In sifting through testers' First Impressions commentary, two elements dominated the discussion--one, half the tester pool mentioned that the Shadow 115 W LV's fit with more room than most other low volume models, and two, almost all testers made some mention of how much they liked the matte finish dark purple cosmetic.
In keeping with the chronology of the test experience, testers' first impressions continued with mentions of how easy the Shadow 115 W LV was to get on the foot (the majority of testers rated entry and exit as easy) and the fact that the length fit is slightly shorter than the norm, per size. Testers didn't feel it was short enough to merit sizing up, but some felt they might need a grind or stretch down the road if the liner didn't break-in substantially.
Once the Shadow 115 W LV was on testers' feet and headed out the door for on-snow tests, its scores all started ramping up. The skiing experience in the Shadow is one of testers' favorites, each year since its debut, and this past Spring was no different. Testers say it skis with power and accuracy of race-level piste-oriented boots but with a luxury level that exceeds all expectations, based on how well it skis. Testers gave their highest performance scores in the Edge Power criterion, where they say that the boot's design leverages more power to the ski edge with less effort put into making turns. Easy to ski in less-than-easy terrain and snow conditions, they said, claiming that the Shadow LV is one of those boots that instantly makes skiers better.
The Shadow's shin fit and flex feel remains a high point for testers, who say the cushioning and pressure distribution along the shin is perfect for comfort without feeling overly padded or bulky in the cuff. The cuff height and stance positioning is similarly without flaw, said testers, who used goldilocks references for both cuff elements.
Testers say that the Shadow offers broad spectrum versatility, both in terms of terrain and snow surface applications but also with regard to audience. They reported that ex-racing experts looking to maintain performance levels but add some creature comfort will love the Shadow, but they thought that the ease of use and comfort would make this accessible to motivated intermediates looking to step up their all-mountain game. Of course there are softer flexes available in the form of 95- and 85-flexes but our test team thought that the 115 was easy enough to manage and would be impossible to outgrow.
Kudos
Caveats