The Head Edge 130 HV BOA impressed our test team with its good looks, ease-of-entry, intuitive closure, roomy wide-last fit and its strong skiing performance. That's pretty much the whole ball of wax there--and they liked every bit of it. The tester commentary was unanimously positive--literally, no negative comments. And yet the numeric score average kept the Edge 130 HV BOA out of gold medal status--what gives there? As hindsight is 20/20, we'd have to say some mistake was made--perhaps testers got confused? Well, there isn't any changing the scores now, but we can do our best to represent how testers experienced the boot, regardless of the scoring conundrum.
One veteran tester said that this boot would make any skier better--and this is a guy who's devoted his adult life to teaching skiing and coaching junior athletes. Another tester said that this boot offered solutions, not problems, anywhere and everywhere on the mountain. The 130 flex was rated as legitimate, with a smooth flex feel and predictable power delivery that didn't fold or fail regardless of the size of the tester or how hard he hammered on it, they said.
They agreed that the Edge 130 HV was no bucket, meaning it was not an amorphously wide and generally boxy fit, but at the same time they said it could house a massive foot and leg. They explained that the heel and ankles were held with just enough firmness of grip to manage the skis through variable terrain but they said there was room there for the very high volume foot everywhere else. They liked the convenience of the BOA reel on the lower shell and had zero complaints about it hindering entry. They also liked the big range of adjustment that the cuff buckles' slider catches offered to big, muscular calves, with flip-out Double Power buckle levers to help close up shop around said tree trunks. Huge guys should look here first, testers said, mentioning that the big fit was matched by even bigger sizing--up to a gargantuan 34.5!
The flex feel of the 130-flex was lauded by many--adequate shin cushioning without feeling bulky and a solid stopping point to prop up a big dude in a functional, neutral stance. The sliding, position-adjustable power driver plate on the power strap was a hit with testers for dialing in the flex feel, just so. The flex is set at the stiffer 130 position but it can be adjusted down to a 120 if needed.
The liner in all sizes but the largest is a Liquid Fit model, meaning the heel and ankle area can be snugged a bit by pumping some proprietary Head goo into the internal bladders with the help of a Head dealer bootfitter-type, but testers didn't feel a need to make any change to the fit here.
Kudos