While the Fischer RC4 105 LV BOA is a Vacuum boot and one of the unique qualities about the Fischer Vacuum molding system is that it can compress the shell around the foot, actually making a heel p
For the money, the 2019 Head Advant Edge 85 W packs surprising punch and hits the bullseye on the wide-group target for a warm and comfy lower boot, our testers said. They unanimously praised the balanced stance for promoting good skiing movements.
Testers thought that the lower shell fit the way a 102 mm boot should—wide enough and nicely padded everywhere, with a hint of snug control at the heel and ankle area. A few testers had issues with the liner's lower calf (soleus muscle, aka "cankle") area where thick pads felt a bit jabby and made entry past that area difficult. They hoped that liner molding would remedy that (Form Fit shell molding is an option on the slightly stiffer 95, but not on this model).
The Advant Edge 85 W handled itself masterfully on and off the groomed, surprising testers with its snappy, responsive feel. Testers said the fore-aft stance is set-up a bit on the upright side, but with a soft enough flex to move forward with and find home base for linking aggressive arcs. They liked the soft flex and mentioned that it didn't collapse, but they also pointed out that the stiffer 95-flex version is available.
First, you've got color options here—either go-with-everything black, or the white and grey with yellow highlights, so lovely! And there's two Double Power lever buckles on the cuff—great for cranking the heck outta that cuff fit with gloves on! If walking in super strolling style is a goal, GripWalk soles are available this year for use with GripWalk bindings, and on the boot sole front there are also Advant Edge specific (and Vector) canted soles available in 0.5-, 1.0-, 1.5- and 2.0-degree increments.
For slender-footed, lightweight skiers looking for warm, soft boots, the 2019 Full Tilt Soul Sister may be hard to beat! The long-travel flexion that makes Full Tilt's classic three-piece designs popular with mogul skiers and park-and-pipe athletes was favored by testers who used a light touch on the tongue.
It's a snug 99 mm lower boot when you stick with your normal size (because it runs short), testers say, with a cushioned grip all along the foot, especially side to side. But the women-specific Intuition Pro liner is highly moldable, opening up the fit at the wider and bony parts of the foot for more average width feet, too. Prior to molding, some testers felt the lateral edge of the spiral-wrapped liner as a hotspot, but after liner molding this blended in more evenly. The luxurious shin fit is a Full Tilt hallmark and the long-travel flex is a dream for skiers who suffer chronic shin-bang.
Just standing in the boot inside testers could tell its forward lean was extreme by modern standards and its flex was very soft (still softer than the 90 rating they cite for the #6 tongue this year). This forward angle was often made more so by either a large calf or a skier's tendency to press into the front of a boot (which pretty much all our women testers do). So, too forward and collapsing in flex was a common complaint on test forms. However, slender-legged, lightweight testers who focused on agile lateral moves loved the spry, airy feel of the Soul Sister.
Testers appreciated the revised Widetrack buckles on the FTS (Full Tilt Soul) shell for their lower profile and more easily adjusted release tab and ratchet system—however, testers new to the three-piece layering and wire bale closure struggled a bit initially with the Full Tilt rite of passage (into the boot). There are lots of options on aftermarket pieces and parts through Full Tilt dealers—say, a stiffer tongue perhaps? And testers thought removing the forward lean wedge at the base of the cuff might also help the stance.
Testers liked the 2019 Full Tilt First Chair for its snug (when tested in their regular size) and thickly padded and comfortable grip on the foot and its very lively feel underfoot. Testers still feel overly forward leaning but appreciated the cam-lock Cinch power strap for restraining some forward travel. Due to the short sizing in Full Tilt's line-up, some testers went up a size and found more typical medium-width fit tension and a slightly taller, more upright cuff feel.
Testers felt the lower boot was much more snug than the cuff, which offered some unwanted play for slender legs. They liked the strong connection of foot to ski, though preferred it after full liner molding, which allowed the foot to seat a bit more deeply into the base of the boot, due to the thickness of the liner underfoot. Molding the liner with toe caps opened up some needed toe room as the boot fits shorter than average out of the box. The flex feel is even, cushioned and long in travel, testers agreed. Testers suggest sizing up to gain toe room and a more medium width fit.
