Expert-flex without the expert-only hassles of an uncomfortably thin racing liner. Flex rating: 90.

Sometimes the toughest challenge of the ski season isn't a double-diamond chute glazed in blue ice. It's finding a rigid expert or advanced ski boot with enough ergonomic padding on the inside. That's probably why Salomon paired their 90-flex rated Impact 8 boot with a plush My CF Sport liner. It's rigid when you need the support in crucial turns but still soft enough to keep your feet feeling good throughout the day. The Impact 8 ski boot features Salomon's Advanced Shell Technology with a Second Skin Shell that has an average width of two millimeters but in some places the thicker shell areas were reduced by as much as four millimeters to reduce the average boot weight by as much as 10% over last year. This season Salomon replaced their Spaceframe holes with an asymmetrical multilayer construction (Spaceframe Shell Profile) to optimize your energy transmission between your foot and the ski binding. The liner has a softer sole beneath your metatarsals for improved forefoot sensitivity but the stiff Salomon Energyzer around the heel area of the shell helps keep the stiffness for full power transmission. The Impact 8 ski boot also features an improved Salomon 3D Buckle with more adjustment features including three positions that increase your customization possibilities. If you like skiing expert terrain but you want a boot that is comfortable enough to cover ground all day Salomon's Impact 8 treats you better than most of the stuff out there this season.