The Trinity 95 surprised testers with how much fun it was to ski once they tuned into its unique flexion mojo and they pushed it into gold medal status in the All-Mountain Walk category.
Head's got a three-piece shell!? Yep, a R&D project with their freeskiing team that has gone very right for us. Apparently their Freeskiing team is comprised of badasses because our test team thinks this is one hellacious beast of a boot. The Hammer 130 is aptly named—this destroyer class cabrio nailed every task our crew could put in front of it.
The benefits of a three-piece design are typically two-fold: easier entry with no shell overlap to block the foot, and a smooth and unimpeded flex feel rendered by the external tongue as structural element. The downside is that often, the cabrio cutaway lower and un-anchored cuff diminish torsional stability and rob edge power. That is most certainly not the case here. The Hammer 130 was as strong to the edge as any boot in the test, including those race-oriented Technical Frontside models.
Not surprisingly, being stiff and reactive means that it isn't particularly compliant upon entry. Testers all agreed that the softer flex setting was a useful adjustment that most skiers would employ to lengthen flex range. Its stiff setting still has a nice, progressive trajectory, but only our biggest, tallest guys tapped into it. For a hundred bucks less the Hammer 110 is an inviting option, and if it's like the Hammer we tested, it should probably feel like a 120.
Testers said the 130 fit like the 98mm average, perhaps a touch shorter in length and a bit snugger at the forefoot. Some testers mentioned that the heel pocket felt a little less defined than some. That’s good for skiers with thicker heels and a problem that’s easily remedied by having a bootfitter add a set of L-pads. The upper cuff fits tall and slightly to the upright side of average, favoring big tall guys and those who like an upright stance.
The return of the Seth Morrison Pro Model again impressed our test team with its stiffer #10 tongue that bumped up the fore-aft stability for a stable ride off-piste that our taller and heavier testers appreciated. The classic, even Full Tilt flex feel is still in effect here, just firmer with a better defined stopping point and powerful delivery of inputs to the ski.
The Intuition Pro liner is the densest construction of the three that Full Tilt offers, and this more rigid spiral-wrapping construction combines well with the stiffness upgrade to amplify the power transmission to the ski while maintaining a light feel underfoot. The Seth Morrison is one of the lightest boots in the category, and it also buried testers' gauges for ease of entry and exit as well as for perceived warmth levels. The newer FTS (Full Tilt Soul) shell shape is more open in the toebox but still close fitting through the heel, ankle and lower leg, which the pre-molded liner contours around nicely. Full heat molding only enhanced testers' fit scores, allowing the foot to seat more deeply and gain a bit more toe room—the fit runs short, testers agreed.
No, the Seth does not have a hike mode—nobody said you have to have one of them things to be in the All-Mountain Adventure category anyway! The shock absorbing bootboard and grippy, replaceable toe and heel plates give this a more off-piste oriented suspension and sure traction for the boot-pack. It's light, it's got a nice flex feel—loosen up the buckles and start putting one foot in front of the other, that's the original hike mode!
The Ranger 12 Vacuum returns tougher, with a more comfortable fit and a stealthy matte finish that appealed to testers. They gave it "brand new couch" comfort scores as well as also top marks for agility and quickness. A nice combo.
The Vacuum process was a hit with our custom process testers. They all noted major post-Vac improvements in toebox and forefoot fit. Depending on their individual molding needs, several mentioned a general evening of the fit elsewhere or slight tightening in the heel ankle and lower leg. The new moldable rear spoiler improved the calf fit for our testers, an improvement from last year’s model.
The plastic used in the Ranger 12 shell apparently had some Cialis sprinkled in the formula. It was stiffer than its predecessor. Testers approved but our bigger guys said it could use still another pill.
The Ranger 12 moves well laterally, precise and powerful rail-to-rail with a sensitive connection to the snow and ski. Fore-aft balance proved a little elusive for our off-the-shelf testers who found the boot a bit upright. Our custom testers, however, were happy after the Vacuum process. The stance improvements that come with the Vacuum process continues to impress our test team and highlight the importance of the process.
Testers concurred that the Ranger 12 Vacuum is light, easy on and off, and has a smooth and respectable range of cuff movement when the Hike Ride Lock feature is disengaged.
Testers approved of this year's new spiral-wrapping EVA liner in both Stormtrooper models, noting that its implementation into the stiffer ST2 made entry and exit impressively better by padding the foot's slide past the stiff cabrio throat of the lower boot. While the firm liner gave testers a few pressure points on initial try-on, these mellowed with a few runs and those who fully molded the liners got a personalized fit that eradicated all hot spots.
Testers said the flex feel is stout—beefed up over last year's version by way of the addition of firm liner material filling the boot cuff—bumping up scores for stability and power to the edge this year. The boot's short boot sole length seems to allow for a nice feel underfoot, though testers who didn't have demo bindings made note that without a binding re-mount they'd be a little too forward on their skis. And most testers found the internal length fit a little short as well. At 99mm, the boot rides the fence between true narrows and mediums—going up one size would seal the deal for plenty of room to spread out.
According to testers the ST2's best feature remains the five position forward lean adjustment on the boot's rear spine which can be set in one of two different skiing positions—either a more fixed-rigid flex or long forward travel flex setting—and in one of five different forward lean settings. Additionally, the mechanism offers a full-release position that lets the boot function in hike mode—and testers agreed the range of motion is long and natural-feeling both fore and aft. As a fore-aft balance note, most of our testers preferred the middle setting (#3) of the five available, but depending on a skier's binding set-up he might like more forward #2 or more upright #4.