Agility and quickness are the First Chair's forte, according to testers who liked its lateral moves and shock absorbing flex—fun in the bumps and tight spots, they said. They felt the boot was less of a powerhouse than it was a nimble freerider, partly due to the more forward than average cuff angle, which detracted from a more strongly stacked leg position, they said.
Testers like the newer version buckle system with the Widetrack buckles for their improved ease of use.
Testers said that the 2019 Fischer RC Pro 130 Vacuum Full Fit is a luxury S.U.V. built for big guys with thicker feet and legs looking for the kind of All-Mountain performance that stems from a dialed stance and a solid-enough, progressive flex.
Roomy throughout and ultra-comfortable was the tester takeaway on this 100 mm, with most in agreement that it fit borderline wide-ride. They didn't mind this so much, and thought that the fit shape was well matched for a thicker foot and leg, but they placed it well on the wide end of the medium group's fit tension spectrum. The liner feel is well cushioned—more so than most boots at the 130 performance tier—which gave the RC Pro 130 more of a Lexus RX interior feel than, say, Audi R8. Nobody was really complaining about the luxuriant fit, let's put it that way.
The stance angles of the RC Pro pleased our test team, who felt well-centered in all directions and ready to ski. When compared with other medium-widths, quickness and power scores lagged a bit simply by virtue of the extra space and cushioning that sapped some transmission of movement, but testers agreed that compared with other wide class rides (or perhaps if tested by thicker footed folk) the response and quickness would be right on target.
While most people assume that customizable shell technology is all about making a fit more open, Fischer's unique Vacuum fitting system can tighten a boot's fit by way of controlling the compression level of the molding bladders during the Vacuum process. The moniker, Vacuum Full Fit, indicates that this boot is Vacuum system customizable in both the lower shell and upper cuff.
The 2019 Fischer My Curv 110 Vacuum Full Fit was one of our test team's favorite All-Mountain boots for its even, customizable fit, its progressive flex feel and dialed stance angles. They liked the way this boot skied through a variety of terrain and in every turn radius.
Testers felt that the stock, non-Vacuumed fit was on the roomy side of the narrow fit group, but they suggested it might be snugged up with a high-pressure Vacuum molding session. They liked the new liner's, pre-shaped 3-D ankle pockets, and of the flex-stabilizing inlaid composite panel on the lower shell's medial side, one tester said this boot had the most consistent-feeling flex of the test for her. Testers did mention that the out-of-box calf fit was tighter than the general tension of the lower boot.
Testers liked the stock stance angles of the My Curve 110—this was a marked improvement over testers' take on Fischer's narrow women's boots of the past. Lively and full of energy with snappy, crisp transitions is how one tester described it. Another commented that turn initiation was effortless. Testers thought it was a fine All-Mountain boot for virtually any skier, from intermediate to expert.
While we didn't custom test Fischer Vacuum Full Fit boots at this year's test using Fischer's complete fit station, our previous tests have shown this to be an effective fitting and stance alignment tool. We did, however, perform Vacuum Zone Fit customization of the lower boot with Fischer's cool, adhesive heating pads, and testers agreed that it was a very effective way to make spot expansions using the skier's own foot in the boot as the press.
Our test team typically tests so-called "vector models" from each brand, meaning the brand's top tier performance model (i.e. stiffest) that may spawn other softer, less-expensive models below it in the range. But we also test Soft-Value entries—softer flexing, less expensive models that often show surprising bang for the buck. Testers said the My Cruzar 80 PBV is one of those sleepers—at only $300 (list!) it punched well above its performance weight class they said.
The lower boot is made of Vacu-Plast, Fischer's low-temp heat moldable plastic, so while testers thought the 103 mm shell felt about right (and roomy) for a wide-ride, the Vacuum fitting process could adjust the fit wider (up to 5 mm) if needed. Most testers gave the lower boot and calf fit evenly wide scores, as expected, though a couple testers mentioned that the lower calf (soleus muscle, aka cankle) was a little more snug than expected for the width class.
Powered by a stronger-than-billed flex feel and a cuff that stood slightly taller on the leg and more upright than the category average, testers said the My Cruzar 80 PBV held its own for edge power and stability with models 20-points stiffer and 200-bucks spendier! They liked the way it rolled laterally from turn to turn, engaging the skis' edges with a predictable, stable feel regardless of radius or surface.
