The Gist
A shock-absorbing off-piste master with a ton of useful features, the X-Face 120 appealed to skiers looking to explore the whole mountain and beyond. The lower boot fit is roomier than expected up front but comfortable and warm as a result.
Fit
Exceptionally open in the toebox and forefoot for a 99mm last, but the fit tapered nicely into the heel and ankle and the spiral wrap Intuition liner, once molded, allowed for a more curve-hugging feel up front. The stance was slightly more forward than average and the calf fit on par for narrow class rides. Entry and exit was amongst the best of the test—super easy glide.
Performance
Testers were surprised by the power transmitted to the edge here—laying fat trenches through a variety of snow and terrain. Testers thought that the slightly too-forward stance and firm flex feel reduced a bit of ankle flexion range but only minimally. They felt that the liner's bulk, prior to molding, sapped some of the boot's quickness but mentioned that post-mold the better contouring around the foot translated into better quickness and feel for the snow.
Cool features
The hike mode feature is simple and standard but avails a respectable range of motion and Dynafit tech inserts open up options for exploration beyond the ski area boundary. The Fast Buckle cam lock powerstrap is techie and functional.
Kudos
Caveats