The Gist
The 2019 K2 Luv 110 LV's debut at the boot test left testers with a feeling of déjà vu—hadn't they just tested this boot previously but with an MV at the end of its name? And they loved it for the same attributes the MV showed off: lightweight, easy on and off, comfortable, warm, solid on edge and quick-enough arc to arc—all the things that make a great ski boot great! But they gave the Luv 110 LV general demerits for not belonging in the narrow category, fit-wise—so, good reader, take this good boot's scores with a grain of salt.
The Fit
Our test team checked off a lot of 3's in the fit impressions columns on their test forms, indicating a middle of the road medium-width fit. Not that there's anything wrong with that! It's just that when tested up against the other juggernaut narrows in the test group, the extra room translated into a loss of performance, relatively speaking. The fit is luxurious and lovely, testers said, with great ergonomic curves to hug all the natural contours of the foot and leg, but it simply felt outsized when compared with the category benchmarks. Ease of entry and exit, and the closure offered by the stylish and well-designed buckles were all top notch, and testers all liked the simple calf adjustment that can further flare the fit at the boot top. Update: K2 tells us that the Luv 110 LV liner has been re-designed since our boot test to snug-up the fit across the board.
Performance
Testers loved the Luv LV's dreamy, cruisey-stable autopilot—they said it laid down languid, lazy arcs at ultra high speeds and powered through minced mung with unflappable aplomb. Testers preferred the fore-aft stance position with the Velcro spoiler removed but said that the flex feel was super against the shin and progressively-perfect feeling for a 110 target. Testers felt that brute strength and cobra quickness were there, potentially, if the boot were adequately filled with foot, but some of the testers' slippage sapped those score totals here.
Cool Features
For their rather understated, classic exterior appearance, the Luv boots have a lot going on. The light weight Powerlite shell is custom moldable by way of the typical oven-cook-and-wear process, though testers said it would be unnecessary for most and a clear second choice to a custom molding performed on the pre-shaped LuxFit Pro Ultralon liner (which all testers agreed is far superior to K2 liners of the past) which would provide an enhanced fit match without risking excessive roominess from shell-cooking (our tests showed it works, for sure—almost too well). The women's calf adjustable rear part of the boot cuff is a slick design and easy to adjust, and the dual lateral cuff adjustment mechanisms are solid, though a little tricky for first-timers to sort out, and this year they are anchored internally with traditional, toothed T-nuts (bootfitters in the K2-know appreciate this). The grippy soles are both replaceable and cantable.
Kudos
Caveats