Sometimes the score profile tells the whole story about a boot.
Testers were again pleased with the slightly re-named 2019 Fischer RC4 Curv 130 Powered by Vacuum (PBV) for its more neutral stance than past RC4 versions, its comfortable out-of-box fit and its quick edging moves on snow. They also liked getting a 130-flex boot with a Powered by Vacuum customizable lower shell at an affordable price.
Testers say compared to the RC4 of old, the RC4 Curv 130 PBV is a breath of, well, breathing room! The toebox fits longer and more open thanks to a new seamless liner construction and the entire lower shell and cuff fits with an even narrow-medium fit that testers said sat nicely between the two width categories. Testers noticed a little extra relief on the medial side of the shell wall, at the navicular bone area. The lower boot is made of heat moldable Vacu-Plast which can be manipulated for fit improvements through a variety of different Vacuum methods, while the upper cuff is polyurethane and customizable with traditional bootfitting means.
The stance angles on the RC4 Curv 130 PBV are more in-line with others in the All-Mountain category than was the RC4 of old. The Curv 130 stands more upright and is less tipped-out, laterally. More neutral-feeling all around, said testers. A few of them mentioned the cuff was set-up too "in" for them and they'd perform a cuff alignment tweak using the solid race cuff alignment adjusters to better match their more bowlegged angles. The RC4 Curv boots are straight-lasted as opposed to abducted, Soma-Tec style, a trickle-down design change from the 92 mm RC4 Podium race boots. While testers may have a particular preference for one stance set-up or another there were certainly no complaints here. Testers did agree that the flex feel was a little shy of the 130 mark but they also concurred that the boot's precise steering and rapid fire edging game was amongst the best.
Bootfitters like the screw hardware for removing cuffs and buckles, and another bootfitting nicety, the RC4 Curv boots are Cantology compatible. Feeling soleful? GripWalk soles are available as an optional purchase as well, for use with GripWalk compatible bindings. The PBV lower boot (Vacu-Plast) can be molded via oven cooking or with the techie and quite cool Zone Fit adhesive heating elements.
We tested the 2019 DaleBoot ST in the Frontside category because it's the stiffest model DaleBoot makes, and testers thought it fit right in there alongside other race-bred powerhouses. Testers liked the power-to-weight ratio the ST brings to the table—stiff and strong with a close-feeling connection to the ski and snow surface.
The guys at DaleBoot set up our Frontside test model as a narrow last to better match the other boots in the category, and they also chose to load it with their higher density liner option for a firmer, more transmissive Frontside feel—both choices that were favored by testers who gave the painted-on, custom fit the double thumbs-up. However, the ST could be built as a medium or a wide, and with a variety of different Intuition liner styles and densities. Similarly the height of the cuff is variable—selected for the particular skier the boot will be made for. The flex feel of the ST is pretty rigid—again, DaleBoot's stiffest set-up—and that appealed to testers in this particular category, though for bigger, taller guys the ST is a good All-Mountain option too.
The ST's rigid cuff design allowed testers to bury the rail at high speeds and on hard snows, but did so without loss of a tactile feel for the snow. Testers liked the way the three-quarter length, adjustable bootboard supported the rear foot and set the ramp angle but left the forefoot to sit directly on the thin shell base—as close as the foot can come to ski. Very high durometer (stiff) polyether plastic is used to make the lower boot rigid but with an unusually thin shell wall. This gives the boot a feely, connected character but without being flimsy. Light and sensitive but strong on edge—a unique combination, testers agreed.
The three-quarter length bootboard is adjustable laterally to better support the rearfoot or provide mobility there and can be set up for use with a posted or non-posted custom insole. A large part of the DaleBoot customizing process, beyond just fit, is ensuring that the skier's stance is dialed, and their unique, snap-on canted soles are a quick and effective way to fine-tune the boot's performance.
