Nordica HF

[Susie]

Has anyone skied the Nordica HF "hands free" rear entry boot... how about the heated model? I have a fused ankle and now a fused spine. I need something to get me on the snow, while I'm still recovering my mobility. I love that it is easy to take on and off and that I don't have to mess with once on. I tried on the boot on in a shop (though, I could only find it in a size too big). It was super easy to get on and off, truly hands free. The support feels better than I expected (for example, way better than the Apex). It of course feels wide (I'm used to a Lange RS 120), but that may be okay. At this point, I'm not looking for performance... just want to go skiing, warm and comfortably. Appreciate your thoughts!

 

[Philpug]

Preview: - 2021 Nordica HF110

A modern take on an old friend.

www.skitalk.com

I think we would have to do some work to the boot to get it skiable for yoru foot. The 110 does not go down small enough for you and the 85 won't be enough w/o a powerstrap and a closer liner. Especially knoing the Lange you are coming from. If you want to stop by Sunday, we can play with it.

 

[cem]

there are a few neat tricks that can be done to the HF to improve the fit for a slimmer foot, and to stiffen things up/ give a bit more rebound, biggest issue we have is that the 110 stops at 25 and the 85w stops at 23 where i wish they would go to a size smaller (they run really long anyway)

we already have some ideas logged with the nordica design team for the future, but as with anything involved with ski boot design and production cost is the massive factor

 

[Philpug]

there are a few neat tricks that can be done to the HF to improve the fit for a slimmer foot, and to stiffen things up/ give a bit more rebound,

As I said in the article, the 102 mm HF already skied better/snugger than the (previous generation) 100mm Speedmachine.

 

[Slemers]

Skied these HF110's last year and enjoyed them. I saw 5 or 6 other guys in this boot as well. They got me back into the sport after a 10 year absence
I look forward to losing the mask this year at Mt. Hood

 

[DerKomisar]

These boots are intriguing, anyone try out the HF Pro 120’s? Seems like an even better performing version.

HF PRO 120 (GW) | en | Nordica - Skis and Boots – Official website USA

www.nordica.com

 

[Tom K.]

These boots are intriguing, anyone try out the HF Pro 120’s? Seems like an even better performing version.

HF PRO 120 (GW) | en | Nordica - Skis and Boots – Official website USA

www.nordica.com

Also intrigued. Loving my Hawx 130 S boots, but I've got a turf toe thing that is slowly getting worse. In and out of an overlap boot involves a quick moment of intense "excitement" this season that is a new thing.....probably only going one direction in the long term.

 

[Philpug]

These boots are intriguing, anyone try out the HF Pro 120’s? Seems like an even better performing version.

HF PRO 120 (GW) | en | Nordica - Skis and Boots – Official website USA

www.nordica.com

The 120 just adds a power strap. In you have a 110, you too can do that or even a Booster or better, the Atomic Professional one.

 

[Marker]

Also intrigued. Loving my Hawx 130 S boots, but I've got a turf toe thing that is slowly getting worse. In and out of an overlap boot involves a quick moment of intense "excitement" this season that is a new thing.....probably only going one direction in the long term.

I just purchased the Hawx Ultra 130 S in 30.5, first chance to ski will be tomorrow. I didn't try an HF, but my feet were too mobile in the comparable Nordica. I can't imagine a 102 last will be an improvement.

 

[Tom K.]

I just purchased the Hawx Ultra 130 S in 30.5, first chance to ski will be tomorrow. I didn't try an HF, but my feet were too mobile in the comparable Nordica. I can't imagine a 102 last will be an improvement.

Interesting. I love the Hawx Ultra 130 S, but don't consider them low volume at all, in part because Atomic expands the width as the size increases. My 29.5s are stamped 104 mm width on the bottom, and they feel like it.

So if Nordica maintains a 102 last through the size run, it will at least be worth a try on. I have no idea if that will be the case, or not. Do you know if Nordica also expands the last width as size increases?

