The Gist
Surprising sleeper, said testers about the 2018 Salomon X Access 80 who were shocked at the 300 dollar price tag (one tester was guessing 500 by the way it skied). They said it showed more backbone than expected at a mere 80-flex and maintained just enough hold of the heel and ankle to provide adequate tracking while the rest of the foot and leg enjoyed the spacious 104 mm last.
The Fit
Evenly wide everywhere with a hint of connection at the ankles and in the heel pocket—this is a comfy boat for high volume feet, or those who would rather ski in Crocs or flip-flops if they could. The flex feel was appropriately cushioned by the liner's plush tongue, and while soft, the X Access 80's flex didn't collapse and managed an eventual stopping point.
Performance
This is the high-volume intermediate skier's ideal ride said testers who thought the neutral stance angles, anatomical (if huge) fit, and functional flex feel would add up to instant improvement of both technique and comfort—for a street price (MAP) of 250 clams. Damn!
Cool Features
The coolest feature here is really the leftover dough a skier will have to upgrade skis and maybe outerwear, but this is a legit four-buckle with a Velcro powerstrap.
Kudos
Caveats