The Gist
The 2021 Head Raptor 110 RS W returns with a new Liquid Fit liner after receiving many perfect scores the last time we tested it, where it dominated the women's Frontside category and scored highly enough to put it in the top 3 of all the women's narrow All-Mountain boots. Testers have simply loved this boot over the years for how well it made them ski, and it's been hard for new Nexo narrow to compete with the traditional construction found here for aggressive women skiers with truly low volume fit needs. This remains one of the most snug narrows going, testers remind.
The Fit
Testers rate this 96 mm last as one of the very tightest fits of the test (especially in the lower boot), but they liked the shape of this super snug All-Mountain Traditional narrow. There were very few complaints of hotspots, except over the top of the foot, where high-arched or bony midfoot folk got a little crunched. The liner's tongue is fairly well padded, but easily modified by a good bootfitter to open up space there. Testers praised the positive grip on the foot for its confidence-inspiring control of the ski. You say you don't like your heels lifting up? The Raptor 110 RS W is your solution. Need a little more room for your calf than for your heel? It's got you covered there too, for as snug as the lower shell is, the upper cuff runs a touch low and slightly open, suitable for many leg shapes, so long as the rear spoiler is removed.
Performance
For many testers, the Raptor's good fit is just a bonus—they'd like this boot for how it skis, even if they had to suffer a bit. Across the board, the Raptor rings the winner bell for quickness and lateral power to the edge—testers unanimously said they chose to ski harder and faster in this boot because they could, in confidence. While the Raptor 110 RS W is was originally entered in the Frontside category three years ago, testers have repeatedly praised its off-piste power and balance and said it shouldn't get pigeon-holed as a groomers-only sort of boot. Some testers thought the cuff's more forward-leaning stance angle gave a skier a bit more leverage over the boot's flex, making it feel a little softer than 110, but this did not affect fore-aft support scores, which were tops. The forward lean angle is more aggressive than the current fore-aft cuff stance norm, and will pair best with flatter sloped (less positive delta) bindings to avoid a skier feeling over-flexed.
Cool Features
Testers like the straightforward Velcro powerstrap and traditional buckles on this year's Raptor 110 RS W—no fiddling around, just get it done up and go. They also appreciate the dual-sided cuff adjustment for dialing lateral stance where needed. The Liquid Fit liner injection protocol is simple and effective for snugging up the heel and ankle area--which would make this boot the tightest heel and ankle this side of a World Cup race boot, we think.
Kudos