Plug Boots
Plug boots (so-called because the shell mold is fitted with a “plug” to make the shell walls thicker and the boot more responsive) used to be skiing’s equivalent of front row tickets to the World Series. Only those who were in the big leagues or super connected could ever hope to score a pair. Not anymore.
Although they still represent just a small portion of the retail market, the availability and awareness of plugs is growing. So much so that manufacturers are beginning to knock themselves off. Several have introduced slightly detuned versions of their plugs and created a category we’ve dubbed Plug-A-Bees.
True plugs are stripped of virtually all extraneous features and their liners are wafer thin. They fit, as Johnny Cochran once famously said, “Like a glove.” That makes them extremely difficult to get on and off. Their thick shell walls also make for thin liners so they are the coldest class of boots. Not surprisingly, plugs are a challenge to fit, often requiring an hour or more of stretching and/or grinding and repositioning of buckles and cuffs with screw rivets. They ski with laser fine precision but offer little forgiveness in changeable snow conditions. You won’t find them in most shops as manufacturers limit distribution to dealers with an extensive background in stretching and grinding.
Plug-A-Bees mimic these true World Cup boots in function and minimalist style but they have basic features like cuff adjusters, offer slightly more interior space, require a bit less energy to engage and, unlike true plugs, are all-day skiable. They’re designed for skiers who are serious about their turns, spend 25-plus days on the hill and probably race competitively. They are also viable choices for skiers with exceptionally narrow feet who find regular boots too voluminous. For these skiers, good bootfitters can soften the flex to a manageable level through various grinding tricks.Our intention was to test Plug-A-Bees exclusively but as Mick Jagger says, you can’t always get what you want. Some manufacturers haven’t committed to the concept and others simply didn’t have product available. They sent us the real deal Plugs.
On the positive side, nearly everything we received performed up to or exceeded our expectations. It’s truly amazing how well a boot can perform when stripped to its four-buckle essence and top-quality virgin plastics are used to form the shell. Another plus: all have solid soles so sole planning, and hence precision cant adjustments, are possible.
In the time-honored tradition of putting apples with apples and—well, you know the rest—we’ve separated the reviews of the True Plugs from the real World Cup boots we received.
True Plug Boots
This is no Danny Devito/Arnold Schwarzenegger twin sighting. Rossignol and Lange, sister-companies which share little else, offer a virtually identical new World Cup plug. You can save $11 if you opt for the Rossi that’s colored gold and badged Race 2005. The Lange is shaded in its signature corporate blue and is called the WC 150. The boot is roomier in the forefoot than its prior incarnation thanks to thinner shell walls. The toe box is higher and wider to accommodate 6th toe bumps. The liner has a neoprene front for prodigious digits. The shape behind the heel is sculpted a bit wider and the tongue taller than before and adjustable for height. The lower shell is pre-marked inside for V channel softening cuts.
On The Hill
Despite the re-sculpting, this boot is a squeeze. The liner is a glorified sock. That said, nothing skied finer or elicited more superlatives from our crew. This boot makes you strong. “I turned my skis over faster than a burger flipper at Mickey D’s,” said one tester. Small movements are transmitted directly to the ski and the outcomes are exactly as intended. The cuff provides supple control without sacrificing precision.
Beware
Know your bootfitter’s favorite beer. He will be stretching and grinding to get you into this.
Can you say ouch? At 95mm in the forefoot this is among the tightest boots on the market. The liner is minimalist thin with a speed lacing web from forefoot to tongue top for suck-down surety. It’s so thin it’s recommended that you enter and exit the boot with the liner on your foot. The cuff is riveted on both side of the shell so stance alignment is only possible via sole grinding. Two screw studs on the spine further cement the cuff to the shell. All buckles and ratchet plates are screwed to the shell for easy replacement.
On The Hill
Exceptionally powerful, race specific boot with awesome steering power and balanced stance. The power to the edge is the most dynamic of any in group. It may indeed be too stiff for most humans, especially on cold days. Said one of our biggest, strongest skiers, “It kicked my butt.”
Beware
Lack of versatility. Race in these, buy another pair for free skiing.
