The newly updated Cabrio LV 95 W was a hit with our test team for its classic cabrio, long-travel flex feel and ridiculously easy entry and exit. They also said that for narrow, high-arched feet looking for a snug lower boot without crushing the top of the foot, this is that fit-unicorn!
This year’s Cabrio LV is revised in both shell and liner, with a more-snug forefoot fueled by the narrower cabrio lower shell and a re-designed shin fit a la the spiral-wrapping 3DWrap liner. The improved shin fit played into the soft-flexing 95’s relaxed fore-aft attitude, testers said, claiming that this flex level was best geared for more petite skiers and those with a cruisey all-mountain plan for the day. Easy, breezy arcs on groomers and light off-piste chunder and bumps served as the happy place for the Cabrio LV 95, they said.
They adored how easy the open-throat of the cabrio lower shell paired with the spiral wrap liner to offer unimpeded and well-padded entry into the boot—especially for skiers with limited first toe or ankle joint range of motion, they said this was the golden ticket for getting a boot on easily. As with most three-piece designs, testers had to negotiate the various tongue overlaps and flaps to arrange buckles and straps to get the closure done-up, but once practiced a few times the system is easily navigated, they said.
Testers were a little disappointed in the 95’s overly soft (i.e. collapsing at times) flex but they were intrigued by the fact that there is a stiffer 115-flex version available that comes with a burlier hook-and-cam-buckle powerstrap—both features that would appeal to taller, more aggressive skiers looking for the same narrow but high instep fit agenda found on the tested model. Considering that the 115-flex only costs thirty-bucks more, that should be on strong skiers’ radar, for sure.