 

[Philpug]

If you have read my review (link in post 2), the 102 is a conservative number, it fit better than some 100's I have skied.

 

[Marker]

Interesting. I love the Hawx Ultra 130 S, but don't consider them low volume at all, in part because Atomic expands the width as the size increases. My 29.5s are stamped 104 mm width on the bottom, and they feel like it.

So if Nordica maintains a 102 last through the size run, it will at least be worth a try on. I have no idea if that will be the case, or not. Do you know if Nordica also expands the last width as size increases?

My 30.5 are stamped 106 mm on the bottom and narrow is printed on top. The reference last of 102 for the HF or 98 for the Ultra is for I believe 26.5 and the last then widens with length like the "typical" human foot. The Ultra is LV with an instep towards the lower range so it works for me. Apparently any boots with even lower insteps stop at 29.5. A 30.5 is SOOL!

 

[Ken_R]

Interesting. I love the Hawx Ultra 130 S, but don't consider them low volume at all, in part because Atomic expands the width as the size increases. My 29.5s are stamped 104 mm width on the bottom, and they feel like it.

So if Nordica maintains a 102 last through the size run, it will at least be worth a try on. I have no idea if that will be the case, or not. Do you know if Nordica also expands the last width as size increases?

I think all boot mfgs do that with their boots. The width listed is only for the reference size (26.5 I believe).

 

[Tom K.]

The reference last of 102 for the HF or 98 for the Ultra is for I believe 26.5 and the last then widens with length like the "typical" human foot.

I think all boot mfgs do that with their boots. The width listed is only for the reference size (26.5 I believe).

Learn something new every day. Thanks, guys!

 

[Marker]

Learn something new every day. Thanks, guys!

I learned that factoid here or on Epic...

 

[lisamamot]

If you have read my review (link in post 2), the 102 is a conservative number, it fit better than some 100's I have skied.

I saw the Nordica HF 110 in a shop today and was wowed by how much easier this would be for my son to put on, and also allow him to be self-sufficient doing so. My 21yo son has left sided hemi-paresis/hemi-plegia and as such has no dorsiflexion in his left foot, no use of his left toes, and minimal use of his left hand. Since his medical situation happened when he was 4 1/2, his left side did not grow the same as his right, so his left foot is pretty narrow and left leg shorter. I am unsure what his foot measures now for width since his current boots are sooooo old, but it is visually pretty narrow, so the width consideration is great to hear.

It is a battle right now, even with two of us, to get his left foot into a traditional boot without his toes curling...since he has reduced sensation in that foot, he is never sure if he is in properly, and I fear he will break a toe...again. He hasn't broken one skiing yet, but give him more seasons in a traditional boot, and he just may.

Right now he has a plate under his left binding to tweak some of the leg length discrepancy, so we cannot do a grip walk boot with his current binding that allows for the plate, but I would love to see him with grip walk soles. If he has extra space in the boot on the left though, perhaps we can shim the boot more and forgo the plate under the binding. Things to ponder.

Any others boots you would suggest as I compile a list of boots to search out for him to try?

 

[Andy Mink]

I saw the Nordica HF 110 in a shop today and was wowed by how much easier this would be for my son to put on, and also allow him to be self-sufficient doing so. My 21yo son has left sided hemi-paresis/hemi-plegia and as such has no dorsiflexion in his left foot, no use of his left toes, and minimal use of his left hand. Since his medical situation happened when he was 4 1/2, his left side did not grow the same as his right, so his left foot is pretty narrow and left leg shorter. I am unsure what his foot measures now for width since his current boots are sooooo old, but it is visually pretty narrow, so the width consideration is great to hear.

It is a battle right now, even with two of us, to get his left foot into a traditional boot without his toes curling...since he has reduced sensation in that foot, he is never sure if he is in properly, and I fear he will break a toe...again. He hasn't broken one skiing yet, but give him more seasons in a traditional boot, and he just may.

