In some ways, the RS series hasn’t changed in decades, but 2017 interjects a different shade of blue with orange accents. While this commentary is a repost of last season’s report, the associated FIND buttons connect to 2017 starting inventory.
Since the creation of the plastic ski boot, no single brand and design has proven as enduring as the four-buckle overlap Lange race boot. Of course there has been considerable evolution over 50 years, but the essentials have remained much the same: get the basic stance angles correct and cut out all frills. Today’s incarnation is the RS 130, the “true 130,” the blue boot that represents the gold standard in race performance.
The RS 130 is a burly boot whether you opt for the narrow 97mm last or the medium (which Lange calls Wide) 100mm geometry. You don’t have to be racer to appreciate these shells, but it helps. If you’re a real beast – and you better be wearing a bib – you can try deflecting the RS 140; if you’re lighter or just need a softer flex without altering anything else, the RS 110 also comes in 97mm and 100mm versions.