We're not going to say that the new Nordica Dobermann 5 Stiff is a real man's boot because it's clearly a real woman's boot too given the sizing available down to a 22.5, so let's just call it a re
It’s a bit like finding Joan Jett at a debutante ball. The ZR 130 doesn’t quite look the part but it seemed quite comfortable at the Technical Frontside party. Sure it's a little different both cosmetically and in construction—and even its fit profile is quirky—but its dancing skills were quite polished.
Zay is not a household name but it is not brand new either. We gave it a twirl in its infancy last year and we found the still-fledgling design better mannered after another year of seasoning. Testers unanimously approved the all-new liner that vastly improved fit and eliminated many of the hot spots that blared through last year.
The new liner also helped improve the ZR 130's entry and exit scores. It's still tricky, but no longer prohibitively so, especially in a category where on-and-off ease is not a primary concern. Testers were intrigued by the unique cosmetic draping. It’s a micro-thin, bonded laminate that’s neither paint nor pigment and is integrated into every nook and cranny of the shell (think bus wrap).
After looking at the boot, like all our testers you are probably wondering, “Where the heck are the buckles?” Well, Zay eschews the time-honored method for securing the foot in favor of a proprietary, radial cable closure that simultaneously secures the foot in the lower and governs flex. The cables loop the forefoot of the lower shell then route through the sole, out the spine and into a spine-mounted cuff lever assembly.
Cable tension is adjusted through twin thumb nuts on the lever and flipping the lever upward locks the fit. The cable tension also restrains the cuff’s forward travel during flexion. Flexing the boot actually increases cable tension, helping to maintain a more circular shape over the top of the foot as the upper cuff contacts the lower, preventing the boot from collapsing over the top of the foot.
On hill the ZR 130 displayed the goods. Testers said the shell’s unique polyurethane "cast molding" process creates a light, lively feeling boot that is both laterally and torsionally stout—all this with a long, progressive flex that tethers back into the cable system. It's certainly different but it all added up to snappy, stable, high-performance skiability at any speed.
The ZR’s fit, not surprisingly, is also a bit unconventional. Testers said it was very snug at the lower rear (ankles, heel) and up through the lower leg shaft but fit very wide and tall at the toebox with a wider-than-category-average forefoot fit. For the right foot shape this could be a home-run, but many testers felt it was too loosey-goosey up front.
The Bold goes, well, boldly forward for Roxa in the piste-oriented frontside group—it's a strong trenching machine with a lot of backbone and edge bite wrapped in a cushy and open-fitting Intuition liner.
This one offered the most relaxed and squishy liner feel of any boot tested in the technical frontside category—certainly more room in the toebox and forefoot than expected for a 99mm last (their fit scores would call it a "medium"). Yet testers were shocked at the power delivery the Bold brought to bear on the firmest of snow surfaces—the lateral stance set-up is a little aggressive to the inside edge, but acceptably so for an on-piste performance boot. Testers called the fore-aft angles upright but not unworkable.
Quickness scores suffered a bit due to the supple bulk of the liner that sapped some immediacy of movement, but warmth and creature comfort marks were elevated for the same reason. Medium and long radius turns at high speeds beckoned testers—no governor on the throttle with this one, folks.
Testers said it wasn't the easiest boot to get on and off, but that's not so uncommon in the stiff frontside family, and testers managed just fine.
Granted, this is the little brother to the Dobermann GP 130, but that didn't stop testers from calling this Dobie the best yet in a series of recent leaps forward for the race-bred, narrow Nordica family. The new shell shape extends from the top of the line down to the softest 90 flex. It has a shapelier lower that hugs the foot's contours closely. Testers called the 110 one of the snuggest of the narrow class—a great option for lower volume feet and, in this case, lighter weight or less aggressive skiers.
While the letters "GP" are an homage to Nordica Grand Prix lineage they might also stand for Great Price. Testers called the 110 "a ringer," "a sand-bagger" and "a sleeper," thus awarding it the blue ribbon for power-to-price ratio amongst our Soft Value entries at the test. They cited a solid and lively feel underfoot with a smooth and progressive flex feel against the leg. Since our test team thought the 110 skied as strongly as most of the other boots in the frontside category, we can only wonder as to the power band available in the 120- and 130-flex versions.
While the new toebox shape offers a most welcome increase in up-front toe room, the rest of the boot still fits as closely as one would expect from a Dobermann. It tapers quite a bit at the navicular on the medial side and styloid process on the lateral side. Fortunately, those are two of the easiest locations to grind or punch if needed (which will be the case for many feet, testers forecast).