The 2018 Salomon X Max Race 130 is born of shrinkage—no, not like Costanza, but rather because this year's X Max utilizes polyamide plastic in the lower portion of the shell, and one property of polyamide is some shrinkage during cooling after being pulled off the injection mold. This shrinkage amounts to the 2 mm difference in last width from last year's 98 mm X Max to this year's 96 mm. Here, Salomon chooses to stick with a similar liner as last years, hence, tight tight baby--let's call it X Max Race! In the other 98 mm X Max boots this year a thinner liner construction is used to maintain a more "pedestrian narrow" feel.
Did we mention that this one is tight, gentlemen? Testers said they were locked in a well-contoured vice with a little added dominatrix torture action on the ankle bones and across the throat of the boot at the instep. This had a few testers wondering if it was too tight, some others considering a Custom Shell 360 oven cook, and the rest loving how well it gripped the foot. The Frontside category is for grippin', tippin' and rippin', right? The cuff is similarly close to the bone, though test data indicated a little bit of give for the calf muscle at the boot top.
Testers agree that the cuff is a touch upright in its stance angle and also rides a bit high on the lower leg. This baby's stiff, too, so testers found that the combination of these factors put them back on their heels a little bit, creating a challenge for them to man-up and get over the top of this boot and into the driver's seat. Aggressive, tall testers had a better time finding the sweet spot. There is an X Max Race 120 that our sissy-boys might have had an easier time with. Lateral movements in the 130 were rewarded with deep, trenching carves and a lot of rebound energy in the transitions. Locked and loaded edge power.
The X Max Race models have sick cam-lock power straps and dual pull loop liners. Again, the Custom Shell 360 customization feature works best (we think) when the boot is a little too darned tight everywhere even after molding the liner, and the process also helps to fine-tune stance angles for the individual skier.
The 2018 Nordica Dobermann GP 110 isn't the runt of the litter, he's just the softest flexing of the ass-kicking Dobermann family. Why were we testing the 110-flex and not the 120-, 130- or 140-flex Dobie? This was Nordica's Soft-Value entry—we ask every brand to submit a softer-flexing, bargain version to make sure we mix up the review offerings a bit. The Dobermann GP 110 was the highest-scoring Soft-Value ski boot of the entire test, men's and women's combined.
It's a Dobermann, so it's narrow, but evenly so, from the toebox to the heel, the ankles to the instep and up through the upper cuff. On a scale of 1-5 (1 being World Cup tight), it got all 2's—perfect for the Frontside category. The fit is close, but without hot spots (beyond the normal bony point ouch zones), and testers loved the smooth and progressive flex feel—a bit stronger than 110, but still an easy-flexer. The Dobie 110 is great for low-volume feet, slender legs and lighter-weight skiers. It's a great low-volume, high-value option for teen boys and women as well.
This is consummate Dobermann on-snow dominance, just toned down a bit for the lighter and less-aggressive. Accuracy on edge defined, the Dobermann is precise and agile—a joy to ski for a skilled skier with a light touch for the snow. However, testers say there's plenty of low end torque and stability at speed, even on the hardest snow. Is it warm and cushy and easy to put on and take off—not so much. Does a Dobermann make you a better skier instantly? Yes it does.
This is classic four-buckle overlap land, so not a lot of frills, but the Dobermann GP 110 shares the same cuff adjustment mechanism found on the others in the Dobermann group—it's a dual-lateral adjustment that also has "rotational" tweakability to alter the internal- or external-rotation of the shell to either match or attempt to manipulate a skier's knee tracking during flexion, either for improved balance or increased inside edge power—pretty slick when needed and properly implemented.
The patriarch of the RS blue boot family, 2018 Lange RS 130 returned to our boot test this year packing a full slate of revisions to shell and liner. It left after a week of rigorous testing with the highest score of any boot, men's or women's, out of all categories.
The challenge for Lange with the RS wasn't just to come up with a new shell and liner but to come up with both of those that were better than what they already had, which was pretty damn good. The shell is tightened internally in the heel pocket but also more defined in the ankles. The liner is more anatomically sculpted with firm pre-molded material in the ankle and heel area and its exterior material is stiffer this year and also precisely matched to the interior shape of the shell. Testers said mission accomplished—the fit is stronger in the heel and more comfortable in the ankle, but with an even, performance-minded grip all along the foot and into the cuff. From the initial entry to the end of each tester's on-snow session, they said the fit was an ideal wrap of the foot and the leg.