Right now he has a plate under his left binding to tweak some of the leg length discrepancy, so we cannot do a grip walk boot with his current binding that allows for the plate, but I would love to see him with grip walk soles. If he has extra space in the boot on the left though, perhaps we can shim the boot more and forgo the plate under the binding. Things to ponder.

Any others boots you would suggest as I compile a list of boots to search out for him to try?

A cabrio design such as the Full Tilt (now K2) may be worth looking into. Unlike a traditional overlap boot, the tongue moves forward out of the way when putting the boot on. That might make things easier. Have you tried pulling the liner, putting it on his foot, then putting foot and liner back into the shell? It'd be easy to feel if his toes are properly aligned with just the liner.

 

[lisamamot]

A cabrio design such as the Full Tilt (now K2) may be worth looking into. Unlike a traditional overlap boot, the tongue moves forward out of the way when putting the boot on. That might make things easier. Have you tried pulling the liner, putting it on his foot, then putting foot and liner back into the shell? It'd be easy to feel if his toes are properly aligned with just the liner.

I was curious about Full Tilt and was actually looking at one of them to see how they functioned when the boot guy asked me what/why I was looking and he pointed out the Nordica HF 110. Will keep a FT/K2 on the list.

We have not taken out the liner each time; balance is a challenge so trying to push just his foot into the boot is a feat; I was concerned trying to do the liner along with his foot would be too much. That said, it would definitely be safer for his toes. Hoping to find something that allows him to be self-sufficient as well.

 

[Philpug]

I saw the Nordica HF 110 in a shop today and was wowed by how much easier this would be for my son to put on, and also allow him to be self-sufficient doing so. My 21yo son has left sided hemi-paresis/hemi-plegia and as such has no dorsiflexion in his left foot, no use of his left toes, and minimal use of his left hand. Since his medical situation happened when he was 4 1/2, his left side did not grow the same as his right, so his left foot is pretty narrow and left leg shorter. I am unsure what his foot measures now for width since his current boots are sooooo old, but it is visually pretty narrow, so the width consideration is great to hear.

It is a battle right now, even with two of us, to get his left foot into a traditional boot without his toes curling...since he has reduced sensation in that foot, he is never sure if he is in properly, and I fear he will break a toe...again. He hasn't broken one skiing yet, but give him more seasons in a traditional boot, and he just may.

Right now he has a plate under his left binding to tweak some of the leg length discrepancy, so we cannot do a grip walk boot with his current binding that allows for the plate, but I would love to see him with grip walk soles. If he has extra space in the boot on the left though, perhaps we can shim the boot more and forgo the plate under the binding. Things to ponder.

Any others boots you would suggest as I compile a list of boots to search out for him to try?

There is a ton going on there that I hesitate to recommend anything. I will say there is not a boot that is easier to get on/off than the HF. As far as working on the boot, while it comes with Gripwalk installed on the boot, the DIN soles are in the box. There is no way to deal with the leg length because of the sole design, a miss by Nordica so you will ahve to continue with under the bindings. For specialty work with a boot, there might be a specialty option with Daleboot?

 

[lisamamot]

There is a ton going on there that I hesitate to recommend anything. I will say there is not a boot that is easier to get on/off than the HF. As far as working on the boot, while it comes with Gripwalk installed on the boot, the DIN soles are in the box. There is no way to deal with the leg length because of the sole design, a miss by Nordica so you will ahve to continue with under the bindings. For specialty work with a boot, there might be a specialty option with Daleboot?

Perhaps I was unclear - in terms of dealing with leg length I was wondering since his left foot is narrower/flatter than his right if perhaps an insert inside the boot, not added onto the sole, may suck up a bit of extra space in the left boot and also raise him a bit. Obviously, it wouldn't be a lot, but every little bit helps. We could use the DIN soles and keep with his same binding/plate approach. He could use new skis as well, so changing the binding approach is something we are open to.

I will flush out all the details with whatever boot fitter gets to tackle this puzzle, but I wanted to find out if there was anything other than the Nordica HF and potentially a FT that are exceptionally easy entry.