Matt Manser on Atomic’s 22/23 Ski Boot Lineup & More (Ep.225)

14 comments on “Matt Manser on Atomic’s 22/23 Ski Boot Lineup & More (Ep.225)”

1. I’m in the market for a new alpine boot this year and love the sound of the Hawx Ultra Professional but I have a question with regards to width. I don’t suppose you can tell me how much the Hawx Ultra Professional be stretched compared to the XTD? I’ve got a size 26.5 Hawx XTD which has served me very well for the last 4 winters but last winter I found that as the temperatures got warm my feet would swell to the point I would have to take the boot off. My feet are pretty wide (109 and 110mm wide) but for three winters the fit I achieved by packing foam around the liner during the memory fit process and a further boot punch on each shell was enough to keep me comfortable. Instep hight is on the limit but not uncomfortable. Ankle hold is unbelievably good and my skinny calf’s love the low volume cuff (it’s the best cuff and ankle hold I’ve experienced from any boot). Last winter the shop I get my boot work done at said they don’t want to stretch the shell anymore as I’m already pushing the limits. I’m unsure if I should move up to the prime because I don’t want more cuff or instep volume but I need more forefoot width. Is the Hawx Ultra shell thicker around the forefoot to allow more stretching than the XTD? Apologies if this is a very vague question.

   • Hi Jamie – Generally speaking, that width of foot will stretch a Hawx Ultra or Ultra XTD to its limits. It’s not a matter of plastic thickness, it’s a matter of available shell overlap over the instep. With that said, Hawx Ultra is made from a type of polyurethane which is very easy to stretch. Most models of Hawx Ultra XTD (assuming you are talking about the 130 here?) use a polyamide plastic which can stretch but it doesn’t stretch as much or as easily. Ultimately, the Hawx Ultra will be easier to fit and make wider for you. Whatever results you got with the Ultra XTD, it’s going to be a bit easier with the regular Hawx Ultra.

     • Hi onenerdykid, thanks very much for the reply! I have the 19/20 Ultra XTD 130 if that helps give you more information. If I am right on the limit with the Hawx Ultra do you think that the Prime Professional would still give me a very good fit or does the foam injection not really take up excess volume around the instep and ankle? I’m assuming a spoiler would help deal with the higher volume cuff.

       • Hawx Prime & Prime XTD are true, medium-volume boots and this means the forefoot is wider, instep is taller and ankle & heel are wider than Hawx Ultra. My advice would be to find the boot that works for your mid-& rear foot and then widen/lengthen the front of the boot as needed. Don’t get a Prime and expect the Professional liner to take up excess volume – that won’t work well for you.

2. Thank you for another good and concise pod! Would you say the Hawx Prime XTD gives up a lot of performance compared to the non-hybrid model Hawx Prime, assuming it is compromised by the walk-mode? Or isn’t it?

   For example if there is 10% chance that the boot will be used for touring, should you get the XTD or go for the piste only version?

   • Hi Luke, all walk-mode boots, from every brand, will give up a little downhill performance in order to gain uphill mobility – this is one such compromise that exists in the world of ski boots. The Hawx XTD range of boots will ski better than pure touring boots, but not as well as their fixed cuff siblings. They are a compromise that works incredibly well for skiers who want one boot to ski in the resort as well as go touring. Using a mountain bike analogy, the Hawx XTD boots are like modern enduro bikes- they go uphill pretty well (not as well as lighter, less travel options) and they are very capable going downhill (but not as capable as full-on DH bikes). If that compromise sounds like it meets your needs, then it will make a lot of sense for you.

     Re: 10% chance of touring – it depends on what kind of tours the 10% are. If you ski 50 days a year but 5 of those days you are going to skin from the parking lot all the way to the top, then you will still want a boot with features that allow for that to happen. However, if those 5 tours are only the last couple hundred vertical meters of the ascent, then you might be able to get away with a fixed cuff boot & a frame binding/binding adapters (regular Hawx Prime doesn’t come with tech inserts). Again, it depends on the compromises you can live with, what “touring” means to you and what other touring equipment (like bindings) you are using.

3. Thank you, Matt., I will give the Prime version a try. Years ago, I made the mistake of trying an Ultra XTD, not being aware of the difference and deciding the Atomic ain’t for my foot.

4. How significant is the updated Backland Carbon with the buckle compared to the older Backland model? There hasn’t been a lot of reviews of them but it looks like it can compare to the MTN summit boot or even the Scarpa F1.

   • Hi Ethan, the 21/22 Backland Carbon used an M-series (medium powered) BOA shell closure system and let’s call it a “standard” liner construction. For 22/23, the Backland Carbon uses our more powerful Cross Lace closure system and a much more supportive liner, a thicker/firmer tongue, and even has a plastic cuff. It’s still the same plastic shell & carbon cuff that is pin-binding-specific, but it certainly does ski with more confidence & power than the 21/22 (and earlier) version.

5. Howdy! I became a bootfitter because I couldn’t find a boot that worked for me. I need a pretty wide, low volume boot that I just wasn’t finding. The Hawx Prime has ultimately become my alpine boot of choice, but it’s still not perfect. I have to punch it a bit to get width where I need it, it lacks precision over the top of my foot, and the heel cup isn’t perfect (a touch big). However, there’s nothing else on the market I’ve found. PLEASE MATT make a low volume, true 102+ last boot I would become the happiest person.

   • Hi Chris, unfortunately, a new mold/fit like that is most likely not going to happen but your example brings up the age-old conundrum of how to make space where needed but still have solid heel hold. While I completely understand the desire to have a boot fit perfectly out of the box, it just can’t happen for everyone and if you prioritize performance over comfort (while still obviously being comfortable) then you should expect to do some customization to your boot. The best way to address your situation is to select the boot that best fits your instep and heel (often called the heel-to-instep perimeter) and then make space where you need it (forefoot, length, etc.). If you have a low volume foot with a “102mm” forefoot width, then seek out a boot like the Hawx Ultra or even the Redster CS. Both boots will not feel good out of the box but they can be made to accommodate extra forefoot width and give you the heel retention you are looking for. It’s definitely possible, it just takes a bit of work.

6. Hey Matt, I love my professional liners in my alpine boots. Is this technology viable in a touring boot? I would buy it in a heartbeat.

7. Matt really needs to have Atomic make a boot called the Maverick, a touring version of the Redster CS that allows you to run through airports

   • I like this idea. But the boot should be white or transparent, of course.