The Gist
If we looked only at the 2018 DaleBoot VFF Pro (women's) custom scores it would have been on the podium in the highly competitive all-mountain narrow group. Testers that underwent the complete DaleBoot custom molding and stance alignment process gave it high-fives for fit, balance and performance.
The Fit
We asked DaleBoot to submit non-custom-built versions of their boots for off-the-rack tests, even though this is not the way DaleBoot's custom models are sold. It's a full-custom product, built in their Salt Lake City factory off of a variety of measurements and foot shape tracings taken from the skier then further modified as needed and liner-molded by the skier's local DaleBoot dealer. Trust us when we say that trying on a sample will not do justice to the custom model made for you. Our custom tests came back with many perfect scores for fit. The VFF Pro we tested off the rack was built as a narrow, but depending on the skier's foot the last width could vary from a skinny 92 mm to a massive 112 mm—that's more range in one model than any other boot on the market.
Performance
Again, the key to the VFF Pro (women's) performance character is the custom process that starts with fit but also ensures that the fore-aft and lateral stance set-up is dialed for each skier individually. Once the alignment was balanced, testers were able to appreciate the close-to-snow feel of the thin-shell-wall lower boot and the improved edge power that comes from this year's new upper cuff construction. The flex feel is tunable (softer and longer or firmer and shorter) using the spring-loaded Variable Forward Flex cable adjustment on the back of the boot.
Cool Features
A variety of different Intuition liner styles are available, in spiral wrap and traditional tongue styles and in several different thicknesses and densities. The final stance tuning is done via canted snap-on soles unique to DaleBoot.
Kudos
Caveats