Externally, the shell of the RS 130 is thicker this year in the heel counter and up through the spine of the cuff for a more powerful drive train, and modifications were made to the thickness of plastic in key areas to enhance feel for snow and prevent a fold-over flex feel when taxed. In both the shell and upper cuff, new Dual Core construction employs a less dense plastic sandwiched between higher density plastic to generate a tensile energy in the material itself. Testers don't know how they did it, but they agreed on all counts—stronger, more tactile, and quicker all around this year. Testers mentioned that the turn seemed to start earlier and felt more round from start to finish than with the RS boots of old.
Everything a high performance skier needs and nothing else here: removable rear spoiler, double liner pull loops, cam lock power strap, single side set-screw cuff adjustment, easy-open bottom buckles and a toe dam that doesn't leak.
The 2018 Head Raptor 110 RS W garnered many perfect scores of 25 at this year's boot test, dominating the women's Frontside category and scoring highly enough to put it in the top 3 of all the women's narrow All-Mountain boots if we'd mixed it in there. Testers loved this boot for how well it made them ski.
Testers rate this 96 mm last as one of the very tightest fits of the test (at least in the lower boot), but they liked the shape of this super snug Frontsider. There were very few complaints of hotspots, except over the top of the foot, where high-arched or bony midfoot folk got a little crunched. Testers praised the positive grip on the foot for its confidence-inspiring control of the ski. You say you don't like your heels lifting up? The Raptor 110 RS W is your solution. Need a little more room for your calf than for your heel? It's got you covered there too, for as snug as the lower shell is, the upper cuff runs a touch low and open, suitable for many leg shapes.
For many testers, the Raptor's good fit is just a bonus—they'd like this boot for how it skis, even if they had to suffer a bit. Across the board, the Raptor rings the winner bell for quickness and lateral power to the edge—testers unanimously said they chose to ski harder and faster in this boot because they could, in confidence. While the Raptor 110 RS W is entered in the Frontside category, testers repeatedly praised its off-piste power and balance and said it shouldn't get pigeon-holed as a groomers-only sort of boot. Some testers thought the cuff's more forward-leaning stance angle gave a skier a bit more leverage over the boot's flex, making it feel a little softer than 110, but this did not affect fore-aft support scores, which were tops.
Testers like the straightforward Velcro powerstrap and traditional buckles on this year's Raptor 110 RS W—no fiddling around, just get it done up and go. They also appreciate the dual-sided cuff adjustment for dialing lateral stance where needed.
The 2018 Head Raptor 140 RS, the capo dei capi, came all the way from Italy (that's where the Head factory is, you know) unchanged (why would you?) to reclaim his spot at the head of the frontside family table, and did so with ease (well, he shared the head of the table with one other boot) and style. Raptor 140 RS continues to impress testers, both veteran and rookie alike, with its near flawless frontside (hell, all-mountain too) game.
Enough with the parenthetical notation, the Raptor's fit is straightforward—tight and right. Testers gave it 1's and 2's--1 is true race boot tight--but also commented that there's enough shape built-in to house the common bony prominences and wider areas, but just barely. The liner is thin and dense, but padded just enough to separate bones from plastic and provide a well-wrapped and connected fit. The sense that the ski is not far from the foot is a common mention on test forms. The flex feel is a strong 130, so sure, 140 works, but the feel on the leg is accessible to good skiers—this isn't a World Cup race boot. Yes, testers mention some spots that'd need work for their particular hotspots (styloid process is a common one in the Raptor) but that's what a monoinjected polyurethane shell, cuff and a good bootfitter are for. The Raptor 140 RS fits traditionally lengthwise (i.e. not overly long), so if the other narrows seem to be growing of late, this will remind you how they should fit.
