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
The new 2018 Nordica Sportmachine 95 W is good for intermediates to advanced skiers alike, testers said. They were impressed at how well this wide ride did all over the mountain and they scored it higher than a lot of the medium-width boots that cost $150 more.
This is where this boot will shine for so many women skiers, they said, noting that the boot is roomy, but in a curvy, athletic way—it's not just a cushioned box. The average or more slender-footed folk on our team said the heel was a bit loose, but it should be on par for the higher volume foot. The calf fit was appropriately flared open at the boot top for thicker legs without losing a fore-aft connection to the ski, and the flex feel was a dream according to testers who said it was on-target at 95 but was even and balanced throughout its flex range. This is a wide boot that will promote better balance and good skiing movements they said.
Surprised—that's what several testers said about the Sportmachine 95 W's performance. They were in lock-step agreement that there's something about the Sportmachine 95 W that makes it easy to roll over on edge. They said transitions were sleek and seamless and the edge power, once there, was deep-rooted and stable at all speeds.
The Sportmachine 95 W has the same trick Infrared shell molding system developed specifically for the Speedmachine boots—the infrared heater brings the shell up to ideal molding temperature and a suction-cup of varying sizes and shapes is applied to the hot shell and the suction pulls the punch into place. The only real disappointment in the system is the fact that it will be rarely used here, since the boot fits so well out of the box. The Adjustable Calf Profile (ACP) is a simple way to open up the calf fit using an Allen key.
The 2018 Nordica Speedmachine 105 W returns this year to even higher levels of tester stoke, finding its way onto the podium amongst a very large and strong group of medium-width All-Mountain boots. Testers praised its ease of fit, warmth and convenience and all-around-the-hill skiing skill set. This one has broad appeal for a variety of ability levels and foot types, testers said.
The Speedmachine 105 W nails the medium-width fit profile according to testers. Perhaps a little on the roomy and relaxed side of the group, they said, but with enough firmness in the ankle pockets (thin and sculpted cork panels are used on the liner there) and instep to retain the foot for controlled skiing movements. The initial liner feel against the foot is classic Nordica—silky, padded and well-draped against the foot. First fit impressions were universally positive, with comments about fitting a variety of feet well being widespread. Flex feel and stance marks were similarly good. No problems!
Testers thought the Speedmachine 105 W was supremely capable in all manner of snow conditions and terrain, but perhaps not as strong or quick as one or two other models in the category on account of the cushy liner and extra room in the lower boot. They were okay with this trade-off for the Speedmachine's luxuriant feel, and thought it a minor demerit that most wouldn't even notice. Transitions turn to turn were effortless, thanks to its neutral stance angles, and testers found that it was responsive in short turns and long turns alike.
The Tri-Force shell design keeps thicker plastic where it needs to be for power and stability and thins the plastic of the lower shell in areas where more flexibility and foot-wrapping needs to happen—this shaves some excess weight and also enables the Infrared bootfitting system to work properly. The Infrared heating system warms the thin areas in common fit problem areas to molding temperature, and then a vacuum driven suction cup is placed on the tight spot and the shell stretch is sucked into position.
Warning: not for newbies! Testers say the 2018 Nordica GPX 105 W is like a fine wine or a 911 Carrera S--easily wasted on the uninitiated—so strong, so fast, so elemental in its design. If you're good, then you're good. If you're looking for thickly padded, warm and sadly compromising, well, then, keep on looking.
This narrow lasted, four-buckle overlap fits like a glove everywhere but the heel, where testers were a little disappointed in the lack of retention. Easily solved with some L-pads and a bootfitter's help, but come on, right? We mean, the GPX W is descendant of heel-nipping Dobermann stock. For shame, Nordica! But seriously, we pick on this one fit zone because everything else here was just so damn good, fit-wise. Testers felt like they were cybernetically merged with this boot, connected to their skis by it like no other. Yes, the flex feel is firm. Yes the liner is thin and the shell's right there. And yes, testers liked both those things.
