BOOT REVIEWS: ALL MOUNTAIN EXPERTDolomite | Head | Lange | Nordica | Rossignol | Salomon | Tecnica These boots are versatile. They can take you all over the mountain—no matter what side of the rope you romp on. They trade a bit of rock hard-snow precision for off-piste terrain management skills. They still flap the flags if you push them but their quick wits are more likely to come into play managing tight trees, steeps, variable snow and whatever adventure you seek. They have increased comfort management skills for traversing or hiking to choice terrain and landing big air—in steep chutes or in the park.
Your eyes are not deceiving you. Yes, Dolomite is the only factory to have one-two-three-four-five buckles latch around your dogs. The better to secure you with, my dear. More importantly, the additional buckle cuts across the instep at a 45-degree angle, belting the foot firmly into the heel pocket where it can exert the most control over the ski. The three lower buckles are spring-loaded dual hinge affairs that are super-easy to get a finger under for quick-release. The liner has a layer of heat-moldable material. The macro-fit ladder slides in a channel for no-tool adjustability. Same for the height-adjustable spoiler that had lot of travel and can be completely removed for skiers with stump-like calves. Despite slimming down from its defensive end-fitting physique, Dolomite remains a brand for the higher-volume foot, especially up front. Reminds us of a big Mercedes E430 sedan. Get out of the way because it’s comin’ on through—fast! It relies on strength rather than agility to get the job done but for a meaty foot, this one will rock, roll and remember. Good value, performance and adjustability. Despite all the buckles, it swallows the foot With Jonah and the whale proficiency thanks to a pull-tab on the tongue and was voted best in class. EASE/QUALITY OF ADJUSTMENTS: Top notch buckles. Spring-loaded double-hinged lowers make for easy release even when tension is set to the max. Macro-adjustable tops are no-tool affairs and lock securely. Tip: put finger behind rivet to jiggle in track and they’ll slide much easier. Head has snuck up on the big boys over the past few years, matching the best innovation-for-innovation. Now their engineers now seem to have the fit part of the equation dialed in as well, thanks in part to those innovations, especially its award-winning buckles. The FR uses the spring-loaded Dynamic Response cuff buckles for pinpoint forward flex tension. They’re outfitted with flip-out buckle extenders for fingertip closure. Dual-hinged lower buckles operate without snagging, and the liner is laced with generous portions of beefy, heat-moldable material to envelop the foot comfortably in key fit regions; its pliant toe-box area makes it highly adaptable to long feet. It has a fairly complete suite of personalization options including two-position flex, dual cant and an adjustable rear spoiler. Head again exploits its width story here. In a rarity, the women’s version is shell lasted narrower than the men’s using the Worldcup 97 last with an appropriately softened flex. Dynamic Response/Double Power Buckle is best invention in history of boot latching. Spring-loaded clasps hold like loaded bear trap but give just a wee bit when flexed for a delightfully springy feel. Sophisticated and sharp design (one of our female testers said “sexy” but we’re guys and would never use that adjective for a piece of machinery. Still it does look like the kind of boot Pierce Brosnan would wear). Beyond its looks lies a forgiving yet aggressive boot suited for advanced skiers seeking new experiences. Ride on girlfriend! (Again, that’s from one of our female testers.) A comfortable, high performance all-mountain ripper. (That’s one of our guys.) EASE OF ENTRY/EXIT: Everything moves up and out of the way for smooth in- and egress. Ever sit down to a Chinese smorgasbord where everything was good but all tasted pretty similar? That’s what Lange presented us with as the company served us a variety of Banshee models due to size limitations. We put the most mileage on the narrower-lasted, translucent red 110 but spent seat time in the 100 and 90L, noting some differences in performance as we stepped down but nothing jarring. Lange has tweaked the Banshee model designations and dialed down the loud color volume from last year’s sea foam green and dandelion yellow. The 110 is pretty much the same shell our testers liked last season as the Pro but with a new liner and buckles that latch crisply. The liner is more in Lange’s traditional style, thinner than most, trading cushy comfort for greater precision. The 110 gets its solid control from the cuff, where a 180-degree support spoiler, anchored to the shell, wraps the inboard side of the calf. The Energy Fork on the spine disperses forces laterally for strong feel. A burly power strap keeps things tight. This racy red wonder rips! A commanding superhero boot that will carves sick arcs on piste, rout through junk in the trees and land big air in the parks with equal capability. You can ski this boot until the cows come home. Heck, you may not care if they never show up. Several testers felt the liner was cramped at the toe box. EASE OF ENTRY/EXIT: Some were bitten on the instep getting in and out. Yes, this one is brand spanking new. But if you paid attention to these kind of things, you may have spotted this Beast running amok on North American hills last winter. It was a special make-up boot for ski shop personnel only. Most found it