The Fischer RC4 Carbon Pro LV ZV BOA 130+ is a bit of a unicorn, within the tested all-mountain group and also within Fischer’s own RC4 range. The flagship 130+ (there is a regular 130 flex without the plus) most notably comes with a ZipFit liner but also with a carbon-infused cuff build, neither of which exist in the other RC4 130, 120 and 110 stiffnesses. For skiers who don’t want ZipFit or carbon, big discounts await them--$250, $350 or $450 off, respectively.
For skiers in the know, and with a foot and leg shape that suits, getting the ZipFit liner as part of the original purchase is well worth the premium pricing—and they’ll figure the carbon-infused cuff is a bonus, thrown in gratis! In fact, savvy ZipFit fans will see that the $1200 list price for the RC4 Carbon Pro LV ZF BOA is actually a 300-dollar savings over having to buy the 130 flex and then tacking on a full-priced ZipFit. Those same ZF fanatics will also tell you that the liner is an investment that you can amortize over time, cycling it into subsequent boots.
Our testers like the way that the RC4 controls a ski—with power and precision, and a lot of yellow. Polyurethane shell and cuff construction with additional carbon fiber infused into the upper boot makes for a strong and stable foundation that puts a ski on edge in precise fashion, holds it there as long as the skier wants, regardless of speed or snow surface, and then cleanly releases it for another trenching arc.
The RC4 LV’s fit is a favorite of our test team for a heel and ankle pocket that means business, and the ZF model’s cork-loaded ZipFit rearfoot fit zones enhance this serious grip on the foot. Both the shell and liner offer an increasing amount of fit forgiveness toward the front of the lower boot. The toebox is downright wide, testers say, and the forefoot is a generous medium-width. For skiers with feet shaped like this narrow-heeled triangle it’s a match made in heaven. Similarly, for skiers who crave a locked in rearfoot with freedom of movement, warmth, circulation and sensation for an entire family of pigs up front, the RC4 ZF fit map is manna from heaven.
The lower BOA reel serves the ZipFit boot entry protocol well. Undo the top buckles, pop out the BOA knob to release it, then stuff the foot and liner, as a unit, into the shell. The BOA cabling will spool out as much as needed to allow the foot and liner to enter the boot and then it can be reeled back in by re-engaging the spool and spinning the wheel to regain the fit tension desired around the foot.
Our test team reminds folks trying on the RC4 ZF model that the initial rearfoot fit is often firmly, not-right, depending on who was last in the boot. The cork-and-resin filled ankle area will take a partial set on a person’s foot over several minutes of warm-up. If your ankle bones’ shapes and locations differ greatly from the previous skier’s, things will take a bit of time for the liner to re-adjust. Testers assure that it will do so, and advise patience with the try-on process. Skiing the boot (runs and days) yields even more improvement, as will an in-shop heat-soaking with a trained fitter using an oven or hot stacks.
