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 pocket tighter, our test team says not necessary! They claimed the heel pocket fit, straight-out-of-the-box, was ultra tight for a locked-in, performance-oriented feel that managed to avoid pinching, biting or numbness. It wasn't the only part of the RC4 105 LV BOA's fit that they loved, but it was a highlight for them to find a narrow boot that truly fit the narrow foot.
The traditional tongue liner (not a Fischer ZipFit) was a hit with the test team, who liked the adequately padded feel throughout (especially in the liner tongue) that cushioned their bony spots while holding them snug and avoided straying into mushy, pack-out potential. In fact, as testers put the boot through its paces on snow they felt the fit got better, without becoming loose--a comment backed up by fit scores that went up for the dynamic, on-snow fit metric. One of our thicker-calf and average width heel testers absolutely did not like the too-tight fit in both the cuff and heel pocket--and that's a good thing for the slender of leg and heel who's seeking real grip to assist in their goal--to-rip.
Fittingly (so to speak), the Fischer catalog states that the RC4 105 LV BOA's narrow last shape is aimed at ambitious ladies, and our test team resoundingly agreed, stating that the close fit was the starting place for real performance but that the boot's stance then unlocked the opportunity for dynamic movement on snow. In fact, the Dynamic Balance score for the 105 LV was a perfect 10. They loved how this boot skied, everywhere they drove it, calling it both a frontside style trencher on the groomed and a stable-but-reactive off-piste marauder.
This was their second-highest scoring Fischer at this year's test (the wide, 95-flex Ranger HV edged it out) for the on-target combination of its evenly low volume fit and flawless performance skill set, with the test team preferring it to the 115-flex RC4 LV version with the ZipFit liner. The 105's $350 discount when compared to the 115-flex didn't hurt either.
Kudos
Caveats