If you don't know much about DaleBoot, it's time to pay attention. Fabricated and assembled in Salt Lake City, DaleBoots are fully custom (liner and shell) based on extensive measurements, tracings and interview info taken by dealer partners or right at the SLC factory store. If you purchase at a dealer, the final stance and fit work are done locally after your boots are received (all part of the price).
This year we put the VFF Pro to the test for men and women, in both off-the-rack and full-custom tests. The men ranked it a tie for second place in the All-Mountain Adventure category with the Rossignol Alltrack Pro 130 and Tecnica Cochise Pro 130—pretty good company.
Testers said it put the ski on edge and held it there at speed through variable terrain as well as any boot in the group. Its torsionally rigid, high-density (yet thin) shell wall and three-quarter-length bootboard puts the skier in direct connection with the ski and snow surface. Furnished with an Intuition liner, it was one of the lightest and liveliest boots we tested.
The modified three-piece construction employs a classic cabrio lower boot. It relies on a spring-tensioned cable and rear buckle to restrain the cuff's forward travel. That gives the VFF Pro its signature long, energetic flex pattern. Choose to mix in the spiral-wrap Intuition liner and you have the easiest entry and exit boot on the market.
Sometimes manufacturers slap an assortment of eye-candy on a boot in an attempt to mask essential flaws. The Panterra 120 does have a laundry list of fit and function features but they all work. The boot is a solid and proven performer, ticking all the key boxes for fit, flex feel, stance and skiing strength—testers put it at the top for edge power and stability among wide rides.
Now about that trove of useful on-board goodies. Testers love the simple block-style hike mode switch—pull it out, hike (or walk). There's also an effective flex adjuster; it comes set stiff and testers said slotting it to soft gains a longer range of flexion and quicker turns.
Our crew says the stance angles of the Panterra are right in line with modern neutral norms, but they can be adjusted with a single-side lateral cuff adjustment. A boot board ramp adjustment lifts the heel internally with the turn of an Allen key. That’s a nice touch. The Variable Volume Fit first buckle is an interesting take on reducing the overall volume of the lower boot. Set it for a roomy or snug fit over the forefoot and toes and then leave it alone. The boot goes on and comes off without ever having to release that first buckle setting.
There’s also grip clad arch, split fit tongue, replaceable soles and more. , etc… but the point is, even without all this the Panterra fits and skis great straight out of the box.
Testers noted that the fit is particularly high over the midfoot and instep, so it’s a great high volume and high-arch solution with a stronger than 120 flex that can handle big, tall skiers.
Testers called the Lupo 110 one of the best three-piece boots in the house, and that's saying something. As the step-down version of the stiffer Lupo SP, there wasn't much stepping down—this 110 packed more power than the digits would lead one to believe, and testers were widely impressed with how it handled all speeds in all snow conditions.
Like many of Dalbello's three-piece constructions, the Lupo got stiffer and stronger the tighter it was buckled, as the three pieces of the shell wrap more tightly together. The closure and rapid fire connection to the ski made the Lupo a perfect match for testers with slender lower legs, as the grip there was very close, especially at the base of the leg and into the ankle pockets, allowing confident lateral moves in tricky spots. Testers noted that the forefoot and toebox were quite roomy by comparison to the rearfoot hold, but for the wide-spreading foot or skiers looking for additional warmth and wiggle room this is a great combination.
The flex feel of the Lupo was especially well-liked by testers, who called it fluid and progressive—and definitely packing more punch than the 110 rating suggested. The tongue rides a little higher than average against the shin which testers liked for how it distributed pressure during off-piste charging but some of our shorter testers got pushed into the backseat a bit.
Lupo's hike mode is simple and industrial-looking. Testers liked how strongly it linked upper to lower, and while rearward range of motion was limited, they liked how the three-piece shell allowed for additional forward travel with the buckles loosened. The set-up here is great for hiking back uphill to hit something again, but probably not the long-tour option for most.
The revised MC-X impressed testers with its initial fit and feel, starting with the custom closure of the double Boa Coiler reel inner boot and continuing with the way the boot gripped the foot when mated with the nano-fiber, two-buckle chassis. The new, closer tolerance fit of the inner boot toe and chassis toe cup was evident when sliding into the frame with a vacuum-bagged feel. The fit was an even "medium," except for a particularly short fit lengthwise, even for testers who went up one size from their norm. Apex's sizing recommendation is one to two sizes larger than a skier's typical boot size.
The MC-X's performance on snow was impressive, laterally, with testers commenting that the chassis's upper shaft was the power headquarters of the boot—keep the lower leg aligned within that column for tipping and ripping crossover moves that drove the ski with authority. The more snug interface between inner boot and frame was a clear improvement for boot to ski inputs and crisp transitions turn to turn.
Testers were less excited about the fore-aft set-up of the MC-X. While the new forward lean adjustment is a huge improvement over previous Apex iterations, testers found the MC-X's fore-aft balance point elusive. Most found the stance more forward-feeling than the MC-3, even in the same forward lean setting, and a few commented that the flex collapsed when tasked. Straightening the stance one stop further and adding a stiffer elastomer to the flex arm were our test team's suggestions for easily accomplished performance tweaks.
The tri-layer, dual density outsole with Ice Tech Vibram lugs walked like a dream—grippy sticky striding at its best and super light on the foot. The best-of-the-rest walkability of the Apex inner boot is undeniably nice.
