One tester wrote that while she was skating to the lift for her first test run on the new Lange Code 115 W LV BOA she thought to herself, wow, this fit is awesome, and then she realized she hadn’t even buckled-up yet. It only got better from there, she said, as the buckles-top and BOA-bottom closure combination enhanced the already well-suited low-volume fit mapping for a gap-free grip on all parts of the foot and leg with a test-topping level of shin comfort.
In the past five years, Lange has proven to be one of the perennial leaders when it comes to a properly matched anatomical fit with tester-favored flex feel, so testers were not surprised to find themselves logging perfect fit scores for the new Code. They thought the heel pocket was serious in its intent to hold the rearfoot down on the floor for aggressive skiing but they found that the instep, forefoot and calf offered a bit of fit freedom that maintained sustainable comfort and warmth levels for an all-day on-snow experience.
Lange has been at the top of the leaderboard for on-snow performance within the freeride category for many years, at least as it relates to the descent—and testers assured that the Code 115 was every bit a lift-riding, piste-attacking, all-mountain weapon for those skiers who might not stray far from the chair. However, the Code marks a new direction for Lange in terms of its cuff release mechanism (more in-line with other category best-tourers) that has finally put it at the top of the freeride group for a flawless blend of uphill ease and downhill power.
The cuff’s range-of-motion is vastly improved with the new, external cuff to lower shell connection bar and testers also said that the quality of movement when released is smoother for a more natural feeling stride. The re-connection of the external bar mechanism was easily accomplished with gloves on, testers said, and it offered a straightforward, no-play lock-down for the descent when the time came.
Testers similarly liked the quick transition from ski mode to release via a quick flip of the bar, a pull-pop of the lower BOA and a couple flicks on the traditional upper cuff buckles. Our test team used this release protocol for a rapid shift into apres tailgate mode, but they assured that for more serious touring types it would enable a rapid turnaround for another trip up. They also thought that the light mint hue with peachy-pink BOA highlights struck a nice balance between function and frills, matching Lange’s new “best-of-both” hybrid character.
