Sixteen different testers took the Shadow 130 LV out of its box, put it on their feet and took it for a spin at this year's boot test, and while the list of superlatives and compliments was vast, there were very few complaints (see the Tester Comments tab on this review). Complaints were noticeably absent from the veteran testers who tested the Shadow LV in its debut appearance last year because their issues with too much room for an LV have been rectified with a liner revision that went through soon after we first tested this boot. Testers say that this minor change provided enough of a snugness bump in the current version to better differentiate the narrow LV Shadow from its roomier medium volume brother and removed the one minor flaw in last year's otherwise perfect boot test performance.
The fit of the Shadow 130 LV remains a topic of discussion among testers for its supremely cushioned, silky and well-draped feel against the foot and leg. It's astoundingly comfortable on first fit, testers universally report. So comfortable that eyebrows raise while testers are still indoors, the unspoken question obvious: can this thing possibly ski well? And then it does. Really well. And testers have to admit that they were impressed and surprised. And invariably, testers comments trend toward the Shadow's unique liner and shell designs and how they have produced the Shadow's comfort and performance love-child.
The liner's Auxetic exterior material is interesting stuff--it's micro-perforated in a hexagonal pattern that bends and wraps around the curves of the foot like a Marvel superhero's stretchy costume. The soft interior of the liner and this shape-shifting exterior team up to provide a soft and even grip on every aspect of the foot. The stretch and bend of the material around little bony prominences takes away the peak-pressure messaging of fit that testers are used to, leading them to assume the boot isn't tight. But it is, just tight enough, but without hotspot points. A perfectly fitted liner apparently takes some getting used to for testers--but they come around to absolutely loving it.
The match between the liner and the interior shape of the shell is well-done, testers say, citing a no-movement marriage of shell to liner to foot. The anatomical shaping for the common bony points of the foot is superb, testers say--fifth metatarsal, navicular, bony midfoot bump and ankles all get appropriate contouring that allow for a bootfit-free fit for most folks, right out of the box. Testers say that the fit tension is still on the more relaxed side of the narrow boot fit spectrum, with key fit zones averaging 2.5 (2 is the narrow target, 3 is the medium target) but all were okay with that, especially after last year's even-more-roomy first experience.
The shell and cuff come together in an interesting way, as well, and testers were keen to provide field tests that backed up the marketing department's messaging about doing more with less effort. The shell is mated to cuff at four points near the ankles, with a primary flex pivot point and a lower anchor on each side. These attachments produce a more solid lateral connection and a lever-like mechanical advantage in forward flexion. The rear spine is comprised of a tongue-in-groove style Suspension Blade that spreads the linkage over a long, gliding interface that's pinned with an elastomer--this design is intended to smooth the flex graph and reduce unwanted distortion of plastic. Testers agree that these design elements perform as described, producing a shorter-throw flex feel and rigid lateral and torsional transmission between skier and ski. Testers say that yes, they feel like they trench deeper, engage the turn earlier and transition between turns quicker--all without trying so hard.
Multiple testers say that the Shadow 130 LV makes them better skiers, and that's saying something!
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