The Gist
With nearly perfect scores for its anatomical fit, quickness and edge power it’s no wonder that the 2019 Lange RX 110 W LV retained its position on the podium in the full gas All-Mountain narrow group at this year’s test. It returns this year unchanged--with the exception of a new, moody, badass look that testers loved. This is a real skier chick’s boot, they said, that greets you with a firm liner feel and just a little bit of a struggle on and off to remind you that you skiing glory must be earned. Some of our more delicate testers slapped its wrist for that and bumped it off its perennial throne.
The Fit
Testers for the most part loved the liner construction in the RX again this year—almost like a foam-injected liner some said--firmer where it counted (heel and ankles), but softer in areas where some cushioning is nice (at the forefoot and over the top of the instep). They said the liner's rear control zone was almost too tight initially but felt those areas auto-mold with some wear time, and all agreed that the snug fit there was perfect for the category. This was one of the most-snug fits of the group—not race boot tight, but close, and testers loved that. The stance angles are neutral, testers reported, but they note that big calves don't fit well here and drive the leg a bit too forward. Thicker legs may want to opt for the medium-width RX W rather than the narrow-class RX W LV.
Performance
Like cornering in a Ferrari, one tester said of the RX 110 W LV—quick and aggressive with no play in the steering column. Another said, Responsive! Does what I want it to do--like a good man. Across the board testers commented on how snappy and reactive the boot felt edge to edge and how firm but elastic the flex feel was. Both of these characteristics can be attributed to the unique Dual Core plastic injection technology found in the RX (and RS) boots. A softer density plastic is sandwiched between higher density plastic throughout the shell wall, which is impressive in execution alone but even more surprising to find that the claims of increased energy and snap are for real!
Cool Features
A monoinjected polyether shell and cuff is a nice feature if there's going to be any bootfitting happening—this construction makes grinds and shell punches a snap for good bootfitters. Pretty basic, functional feature fare here. A single-side cuff adjustment and Max Grip soles are nice to have. GripWalk soles can be purchased as an accessory for use with appropriate GripWalk bindings.
Kudos
Caveats