouts approved. The PrecisionFit Intuition liner's new toebox shape and tweaks made to enhance the way the liner mates with the shell opened up the fit in all the right places—and kept them snug where they need to be.
While the LV shell truly is low volume (especially in the heel, ankles and along the lateral side of the foot), we received none of the tight toes and numbness complaints we heard last year. A few testers mentioned that the fit over the top of the foot felt more contoured and comfortable, further eradicating the two-run tingle several experienced last go-round.
The graphics are changed too, and to a virtually unanimous positive vote (OK; one dissenter described the hue as puke). The colors didn't change how the boot skied though, and testers gave the Spyne 130 LV meaty power scores.
They praised the stance angle set-up. The boot set our skis a-trenching and managed them well at all speeds through a variety of terrain. Strong yes, dull-witted no. Testers noticed a supple, springy flex feel, attributing it to the unique link between lower and upper boot. Spyne boots aren't fixed at the rear spine (hence the name) but neither are they free to collapse. The Energy Interlock mechanism binds the cuff to the lower with a slightly stretchy connection that lets energy load and release in an active manner.
Helping to bolster the boot’s stability and power is the rigid Y-shaped Powerfuse SpYne (see the big Y down the boot back?) that stiffens the boot laterally and torsionally without having to rely on bulky plastic elsewhere that can hamper entry and exit. It earned great in-and-out scores.
There’s tremendous fit versatility here. In addition to the Low Volume version we tested, testers praised the option to go to a medium-width Spyne 130 or the new wide-lasted Spyne 130 HV (high volume) while maintaining this same stance platform and trim levels.
If success in the medium width category means appealing to a broad spectrum of skiers and different foot shapes, then the Spyne 110 can hang a “Mission Accomplished” banner without fear of being mocked.
Testers thought this step-down, 110 flex skied just fine, holding its own against a bunch of boots with brawnier numbers. It’s adequate for all but redline expert skiers or larger guys who simply need the support of the medium-width big brother Spyne 130. The softer flex and slightly lower-than-average cuff height of the Spyne 110 make it a great choice for guys with shorter legs and big calves who need their boot top to hit just below the widest part of the muscle.
Other than the cuff, testers rated the fit decidedly "medium," with score averages that center punched the category range. The revamped liner has a more supple construction and the re-shaped toebox is a success, providing good out-of-box fit for testers across the board. The multi-layer, multi-density Intuition foam liner can be heat molded to improved effect on a hot stacks but few test forms indicated a mandatory call for it. That's a big step forward for the Spyne 110.
The K2 Spyne 90 returns with a new, sedate cosmetic that will appeal to a lot of good skiers looking for a little less flash along with a complete liner redesign that made much of the previous versions flaws vanish, just like that. It also comes with a set of replaceable, grippy toe and heel plates for more cushioned and secure walking.
Testers still say that the Spyne 90 fits more like a medium and stiffer than billed. So for skiers looking for a medium-wide 110 flex at a heck of a price, we'd say this is a perfect option for you! This is probably one of the top three boot values of the test this year--again. The well-balanced K2 boot geometry is at the heart of its success. Tester after tester mentioned standing right where they wanted to on the ski. There wasn't a single mention of a lack of performance or deficit on snow—testers were blown away with how hard it ripped. Testers also vouched that the new liner had more toe room and a more even fit—improvements on last year's rendition.
Now, that doesn't mean it was perfect—there were some fit demerits that knocked it off the top podium perch. The cuff is a touch low, and the shin fit still a little abrupt, according to testers. But keep in mind that the K2 EVA foam-based liner construction responds well to heat molding, so these issues may go away in a hot flash.
Some boots surprise our test team because they're new. Others, like the Vector 125, surprise us because they're not and yet we find new reasons to love them all over again. Without a doubt, this was the category winner for best combination of luxuriant comfort and way better than expected performance on snow.
Its sedate cosmetics peg it as a bit of a sleeper, but testers started paying attention from the first slide in. The Vector's entry and exit scores were tip-top, as the tri-injected shell and slippery smooth liner lets the foot glide into the Perfect Fit liner like melted butter.
Closure is evenly wrapped with Head’s funky cable-curved SpineFlex buckles that work great but left some testers wrangling them like a teed-off snake. The upper buckles have fold-out Double Power lever arms that make tightening up the cuff a snap. It’s almost too-easy to over-tighten so go easy when latching in.
