 Poster: A snowHead
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Final update on the Nordica HF-110 rear entry ski boots...
I did indeed find that I had a circulation problem with them by wearing them around the house which was fixed by releasing the fastener across the top of the foot. I also tried them without the custom insoles which made them more comfortable but didn't have any affect on circulation.
I decided to take a late ski holiday to catch up for lost time and used these boots again - this time in Fugen/Zillertal, Austria. I experienced a variety of conditions starting with some challenging pistes which I couldn't cope with when the boots were adjusted to allow circulation so I had to fully tighten them up again. I didn't get cold feet this time - probably because it was significantly warmer in April than my previous trip in early January but I could still feel that my circulation was restricted. However, even with these boots fastened tightly, I didn't have enough control to cope with the poor snow conditions. By the end of the 2nd day I had decided to give up on the Nordicas completely and hire some boots to save the remainder of the holiday. I was then able to ski in control again and enjoyed the remaining 4 days of my trip. The hire boots were not rear entry but they felt as snug as my Salomons and gave me the same full control while skiing.
I have never skied this late in the season before and I can't say that I like the conditions late in the afternoon so will probably try to avoid similar in the future (by skiing earlier or higher). This means that if I were to continue with the Nordicas I would get cold feet again during the time I usually ski (and worse if it were colder as it can easily be at that time of year). They also really can't cope with challenging soft snow conditions. They just don't fit my feet well enough - which I put down to insufficient controls on the boots rather than being given the wrong sized boots.
I will therefore be returning to my trusty old Salomons for as long as they last me and attempt to sell the Nordicas.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Kowal.Ski wrote: |
Final update on the Nordica HF-110 rear entry ski boots...
They also really can't cope with challenging soft snow conditions. They just don't fit my feet well enough - which I put down to insufficient controls on the boots rather than being given the wrong sized boots.
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nothing to do with insufficient controls on the boot, we have dozens of clients who are skiing in this boot without any issues of control...... the boot simply doesn't suit your foot shape, now that is down to whoever sold them to you not explaining that you need a specific volume of foot for the boot to work well or you wanting the specific boot whether it fitted or not
the trouble is when only one brand has an offer of this type of boot the temptation is that it has to fit every foot....i don't see nordica spending another €1.5mil on another rear entry range to suit your specific feet
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Whilst I agree that this was the only boot that I was considering buying - and there was a lot of resistance to me only considering the Nordica HF range - "The Skiers Lounge" made it clear that they wouldn't sell them to me if they weren't right for me.
An expensive mistake on my part.
I really shouldn't have been influenced by so many people saying that I needed to retire my trusty old Salomons and jumping on the reintroduction of rear entry boots. I am glad they suit some people but they don't come close to the Salomons in terms of adjustments to different feet. It is a puzzle to me as to why they have so few adjustments as that would make them more universal.
After skiing well for 4 days in comfortable, traditional, multiclip boots I was still reminded why I hate this style of boots with a passion and will never own a pair. I know I am in the minority here but rear entry boots really are the only ones for me - which means returning to my antique boots.
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@Kowal.Ski, if you have a problem with a boot why not take it back to the shop and ask them to adjust/fit do what is needed to make it right
my clients sure as hell knock the door down if the boot isn't spot on
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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@Kowal.Ski, as per CEM's advice, if not happy go back to the shop.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@CEM, what kind of foot does this boot suit? My friend is looking for rear entry boots as due to arthritis he's had various operations to fuse bones and really struggles to get in and out of his current boots - I've seen him almost crying in agony trying to fit / remove them
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nbt, IIRC they are perfect for people with arthritis/fused bones/lack of dorsiflexion and who really struggle to get in and out of a conventional boots.
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@CEM
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if you have a problem with a boot why not take it back to the shop and ask them to adjust/fit do what is needed to make it right
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Reasonable advice and I may give them a call to discuss this but to be honest I just feel like cutting my losses after making a foolish mistake. I honestly don't have the confidence that anything can be done to make them as good as my old boots are and I don't fancy the 120 mile round trip either - unless I happened to be in the area for another reason. In addition, I have a finite number of ski trips left and don't relish potentially wasting another one trying any modifications out when I know my old boots will guarantee an enjoyable trip. (If I did, though, I would make sure I took both pairs of boots to be on the safe side).
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| Kowal.Ski wrote: |
I really shouldn't have been influenced by so many people saying that I needed to retire my trusty old Salomons and jumping on the reintroduction of rear entry boots. |
The advice to retire your 30+ year old Salomons was sound - as IMV (and the view/experience of many here), is the risk of injury from the structure of the boots being brittle and weak, is unacceptably high.
I was of the view you should go the Front Entry route.....but that was rejected for valid reasons, which left Hobson's Choice, unless risking injury from old boots.
Anyway, I'm sorry it hasn't worked out.
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I've potentially been looking at these boots for my wife. She has a majorly high instep, but broad feet and calves. (sounds lovely eh  ). She's always had issues with ski boots especially getting them on and off. @CEM, Shona in Glasgow nevisport fitted the current pair a few years ago (Head something or others) so we do trust her abilities however my wife still struggles. Any suggestions?
