The Never-Ending Atomic Ski Boot Discussion

[KingGrump]

How long do you expect ski boots to last before you buy new ones?

Mamie is on a Atomic Ultra 110 that is several years old. She has about 420 days on those. Still going strong. We did replace the ankle pivot with a special ordered factory replacement after 150 days. YMMV.

 

[MontanaMom]

Mamie is on a Atomic Ultra 110 that is several years old. She has about 420 days on those. Still going strong. We did replace the ankle pivot with a special ordered factory replacement after 150 days. YMMV.

That makes me hopeful. I figure we get 25days a season, maybe 30. It will take a long time to reach 420. At 100 days that's only 4 years. I'd be a bit sadder if they died that fast.

 

[sparty]

That makes me hopeful. I figure we get 25days a season, maybe 30. It will take a long time to reach 420. At 100 days that's only 4 years. I'd be a bit sadder if they died that fast.

With low usage like that, you may want to replace them for non-wear based reasons before they wear out. Age and usage both have an impact on performance of some boot materials, although modern boots and liners are so much better than stuff from twenty years ago it's not funny.

FWIW, at about 300 days on my last pair of worn-out boots, the shells were still plenty usable (although probably fatigued a little), liners were fine except where the heels were worn from coming in and out of the boot (lace up liners, so that liners went on my foot and then into the shell), and the wear pads on the toe and heel were completely trashed. I could have replaced the wear pads and liners and the one damaged buckle, but it was more economical to just get new boots. If I had spent less time waking across parking lots and scrambling across scree fields, I probably could've gotten another 30-40 days out of them without much effort.

 

[ScottB]

Boots can easily last a long time, like 10 years, which is my average. Liners do pack out and wear out and should probably be replaced after about 5 years (assuming 30 days a year). Liners are $100-200, so a lot less than a $800 boot. If your boots are much lower cost, you have the option of a whole new boot. If you like em and they are in good shape, just do the liners.

 

[onenerdykid]

That makes me hopeful. I figure we get 25days a season, maybe 30. It will take a long time to reach 420. At 100 days that's only 4 years. I'd be a bit sadder if they died that fast.

A ski boot (from any brand) can generally be said to last 150-200 days of actual skiing before things need to be replaced. And depending on how hard people are on their gear, that number will decrease based on abuse, improper care, improper drying, etc. The first thing that people usually need to replace are the grip pads, much like tires on a car or bike. The next thing would be that the liner loses its fit and/or warmth. There are many aftermarket liner options that can be purchased once your liner wears out and Atomic makes one specifically for the Hawx Ultra should you need it.

But, if you were to look at a pair of boots that have 200 days of skiing on them, they usually look like they want to be replaced. Things are usually pretty beat up by then.

 

[chris_the_wrench]

@onenerdykid I wasn't sure whether to drop this into my race fit alpine vs touring boot thread or this thread, but since my question is specifically about Atomic boots this thread won.

I ski a toe punched 26.5 raptor 140, and I was thinking a 27.5 hawx ultra xtd would possibly be a good choice or at least a leading candidate to try on for my new touring boot. Finding that boot locally to try on isn't happening this time of the year(shocking), however I found a 27.5 Hawx Prime XTD. I knew the width was going to be very wide for me, but I was more curious about the length. It is a lightly used boot so the liner is possibly stretched some, but I found my foot swimming in that boot both width and length. Im trying to hunt down a 26.5 to try.

question: a Prime and the Ultra both 27.5 should fit the same length, correct?

BTW, I found the quality of that boot after having it in my hands(vs online pics) to be quite impressive! Nicely done Atomic.

Thanks
Chris

 

[onenerdykid]

@onenerdykid I wasn't sure whether to drop this into my race fit alpine vs touring boot thread or this thread, but since my question is specifically about Atomic boots this thread won.