A couple testers mentioned that the stance was set up a little "out," or supinated for the foot and bowlegged for the lower leg, so for skiers who feel the same it may be worth doing a Vacuum molding, which we've shown in previous custom tests can improve stance alignment slightly. There isn't a lateral cuff adjustment on this one. Testers liked the straightforward closure of 4 buckles and a power strap. The liner is a well-cushioned fuzzy one with a tongue pull loop and seamless tongue construction over the top of the foot—testers approved.
The 2019 DaleBoot VFF Pro's top scores were for its initial fit and feel, its quickness and its ease of entry and exit—and that fairly sums up the best elements of this fully custom-built boot. Its fit is built to a customer's individual specs and a variety of DaleBoot/Intuition custom liners fine tune that personalized shape. The thin shell and all-polyether plastic construction was light and cool way before lightweight was cool. The three-piece design, in concert with a spiral-wrap liner is hands-down the absolute easiest to slide in and out of.
There's really no way to go try on a DaleBoot to decide whether or not to buy it—well, you could try on some generic sample at a DaleBoot dealer shop to get a feel for how it goes on and buckles up, but that's about all you'd get. You might even get scared off—the non-customized DaleBoot experience is so different from the full-meal-deal custom program which is their business model. We know because to be fair to other brands at the test we have asked them to submit off-the-rack models in addition to their custom-built-for-tester models. Some testers loved the generic test samples, others not so much, but every tester was stoked on the VFF Pro that was built just for him. The shell and cuff are selected to match the foot and leg, then modified as needed prior to leaving the Salt Lake City factory. The pre-selected Intuition liner is molded to the skier at his local dealer shop to finalize the fit. So, the fit isn't a narrow or a medium or a wide—it's you.
The VFF Pro now comes with a revised upper cuff design (taller with a stiffer, thicker back area) to create a stronger feel on snow over previous versions we've tested. This did not create any loss of feel in the lower shell, which remains one of the most sensitive and in-tune with the ground of any boot we've tested. The lower boot has two unique design features that give it such touch—a very thin but stiff polyether shell wall and a three-quarter length bootboard that puts the ball of foot directly on the floor of the shell. The flex feel is able to be adjusted by the skier with the rear spring-loaded cable closure from long and soft to progressive and firmer—laterally the power comes from the rigid plastic of the lower boot and the new more powerful cuff design. Testers praised the VFF Pro's unique combination of fit, snow feel and smooth flex.
The best feature of the VFF Pro is that all custom fitting, modifications, and stance alignment is included in one price through DaleBoot partner dealer shops. The stance alignment part of the equation is finalized with the application of snap-on, canted soles if needed—a very effective canting solution found only on DaleBoot.
Our women testers (who were measured up ahead of time) had their custom built VFF Pro (women's) delivered to Silver Mountain Resort where they were custom fitted by DaleBoot staff who molded the Intuition spiral wrap liner, set the adjustable ramp angle and checked their need for cant. They gave a thumbs-up to the resulting well-matched fit they achieved and highlighted the boot's easy slide on and off and the lightweight agile feel underfoot as a few of its primary assets.
The DaleBoot is a full-custom product, built in their Salt Lake City factory off of a variety of measurements and foot shape tracings taken from the skier then further modified as needed and liner-molded by the skier's local DaleBoot dealer. Trust us when we say that trying on a sample will not do justice to the custom model made for you. Our custom tests came back with many perfect scores for fit. Depending on the skier's foot the last width could vary from a skinny 92 mm to a massive 114 mm (in a 26.5)—that's more range in one model than any other boot on the market can claim.
Again, the key to the VFF Pro (women's) performance character is the custom process that starts with fit but also ensures that the fore-aft and lateral stance set-up is dialed for each skier individually. Once the alignment was balanced, testers were able to appreciate the close-to-snow feel of the thin-shell-wall lower boot and the improved edge power that comes from stiffer upper cuff construction than in past years. The flex feel is tunable (softer and longer or firmer and shorter) using the spring-loaded Variable Forward Flex cable adjustment on the back of the boot.
A variety of different Intuition liner styles are available, in spiral wrap and traditional tongue styles and in several different thicknesses and densities. The final stance tuning is done via canted snap-on soles unique to DaleBoot.
