I haven’t been in a Salomon boot since the 1990s ... it was the Integral Equipe 9.0 bubblegum boot, and quite frankly I wasn’t in it for much more than a cup of coffee. Before that, I had some limited time in some SX92E and SX92R models. Since then I have tried a few on, but nothing really struck my fancy -- until now. One of the issues I have when testing is the lack of 25.5s as an option because most early-production models come in 26.5 or 27.5. Last year Salomon did bring the all-new S/Max 130 in my tiny size, so that was my chance; after a few runs I could think was, Wow.
Every year I bring a new boot (or two) into my rotation. Last year, the Head Raptor 140 was my reference boot. I put 100 days in it, and it's still skiing strong. I need to get in some other products, though, or I would still be happily skiing the Raptor. (It's all part of the job; you can thank me later.)
On to the S/Max. The first thing I noticed was how light it is. The scary thing is, it isn’t even the lightest of the collection. That distinction goes to the smurf-blue S/Max 130 Carbon, which is about 120 g lighter than the 1780 g of the stark white regular 130. The second thing I noticed was the very narrow back half of the boot. This boot has a heel pocket that feels like a suction cup.
In comparing the S/Max 130 to the Raptor, you cannot but notice the weight difference; it is significant. At almost 2500 g, the Raptor feels like workout weights on your feet; the S/Max feels more like an endurance running shoe. If you put one on each foot and swing your feet, you feel the mass of the Raptor controlling the momentum where the S/Max feels like it is just along for the ride. If light weight didn’t matter, Head would not be offering its Nexo LYT boots alongside the Raptors. What does all this mean in actual performance? Well, keep reading.
This is not a Cage Match between these two boots; it is a transition from one to the other, so enough about the Raptor. Not only are we talking light weight with this new generation of boots, but we are talking a level of customization that traditional plastic boots were never capable of. When I skied the boot at Copper last year, I felt right at home in it and thought, I need to get a pair of these into my boot rotation. Then a few months later, after numerous emails and suggestions that I might (or might not) have incriminating photographs, a pair arrived at Pugski's Test Center.
On the matching S/Max Blast.
The Custom Shell HD is very easy to mold. I followed Salomon’s guidelines, and I warmed the liners at the same time the shell was heating. During the heating, I padded my feet over the navicular and on my sixth toe. The mold process went as expected, and while the fit was snug with the pads, the boots felt great once I got the pads off. When I first initially tried the boots on and checked my stance, I was about 1° out on both; after the mold process, I was dead-on neutral. If you have alignment issues and traditional shells require canting and routering of the lugs, the S/Max can be canted during the molding process.
Once I was able to get out on the snow with this new white wonder, I immediately felt the responsiveness of the low-volume design and, yes, the light weight. I will get to the weight in a bit, but let's talk about the fit. The new S/Max has a much more responsive fit than anything I have ever tried from Salomon. The shell is more contoured and anatomical in design, again in the back half of the boot -- where the magic and energy come from. How narrow is the back? There are three buckle positions on the shell for closure; one of the first things I have to do to a boot for a snug fit is move the ladders to the tightest position. This is the first boot that not only can I leave them in the center position, but I am nowhere near maxing them out.
I keep touching on the light weight of the boot. This is something addressed extensively in the article Evolution and Revolution of Ski Design. Well, we are seeing a revolution in boot design with Salomon's mono-injected Core Frame reinforcement, which allows Salomon to offer these lighter-weight options. These light boots are easier to walk in, easier to get on and off, and, for a bootfitter, easier to work on. All that is icing on the cake because most important, they are easier to ski. How is that? Even though there is not a lot of sprung weight with a boot on snow, there is a lighter and quicker feel when you are making quick short turns across the hill. The boot is very reactive, and reactive is fun.
I will be reporting back throughout the season and filling in some of the holes such as the specifics about how I set up the boot up, so stay tuned.
- Who is it for? Chicken legs, you found your boot.
- Who is it not for? Athletic-calf guy. Yes, boots can be modified on the cuff, but there are probably better options.
- Insider Tip 1: The cuff alignment screws are hidden under sleek two-hole covers, but much of the cuff shape will change during the molding process.
- Insider Tip 2: No GripWalk option ... yet. While the S/Max has replaceable soles, an articulated sole would be a nice option.
