The Gist
A perennial favorite with testers, the 2018 Dalbello Kyra 95 did not disappoint at this year's test, proving that if ain't broke, don't fix it. Testers say it's a great all-mountain utility machine with broad skier type bandwidth.
The Fit
Testers love the easy 102 mm fit and highly cushioned initial feel when sliding into the Kyra 95—its entry and exit marks were top of class too. This is a comfy, warm fit for thick feet and the average to wider calf, testers said, but they also found that the middle 45-degree buckle did a fine job of keeping the foot in place for solid skiing. Testers found no fit flaws here—one tester commented that it was like putting on a unicorn onesie, and we figure that says it all.
Performance
While testers said the Kyra 95 wasn't a hard-charger and had a softer than billed flex feel, they said it handled everything they threw at it without a fuss. They liked that the two-position flex setting worked easily to produce two noticeably different stiffnesses—a nice feature for an improving skier who's stepping up her game throughout the season. Quickness edge to edge was where the Kyra 95 came alive for our test team, who said it had a playful and lively feel underfoot and performed precise edge work. The cuff release mechanism is simple to operate and testers said offered surprisingly good range of motion.
Cool Features
Testers loved the fuzzy Thinsulate liner and sparkly glitter accents but acknowledged that the upgrade to the Intuition I.D. liner might be worth the 50-bucks for a higher-performance feel. For an enhanced walking experience GripWalk soles are available as an option.
Kudos
Caveats