Boots are not new to K2, which introduced a short run back in the 1970s and then moved away from them. Around 2012, K2 re-entered the market with a four-buckle boot. The all-new collections did well, with a good stance and an Intuition liner, but it wasn't the sales success K2 had hoped. Enter the new Recon/Luv collection for 2018-19. Where the previous boot was a follower in design, the new boot is a leader. The Spyne and Spyre felt like me-too boots, and they were never the first ones I reached for when fitting someone. But the Recon has its own character and is a top contender.
Last year I had the opportunity to spend a few days in the Recon (read about that HERE) and was impressed even though it was not my size. That boot was passed along to @Ron, who is now skiing it as his everyday boot; his long-term review can be found HERE. What I immediately noticed with the Recon was how light it is -- yes, like the Salomon S/Max, the other boot I am reviewing this season. I could feel the difference from my Raptor immediately when I put the boot on and start walking. But how will the 1650g boot feel on snow? Stay tuned.
As I referenced in the Recon boot preview, this boot is shaped like a foot. I know that sounds obvious, but you would be surprised by how many boots still just do not fit. Yes, last year I was questioned how I could fairly review a boot that wasn’t my size. Well, for not being my ski-boot size (25.5), it is my measured size (26.5) -- and it skied darn well. If I were a 10-day-a-season skier and not looking for a performance fit, I probably would be skiing a 26.5. But I am not that skier.
With Thermic C-Pack 1700 installed (review coming)
Putting on the LV next to the MV model, there isn’t that much of a difference in fit. It isn't that the LV is generous; it is that the MV is snugger than most 100mm boots. The Recon has 12° of forward lean out of the box, definitely on the upright end of the spectrum. I prefer a little more aggressive forward lean, so during the shell molding process, I worked on pulling the cuff forward during the cooling stage. I also added a pad by my sixth toe for a bit more room. The one thing I didn’t have to do was pad my navicular; the Recon has one of the best pockets here. I didn’t check my lateral alignment before I molded the shell, but when I was done, my stance was neutral.
Will these new plastics replace the old guard? Of course not. But unless you are racing and looking for the Nth degree of precision (and I am not sure how much of the latter is really lost), a boot like the Recon should be on your short list.
Last year I had the opportunity to spend a few days in the Recon (read about that HERE) and was impressed even though it was not my size. That boot was passed along to @Ron, who is now skiing it as his everyday boot; his long-term review can be found HERE. What I immediately noticed with the Recon was how light it is -- yes, like the Salomon S/Max, the other boot I am reviewing this season. I could feel the difference from my Raptor immediately when I put the boot on and start walking. But how will the 1650g boot feel on snow? Stay tuned.
With Thermic C-Pack 1700 installed (review coming)
Putting on the LV next to the MV model, there isn’t that much of a difference in fit. It isn't that the LV is generous; it is that the MV is snugger than most 100mm boots. The Recon has 12° of forward lean out of the box, definitely on the upright end of the spectrum. I prefer a little more aggressive forward lean, so during the shell molding process, I worked on pulling the cuff forward during the cooling stage. I also added a pad by my sixth toe for a bit more room. The one thing I didn’t have to do was pad my navicular; the Recon has one of the best pockets here. I didn’t check my lateral alignment before I molded the shell, but when I was done, my stance was neutral.
This is where I found the first of two flaws with the boot (the second will be addressed in the insider tip at the end of the review). "Flaw" probably isn’t the right word; maybe it is just a design oversight that can be easily addressed by a competent bootfitter. On the medial (inside) side of the cuff, on the bottom of the third strap, the plastic is not rounded where it meets the clog. It actually rounded and conformed when I heated the shell, but it still pressed down on the clog (lower shell) when I flexed into the boot. This design aspect is more exaggerated with someone who has a very skinny leg and must take volume out of the cuff. This is not the first boot I have had to do this with, but it is the first boot where the cuff was angular rather than rounded where it meets the clog. This issue was remedied with a couple of minutes with a Foredom. When done, the overall fit of the boot is uniform and snug; now all that's left is to ski it.
"Reactive" is the first thing that comes to mind in the new boot. These new plastics brighten up the experience; the boot just pops. The Raptor, again, is a great boot, solid and stable. The Recon is like a teenager who is full of energy; while it might make a mistake or two, it is bright-eyed and full of zest. The Raptor is more mature and calculated. Is either bad? Not at all, it is personal preference. Where the Raptor is isolated, solid, and goes over (and through) everything, the Recon with its thin wall and lightness is more sensitive and transmits more snow feel.Will these new plastics replace the old guard? Of course not. But unless you are racing and looking for the Nth degree of precision (and I am not sure how much of the latter is really lost), a boot like the Recon should be on your short list.
- Who is it for? The skier who wants performance but not at the cost of weight; the price-conscious, because these retail for about $100 less than most other comparable flex offerings.
- Who is it not for? Ricky Racer. If you are running gates, stay with your traditional plug/race boots. But if you are considering a boot for the days when you are not whacking gates, you might be surprised with this one.
- Insider tip 1: If you tried the last generation of K2 boots, forget them; this boot truly is all-new.
- Insider tip 2: The second design miss is that the lugs are hollow. In the quest to save grams, they removed plastic from the lugs. Does this matter for the vast majority of skiers? No, but if you are looking at extreme canting or dealing with a leg-length issue, it might cause limitations. (Of course, this can be said about almost every non-solid-lug race boot on the market.)
