Some boots surprise our test team because they're new. Others, like the Vector 125, surprise us because they're not and yet we find new reasons to love them all over again. Without a doubt, this was the category winner for best combination of luxuriant comfort and way better than expected performance on snow.
Its sedate cosmetics peg it as a bit of a sleeper, but testers started paying attention from the first slide in. The Vector's entry and exit scores were tip-top, as the tri-injected shell and slippery smooth liner lets the foot glide into the Perfect Fit liner like melted butter.
Closure is evenly wrapped with Head’s funky cable-curved SpineFlex buckles that work great but left some testers wrangling them like a teed-off snake. The upper buckles have fold-out Double Power lever arms that make tightening up the cuff a snap. It’s almost too-easy to over-tighten so go easy when latching in.
Testers liked the closure combination in the Vector 125 for its immediate indication that the boot was all about making things easy. The fit is relaxed and silky against the foot. It’s a little short in length, roomy in the forefoot, and low and open at the boot top. Somehow, with all the fluffy-cushy feel here, the Vector still grabs the foot through the ankle, heel and instep, providing a grounded home base to ski from.
The Vector's on-snow performance is shockingly good, considering its through the roof comfort marks. Testers remain somewhat astounded by how much fun they had skiing anywhere on the hill, even at speed. They might have called it a good "dad boot/cruiser boot/advanced-intermediate boot” but not one said it didn't do exactly as they asked.
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