This year's Head Formula 105 W returns to the boot test with an unchanged exterior build but it sports an all-new liner and testers gave the upgrade two thumbs up for the huge improvement it brought over last year's fit. Our test team unanimously praised the Formula's neutral stance set-up and well-balanced combination of power and quickness packaged in a silky warm embrace. This year's medium width Formula W stepped up into high scoring gold medal status, and nudged a couple perennial 100 mm category benchmarks out of the way to do so.
The Formula construction is made to ski--its shape is modeled after the new and narrower Raptor WCR also released last year, and also parallels its construction in both materials and angles. The grippy soles and more luxurious liner are really the only thing that differentiates the two boots other than width, so it's not a surprise that our testers said the boot was powerful, stable and reactive to inputs from the skier. Testers for the most part loved the flex feel and felt the 105 was stronger than expected. The stance set-up was without flaw they said, neutral in every respect and easy to access for any good skiing move desired. Testers looking for something slotted right between the Raptor and the Formula are in luck--the Formula RS (tested and loved last year) fits into the 98mm middle ground in Head's range.
Where did the Formula 105 W fall short for our test team? They only had a couple gripes--speaking of short, testers agree that the cuff feel is slightly low on the leg, which was a point of consternation for our long and slender-legged testers but suited our shorter skiers quite well--and it might be just the ticket for the thicker legged skier who doesn't want a tall boot jabbing the calf (and speaking of calf fit, it's roomy for a medium width testers said, which they said should put this model on any good skier's watch-list if they've had issues with an uncomfortable calf). A few testers had issues with the new liner's tongue feel, which clipped them over the top of the foot and had a somewhat sharp feel against the shin. This wasn't a universal complaint, and conversations with Head revealed that a liner 3.0 is in the works for the boot's final release this season, which may likely put those complaints to bed. The testers who had those issues noticed them right off the bat, so if you don't have a problem on initial fit you're golden, they said. They also noted that with some warm-up and on-hill testing, the liner softened up and improved.
Formula features are functional: upper cuff adjustment (lateral), forward lean spoiler (removable), boot top calf adjustment, Form Fit oven-cook moldable shell and Liquid Fit injectable liner. Note that testers mention that the heel pocket is snug right out of the box, so for the chronically loose-of-heel but otherwise mediumish-of-fit, this is a good start with the additional insurance of a Liquid Fit squirt mission. GripWalk soles continue to gain traction with our team.
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