Nordica HF110 Rear-Entry Ski Boots

[Gromit]

I came across some Nordica HF110 Rear-Entry ski boots in another thread on the forum.
Thanks ysb33r.

I've bought a pair of the boots.

The Nordica's looked ideal for me. Some years back in my skiboarding career, I used some old Salomon EXP93 rear-entry boots bought off eBay for a few seasons but eventually, I decided to stop using them as they were rather old (20 to 30 years old?) and I was worried that the plastic in the shells might break up whilst I was skiing in them. Some of the old hands (I'm including myself) will tell you how easy rear-entry boots are to live with compared to a 4 clip ski boot.

Anyhow, I've not been entirely happy with my 4 clip type boots (Atomic Waymaker 80), the last few seasons that I've used them.
January 2020 was my last ski holiday (pre-coronavirus).
My skiing has improved to a point that folks tell me I'm an advanced skiboarder. I rarely get left behind.
On my last trip, I was with a group of folks on skis who were using poles. I never use poles myself with skiboards so I ski in such a way as to avoid having to pole across flat parts of piste. When skating in my 4 clip boots I was getting heel lift when skating my Crossbows.

I decided to order the Nordica HF110 rear-entry boots now, ready for season 2021/2022 as due to coronavirus, a lot of ski shops are offering lower prices.

The HF110s arrived this week and I immediately grabbed my ski socks (Thorlo lightweight) and put the boots on. They are really easy to put on. Flick open the strap across the instep then lift up the big "paddle" on the rear of the boot. Back of the boot opens up by 40 degrees, and my foot just slides straight in. None of the fuss that I would get with a 4 clip boot.
I leaned forward then pushed the paddle on the rear of the boot down again then flicked down the buckle of the instep strap. The length of the boot was correct so I'd bought the right size (Mondo 26.5).
The fit needed to be tighter on my calves. A thumbwheel tightens up the cable passing through the rear paddle and then through into the boot to the front of the calf part of the boot. Adjusted the thumbwheel. Better! A bit tighter over the instep? The instep strap is a bit like a snowboard binding strap. Tightened it down. Really comfortable boots!

The fit is great. Front foot width is closer than my Waymakers which TBH were a bit loose in that area. Heel lift is way less than the Waymakers. So easy to put on.
The front ratchet strap over the instep works to improve the fit.

Keepers.

[Gromit]

More detailed information about the design and features of the Nordica HF110 ski boots.

I discussed the Nordica HF110 boots with my great friend, valmorel via text (WhatsApp).
I sent him some pictures of various features of the boots.
The pictures linked in this post.
He has agreed to me posting his comments. The comments are posted in italics.

Here is a picture of the heel pocket in one of the boots with the boots opened up.



Notice how the liner hugs the skier's heel to keep it held down.

valmorel's comment, "Calf soreness caused by the overlap in the liner, which previously was at the back, has now been moved to the front by a liner redesign, to be now on the shin area the same as 4 clip boots.".

How is the heel pocket formed into the one-piece liner?
Here is a picture of the moulding of the rear spoiler of the boot (the rear part of the shell).



Notice that the moulding forms the cup shape in the liner. The liner is one piece like the liner in a 4 clip modern boot. Old design, rear-entry boots have a seperate liner piece attached to the rear spoiler.

valmorel's comment, "HOW THEY HAVE CHANGED:
Heel hold, always limited with RE boots because frankly, back then, they didn't know it mattered. Now these boots have a moulded Achilles area to properly support the heel and a heel cup created in the liner.".

In the picture above, you can also see the adjustable footbed plate which is under the liner. As standard (though I'm not 100% sure) it is in the low volume position. Low volume, is the higher heel position, lifting the foot up into the liner.
The footbed plate locks onto a “pin” in the shell and there is a "notch" in the footbed plate to make it easier to remove. The footbed plate raises and lowers the heel around 4mm. A hinge is formed in the moulding so that the heel wedge part of it doesn't get lost.
valmorel's comment, "Heel volume has now been addressed by use of a clever under liner sole plate which has a flip over section that raises the heel a few millimeters, actually an advance on 4 clip boots.".

I think that the words, "VOLUME ADJUSTER", moulded into the white plastic plate at the top of the rear spoiler, are to remind boot fitters that to adjust the volume at the heel, they'll have to pull the liner out of the boot's shell first.
A piece of white, "hook" velcro is sewn (and glued?) to the white plastic plate. This connects to a piece of black, "loop" velcro on the back of the liner to make sure that the liner opens fully back when the boot is opened up.

Here is a picture of the HF110's liner (Nordica image). Heat mouldable (at 80 degrees C for 8 minutes. 5 minutes of cooling with liners and skier in the boots).
Cork padding on the ankle part.


So how does the instep strap across the top of the shell improve the fit of the boot?

Here is a picture from Nordica, showing how the boot's shell is constructed in the instep area. The first stage of assembly is on the left. The white material keeps out any melted snow which might soak the boot's liner.