The DaleBoot VFF (women's) is DaleBoot's softest model and intended for lighter and less aggressive skiers. Testers rewarded the VFF with a perfect score for convenience, warmth and features and high marks for its custom fit, all largely based on the luxuriant feel and fit of the highly insulative and lightweight DaleBoot/Intuition spiral wrap liner that eases entry and exit into the VFF's three-piece shell like no other boot on the market.
The VFF (women's) shell shape was built at DaleBoot's Salt Lake City factory based off of measurements and tracings of the testers' feet and legs. A variety of different cuffs and lower "clogs," or shells, can be combined and pre-molded to suit the skier's shape. At the boot test the Intuition liners were custom fitted—as they would be by a DaleBoot dealer—and their fore-aft and lateral stances were checked prior to testers skiing the boots. Unanimously our test team found the initial fit spot-on after going through the fitting process.
The VFF's softer flex is able to be adjusted within a 20 point range using the Variable Forward Flex spring-and-cable system which restrains the three-piece shell's forward flexion without fixing the upper cuff to the lower, maintaining a true three-piece shell's flex feel—long in travel and with a progressive resistance against the leg. Testers loved the rangy feel of their flexing movements while skiing, but cautioned bigger, more aggressive gals to consider stepping up to the stiffer VFF Pro. Testers found the same classic, close-to-snow feel on the VFF as with the other DaleBoot models, enabled by a three-quarter length bootboard which puts the forefoot directly on the floor of the boot.
An array of different Intuition liner options can be implemented to achieve an ideal fit, the boot's ramp angle is adjustable with the turn of a screw on the three-quarter length internal bootboard and final stance fine tuning is accomplished with DaleBoot's exclusive, snap-on, canted soles.
The all new 2019 Dalbello DS 130 brings back apex predator level performance to the 100 mm spot on the Dalbello roster. Testers liked the strength of the thin shell wall polyurethane Power Cage construction almost as much as the throw-back Grand Prix-esq petrol and lime cosmetics. It's roomier in width (and length) than it should be for a 100 mm last, testers said, but setting that aside, they agree this uber-comfy All-Mountain charger attacks terrain with the best in the category.
Testers unanimously checked the easy entry and exit boxes for the DS 130 and they liked the simplicity of the closure system. They also unanimously say the boot runs long, fit wise, to the point where skiers traditionally somewhat in-between sizes might be able to drop down a size in the DS. The overall fit in both the lower shell and in the upper cuff was anatomical in nature, matching the curves of the foot and leg well, but in an outsized way—testers used a lot of 4's to describe the DS's fit tension, where a 3 would indicate ideal medium fit tension. A couple testers couldn't get over this fact, but the majority simply made the observation that it sits on the roomy side of the category and moved on to enjoy the luxurious feel of the cushioned liner and its stellar downhill skill set.
The DS 130's stance angles allow for a balanced starting position that rewarded good skiing movements, testers said, and lots of "ideal" boxes were checked for flex feel and liner tongue cushioning during flexing movements. Testers had virtually no complaints about edge power and fore-aft support, citing a solid-as-a-rock boot spine and an excess of torsional and lateral rigidity to hammer an edge home on the hardest snow and hold it there. A few testers commented that the extra room in both the length and height of the toebox and throughout the instep meant a loss of foot retention resulting in some forward foot slippage, sending the hips back—a thicker than average foot will do well with this fit, so wide footers shouldn't be scared off by the 100 mm tag.
The Power Cage shell and cuff construction utilizes a framework of thicker, stiffer polyurethane in the boot rail (very bottom) and into the rear spine of the boot to provide power and stability where it's needed while incorporating a thinner, softer polyurethane in less critical areas where better wrapping for improved fit is needed—seemed to work for testers. The DS's single sided upper cuff adjustment is renamed Intuitive Canting—not our favorite terminology—meaning that three words (Neutral, Sport & Race) are used to describe the cuff positions 0.0, +0.5 and +1.0, respectively, achieved via the rotary cam mechanism. The boots come set to the 0.5 "out" Sport position. The Variable Ramp Angle feature is an insert that increases the bootboard ramp angle by 1.0-degree.