tamed terrain fabulously well so Nordica has unleashed The Beast for public consumption this season. It not only rocks the mountain but it may also be the best looking boot on the hill. Aggressive cosmetics and “The Beast” logo on the liner are clearly visible beneath its translucent cranberry shell. Without tarting it up, Nordica has tacked on value-added features. The buckles have been engineered to close with greatly reduced effort. A shock absorber in the heel drinks up excess chatter. Using technology licensed from the wildly popular aftermarket Booster Strap, the beefy power strap is partially elasticized for quicker return-to-center flex. The liner is heat-moldable with a neoprene front to fit outsized toes, and a layer of Outlast for added warmth. You’ll appreciate it since you’ll rarely want to come in until day’s end when your riding The Beast. Tangle with this Beast and you’ll be pounding your chest and wailing like Tarzan. It’s that much fun to ride. An uncanny blend of comfort, snug fit and high-revving performance make this a sure-footed all-mountain ripper that can also handle a few runs of gate banging without missing a beat. It was the top scoring boot overall in the group. EASE OF ENTRY/EXIT: Tongue yawns wide for problem-free entry/exit. Rossignol Freeride XX [ $549 ] We can easily envision this marketing kismet: a Rossi TV commercial with Seventies rocker Edgar Winter wailing, “Come on and take a freeride.” It’s doubtful we’ll ever see such a sight but it would be good advice for the winter from Winter. The new Freeride XX is a versatile tool for skiers planning to romp the hill. Be aware: last year’s boot with an identical name shares only the sharp edge graphics and the ebony and ivory cosmetics. This all-new boot uses Rossi’s Power series architecture with a free-hinged shell with V-shaped slots cut into lower for smoother flex. The cuff uses bi-material construction with rigid reinforcement ribs to improve lateral sensitivity. The dramatically improved liner features heat-moldable padding and an adjustable tongue that adapts to different instep shapes. Of course it has Rossi’s trademark Inverted Overlap design. Inverted overlap never ceases to impress, remaining supple and flexible without being shrewish. It drives energy to inside edge of ski like no other design and received superior scores in lateral quickness. Think VW GTI—substantial bang without lots of frilly extras at an attractive price. Thin liner provides responsive, close-to-the-shell fit but may be unforgiving to skiers with bony prominences, especially at the ankles. EASE OF ENTRY/EXIT: Smooth and easy going in thanks to slippery patch on spine but nips like a pesky poodle on way out. Peel flanges away for easier egress. Remember that popular fresh-faced girl in high school, the one with the clean, simple air? There was nothing overtly special about her but she mixed equally well with the jocks, the brains and the artists, a star in all areas. And everyone liked her. That’s the X-Wave 8.0. It doesn’t stand out from the crowd but it may make you stand out from the crowd. About 20% softer than Crossmax/X-Wave entry in our High Performance group, Salomon has elegantly outfitted this boot with everything it needs, and nothing it doesn’t. The heat-moldable liner is firm without being painful. The 3D buckle obliges both low and high insteps. The top cuff buckle has a hidden latch for meaty calves. The women’s version comes with a softer flex, a female lasted liner and shell cuff and a strip of slippery fabric on the liner spine for extra easy entry/exit. Feels like an Aspen trust funder: it supports with style and ease. It hugs the foot and lower leg in all the right places, doing everything asked of it without making a lot of noise or requiring a lot of coaxing. Fantastic choice for skiers that want performance without a race boot feel. Versatile enough for an enthusiastic intermediate to ride up the skills ladder to black rungs. EASE OF ENTRY/EXIT: One of the best in class. As easy as slipping on a glove. Tecnica Icon DP XR/L [ $565/$665 w/ Hotform ] Limited sizing—only one men’s model was available—didn’t make for limited appeal. (Our bigger women also skied the boot.) As it always does, Tecnica has loaded this boot with well-conceived, usable features. KISS design is evident throughout its posture. Flex can be tailored two ways. For gross adjustments, pop the twin inserts into channels cut in the lower shell (you can use them individually to stiffen flex to the inside or out). Need to fine-tune on the hill? Twist an Allen key adjustment on the spine to soften or stiffen overall. Need to accommodate stance issues? The Dual Pivot system aligns the cuff in two dimensions, accommodating for leg shape discrepancies like a traditional cuff cant but also tailoring axis alignment to improve edge pressure efficiency. Eastern skiers will appreciate the vibration absorbing pads built in to the sole when planing across early morning frozen washboard. Like a Winnebago, it will go anywhere while providing the comforts of home. Its luxury ride smoothes out rough surfaces while continuing to ride with strong directionality, especially when prodded with foot steering input. Tons of adjustability throughout make it adaptable to most but generous fit—most notably its ability to swallow a cow-like calf—makes this ideal for the higher volume foot. EASE OF ENTRY/EXIT: Smooth on exit but a bit sticky getting in. Try moving tongue to side for easier entry. |
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