The stance set-up is strong, meaning with a little extra oomph to the inside edge, and this along with the beefy, solid-sole lower boot construction and a bolted cuff creates monstrous leverage over the ski for sick-and-wrong trenching on-piste. It's just as strong off-piste, but it's not forgiving of mistakes and is transmissive of terrain hits back into the skeleton—so, highly skilled all-mountain skiers will be thrilled, but keep in mind a smooth surface is the Raptor's native habitat. Most testers find the fore-aft stance just right without the rear spoiler installed, which is the way the boot comes boxed. The Flex Performance tuning anchor for shell and cuff is designed to be drilled and pinned for an even stiffer flex rating—you won't need it, just make sure the one set-screw is tight and then fuggetabout it! Old school racers who've tried going wider and softer and hated it…well, goomba, come home to the family.
Testers like the Double Power Booster power strap that combines a Booster strap with a three-to-one mechanical advantage pulley for serious leg wrapping crankage and a snappy return to center. Dual-side cuff adjustment is a worthy amenity for fine-tuning edge angles, and the Spine Flex buckles wrap the radius of cuff and lower boot (and very few complaints about them from testers this year, they've pretty much given up).
The all new 2018 Fischer My Curv 110 Vacuum Full Fit was our test team's favorite Fischer women's boot for its even fit, progressive flex feel and dialed stance angles. They liked the way this boot skied through a variety of terrain and every turn radius.
Testers felt that the stock, non-Vacuumed fit was on the roomy side of the narrow fit group, but they suggested it might be snugged up with a high-pressure Vacuum molding session. They liked the new liner's, pre-shaped 3-D ankle pockets, and of the flex-stabilizing inlaid composite panel on the lower shell's medial side, one tester said this boot had the most consistent-feeling flex of the test for her. Testers did mention that the out-of-box calf fit was tighter than the general tension of the lower boot.
Testers liked the stock stance angles of the My Curve 110—this was a marked improvement over testers' take on Fischer's narrow women's boots of the past. Lively and full of energy with snappy, crisp transitions is how one tester described it. Another commented that turn initiation was effortless. While this boot was entered in the Frontside category, testers thought it was a fine All-Mountain boot too, and much more solid than the 90-flex My Curv that was entered in that category.
While we didn't custom test Fischer Vacuum boots at this year's test (Fischer's decision), our previous tests have shown this to be an effective fitting and stance alignment tool. With the My Curve 110 testers didn't make much mention of needing it outside of a few individual fit match issues or for trying to tighten up the lower boot.
We tested the 2018 DaleBoot ST in the Frontside category because it's the stiffest model DaleBoot makes, and testers thought it fit right in there alongside powerhouses like the Lange RS 130 and the Head Raptor 140 RS—and that's saying something. Testers liked the power-to-weight ratio the ST brings to the table—stiff and strong with a close-feeling connection to the ski.
The guys at DaleBoot set up our Frontside test model as a narrow last to better match the other boots in the category, and they also chose to load it with their higher density liner option for a firmer, more transmissive Frontside feel—both choices that were favored by testers who gave the painted-on, custom fit the double thumbs-up. However, the ST could be built as a medium or a wide, and with a variety of different Intuition liner styles and densities. Similarly the height of the cuff is variable—selected for the particular skier the boot will be made for. The flex feel of the ST is pretty rigid—DaleBoot's stiffest set-up—and that appealed to testers in this particular category, though for bigger, taller guys the ST is a good All-Mountain option too.
The ST's rigid cuff design allowed testers to bury the rail at high speeds and on hard snows, but did so without loss of a tactile feel for the snow. Testers liked the way the three-quarter length, adjustable bootboard supported the rear foot and set the ramp angle but left the forefoot to sit directly on the thin shell base—as close as the foot can come to ski. Very high durometer (stiff) polyether plastic is used to make the lower boot rigid but with an unusually thin shell wall. This gives the boot a feely, connected character but without being flimsy. Light and sensitive but strong on edge—a unique combination, testers agreed.