Quick, light, responsive, accurate, powerful, solid, aggressive, they said. Testers dig the way this boot digs trenches--without too much fuss. For as strong as this boot is, they said it has an easy, forgiving and obedient attitude underfoot. Several testers mentioned that the forward lean angle was too aggressive with the rear spoiler in—so they pulled it out and felt dialed. A miracle!
Yeah, sad to say, one tester wanted a fuzzier liner. This is not that boot. But it is bitchen in black with some powder blue buckle highlights. And the Full Motion Pivot cuff adjustment is a cool alignment tool that can help better balance knock-kneed and bowlegged skiers under the guidance of a skilled bootfitter.
The all-new 2018 Nordica Sportmachine takes the success of the Speedmachine and doubles-down on it by adding a 2 to the last width to nail a great-performing comfort ride, said testers who liked the combination of convenience, high-volume and straight forward skiing in this new 102 mm all-mountain boot.
Take the roomy toebox and forefoot of the Speedmachine and blow it out a little more—testers said the tapered grip on the ankle and heel is not nearly that of the medium-width here, and they felt that the relaxed fit tension worked well for the meaty-footed target. Testers did not have any fit zone complaints—other than a lack of general contact if they had an average to lower-volume foot—and said that the anatomical shaping matched the foot shape well, just on a large scale. Super easy to put on and take off with an easy to operate closure system—what's not to love here, testers said.
Gets 'er done everywhere on the hill, they said, but maybe not with the quickest cadence turn to turn. The Sportmachine loved its medium and long radius turns and was smooth and stable, which testers approved of, but they said there's definitely a little turbo lag and slight disconnection from the ski when compared with its more slender brother Speedmachine. Stance angles were neutral, if a little bit upright for the guys with average to slender calves. Big calf muscles have room here and will put the leg just a bit more forward, testers ventured.
The Sportmachine 130 has the same trick Infrared shell molding system developed specifically for the Speedmachine—the infrared heater brings the shell up to ideal molding temperature and a suction-cup of varying sizes and shapes is applied to the hot shell and the suction pulls the punch into place. The only real disappointment in the system is the fact that it will be rarely used here, since the boot fits so well (and already huge) right out of the box.
The 2018 Nordica Speedmachine 130 returns to the boot test with a revised liner (a more snug heel and stiffer cuff material) and testers gave it the thumbs up, again, but even more up this time for its better envelopment of the foot and a more high performance feel on snow. It still skis on autopilot--so easy, testers said.
It's still on the wide side of the medium group in the toebox and forefoot, and plenty dreamy, creamy, cushy upon one's first slide-in (which is super easy), but the fit quickly narrows to a firm wrap around the ankles and on the heel, which is much improved this year, testers agreed. The fit is evenly medium, testers say, through the instep and into the lower leg zone, which has a more locked-in, athletic feel this year due to the stiffer liner cuff construction. The flex feel is dead-on for comfortable (but high-end) skiing moves and testers liked the Power Driver plate that slides on the power strap for spreading pressure along the tongue.
This is the Volvo XC 90 of ski boots, one tester said. Sure, why not--all-wheel-drive, 250 horsepower, paddle shifters and plenty of leg room! Testers say the Speedmachine 130 practically skis for you it's so well-balanced and reactive to the surface underfoot. The thin-walled Tri-Force shell puts the foot in direct-feeling contact with the ski, though without a lack of padding or creature comfort, and it maintains a solid feel while on edge at all speeds. This is a boot that shouldn't ski as well as it does based on the high perceived level of comfort, but it does, and testers weren't complaining.
Testers liked the 3-D Cork liner construction for its firm, transmissive feel, insulating quality and molding capabilities. We really like the trick Infrared shell molding system developed specifically for the Speedmachine (and 102 mm Sportmachine boots)—the infrared heater brings the shell up to ideal molding temperature and a suction-cup of varying sizes and shapes is applied to the hot shell and the suction pulls the punch into place. The only real disappointment in the system is the fact that it will be rarely used, since the boot fits so well (and roomy where most need it) out of the box.