Like all true plugs, there’s little adornment on this shell. The cuff is locked firm to the lower. All canting must be down through sole grinding. The honeycomb Spaceframe pierced through the lower shell provides subtle lateral shell flex for better uphill ski contact.
On The Hill
If gate armor is part of your regular on-hill wardrobe, put this boot on your short list. If not, explore the Course Spaceframe one level down and much more versatile and comfortable. Variations of the word “precise” were scrawled across every test form. Rigid rearward and stiff forward, it is a superb turn finisher—and for that matter, starter. It will slice with Ginsu knife precision into the apex of a turn and load the tail for skate-like edge hold and turbo boost upon exit.
Beware
Tight fit, especially on outside of foot. Spaceframe could present problem for required stretches in that area.
Plug-a-Bees
The RT CS retains the geometry of the pure-blood Ti models but expands the toe box to provide wiggle room. The Lycra lining on the innerboot sucks around the foot like Chinese finger trap to eliminate unwanted foot movements. The cuff is relatively soft. A Recco rescue beacon is built in to the boot in cases you ever need to be plucked from the bottom of an avalanche debris field.
On the Hill
The RT CS exudes confidence without being shrill. The fit is snug but not overly harsh. It ran through both long and short turns with equal aptitude but not with the Marine-like precision of others in this category. If you’re looking for something versatile and not a pure gate smacker, it will serve you well. A good choice for lightweight skiers.
Beware
Neither men nor women liked red/white or blue/white cosmetics.
When you’re the new kid on the block you’ve got to do something to get noticed. With Dolomite reemphasizing its race program, providing what our testers thought the best value in the category may be just the ticket. Based off its new Z Race plug, the Pro has 3mm more room at the forefoot (98mm) than the Mack-daddy version. The cuff is double riveted to the lower shell through a metal reinforcement plate. Double cuff adjusters and a removable/adjustable rear spoiler are the main adjustment features.
On the Hill
The 130 is laterally quick but with supple feel in between the arc action. It doesn’t claw the foot like most plugs but the superb heel retention provides precise steering. It fit exceptional close along the inside of the foot. Those with narrow feet will appreciate the crisp response but those with more girth might need some lower shell and shellbed fine tuning. The flex is very stiff; you will ski heroically on the groomed but be wrangling this steer in off-piste junk.
Beware
Toe dam leakage.
This boot is similar to the RS 100 (see Race/Expert) but with stiff shell plastic and a tightly tailored forefoot. The numeral refers to the millimeter width across the forefoot and the 96mm width felt like a coffin for some testers. It also tends to fit short. The buckles are elegant, updated old-school bail style. Flex is variable with removal of one or both screw studs through that anchor the cuff spine to the lower.
On the Hill
This boot has a clean, sophisticated design with a big sweet spot for a plug. It’s skiable at slow speeds—and even in bumps—without that tank-like feel other plugs provide. It fits tight all over but doesn’t restrict ankle articulation. The liner has enough padding to prevent boot bang but not so much that it deadens feel.
Beware
Buckles are riveted. At the level, they should be screwed for easy replacement.
Last year’s Race Pro carried a flex index of 110. This year, the original returns as well as the new 130 that’s about 20% stiffer. The Race Pro is stripped of all the typical do-dads Tecnica hangs on the Magnesium (see Race/Expert). Gone are the swinging gate Rapid Access cuff and the grippy, vibration absorbing heel that makes sole grinding difficult. The twin cants are traditional design instead of Dual Pivot. It uses rock-solid extruded aluminum buckles; the lower buckle is positioned high on the shell for better wrapping and elimination of snow/gate snag on layover turns. The stretch neoprene toe box is highly accommodative to 6th toe region.
On the Hill
Others are as powerful but none combine get-up-and-go energy with sleep-in-it-at-night comfort like the Pro 130. There are sweet spots to be found throughout the flex range as the boot takes to all contours of the hill with crisp nuance. The guidance system is on target for down-the-chimney placement of precision arcs.
Beware
Lot of forward lean with shallow ramp angle. Those with limited ankle range may have difficulty in pilot seat.