The three-quarter length bootboard is adjustable laterally to better support the rearfoot or provide mobility there and can be set up for use with a posted or non-posted custom insole. A large part of the DaleBoot customizing process, beyond just fit, is ensuring that the skier's stance is dialed, and their unique, snap-on canted soles are a quick and effective way to fine-tune the boot's performance.
Testers like the creature comforts found in the fit and liner feel of the 2018 Dalbello DRS 130, and many sang the praises of its power and balance, but others couldn't get past its out-of-category roominess.
The anatomical curves are there for the thicker of foot to appreciate, but low volume feet will swim a bit in the DRS 130 unless they're able to downsize, which a few of our testers did. The liner is pretty plush and cushioned for a Frontside category contender, in which a few testers luxuriated while others whined that the fit seemed to be getting larger as they skied it. Generally testers thought the DRS's uber-comfy fit was a better match in the All-Mountain category where it might be classed as a quite generous narrow or even a medium width.
Testers liked the tall and upright cuff for loading tons of power to the edge. Guys with a bit more foot volume gave it good quickness scores and liked the underfoot connection with the snow.
The green and white paint job was a split decision for our team—so lucky that there's an all-black version (DRS 130 AB, with replaceable soles)! There are also 80- and 90-flex versions with a lower cuff for women or kids, and a 110 version with the taller cuff like the 130.
The latest evolution of Dalbello's consumer race line impressed testers with a surprising ease of fit that pairs with serious power and accuracy.
Testers agreed across the board that this did not fit like a 98mm last. Medium width fit scores dominated test forms, with a few notes of peak pressure points over the top of the foot and at the navicular. Testers liked the firm grip at the heel and ankle but most commented that for a traditionally-snug fit one expects from a narrow-lasted frontside boot it would require a fairly thick foot to fill the gaps. That said, this is a great frontside option for skiers with higher volume feet, and testers mentioned that the cushy, comfy liner feel was a nice element here.
No matter what testers may have thought about its fit, there was no question that the DRS 130 skis with the best of them. Uncanny balance and feel for the snow mates with a wide and torquey power band for deeply scribed arcs on any surface. Testers mention that the forefoot feels particularly well planted on the ski for précised big-toe to little-toe transitions and fine edge feathering moves—skivot to carve like you're Ligety! Sorry Head.
This is a far cry from Scorpion days with regard to entry and exit—super easy now. Testers applaud the green and white cosmetic tradition here, and similarly dig the simple, straightforward features like dual-sided elliptical cam cuff adjusters and a cam lock power strap.
It’s called Raptor but it’s more like a Boa. This is one tight package! The 110 RS W was the snuggest fitting woman’s boot in our entire test. But it is well-sculpted for a woman's foot and lower leg, provided it's a low-volume foot and leg. Precise command over the ski is the name of the game here, whether for making quick steering moves or rolling the ski over and driving it hard at high speeds.
This is not a convenience model. The Raptor 110 RS W's form follows its primary function: to kick butt edge-to-edge without wasting a joule of energy. The heel and ankle pockets are tight, the instep is tight, the toebox is tight. Get it? It’s tight. But all this made our testers very happy. This boot is built to ski and skiers looking for no-compromises, low-volume performance will be delighted.
The cuff is a bit low which our taller testers didn't like. A few testers said it wasn't the easiest to get on and off, and several commented that the fit over the top of the foot was low and caused some numbness on higher instep feet.
Its lateral edging game was top notch. The Raptor was super reactive turn-to-turn and strong on edge, making this a platinum-level piste performer. Steering moves are spot-on, testers said, on account of the vacuum-bagged fit which translated every nuanced move directly to the ski.
The cuff's forward lean angle is a bit old-school forward. Coupled with its low cuff height, some testers experienced over-flexed stances and a lack of shin contact. That hindered its off-piste performance scores.
Standard race boot style fare here though dual cuff adjustment is a bonus and the removable hardware at those junctions allows the cuff to be taken completely off for easier and more precise bootfit modifications. As at every boot test, a few testers complained about the Spine Tech buckles. They’re definitely not as cool or user friendly as the men’s Spine Flex style.
