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At a Glance

• Brand: Fischer
• Model: RC4 Pro MV
• Gender: Unisex
• Level: Expert

Specs

• Last Width (mm): 100
• Flex: 140
• Sizes: 22.5-30.5

Pros:

• Comes with a ZipFit liner
• BOA H+i1 alpine lace system enables a really dialed fit

Cons:

• Hefty price tag (though it’s reflective of the included ZipFit liner)
• 140 flex is as advertised, i.e. extremely stiff, and therefore only for the chargiest of skiers

So often in the hardgoods market, a brand will roll out a redesign that’s little more than a fresh decal. But with the RC4 Pro MV, Fischer tore up the foundation and started from scratch. This thing is a legitimate work of art, and it comes with a Sotheby’s-level price tag to prove it. Built to bring the brand’s heritage race last to the consumer market, the new RC4 Pro MV was developed from the ground up with a new mold to include the BOA H+i1 alpine lace system and a full ZipFit liner. (ZipFit calls them “inner boots.”) This is, full stop, the highest-end alpine boot on the market.

Fit wise, the RC4 Pro MV combines a low- to mid-volume heel pocket (which seats the Achilles and keeps you snug in the aft of the boot) with a high instep volume, allowing the BOA system to wrap the forefoot nicely. Together, the fit achieves impressive containment without crushing any high cuneiform bones. We never felt any pressure on the top of the forefoot, but were able to cinch up the sides of the metatarsal heads nicely by cranking the BOA. As with all the H+i1 boots that have hit the market this year, the BOA is micro-adjustable. Just spin it back a click or two to fine-tune the fit without fully popping open the dial like on snowboard and touring boots.

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All three of our testers have been skiing with ZipFits in their boots for years now, and we firmly believe they are the best aftermarket liner available. When we heard the RC4 Pro MV would come with a ZipFit, we were initially skeptical: How could a boot include a $500 liner and still come in at a remotely reasonable price? We figured they must have watered the liner down somehow. But no, this thing is the real deal—basically ZipFit’s Gara model, but with a redesigned lacing system. ZipFits are leather-and-neoprene liners with injectable pockets for their OMFit cork (though they come filled with a good amount of cork already). This is basically ground cork in a vegetable-oil-based mixture that doesn’t really pack down; it simply gets pushed to where it’s needed. These pockets supply an ironclad grip on the heel and ankle while leaving the forefoot unstructured to splay naturally. Combined with the BOA, the RC4 Pro MV delivered the best fit we’ve ever found in a medium-volume boot: precise, comfortable, and extremely warm.

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We were grateful for the exact fit, because this boot is extremely stiff. It was easy to get into a driving stance because of how well-lasted the boot is, but flexing it requires some heft and skill. The carbon-fused cuff delivers a real Fischer 140 flex and will have no trouble driving an FIS-level GS ski if you want it to. This is a frontsider’s dream boot, but if you let yourself get sloppy or backseated in the bumps, well, good luck.

If and when you are able to flex into the cuff, this boot will bend the heck out of a ski. We felt like we were flying across the fall line exiting the turn; the 70-millimeter frontside ski we used to test the boot was an exercise in fancy footwork, and the boot absolutely delivered.

If you want what is essentially a plush, cheater WC boot that has replaceable GripWalk soles and an extremely nice liner that could last 800 days on snow, the RC4 Pro MV is the boot for you. We were impressed by the fit, power, warmth, and comfort this option supplied while refusing to bat an eye at highway speeds. It would be a brilliant tool for a racing-department employee who stands around in the cold and then has to rip high-speed turns, or a heavier all-mountain skier who wants World Cup precision all over the mountain.

See how the Fischer RC4 Pro MV stacks up against our other favorite alpine boots of the year.