Walk Mode
While the X-Face is marketed as having some serious touring chops, I didn’t find this to be the case.
When locked, the walk mode is solid, and I noticed no play in the cuff. But in touring mode, the range of motion does not increase significantly. The cuff just doesn’t rotate that much, something I especially noticed on the long flat approaches so common in Grand Teton National Park.
I tried pulling out the tongue which helped a little, but I still would not recommend this boot to someone looking primarily for a touring boot.
Performance
Given their relatively high weight and limited walk mode, I’ve mostly been skiing the X-Face inbounds, where they’ve excelled.
The boot is a little stiffer than the Full Tilt Konflict, and also offers a little more lateral support. Combine that with the buckle placement and the excellent power strap, and I would say that the X-Face is noticeably higher performing than the Konflict.
The X-Face’s cuff height is similar to Full Tilt’s older models, which is to say that it’s higher than the Descendant 8.
While the flex is not quite as progressive as the Descendant’s, I never found it to be unduly harsh.
After skiing conditions ranging from icy groomers to wind-buffed crud to blower pow, I’ve been very impressed with the X-Face. It is stiff enough that I’ve never had trouble driving bigger skis even on questionable snow, and the flex is smooth and progressive enough that I’ve gotten away with more than a few backseat landings with minimal shin bang.
After wearing Full Tilts exclusively for the last three years, I was very impressed skiing the X-Face. The build quality seems better, the buckles and straps are more secure and seem to be more durable, and the overall ride feels much more precise to me.
Although the walk mode does not deliver an impressive range of motion compared to dedicated touring boots, and they’re not lightweight enough to be considered a true touring boot, the tech binding compatibility adds a layer of versatility that sets these apart from your typical inbounds boot, or even most alpine boots with walk modes.
Bottom Line
While the Roxa X-Face 120 is not a great choice for missions that require extended skinning and bootpacking, it is a substantial step up from most other, similar 3 piece boots. Its walk mode, interchangeable soles, and built-in tech fittings position it as a much more versatile option than many other three-piece boots, without sacrificing inbounds performance.