The instep strap passes over the area of the boot in the picture above and the completed assembly is shown in the picture below.



One can easily see that the shell closes up in the instep area when the instep strap's buckle is down in the closed, skiing position. Follow the red lines with your eyes!

valmorel's comment, "Foot hold, previously formed using an internal plate and a system of wires which were only partly comfortable and never addressed width has now been achieved by closing the shell with an adjustable strap like a four clip. This is a much better system and also has the benefit of reducing the front mass of the boot.".
"Hard to get that much adjustment on 4 clip boots. Coupled with the possibility of fitting thicker/thinner insoles, fit should be guaranteed.".

The flex of the boots is fixed at 110 in the construction of the shell. My old Waymakers are 80 in flex. I could feel the difference. I hope that I'll notice the extra stiffness in my boots when I finally get to carve some turns on snow. Maybe at the snow dome prior to the 2021/22 season?
Some old, Salomon rear-entry boots had two wedges to control the flex which ran in a groove created between the cuff part of the boots and the foot part. I was never that convinced that worked particularly well.
valmorel, "Forward lean stiffness is now achieved from shell stiffness where the cuff and foot area interact, the same as a 4 clip boot.".

Finally, a few other points.
I weighed one of my Mondo size 26.5, Nordica HF110 boots. (26.0-26.5 shell size) 1830 grams.
My Atomic Waymaker 80 boot weighed 1930grams but is Mondo 27.0 (27.0-27.5 shell size).

Some flat, DIN sole plates are supplied with the boots in a plastic bag in the box. They are very basic, red plastic with no rubber for extra grip.
The GripWalk rockered soles are much better with added grip rubber (supplied by Michelin apparently!). Check that your ski bindings are compatible though.

The standard insoles inside the liners are decent enough but my old, faithful, Superfeet Green insoles were just a little bit better in locating my feet inside the boots so I'll be using those.

A few comments from valmorel about the Nordica HF110 boots which sum them up?

• "They look beautifully made"
• "They really do look superb"
• "I think that Nordica know they are swimming against the tide a bit with these so they have made sure they perform way above expectations. Bet they are all over the rental shops...."
• "I think they are a super purchase and on my short list. Shame they were not available 10 years ago."
• "This is how ski boots should ALWAYS have been made."

Here are my final thoughts

• The boots are amazingly comfortable. I'm looking forward to skiing in them.
• The boots are so incredibly easy to put on and take off.

Regarding the ease of getting in and out of the boots. I'm looking forward to that moment in the boot room, at the end of a brilliant skiing day, when I go to take off my cold boots and I don't get that awful cramp in my instep as I pull my feet out of the boots!

[Gromit]

The letters "HF" in the Nordica HF110 model name, stand for Hands Free.
A ski pole tip will fit into the metal-lined, hole in the rear paddle and the instep strap buckle to push / pull them open or closed or one can stamp down on the buckles/paddles with the boot sole of the other foot to close them. I won't be using poles myself so the latter method would be my preference plus my fingers to open them back up again.

Nordica also make a version of the HF110 with heated liners called the HF Elite Heat. Rechargeable and controlled via a smartphone app (video).

The standard, HF110 liners have "Primaloft" insulation and "Isotherm" metal foil to help keep the heat in.

Nordica makes a women's version of the HF, in an 85 flex. Again, a heated liner version is offered.

[shortydude]

I'm a bit confused (easily that is) by the whole 'GripWalk' feature. I thought it was just a traction thing. But, this review includes a rockered sole in the description. Are these gripwalk plates able to be removed or changed out to fit older non-gripwalk bindings? Do the rockered soles help with walking?

[newbie2011]

. Are these gripwalk plates able to be removed or changed out to fit older non-gripwalk bindings?

Never tried such myself, but specs-wise they say :

• Better grip and traction on variable terrain
• More comfortable to walk in
• Interchangable
• GripWalk + ISO 9523 Compatible

They look quite interesting, Gromit do you know what's the forward lean angle ? Can't find it on their website

[Gromit]

I'm a bit confused (easily that is) by the whole 'GripWalk' feature. I thought it was just a traction thing. But, this review includes a rockered sole in the description. Are these gripwalk plates able to be removed or changed out to fit older non-gripwalk bindings? Do the rockered soles help with walking?

To answer your question shortydude, I'll quote my own post above.
"Some flat, DIN sole plates are supplied with the boots in a plastic bag in the box. They are very basic, red plastic with no rubber for extra grip.
The GripWalk rockered soles are much better with added grip rubber (supplied by Michelin apparently!). Check that your ski bindings are compatible though.".

Yes, the GripWalk rockered soles help with walking.

Here is a picture of the flat, DIN soles provided in the box with the HF110 boots.



You'll need a number 2 Philips screwdriver and a bit of patience though as there are 18 screws in all.

For the record, I recently found a picture of the GripWalk rockered soles which are fitted as standard to the HF110 boots (Nordica image).
Note the red, Michelin grip rubber attached onto the white plastic soles.