I should point out that she's recovering from chemo and still has a lot of pain especially in her legs. She's a leisurely skier too, so comfort is main priority
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@boabski, the HF certainly needs a meaty foot to fill it, so high and wide sounds a good starting point
if not that then possibly look at a spiral wrap liner like intuition for the current boots, that will A) make entry / exit a little easier and B) give and exact but padded mold of the foot and leg we use a lot of this type of liner for people with scar tissue and sensitivities form chemo/steroids etc and it seems to work out pretty good, the shell has to be a good shape to start with though and unfortunately they don't make a liner that would work in the HF
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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@CEM, good man. Thanks for the info
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FWIW I bought Mrs G a pair of SX 82s over 30 years ago. After about 20 years they were looking a bit worn so we went for a week without them. Big mistake. I think she tried a different hire boot every day and nothing worked. Luckily EBay came to the rescue and £20 got her a pair of as new SX 82s. We now have another spare pair which should last us at least another 20 years  There is no evidence of the plastic getting brittle. Personally I never liked them but if she’s happy all’s good with the world.
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You know it makes sense.
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| BertieG wrote: |
| FThere is no evidence of the plastic getting brittle. |
In my case, it was the rubber heel piece that split and came away, leaving the retaining screws hanging down like studs. I didn't notice, as it happened on the mountain, in poor weather. I clicked into the binding unaware this had happened. The weather was so bad, I was going slowly....but it had the potential of leading to a serious accident. It also damaged the ski brake mechanism.
Another factor is, I don't know how easy it is to visually tell if the plastic has become brittle enough to break, when flexed.....but I think the main issue could be the rubber pads on the sole.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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@Old Fartbag, I agree that the soles are the weakest part of the boot which degrade with use but not age. I’m pretty confident that the 2 pairs we’ve got will last many years safely. Especially if you avoid too much walking in them.
I’ve often wondered what makes them so special for some people and think that maybe the light weight plays a part.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| BertieG wrote: |
I’ve often wondered what makes them so special for some people and think that maybe the light weight plays a part. |
I wore them for years - but that was because the Clip Boots of the 70s left my shins bruised and bleeding.
I suppose they are:
- Easy to put on and take off
- Less clips to worry about
- Less ways to put them on incorrectly eg. Doing the toe clips up too tight
- More comfortable than an incorrectly sized and fitted 4 clip boot.
It was a revelation to me that a 4 clip boot could be really comfortable, while (because of) having a close fit.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| BertieG wrote: |
@Old Fartbag, I agree that the soles are the weakest part of the boot which degrade with use but not age. I’m pretty confident that the 2 pairs we’ve got will last many years safely. Especially if you avoid too much walking in them.
I’ve often wondered what makes them so special for some people and think that maybe the light weight plays a part. |
believe me it is age and not just use that cause the plastics to fail, sometimes you get lucky sometimes you don't .... having seen far too many boots in more bits than they should be in i certainly wouldn't risk it, but hey, what do i know about plastics
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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I tried a couple of rear entry boots over the years. At one point it was almost impossible to get anything else. I could never get the rear entry boots to fit my feet. They were always moving about and the ankles very loose. The flopping about chaffed my calves. The last time I wore any (they were all that were available to rent) once I had a boot of correct length and then doing them up as tight as possible I was able to actually take them off without undoing them. It may be just the ones I was trying but they all seemed to be designed for very wide feet and calves. They were not comfortable.
Hopefully, the new ones they are trying to market have some way to adjust for less wide feet.
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I’m joining this interesting discussion late. To add my 2pennysworth - after 2 days of genuine tears and inability to ski, we solved the problem for 3 beginner teenagers (girls) by swapping their ski boots to old rear entries. It took 5 seconds to see the problem and should’ve been sorted in the rental shop. Instant success, smiles and lovely snowploughs. They had very wide, low calves and the mens rental boots were crushing their calves, not holding their ankles and they couldn’t flex forward at all! Rear entry boots (new or old style) are a game changer in the right circumstances.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| blueski2 wrote: |
.... They had very wide, low calves and the mens rental boots were crushing their calves ....
Rear entry boots (new or old style) are a game changer in the right circumstances. |
Presumably correctly fitted ordinary boots would have also sorted that problem at least as well though?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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@Old Fartbag, and others, my boot history is more or less
- wellies jammed into mild steel cups with serrated edges and a kandahar style cable hold (yes, my feet bled, a lot, but I still went back for more - so just bear the idea of a 4 year old's serrated feet and boots full of blood in mind when you next complain of a wee cramp)
- leather lace ups - result! a lot less blood and laceration
- leather clip ups, still advocated by Strolz, sort of, no great improvement, rather damper
- a whole series of badly fitting and badly fitted 4 clip plastics
- around 1990, Salomon Sx92s. Skied 16 weeks in them that season. Could never get my head round them. Performant enough if all you want is a set of control surfaces driving your skis.
- 1991 - around 2010 - a series of better fitting but still not that well fitted boots with varying degrees of success.
I think the point is that unless you were paying loadsamoney, before say, 2000 ish, proper retail bootfitting didn't really exist as a good art.
So most war stories before then can probably be discounted?
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Sadly rental boots are often unisex aka mens boots, so don’t accommodate wider, lower ladies calves/narrower ankles. They are also too tall so inhibit flex. The beginner skier knows no better than to assume that this is the correct boot for them despite the pain. The combination of a busy changeover evening and the fact that feet and legs swell during a long travel day… I’m not blaming the rental shop, it’s just another thing to be aware of.
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oh, and per the bootfitters I talk to most often, the Nordicas are spot on for their target markets ...
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FAQ