The 2018 Nordica GPX 130 is a serious ski boot for serious skiers—built off the same shell molds as the Dobermann GP, the GPX is similarly stripped-down and elemental. But it's not all business—because for good skiers mountain-wide domination is fun!
The GPX 130's revised Primaloft Cork Fit liner is sculpted to match the anatomical curves of the ankles and heel and offers slightly more padding and insulation than the progenitor Dobermann, softening the interaction of bony points and close-fitting shell. This year the toebox felt slightly more open than in the past, which testers liked, and they said that the heel is as snug and ski-controlling as ever—see your bootfitter for that little bump on the back of your heel or it'll grow! The tongue is firm on the shin but not sharp. Entry and exit is not easy, but neither is it difficult per the category average—so don't whine.
Got game? Give 'er with the GPX 130 and be rewarded with the kind of turn you envisioned, with no hindrance from the four-buckle linkage between you and your ski. It's a real 130-flex, and the cuff is slightly tall and slightly upright, so some manly muscle is required to engage it, but testers say that when you do the ski shovel becomes your bitch and you go wherever, and do whatever, you want with it. The GPX line employs a softer, more shock-absorbing bootboard (floor of shell) than in the Dobermann, and the polyurethane Extra-Grip soles have a shock mitigating influence on the off-piste attitude of the GPX. It's a technical-skier's boot that loves to get off the groomed and rip some stuff up!
Testers like the Power Driver power strap for its broad, pressure-spreading span. They also like the Full Motion Pivot dual lateral cuff adjustment that has "rotational" tweakability to alter the internal- or external-rotation of the shell to either match or attempt to manipulate a skier's knee tracking during flexion, either for improved balance or increased inside edge power—pretty slick when needed and properly implemented.
The 2018 Lange SX 90 W returns this year with a liner change that makes it slightly more open-feeling (a wider wide-load) and testers noticed the difference and approved—they liked that it was distinctly different, fit-wise, from the medium-width RX boot.
As with all the other Lange boots, the tapered fit to a more-snug heel and ankle pocket is evident here, testers said, though in a softer, more relaxed sorta way than found in the medium and narrow Langes. One tester said that it was like the perfect burrito wrap—so long as there's enough foot filling. It is a high-volume fit with a particularly roomy fit in the toebox, instep and calf—all the spots where the high-volume skier is looking for a little extra relief. Testers said that in addition to an open calf fit at boot top, the cuff is slightly upright in its forward lean angle, which will even better suit women with larger calf muscles.
Testers liked the easy, no worries roll from edge to edge in the SX 90 W. Neutral, predictable, stable and quick enough to get it done all around the mountain was the consensus here. Testers said the 90-flex was as billed—not a powerhouse, but neither was it a pushover for good skiing girls. At a list price of $550, the SX 90 W hits the value mark, but doesn't ski like a cheapskate.
The top buckle catch offers quick, tools-free adjustment that's helpful for getting it buckled around a muscular calf. The replaceable Ultra Grip soles are slightly cushioned and have great traction for getting to and from the snow.
The all new 2018 Lange RX 110 W not only crushed the competition in the All-Mountain medium-width group, it out-scored all the boots in the category regardless of width, tied for highest-scoring women's boot with one other and out-scored all the men's entries, save one. Why did it do so well? We think it's because it's as good as its slender sister RX 110 W LV but with slightly more room where it counts for most skiers, so everybody loved this one.
Testers say the RX 110 W is a benchmark for medium width fit characteristics without giving up on performance goals—meaning Lange hasn't blown-out the toebox and forefoot and fluffed-up the liner just to attract the wannabes. Testers say this top-shelfer fits like a Recaro seat built around the foot—firm and close in the heel and ankles and boot throat, like a custom foam liner a couple testers said. There's just enough room elsewhere to suit the average, medium-volume foot and leg, but without namby-pamby down comforter pandering. This one grabs on and holds ya. You're skiing all day, not mucking around in the lodge!