[Gromit]

They look quite interesting, Gromit do you know what's the forward lean angle ? Can't find it on their website

I don't know the exact forward lean angle but it feels like a recreational skiing angle to me. Similar to my old, Atomic Waymaker 80 boots.
So good for skiboarding.

I'm hoping to ski in the HF110 boots with my Spruce Crossbows, sometime in the next couple of months, once the snow dome at Milton Keynes re-opens, post coronavirus lockdown.
I intend to write a skiing impressions review about the Nordica HF110 boots after that.

[shortydude]

I know what DIN settings are. But I've never heard of DIN soles. Are these DIN soles compatible with non-gripwalk bindings?

[Gromit]

I know what DIN settings are. But I've never heard of DIN soles. Are these DIN soles compatible with non-gripwalk bindings?

Yes

"ISO 5355 Alpine (DIN) Soles

The most common boot sole norm for inbounds ski boots is ISO 5355. This sole is often called the “DIN” sole, or the “alpine” sole. It’s designed with hard plastic under the toe and heel to allow for smooth, consistent releases from alpine bindings. It doesn’t walk as well as norms with rubber soles, or rocker, but ISO 5355 soles will work in a huge variety of bindings including traditional alpine bindings, WTR bindings, and GripWalk Bindings. It’s important to note that the standards for ISO 5355 stipulate that the boot cannot have tech fittings. So while some boots on the market have the same shape sole as an ISO 5355 boot, if they have tech fittings they’re not strictly indemnified to work in pure ISO 5355 bindings (but will work in Gripwalk and MNC bindings)."

Quoted from here.
Ski Boot Sole & Ski Binding Compatibility Guide on Evo dot com

[shortydude]

Thanks for the 411.

I hope these are more than just a one year run on these HF's.
I haven't found them in stock anywhere. There is a small woman's pair on fleabay. But, that's it.

What month do you think next year's stock will be available?

[Gromit]

Thanks for the 411.

I hope these are more than just a one year run on these HF's.
I haven't found them in stock anywhere. There is a small woman's pair on fleabay. But, that's it.

What month do you think next year's stock will be available?

42

Seriously though, I would ring a few Nordica-selling ski shops, in your area of the USA, to check on their stocks of the HF110 ski boots and to chat about availability in the future.
Here is a link to the Nordica Dealer Locator.

I'm in the UK.

[shortydude]

I seem to be an endless source of stupid questions. But here goes:

Would you say these HF110's are more of a performance or comfort fit? I have a rod and a dozen screws in my leg right at the boot cuff and I can't wear performance fit boots. To me they are like miniature iron maiden torture clamps.

[Gromit]

I seem to be an endless source of stupid questions. But here goes:

Would you say these HF110's are more of a performance or comfort fit? I have a rod and a dozen screws in my leg right at the boot cuff and I can't wear performance fit boots. To me they are like miniature iron maiden torture clamps.

With the Coronavirus issue, I haven't had a chance to test my pair of HF110s yet but I would err on the comfort fit side at a guess.
I found a review online which might be of help?
https://www.test4outside.com/en/produit/nordica-hf-110/

[Gromit]

Visited the snow dome earlier this week to test my Nordica HF110 rear-entry ski boots.

During the last month, I found a pair of Tyrolia Attack2 13 GW GripWalk-compatible bindings for a very low price so I had those fitted to the Spruce Risers on my Spruce Mountain Crossbows. The new bindings are green and black so look good against the bright green and yellow "Ski Track" graphics on the Crossbows.



The Nordica HF110 rear-entry boots are brilliant.
Very comfortable.
Forward lean feels fine. Not too much.
Incredibly easy to put on the boots.
So easy to take off after skiing. What's not to like?
Didn't notice much heel lift when skating across flat areas.

The Crossbows were working great as you'd expect. I was easily able to angulate the HF110's to get the boards up on edge for large carving turns across the snow dome's pistes.
I will post again in the new year after my European ski holiday.

I still need to investigate walk mode on the boots a bit more. I didn't walk far in them, just from my car in the snow dome's car park and back again.
I left the back of the boots closed but opened the instep strap buckle. Toes meet padding in front of boots. Not unexpected.
I was wearing an old pair of snowboarding shell pants over my usual trousers.
Spoke to a young guy in the snow dome's ski shop later about the boots. He's heard that folks leave the instep strap buckle closed but open the back buckle/paddle up when walking. The elasticated, internal snow gaiters in most salopettes, stop the boot's rear spoiler from opening right up and hence retain the foot in the boot. I have some salopettes with snow gaiters which I use on ski holidays so I will try that this winter.
Later:- After a short experiment during my ski holiday where I wore my ski pants/salopettes which have snow gaiters, I can confirm that the HF110's 'walk-mode' is to open the back of the boots up but leave the instep straps fastened.

[ysb33r]

I will post again in the new year after my European ski holiday..

Austria again?