The Gist
Edged for first place by a mere two-hundredths and sporting a nearly perfect score for edge power and stability, last year testers said the Promachine was an absolute powerhouse that needed not a single fit modification out of the box. Lively and balanced, they said it’s also tall and firm against the leg, and they liked that just fine. This is a real skier’s boot, they said, the kind that appeals to an all-mountain shredder who might often opt for a stiffer men’s model. One tester said, this boot has your back! This year, the teal highlights are gone--oh well.
The Fit
Testers used lots of evenly sprinkled 2's (1 tightest, 5 loosest) to rate the Promachine's fit in both the lower boot and the cuff. It's not race boot tight, but just right tight for the category, they said. Its tightest score was for the heel pocket and its roomiest was for the calf—that's a fit blueprint that will work for a lot of women. One tester whined about the heel pocket being too tight around the Achilles tendon, but our custom tests showed the 3D Cork Fit Primaloft liner did a good job of opening the fit where needed without losing a firm grip elsewhere, so we told her to quit whining.
Performance
Though testers called it the perfect mix of power and agility, it received a perfect score average for Quickness, Steering & Feel so apparently testers corroborated Nordica's claim that the thin shell wall Tri Force construction lightens the boot and provides better ground feel without a loss of torque. While the boot's lightness was noticed, it wasn't the primary element that testers were attracted to. They were far too focused on how well they skied everywhere on the mountain on the Promachine 115 W to worry about the boots myriad other good features, of which less weight certainly is one.
Cool Features
Testers like the rolling, grippy stride of the GripWalk soles that come mounted on the boot and noticed (and appreciated) the soles' aqua highlights that matched the rear spine and Power Driver power strap plate (which they also liked for its shin pressure displacement). Our techie testers also appreciated the full complement of useful stuff, like dual lateral cuff adjustment, a removable Velcro rear spoiler, two liner pull loops and four easy to use buckles (yes, with aqua highlights).
