 Poster: A snowHead
|
Nordica Doberman Aggressor 150 (UK 5): I am in these boots for one reason: Jeff Bergeron, upon reviewing my feet and stance this summer after we ran laps at a cart track, said that they were likely to be ideal for me. I picked up a pair at the Loveland Ski Shop thanks to Sue Booker, and after seeing me in them, he decided that they were, indeed, ideal. Even before any work by Jeff, they put me in a very balanced position, with my usually knock-kneed forward flex corrected by the very slight toes-out stance of the boots. This toes-out stance is accomplished by taking a normal Doberman 150 shell and rotating it about a pivot at the rear center of the heel.
These boots are downsized so that I have between a zero and one-half finger fit in the shell. For my larger foot (my left), my big toe extends beyond the end of the liner, pushing out the neoprene that wraps the front of it. As you'd expect from a Doberman, the shell fits the foot very closely, and allows for substantial modification by a skilled boot specialist. Once balanced and fit, however, the boot is incomparable in my experience.
The accuracy and precision of these boots cannot be overstated. They have changed the feel of my Metrons dramatically, driving them with significantly more power than the Tecnica XTs I have used for the past three seasons. Furthermore, the boots bring skis like my new Mach 3 Powers to life with power and precision.
I have been amazed and delighted by the additional sense of the edge of the skis. The transmission of even subtle movements is incredible.
That said, I have been equally delighted that, even at the 150 flex, they have not proven to be overly stiff for my skiing, even in the bumps. I have not softened them (yet?), and yet I have found them comfortable for all-day, all-mountain skiing.
If you seek precision and power from your boots, I cannot recommend these highly enough. But, that said, please make sure that the fit, the geometry, and the flex match your feet, stance, strength, and ability. I'm sure that if they didn't, they could make you as miserable as they delight me!
Details of the day and the skier:
Conditions: A broad range of conditions over 9 days so far this season, including conditions ranging from manmade hardpack, packed powder, freshly groomed, bumps, and fresh snow up to about a foot deep.
My specs: 6’, 175lbs. male, 36th season skiing, PSIA level II cert. Ski reasonably fast, love to turn, enjoy the “arc and spark”, and powder. Gearhead.
My own equipment: Nordica Mach 3 Power (170) and Afterburner (170) skis, Atomic Metron m:b5 (162) skis, Leki AERO Viper Trigger poles, Marker helmet and goggles.
This review consists of my thoughts and impressions of these boots. As all should know, such impressions are driven by personal preference, technique, preferred sensations, and so on. Some have said that we prefer equipment that masks our technique issues. Probably true. We also probably prefer those that our technique can really use. So, this is not doctrine. Simply what I think about what I felt.
Skiing style/technique: I have asked some ski instructors and race coaches to describe my skiing to give you an idea of my technical ability. Here's what they had to say: "dynamic, smooth, efficient. Good turn completion. Occasional tendency not to move down the hill on initiation that is easily corrected when you think about it." "...skiing looked generally quite good. You seem to ski a pretty aggressive line and generally in balance. Your turns are generally carved, even on the pitches. The thing I did notice that I would comment on if I were coaching you was a stance that seemed a bit narrow, and a turn initiation that seemed a bit steery." "...you are a technically strong, aggressive skier with a bias toward power rather than finesse. Smooth and fast!!"
Preference in boots: If you consider the skis that I prefer, you'll see that I like 'em light and lively. I like a lot of snow feel and energy in the ski. I prefer a slalom racing ski feel for my personal skis, and I love the carve. In boots, I like them very snug, with no movement of my feet within them. I am absolutely 100% convinced that the selection of boots that closely match the shape of the foot and further have geometric characteristics that allow for the body to be in a neutral balanced stance when the boot is in neutral.
|
|
|
|
FAQ