The all new 2019 Dalbello DS 110 W is an all-mountain cruiser's dream said testers who loved how easy it went on and off and appreciated the ease of fit in this generously fitting medium width. No drama slippers for sliding the groomed and the hill's not-too-gnarly was the tester thumbnail. According to our team nothing was out of place or unnecessary—all of what you need to get around the mountain and none of what you don't.
The crew agreed that the DS 110 W runs long and on the roomiest side of the medium last width group, with the majority of testers using lots of evenly distributed 4's in the Fit Impressions matrix (3's would be standard fit tension scores for a medium). But they didn't necessarily complain about the extra room, just noted that a wider, thicker foot would do well in the lower boot and average to thicker legs would fit nicely in the cuff. The liner feel was widely praised for its initial cushioning and level of luxury.
Testers thought the flex was a bit under the 110 mark and found it preferred a lighter touch with the shin. They loved how the DS 110 W rolled side to side in flawless edging transitions from turn to turn, especially on predictable surfaces. Cruisey, predictable fun for intermediates and light-touch experts who place a premium on comfort was the consensus.
The Power Cage shell and cuff construction utilizes a framework of thicker, stiffer polyurethane in the boot rail (very bottom) and into the rear spine of the boot to provide power and stability where it's needed while incorporating a thinner, softer polyurethane in less critical areas where better wrapping for improved fit is needed—seemed to work for testers. The DS's single sided upper cuff adjustment is renamed Intuitive Canting—not our favorite terminology—meaning that three words (Neutral, Sport & Race) are used to describe the cuff positions 0.0, +0.5 and +1.0, respectively, achieved via the rotary cam mechanism. The boots come set to the 0.5 "out" Sport position. The Variable Ramp Angle feature is an insert that increases the bootboard ramp angle by 1.0-degree.
In its third annual boot test appearance, the venerated Atomic Hawx Ultra 130 S returned and reminded testers why it's been a favorite—so light and so snug, with surprising toe room in such a compact package. Super-charged power and snap characterize this unique All-Mountain narrow's on-snow M.O. This year's cuff is made with thin-shell-wall TrueFlex polyurethane rather than Grilamid, and the liner interior is updated with a velvety fabric that lets you slide in but holds the leg well. We tested the new (very) green paint job, which many liked, while others liked that last year's color way is still available.
The boot sole length (BSL) of the Hawx Ultra 130 S is shorter by 5 mm than average and yet it fit as roomy in length as the rest of the group and might even sport a little extra width for the toes than most narrows. The Hawx Ultra Progressive Shell design leaves plastic thick where needed for support and stability but thins it out where better wrapping is required—this reduces weight and opens up some bonus interior room. Incorporated with the thin and feely Memory Fit 3D Platinum liner the Hawx Ultra 130 provides a locked-down fit from the midfoot to heel and up through the cuff while maintaining an open toebox. The feel against the leg was a little tall with an elasticized flex feel that gripped the calf firmly but without a pinch, testers said. Several testers mentioned that it's still not the easiest on and off.
That snappy flex feel that testers noticed indoors translated to rapid-fire edging moves and loaded-up, slingshot-style, rebounding transitions on snow. The thin-walled polyurethane cuff wraps the leg shaft and gives a skier two joy-sticks for driving skis in all directions with no-delay transmission of movement. The switch to polyurethane gives the thin, springy cuff a little more dampness and gravity than before, which testers liked. The Hawx Ultra 130 S put skis of all widths on a rail and drilled turns at all speeds in all terrain. A few bigger, taller guys said they could over-power the cuff during Flintstonian flexing, but generally it held up to normal all-mountain abuse. The thinned-out shell wall in the lower boot and cuff gives the boot a noticeably light feel, which combined with the snug fit translated into serious agility, testers agreed.
The Memory Fit shell molding feature allows a skier to oven-cook the boot, wear it for a couple minutes, cool it down and enjoy a more personalized fit. Most of our testers liked the out-of-box fit just fine, however. The Hawx Ultra 130 also comes with slate of handy stance-alignment options, from lateral cuff adjustment, to the Power Shift forward lean and flex adjustment (which accounts for the "S" in the model name), to an option on canted sole shims in 0.5- to 3.0-degrees in half-degree increments—bootfitters approve!
