Atomic Hawx Ultra 130 Ski Boots 2020 – 2021 | Review
Why we chose the Atomic Hawx Ultra 130: great fit, lightweight, stiff
Flex: 130
Last: 98 mm
Forward Lean: 13°, 15° or 17°
BSL: TBC
Binding Compatibility: Alpine bindings
Weight (per boot): 1,700
Price: £450
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One of the newest boots in Atomic’s line, the Hawx Ultra 130 S is able to boast a strong family tree of some of the finest ski boots out there – from Mikaela Shiffrin’s stiff as concrete Redsters, to the Hawx touring boots that Chris Benchetler shreds the backcountry in.
Claiming to be the “lightest alpine boot ever”, the Hawx line from Atomic is for those who prefer their boots to be responsive and agile (over heavy and sluggish). The 1,700 gram weight of the Hawx Ultra 130 is pushing touring boot levels, let alone 130 flex alpine boots.
Atomic Hawx Ultra 130 Build
This lack of weight is thanks to Atomic’s ‘Prolite’ construction. Rather than the traditional method of removing material to get the right thickness of a boot, Prolite starts with as little material as possible and slowly builds the shell from there until the ideal weight to performance ratio is struck.
Compared to the thick walls of more traditional Redster shells, the Prolite shell featured on the Hawx series of boots is much thinner – which is certainly something to bear in mind if you like to add a few shell punches to your shells (on top of the heat mouldable shell).
This thinner material has then been reinforced in the areas it’s needed, such as the spine of the boot. This sees an energy backbone – a reinforcement that beefs up lateral energy transmission and overall stiffness of the boot – run for the full length of the cuff.
While the shell may be thinner than usual, the Hawx 130 Ultra features a brand new liner that makes use of 3M insulation in an effort to create a warm and comfortable fit. What’s more is that this special 3M insulation performs well even when wet, meaning that your foot is able to remain warm and responsive even when the clouds are dumping soggy, wet, snow.
This liner is, of course, built with Atomic memory fit foam – which is able to be heat moulded to the exact shape of your foot in the comfort of your local ski shop.
Atomic Hawx Ultra 130 Fit
While there’s a great deal of customisation available on the Hawx Ultra 130, these boots aren’t going to be suitable for those with wider feet or those who put a lot of value in comfort. The Hawx Ultra 130 features a 98 mm last, along with an equally slim heel pocket.
With that in mind, these boots are going to give a great deal of all round foot hold and, when combined with the responsive flex, this’ll result in an extremely snappy energy transmission. If you’re keen to get yourself in a pair of stiff race boots, but don’t want to sacrifice too much comfort in doing so, then the Atomic Hawx 130 are going to be the boots for you
What Is The Atomic Hawx Ultra 130 Good At?
Performance: 9/10
Comfort: 7/10
Weight: 8/10
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