I ski a toe punched 26.5 raptor 140, and I was thinking a 27.5 hawx ultra xtd would possibly be a good choice or at least a leading candidate to try on for my new touring boot. Finding that boot locally to try on isn't happening this time of the year(shocking), however I found a 27.5 Hawx Prime XTD. I knew the width was going to be very wide for me, but I was more curious about the length. It is a lightly used boot so the liner is possibly stretched some, but I found my foot swimming in that boot both width and length. Im trying to hunt down a 26.5 to try.

question: a Prime and the Ultra both 27.5 should fit the same length, correct?

BTW, I found the quality of that boot after having it in my hands(vs online pics) to be quite impressive! Nicely done Atomic.

Thanks
Chris

Hey Chris, glad you liked what you saw in the Prime XTD. Both boots are within 1mm of each other in terms of their internal length, but the Prime XTD has a taller instep height than the Ultra XTD and this will actually make the Prime version feel a little shorter than the Ultra version. A taller instep allows your foot to slide to the front more easily, a lower instep holds your foot back away from the front. For this reason, the Ultra version should feel a little longer for the same foot because its instep is lower and holds the foot back in the rear of the boot more effectively.

 

[Tom K.]

I ski a toe punched 26.5 raptor 140, and I was thinking a 27.5 hawx ultra xtd would possibly be a good choice or at least a leading candidate to try on for my new touring boot.

Seems like this should work. You'll probably have to resort to some of the usual volume reducing methods (Bontex shim/Atomic version/whatever your preference) but that will still leave you with the length needed to avoid the dreaded Touring Toe Bang.

 

[Scotch]

Hi Matt,

What's the physical last size for the size 27 and 28 Magna models?

 

[onenerdykid]

Hi Matt,

What's the physical last size for the size 27 and 28 Magna models?

If you mean regarding forefoot width, they are 104mm and 106mm respectively.

 

[Scotch]

Cheers.

How wide can they get with heat molding?

 

[Dan L.]

Hi all,
I have pretty bad cuff alignment(outside of my legs touch the boots w.o. the liner) and hoping to get some answers here. I bought the atomic hawx prime 120 from boot pro in VT and they told me this boot only provide minimal cuff adjustment. So they took the boots and supposedly made the adjustment but to me, i see zero change by looking at where my leg is positioned in the boots without the liner. Is it true that this Atomic boots does not provide much adjustability? I would love to try to adjust mySelf but it requires special tools I don’t have access to. On top of that, i wanted to try with more forward lean(currently at 15) and boot pro was not able to do that either. They said they were not able to adjust to 17 which does not make sense as product description says otherwise. Can someone with knowledge on atomic boots provide some clarity?

 

[onenerdykid]

Hi all,
I have pretty bad cuff alignment(outside of my legs touch the boots w.o. the liner) and hoping to get some answers here. I bought the atomic hawx prime 120 from boot pro in VT and they told me this boot only provide minimal cuff adjustment. So they took the boots and supposedly made the adjustment but to me, i see zero change by looking at where my leg is positioned in the boots without the liner. Is it true that this Atomic boots does not provide much adjustability? I would love to try to adjust mySelf but it requires special tools I don’t have access to. On top of that, i wanted to try with more forward lean(currently at 15) and boot pro was not able to do that either. They said they were not able to adjust to 17 which does not make sense as product description says otherwise. Can someone with knowledge on atomic boots provide some clarity?

Boot Pro is usually really good when it comes to this, perhaps you got one of the lesser experienced fitters? Do you know who you worked with? I would call them up and ask for Shon to look at you.

Hawx boots offer 4° of cuff movement: 2° lateral movement, 2° medial movement. The hardware is adjusted using a pin-spanner. Atomic makes a tool, but there are numerous other versions from brands like Park Tool or Pedro's. It helps to loosen the Power Shift screws in the back of the boot and then spin the cuff alignment hardware.

