For accomplished skiers who are looking for a real ski boot for hammering all around lift-served terrain but would like the flexibility of being able to utilize a tech binding for short adventure tours, testers say there aren't many better than the Kore RS 105 W. Of course, this assumes we're dealing with a woman with a low volume foot, as the RS in the name means narrow--and testers said narrow means narrow in the lower boot.
A wider, 100mm last width is found in the Kore line but that roomier option comes at a step-down in stiffness, to 95. Testers said that the Kore RS was one of the snuggest boots they tested in the navicular, instep and heel fit zones. However, they also said that the cuff flared substantially to house average and thicker leg shafts, so for those who struggle to find that snug enough grip around a slender foot without crushing the calf, testers said this offers a fit solution not easily found. Testers noted that the polyurethane lower shell would make traditional punches for hotspots (read, navicular) straightforward, but they reminded skiers who are looking for increased instep height that the Form Fit oven-cook-then-mold shell tech would serve nicely to open up the fit slightly in those areas in one shot. Speaking of fit features, the Kore boots do not come equipped with a Liquid Fit but testers said it was not needed, as the heel pocket was plenty tight out of the box.
Downhill skiing was the Kore RS's wheelhouse, testers said, citing a very alpine feel to every turn--stable, strong and quick to respond. They liked the straightforward stance and no-surprises expert level performance regardless of ski choice or terrain selection. Women with quite slim legs found the cuff failed to grip them as well as they would have liked, but the average and thicker legged loved the combination of comfort and response from the upper boot. Uphill performance was adequate, testers said, but they found the range of cuff rotation a bit limited, though comfortable and natural-feeling. This is not a backcountry skier's boot, they said, but rather a technical skier's boot that provides some options for targeted ups where the down still matters most.
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