Some testers took to calling it the Little Blue Pill—apt, since the RS140 has done it again and again and again without taking a break. Topping the podium, we mean. The boot makes it ridiculously easy to ski blindingly fast, carve pure arcs across any rock hard surface and crank-off short radius turns at an auto-burst speed. Testers unanimously said the boot was up to any task, no matter what pitch or snow surface they encountered.
They put its power, stability, quickness, and balance scores at the very top of the charts. One tester called it, "Smooth and sensitive yet blindingly powerful.” Several other testers echoed that sentiment declaring it “F1 quick with horsepower to match,” all the while providing daily driver accessibility.
The shell is unchanged from past versions but the lace-up liner has been modified with a slightly thicker and denser foam and flow cork lay-up. That creates a more contained fit, filling in the gaps between shell and foot without creating excess bulk. The RS 140's front-end still resides on the relaxed side of the narrow category fit spectrum; testers noted a fair amount of toe room and forefoot freedom, especially given how shrink-wrapped the fit felt elsewhere (midfoot, ankles, heel and lower leg shaft). The comfort and toe wiggle room belies the power and precision of the RS's on-snow game.
What more can we say about this year-in, year-out podium performer? Let’s start by thanking Head for not messing with a good thing. Lower profile buckles and a cool matte finish are just about enough newness for us. You don't fix what ain't broke, and the only thing that ever seems to get broken by the Raptor is the egos of less accomplished skiers who don’t have the skills to tap the juice on this perennial powerhouse.
It's tight everywhere, but with enough anatomical shape to avoid hot spots or bone-crushing shell pressure. In fact, it’s surprisingly comfortable considering you're buckling up a weapon of mass construction. The stance angles are spot-on (with rear spoiler removed, testers said). The liner is firm but form fitting and well matched to the shape of the shell's interior. But these are minor details in the story arc. It's great that the Raptor 140 RS fits so well, but even if it didn't, you'd forget about any discomfort once you set them to snow.
Testers describe the Raptor as having “limitless” power transmission to the ski edge. Anything an aggressive front side skier demand the ski do, this boot delivers the orders—stat! Poorly tuned edges feel instantly sharp under the absolute authority of the boot's lateral power. Engage the shin and the ski shovel bends immediately. This boot provides a precision link between expert skiers and their high-performance rides. Our testers were happiest keeping those combinations on smooth surfaces as dampening and forgiveness are not the Raptor's forte.
This mouthful-named model returns to claim a place among the very best of the technical frontside boots with a highly-effective custom technology option. Our testers put the RC4 130 Vac through its paces both in its stock form and after full Vacuum molding. Its custom scores for both fit and performance were among the highest of the entire test.
As in the past, the RC4’s crispness and precision wowed testers. They linked carved arcs in such reliable succession that to keep things interesting, they just skied it faster and faster and never did bump up against an upper limit. Liner modifications—a taller and wider toebox and a seamless tongue construction—helped to boost its conviviality scores. It still fits shorter, closer through the instep and lower in cuff height than the category average but testers said this was the most comfortable version yet.
But back to that Vacuum molding process. Testers were once again impressed with how much change occurred throughout the procedure. They noted significant fit enhancements (most testers pre-padded bony prominences for extra interior forgiveness and some placed pads externally between the shell and the Vacuum jacket to enhance tightening) as well as stance improvements. Many of our testers are acutely aware of their personal stance alignment needs and know how they like their boots set up, both for cuff angle and cant. Virtually all of our discriminating stanceaholics said they came out the other side of the molding process with an acutely tuned alignment. That's saying something.
A perfect wingman for precision-minded skiers seeking piste-based ski drivers. The Redster returns largely unchanged from last season and continued to amass another trove of accolades. Testers liked how it skied and how it fit.
There were frequent mentions of the boot's uncanny ability to store and release energy from turn-to-turn and its underfoot syncopation that perfectly matched the bending ski through each carving arc. Give credit to the Redster's carbon-injected rear spine construction and grooved sole flex matrix.
Fit-wise, the Redster is snug at the heel and ankle pockets but has one of the more accommodating forefoot and toebox shapes in the Technical Frontside group. It will house many average width feet, not just super narrow pencil dogs. The Redster's quick-cook Memory Fit feature (five minutes in the oven) opens it up to skilled skiers with thicker feet looking for a performance oriented boot without major fit modification gyrations. Our Memory Fit tests showed a general evening-out of fit tension and easing of minor hot spots. Very bony prominences will, in most cases, still require boot fitter hands-on modifications.
