Bootfitter's Notes: Tecnica R9.8 130 Review
Tecnica has long been proud of their race heritage and the success of their narrow performance-focused boots. The Inferno released a few years ago, and the new Tecnica R9.8 130, which uses the same mold, has been a success over previous models and a pleasure to ski.
I owned the Inferno and skied the 9.8 130 extensively as my primary boot for three years. The fit is fantastic; I have a C-width foot, and didn’t have to do much work to make the 9.8 comfortable. After many days of skiing I put in a 5th metatarsal punch and an ankle punch, which are more than reasonable for the amount of days I’ve put into these well-loved boots.
The 98 mm category is bitterly contested, and all manufacturers (for the most part) make an excellent boot in this category. Why should Tecnica take your hard earned money? That is for you and your bootfitter to decide of course, with so many great boots in the category, go with the one that fits your foot best based on your values and needs, as each boot in the category skis darn well. What I can say is that for my foot and skiing ability, the Tecnica was a great match and a pleasure to ski for so long.
Tecnica has taken great care to get stance and alignment dialed in neutrally; I was off by a hair with my canting, which is standard for me. The stance is upright in what I call a "modern stance." This stance took me a day or so to get used to, but now when I demo boots with aggressive forward lean I don’t feel right. Tecnica stance and forward lean seems to be on par with Lange boots, and Nordica is on a similar plane as well.
The fit of the R 9.8 is divine. A snug heel pocket and a nice tight medial wall drive the skiability of the boot and give the skier maximum control over the boot. The R9.8 has consistently scored quite high in boot test rankings. Edge control is excellent with the R9.8, the 130 flex is stiff and takes a true expert skier to bend the boot. That being said, the Tecnica R9.8 110 flex may be more appropriate for lighter weight athletes.
Dual pivot canting on the cuff allows you to get the cuff aligned a degree or so in or out, those with more difficult canting will still need to get the soles planed to their specifications.
Side note: this boot and others like the Lange RS series and the Dobermann series from Nordica are posted on the manufacturers websites under the “Race” category. At the Start Haus, we find these boots work quite well with all mountain experts looking for a snug fit and expecting on-piste performance as well as off-piste demands. Don’t let the term race scare you away from an excellent boot; if you have a narrow foot you owe it to yourself to look at several boots that have race printed on the graphic, but in truth, are much wider than an honest race boot you’ll see on the World Cup or even at the FIS level.