Adjusting the Power Shift is usually a two-person job that involves you being in the boot and someone else (usually the boot-fitter) making the adjustment:
1. Stand in the boot with the buckles on a medium-tight setting
2. Boot-fitter loosens the screws in the back (but not fully remove them) and disengages the metal Power Shift from the cuff.
3. You flex forward and hold the position
4. Boot-fitter repositions the Power Shift in the 17° setting and tightens the screws in the back

 

[Evan's Dad]

How does the Hawx Ultra 130's flex compare to Nordica Speedmachine or Dobermann Pro 130s (not the plug)? I am 5'-9"/160# and I had my boot fitter soften the Dobies a fair amount. I love the fit of the Hawx Ultras (narrow heel & forefoot/high instep) but wondering how much work will be needed to soften for all around skiing. Thanks

 

[onenerdykid]

How does the Hawx Ultra 130's flex compare to Nordica Speedmachine or Dobermann Pro 130s (not the plug)? I am 5'-9"/160# and I had my boot fitter soften the Dobies a fair amount. I love the fit of the Hawx Ultras (narrow heel & forefoot/high instep) but wondering how much work will be needed to soften for all around skiing. Thanks

If the Hawx Ultra 130 is a 130, the Speedmachine 130 feels like a 110 and Dobermann Pro 130 will be a 140.

 

[Dan L.]

Boot Pro is usually really good when it comes to this, perhaps you got one of the lesser experienced fitters? Do you know who you worked with? I would call them up and ask for Shon to look at you.

Hawx boots offer 4° of cuff movement: 2° lateral movement, 2° medial movement. The hardware is adjusted using a pin-spanner. Atomic makes a tool, but there are numerous other versions from brands like Park Tool or Pedro's. It helps to loosen the Power Shift screws in the back of the boot and then spin the cuff alignment hardware.

Adjusting the Power Shift is usually a two-person job that involves you being in the boot and someone else (usually the boot-fitter) making the adjustment:
1. Stand in the boot with the buckles on a medium-tight setting
2. Boot-fitter loosens the screws in the back (but not fully remove them) and disengages the metal Power Shift from the cuff.
3. You flex forward and hold the position
4. Boot-fitter repositions the Power Shift in the 17° setting and tightens the screws in the back

Thanks a lot for the information. It was definitely not Shon. I think there business is going so well and most of time I only see the younger guys working on the boots. I will try again I guess.

I followed your suggestion and I was able to move the forward lean with the help from my wife. ^^ I am shocked how little willingness to help the shop guys had.

For the cuff alignment, I don't think it is adjusted all the way. Is there specific type of pin-spanner I need? I see all kinds of different pin-spanners(SPA1, SPA2?).

Thanks again for the help.

One more thing. To adjust the cuff towards outside edge for bowlegged, which direction do I need to turn the nob?

 

[onenerdykid]

One more thing. To adjust the cuff towards outside edge for bowlegged, which direction do I need to turn the nob?

I've got a Park SPA-6 that works great.

I don't have a boot immediately in front of me, but just start spinning them and you'll see. If the cuff starts going the wrong way, just spin the hardware the other way.

 

[ScottB]

@EastSkiBum,

I was in the Boot Pro shop last week. They gave me a tool to do the adjustment on my new boots. They also have an apparatus that lets them measure when the cuff is set right for you in your boots. They have used it on me each time I had bootwork done. I think you had an unusual experience, and I second ONK saying go back and ask to have them set your "stance cuff alignment" and I am sure they will take care of you.

 

[Dan L.]

@EastSkiBum,

I was in the Boot Pro shop last week. They gave me a tool to do the adjustment on my new boots. They also have an apparatus that lets them measure when the cuff is set right for you in your boots. They have used it on me each time I had bootwork done. I think you had an unusual experience, and I second ONK saying go back and ask to have them set your "stance cuff alignment" and I am sure they will take care of you.

That’s interesting. We will be going back next week. Hopefully this time we can get some help. Our experience has been different. I bought my boots and went back numerous times for help. Was never offered to measure alignment. My wife also bought boots there and it was never measured for her.

 

[Dan L.]

@EastSkiBum,

I was in the Boot Pro shop last week. They gave me a tool to do the adjustment on my new boots. They also have an apparatus that lets them measure when the cuff is set right for you in your boots. They have used it on me each time I had bootwork done. I think you had an unusual experience, and I second ONK saying go back and ask to have them set your "stance cuff alignment" and I am sure they will take care of you.

Did you buy atomic boots and they gave you the tool? I asked about the tool and they only mentioned you need special tool.