It’s a bit like finding Joan Jett at a debutante ball. The ZR 130 doesn’t quite look the part but it seemed quite comfortable at the Technical Frontside party. Sure it's a little different both cosmetically and in construction—and even its fit profile is quirky—but its dancing skills were quite polished.
Zay is not a household name but it is not brand new either. We gave it a twirl in its infancy last year and we found the still-fledgling design better mannered after another year of seasoning. Testers unanimously approved the all-new liner that vastly improved fit and eliminated many of the hot spots that blared through last year.
The new liner also helped improve the ZR 130's entry and exit scores. It's still tricky, but no longer prohibitively so, especially in a category where on-and-off ease is not a primary concern. Testers were intrigued by the unique cosmetic draping. It’s a micro-thin, bonded laminate that’s neither paint nor pigment and is integrated into every nook and cranny of the shell (think bus wrap).
After looking at the boot, like all our testers you are probably wondering, “Where the heck are the buckles?” Well, Zay eschews the time-honored method for securing the foot in favor of a proprietary, radial cable closure that simultaneously secures the foot in the lower and governs flex. The cables loop the forefoot of the lower shell then route through the sole, out the spine and into a spine-mounted cuff lever assembly.
Cable tension is adjusted through twin thumb nuts on the lever and flipping the lever upward locks the fit. The cable tension also restrains the cuff’s forward travel during flexion. Flexing the boot actually increases cable tension, helping to maintain a more circular shape over the top of the foot as the upper cuff contacts the lower, preventing the boot from collapsing over the top of the foot.
On hill the ZR 130 displayed the goods. Testers said the shell’s unique polyurethane "cast molding" process creates a light, lively feeling boot that is both laterally and torsionally stout—all this with a long, progressive flex that tethers back into the cable system. It's certainly different but it all added up to snappy, stable, high-performance skiability at any speed.
The ZR’s fit, not surprisingly, is also a bit unconventional. Testers said it was very snug at the lower rear (ankles, heel) and up through the lower leg shaft but fit very wide and tall at the toebox with a wider-than-category-average forefoot fit. For the right foot shape this could be a home-run, but many testers felt it was too loosey-goosey up front.
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