Strong descent capabilities mate with best-of-category touring range of motion and an impressive power-to-weight ratio to make this a favored tester app. Credit a stout Grilamid shell and Pebax tongue for the 20% boost in stiffness from the 2013 model. Testers said the boot was stable and strong no matter where on the hill they challenged it.
The three-piece, cabrio-style closure puts the shell into close contact with the foot and employs a solid, fully heat-moldable Intuition Pro Flex RS women-specific liner. Testers called it a snug-side-of-medium kind of fit. Testers unfamiliar with the side-hinged tongue entry fumbled a bit to get past the buckles and straps and settle into the cockpit but they all liked how the instep ratchet strap secured their heel deep into the pocket. A few testers felt that the Gea's lower, women-specific cuff caught them a touch too low on the shin, but it didn't inhibit the performance.
A new cuff release design combines a burly metal-to-metal attachment with an easy to activate switch that frees-up a huge range of motion both fore and aft. Touring movements were natural and low-friction touring movements. Best-of-category power on descent mated with best-of-category touring range of motion and pushed this one to the top of our testers' favorites list.
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