It's Lange's story this year and it's where this medium really elevated above the rest. The pre-sculpted 3-D liner's exterior matches the interior of the shell in a mirror image, mating the foot and leg to plastic and transmitting every skiing movement to the skis. Testers said the boot knifed through all manner of junk off-piste and drilled hard snow like a power tool. The delivery to the edge was impressive, they said, but easily matched by the boot's snappy energy and feel for the snow underfoot, too. This power and agility combo can be attributed to the RX (and RS) line's Dual Core shell which utilizes a unique production method to sandwich a less-dense plastic within the shell wall itself to create a more energetic, resilient feel—testers gave the nod.
We avoided the wet weather at this year's ABB Boot Test, but that didn't stop our test team from gushing about the all new 2018 Lange RX 110 W LV—it was almost embarrassing to read the test forms because it seemed like they'd been written by Lange's marketing department. Right at the tippy top of the narrow all-mountain group with one other boot, the RX 110 W LV impressed with its revised fit and a new, higher gear on snow.
Testers instantly noticed the new liner construction in this year's RX—almost like a foam-injected liner some said--firmer where it counted (heel and ankles), but softer in areas where some cushioning is nice (at the forefoot and over the top of the instep). They said the liner's rear control zone was almost too tight initially but felt those areas auto-mold with some wear time, and all agreed that the snug fit there was perfect for the category. This was one of the most-snug fits of the group—not race boot tight, but close, and testers loved that. The stance angles are neutral, testers reported, but they note that big calves don't fit well here and drive the leg a bit too forward. Thicker legs may want to opt for the medium-width RX W rather than the narrow-class RX W LV.
Like cornering in a Ferrari, one tester said of the RX 110 W LV—quick and aggressive with no play in the steering column. Across the board testers commented on how snappy and reactive the boot felt edge to edge and how firm but elastic the flex feel was. Both of these characteristics can be attributed to the new Dual Core plastic injection technology found in the RX (and RS) boots this year. A softer density plastic is sandwiched between higher density plastic throughout the shell wall, which is impressive in execution alone but even more surprising to find that the claims of increased energy and snap are for real!
A monoinjected polyether shell and cuff is a nice feature if there's going to be any bootfitting happening—this construction makes grinds and shell punches a snap for good bootfitters. Pretty basic, functional feature fare here. A single-side cuff adjustment and Ultra Grip soles are nice to have. WTR (Walk to Ride) soles can be purchased as an accessory for use with appropriate WTR bindings.
One tester said the 2018 Lange SX 130 is, stress-free livin' for all-mountain conditions and we'd say that sums it up pretty good. It returns to the boot test this year with a revised, more widely lasted liner for a more open feel—though a few testers mentioned it still fits a little bit on the snug side of the wide group.
The RX LV boots are narrow. The RX boots are a similar shape and fit profile but blown-up to medium-width proportions. The SX line opens it up yet again to a 102 mm that still shares Lange family fit characteristics. Testers acknowledge the V-shaped lower boot fit that tapered gradually to the heel and ankle—a Lange hallmark. The upper cuff received characteristically Lange kudos for having a comfortable shin fit and even flex properties. However, it also got even, but snuggish fit scores at the boot top for the calf but that was with the spoiler installed. Remove the rear spoiler in the 130 for a roomier fit there. The softer flexes in the SX line come without one.
One tester said the SX 130 made flexing and edging moves at a level that was head and shoulders above the other wide rides in the group and inspired confident skiing in all conditions. This sentiment was echoed by other testers who cited its predictable, stable, no-shenanigans attitude on snow. A few testers commented that they felt a little disconnected from the ski, but admitted they didn't have the girth to fill her properly.
