Head Kore RS 130 LV Ski Boot 2022 – 2023 | Review - Mpora

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Head Kore RS 130 LV Ski Boot 2022 – 2023 | Review

The Head Kore RS 130 is one of the highest performing freeride touring boots we tested this season

Why we chose the Head Kore RS 130: Powerful, energetic, vice-like fit 

Flex: 130
Last: 98 mm
Cuff Range: 53°
Forward Lean: 9° / 16°
Binding Compatibility: GripWalk / MNC / Tech bindings
Price: £600

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Head has totally redesigned their Kore lineup of freeride touring boots for the 22/23 winter season. A brand new ski/hike mechanism offers improved power transfer, and a smoother walk mode. The leaders in World Cup winning boot technology are really flexing their muscles with these boots, and we’re stoked to see it.

Head Kore RS 130 LV Build

The most obvious, and perhaps the most essential, change in terms of uphill and downhill performance is in the all-new ski/hike mechanism. While Head made use of an internal link built into the cuff in the previous models of Kore boots, they’ve now opted for this external ski/hike lever.

It’s a pretty simple, yet extremely effective, design. It features a single lever that can be flipped up and down, like so, to put the boot into either ski or hike mode. Once the lever is flipped down it then locks into this little catch to provide a solid lock out for both fore and aft cuff movements. When you’re looking to go into hike mode then just give the lever a flip up and the cuff is released to a near frictionless hike mode – it’s that simple.

The lever can be adjusted, by taking out a few bolts and rotating the locking bar, to increase or decrease the forward lean adjustment by one degree.

This hike mode lever is quickly becoming the go-to solution for freeride boots. Offering an impressive hike mode with 53 degrees of range of motion, and with very little sacrificed in downhill performance, there’s a lot to like about it. We’re big fans of this solution as it’s simple, repairable and ultimately provides a solid lock for downhill performance. We can totally get why Head has opted to use it here.

Take this update in materials, ski/hike mechanism and new liner and blend it all together. What you’re treated to one of the most impressive boot flexes we’ve seen on a freeride touring boot. Just as you’d like to see from a ski boot, the flex begins relatively soft as you initially flex into the cuff but soon ramps up the deeper you flex. A truly progressive flex is often lacking in many freeride boots, so it’s great to see Head strike the right notes with this more-than-capable boot.

Head Kore RS 130 LV Fit

The last, and general geometry, of the boots has been borrowed from the legendary Raptor series of World Cup winning boots – a boot we’ve often featured within our Ski 100 guides. Because of this, we found the fit extremely familiar and found they only took around two days to comfortably break in when sized to my usual size.

We tested the race-inspired 98 mm last but there’s also the option of a 100mm last for a little more comfort (or just to simply fit a wider foot).

We’ll keep the fit chat pretty minimal, as it’s all pretty subjective, but what stood out the most was the fantastic all-round hold of the 98mm last which, when combined with the Kore Pro Light Liner, provided a highly responsive ride with a near-instant energy return. The Kore pro light liner has been developed with a reinforced upper cuff for better skiing performance and improved heel retention for better skiing control and walkability.

Who Is The Head Kore RS 130 LV For?

All of this resulted in one of the best performing freeride boots our test team has been on. The Kore 130 provided an extremely high performance ride across the entire mountain, and throughout some challenging conditions.

When we took them for a hike or ski tour in or out of the resort, we’re glad to say the boots provided a surprisingly efficient hike mode that we could see being comfortable even on far-flung backcountry missions. Yes, that walk mode isn’t going to compare to the feeling of a lightweight touring specific boot but you simply can’t complain when you’re carrying that much downhill performance on your feet.

What Is The Head Kore RS 130 LV Good At?

Performance: 9/10
Fit: 9/10
Touring: 8/10

Topics:

Head Skis Ski 100 2022/23 Ski Boots
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