Testers liked the closure combination in the Vector 125 for its immediate indication that the boot was all about making things easy. The fit is relaxed and silky against the foot. It’s a little short in length, roomy in the forefoot, and low and open at the boot top. Somehow, with all the fluffy-cushy feel here, the Vector still grabs the foot through the ankle, heel and instep, providing a grounded home base to ski from.
The Vector's on-snow performance is shockingly good, considering its through the roof comfort marks. Testers remain somewhat astounded by how much fun they had skiing anywhere on the hill, even at speed. They might have called it a good "dad boot/cruiser boot/advanced-intermediate boot” but not one said it didn't do exactly as they asked.
We allowed each brand an extra model in a category of their choice this year provided the bonus entry was a softer, less-expensive model. We showed no mercy, however, and threw these softer boots in with the rugged, general population in whichever category they landed. We figured they'd probably get crushed by the competition and we'd cycle them into a sidebar or small feature somewhere (which we've done).
The Adapt Edge 110 was Head's soft entry, and it was the only such boot to make the medal cut for a print review in these pages. It was also the winner for best entry and exit in this category; it is probably the easiest-on overlap shell boot in our entire test.
Its numbers do lie a little bit. It fits more like a 104mm last, with massive amounts of room throughout the lower boot and an open for business boot top that will let big calves waltz through the door all day long. Very high volume feet are required to pack its storage space full but that's not to say it isn't a good option for more average width feet that can't tolerate much squeeze without going numb.
Its 110 flex index may be a little overstated. Our testers say it's a softie, but one that doesn’t collapse under stress when flexed. It maintains a progressive feel with an eventual stopping point but it's definitely not for skiers who crush it hard initiating their turns. Skiers who move mainly laterally or have a lighter touch on the tongue will love how it performs.
Our testers were stunned by how well the Adapt Edge held its own when punching with the big boys in this competitive group . It is stable at speed and has sufficient power transmission to the edge. We skied it all over the mountain and found it uncharacteristically good given its stiffness and price.
This wide body shell pairs with a thick Intuition Pro liner for an ample and well-shaped fit for medium and thicker feet—if you fully heat mold the High Five. Testers felt the out of box fit was firmly snug in places where there might have been more space based on the 102 mm shell shape. After thermo-forming the EVA liner this proved to be the case as the ankle pockets became more anatomically defined and the forefoot settled to the boot floor for more nuanced edge control.
Testers found the boot on the upright side of the category norm for tall cruising without killing the quads, and they noted that the slightly lower cuff height made this a potentially good match for those with shorter legs or bigger calves.
One of the easiest boots on and off on the face of the planet, the High Five has a place on the short list for any convenience-seeking skier who has struggled with entry and exit of overlap shell boots.
Skiers looking for the original and narrow Full Tilt lower boot shape (FTO shell) can find it here in retro black, purple, and green styling. The tongue here is a little on the softer side—testers wished it was a little stiffer for supporting a strong stance in variable terrain. But at $550 this is a great value that leaves a few bucks in the account for making an upgrade to a stiffer tongue for 50 bucks. The ability to mix and match tongues and purchase a myriad of replacement parts is by design here, and that includes the ability to upgrade the Intuition liner from the softer Performer style here to the stiffer Pro liner down the road.
Testers felt the Performer liner was soft and squishy—nice for its easy slide on and off, but perhaps lacking in fore-aft transmission. Though depending on the skier this may be just the ticket for a comfortable and warm all-day ride.
Snug fitting toebox, solid sole toe and heel, old-school buckles, rigid bootboard—classic, baby.
Testers said the Viron 12 Vacuum CF skied much like a tuned-down Ranger Pro 13—and that's still saying something. It has a more upright stance than the Ranger, and it's substantially wider—both of which made for a more comfortable, performance ride. They said it was quicker and more tuned-into the snow surface than most wide boots tested, though a bit weaker in flex than the 120 billing suggests.
They had few complaints though, citing a perfectly fine out-of-box fit that they said hedged a bit toward more medium fit tension. They noted that the toebox fit was a bit shorter than the average, per size, and looked forward to Vacuum molding to open that up a bit. The CF in the model name means Comfort Fit, indicating that the molding process will allow the forebody of the boot to expand but will not get any tighter in the forefoot—since not that many folks buying a wide boot are looking for a narrower fit there.