We think a no-fuss 130-flex wide boot that actually skis as well as it fits is a cool feature, but add to that mono-injected polyurethane construction in the shell and cuff and you've got a real boot that a good bootfitter can easily modify as needed. The Velcro power strap is a nice, fat 45 mm one and there's a single-side cuff adjustment.
The 2018 Lange RX 130's score tops the All-Mountain medium width group—one of the largest and most competitive of boot test categories. What makes it so great? Well, testers simply said Lange took one of the best boots out there and made it better. This year's all new shell shape, new construction and revised liner didn't create any new problems, just elevated the fit and performance of a perennial favorite.
The RX is a little bit roomier this year, by design, as Lange wanted to more clearly delineate the difference between the RX LV narrow class gripper and this middle-of-the-roadster. In the past the medium RX got called out for riding the fence between medium and narrow. This year testers noticed the difference, and most loved the extra room. Not that this is a fluffy fit—the well-sculpted 3-D liner is firm and well-matched to the interior of the shell, so the grip on the foot is there, especially in the heel and ankle, but now the shape is opened up for average feet and legs. If this feels too roomy upon initial try-on, then the decision is clear—narrow RX LV for you.
The flex-feel is firm on the leg (legit 130) but with a new-found elastic quality. In fact, testers made many comments of the boot's snappy, energetic feel underfoot. "There is something about this new plastic that behaves very well on snow…" one tester pondered. And there is. This year Lange debuts a new type of plastic injection molding in the RX and RS boots that sandwiches a less-dense plastic in between higher density plastic within the shell wall itself, throughout both the lower and upper. This differential density creates an energetic internal tension of sorts and gives the boot a new, lively feel that testers loved. All this snappiness has not come at the cost of power or stability, said testers who assure this is not a jittery boot. Steep edge angles, high speeds and all manner of snow conditions were where the RX 130 shone.
The new RX 130 remains essentially the same basic four-buckle overlap it always has—no new frills, bells or whistles here. The Velcro power strap is a nice wide 50 mm. There's a single-side upper cuff adjustment that uses an old-school 3 mm Allen key. The Ultra Grip soles are grippy, hence the name, but not so soft as to wear out or not transmit energy to the ski. You can upgrade to WTR (Walk to Ride) soles for a few bucks and use them with a WTR binding.
$850 worth of skiing perfection is what one tester called the all new 2018 Lange RX 130 LV. The rest of the test team agreed, putting this one at the very top of the narrow All-Mountain category and giving it the highest score of all the men's All-Mountain boots, regardless of width.
Some testers described the fit of the RX 130 LV as, just like the frontside RS 130 but easier-going. Others said that at first the RX LV didn't feel tight-enough but then once they skied it they realized that it was just that it was so well-shaped that none of their bony spots were barking at them—it didn't ski loose, they explained. The new shell shape and liner shape are well-contoured to the foot and leg, and the two are well-matched to each other, with minimal tolerances between the exterior of the liner and the interior of the shell—no foot shearing or gappy feel here, testers claimed. Cuff height, shin fit and calf fit all got "ideal" marks.
Take a few laps through the race course, hammer a zipper line, grab a fatty and bury yourself in pow— testers said the RX 130 LV is the driver of choice for all those applications. Testers affirmed that the RX 130 LV has tons of brute strength on edge, at speed, but without sacrificing quickness. Which was better, its power or quickness? Dead heat, they said—the new RX shell construction utilizes a unique plastic injection method that creates a dual-density shell wall, in the lower boot and the cuff. This reportedly gives the boot a new lively, elastic feel. Testers reported that it ain't just marketing mumbo jumbo—as proof, quickness and agility scores were through the roof.
We think it's cool that a performance-oriented guy with a medium foot could stuff himself in here with some clean bootwork, thanks to the mono-injected polyether shell and cuff that makes grinds and stretches easy. WTR (Walk to Ride) soles can be swapped on here if you're into that—gotta have a WTR compatible binding with those. Testers like the simple, Velcro power strap and single-side, set-screw-style cuff adjustment.
