BOOT REVIEWS: NEW TECHNOLOGY PERFORMANCEHead | Nordica | Rossignol | Tecnica These boots aren’t meant to handle gnarly off-piste junk and super-steeps but they do possess the guts to stay on-target during a ramble around the lift-served in challenging snow conditions. They offer a wide range of adjustability, easy entry and exit and “relaxed fit” comfort that doesn’t leave feet screaming for relief come 3 pm. Still, strong rearward and lateral support and a reasonably bawdy flex are a must. Don’t snicker at the dearth of buckles on some of these designs—just say “thank you for making my life easier.” Led by the flagship 10.5, the Edge boots are a functional, easy-to-use and—dare we say, handsome?—group that fills a big hole in the Head line. Head’s World Cup models are too much for most and the EZ-Ons too cushy and gimmicky for serious skiers. The Edge does a workman’s job. It’s not one of the new textile boots so what makes this seemingly straightforward overlap New Tech? Well, Head turns the easy in-out trick in the 10.5 just as good as the cloth boots by smartly carving away a wide swath from the instep of the lower shell and riveting a couple of super-soft plastic flaps in their place. It also bolts on its entire arsenal of buckle tricks including the award-winning Dynamic Power/Double Power design. The spring-loaded combo at the cuff provides a turbo boost of leverage, meaning you need only about half the power to clamp down compared with conventional designs. It also wraps the calf with uncannily even load. The Ad-Apt instep buckle can be screwed in either of two positions to adroitly accommodate different instep shapes. Not surprisingly, the 10.5 topped the Closure System scoring. If that’s not enough, Head builds in a couple of really useful features including slick dual cuff cant and a height adjustable spoiler that raises and lower the Velcro wrap strap too. A layer of Drylex in the liner wicks away moisture for better warmth and dryness. Yin and Yang, meet comfort and performance. They don’t normally blend together smoothly but the Edge 10.5 has found the recipe. It’s as comfy as a big old Cadillac Eldorado thundering down a rattlesnake speedway in the Utah desert but listens and reacts when twisted sideways. Our jibbers gave it good scores for switch takeoffs and landing. The cuff can accommodate an elephant. Skiers with big calves will especially love this one. EASE OF ENTRY/EXIT: Slip-slidin’ away. Yank on the tongue loop to yawn throat open and accurately position. Reminiscent of Chrysler’s breakthrough PT Cruiser, the SmarTech 12 infuses elements of the past—the ratcheting “click” of the tensioning device on the spine that made it’s N957 wildly popular in the mid-Eighties—with bold 21st century styling and clever technology. Like the Rossi Soft, the SmarTech strips away much of the traditional plastic from the instep/forefoot area, in this case revealing a blaze orange innerboot with shimmering silver accents below. Unlike any other boot, it completely eliminates buckles, snaking an airplane-quality braided metal cable from a spine-mounted housing around the instep and forefoot. With ultimate simplicity, the Total Fit System snugs the forefoot and instep with boa-like tension simply by tugging on the pull cord that look like it was yanked off a Mini-Me Husqvarna chainsaw. The cuff splits open like a cleaving iceberg to accept the foot into a welcoming chasm. A buckle-like lever on the outboard side of the upper cuff moves with fingertip ease to ratchet down a band that wraps the calf with precision and security. Gizmos aside, what gives the boot the gumption to move quickly side-to-side without a lot of plastic is the rigid Anti-torsion Alu Bridge, a stirrup that runs from ankle to ankle across the Achilles area. The power strap uses elasticized technology licensed from the aftermarket wonder Booster Strap for quicker return-to-center and more secure wrapping. This is one neat package that has grouped novel technologies that work efficiently and, well, smartly. Expect to be chatted up in liftlines. Everyone will want to know what the heck is on your feet. Might be a backhanded compliment but the SmarTech 12 skis as well as a traditional boot. It rocks through all turn shapes and is balanced, smooth and progressive with a very light feel thanks to the glass fibers injected in what little plastic it has. Attention rear entry boot owners: this will ease your transition to modernity. EASE OF ENTRY/EXIT: Rear entry easy. Big loop on tongue top helps get it up and out of the way. Ten years from now, the Soft 1 will probably take it’s place in the annals of ski equipment history along with other historic boot “firsts” like the Lange Comp, the first-ever plastic shell boot that dominated the 1968 Olympics and Salomon’s first-ever rear entry, the SX 90. This first-ever “soft” boot (a term Rossi likes consumers to use since it’s a trademark it holds) has spawned the entire category of textile-based boots. Yes, it is easy to get in and out of. It scored tops in this category among Best Buy New Tech Performance boots. It uses a unique three-part construction: a minimalist plastic shell and cuff strut; an exposed rugged leather structure bonded to the inside of the shell from the toe box to the cuff top with see-through bits in the back; and a fairly conventional liner. Everything is banded together with three micro-adjustable ratchet strap buckles that cross the foot in typical spots. Instead of a fourth upper cuff buckle, the Soft 1 substitutes a Velcro strap attached to a buckle-like lever. Rossi calls this a Strapper and it provides un-Godly leverage. You’ll never lament a lack of tugging power at boot top common with conventional power straps. There’s also a simple, single-side cuff cant but it doesn’t have much travel. The ladies versions are available in an extensive and wild-looking “Fashion” palate that includes faux snake skin orange and lime green, and a faux cow skin with an embossed flower pattern (a $20 up-charge). Those three layers of material give the Soft 1 a comfy fit and make it smooth and consistent if not overly energetic. It’s more Caddy moving down the highway than Beemer tearing up a road course. It’s damp so it absorbs frozen washboard nicely and gives good assistance in controlling edging throughout moderate arcs. Those who it fit it well gave it good marks but a number of testers felt discomfort at the arch and instep. EASE OF ENTRY/EXIT: Foot slides like in a lubricated, well, you know. Tecnica Rival RX/L [ $550/$650 w/Hotform liner ] With the RX your days on the mountain will no longer be a matter of survival. It has the perfect karma to chameleon your relationship with the mountain from rival to lover. (Gotta forgive us here; we just got back from London where we caught Boy George and Culture Club at the Royal Albert Hall. It was brilliant.) While there’s little here that screams New Tech, there’s lots of features that combine to take this boot shoulders above what state-of-the art was just a few years ago. Like all else Tecnica produces, every detail on the Rival is flawless. That includes the big things—like the clever Dual Pivot System that aligns the cuff in two dimensions, accommodating for leg shape discrepancies while also tailoring axis alignment to improve edge pressure efficiency. And the little—like the tapered tab on the power strap for easy threading. Extensive use of bi-material construction makes for a lightweight, shell that contours closely to the foot without sacrificing body integrity. An insert of flexible plastic at the instep permits independent closure of shell and cuff and easy entry and exit. Even the Anti Vibration System insert below the heel is bi-injected to absorb different amplitudes of shock. The RX is also available with Tecnica’s new Hotform liner which features a metal mesh that evenly heats a layer of expandable foam encased inside the liner custom tailoring the foot to the liner--and the liner to the inner shell walls. Car and home adapters are available to warm the liner on the way to the slopes and dry it after skiing. Tecnica lasts this boot for higher-volume feet but with our Hotform version we able to easily accommodate moderate widths and insteps without slop. When heading into battle, there’s nothing like a strong rear guard. The RX was by far the category leader in rear support, which helped our testers blast through a variety of conditions with commanding ease. The RX offers plenty of performance with predictability and comfort. Like all Tecnicas, it carries premium pricing but this one may offer the best value in the line. EASE OF ENTRY/EXIT: Blooms open like a morning flower. |
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