Fischer RC4 140 Vacuum Full Fit

The Gist

Lightning quick out-of-the-box performance and characteristically close Fischer fit through the instep, ankle, heel and cuff.  The RC4 140 is agility underfoot personified. Its close-to-the-ground foot feel lets you fine tune the arc from start to finish. Its tipped-out cuff angles and extra-forward-leaning stance make for strong side-to-side edging on smooth surfaces.

Fit

Without the aid of a Vacuum station at this year's test we were reminded that in stock mode, it fits like a race boot. Tight in the toebox and shorter than most, tight at the forefoot and noticeably tight (crushing for some) over the top of the foot. Most testers lamented the absence of the Vacuum station and cited that process as the remedy to the RC4's fit ills. They weren’t all that bad but they were noticeable enough to bump this one out of the category top spots it held in previous tests.

Performance

Side-to-side, arc-to-arc, the RC4 140 is classic Fischer race stock, cutting deep trenches like an excavator. Testers liked the upper boot’s aggressive forward lean angle for full commitment charging on hard surfaces but said it's not a sustainable fore-aft position for all-day skiing.

Testers also commented that the upper boot's tipped-out geometry makes for strong inside edge bias but also makes it harder to get outside edge engagement. Based on previous experience, testers agreed that both the fore-aft and lateral glitches should vanish after a Vacuum molding session.

Cool Features

The dual zone Vacuum molding process allows for different pressure to be applied at the front and rear parts of the boot. That means, for example, you can couple a more open toebox and forefoot with a snug, really snug or ultra-tight heel and ankle pocket. It’s up to you to communicate openly with your bootfitter during molding.

Our previous Vacuum tests have yielded positive fit and stance alignment results. While the Soma-Tec abducted stance angle story is less hyped than it once was, it remains a great option for more duck-footed skiers who chronically catch outside edges or adopt an overly knock-kneed stance to compensate.