Testers praised Atomic for bringing a wide fit in a performance stiffness to the All-Mountain Freeride category, where diversity of width is limited still to some degree. Obviously there are market-based reasons we don't see many wide-lasted, tech-compatible Freeride boots on the wall, but our testers who also sell ski boots are happy about this new development. Certainly there are skiers who are looking for more relaxed fit tension in a touring hybrid for the sake of sensation and warmth, and the Hawx XTD Magna 130 fits that bill to a tee.
Testers called the fit of the Hawx XTD Magna 130 a modified hourglass. They said take the hourglass shape, then bend it into a 90-degree L-shape, like a boot. They said it was massively wide at the toebox and forefoot and again humongous at the top of the cuff, yet it was snug like a medium-width boot in the middle, meaning instep, navicular, ankle and heel. For a strict out-of-box fit test our team said this earned it some minor demerits on their score cards, but they pointed to a couple situations that moderate any negative slant on this fit map. One, they said, was that a lot of skiers want a boot to tour in that doesn't make them go numb or get frostbite, and for those who need a little bit of extra relief from the squeeze but still want a boot that will grip their foot where it counts for ski control, the XTD Magna offers that fit combo. Two, testers remind us that the oven-cooked Memory Fit shell shape adaptation feature could work nicely to open up a too-snug fit to a customized just-right without much hoopla. So, overall they felt the Hawx XTD Magna 130 offered some interesting fit solutions for a variety of skiers.
Did we mention the massive calf fit? Well, let's mention it again. The flare and big circumference of fit at the boot top is gargantuan, testers say, and our bootfitter testers made a point of bringing it up as a big positive for the XTD Magna--and that was in its stock set-up, even more room is available if the bolted in rear spoiler is removed. There are many wide boots that still pinch the calf, and while heat-stretching a shell's cuff for more room is doable, it often still leaves buckle adjustment issues to deal with. An out-of-box calf fit that will contain a sumo-sized calf is a rarity, and for those of the large lower leg who want to hit the skin track, testers say they better put this one at the top of their short list.
The Hawx XTD Magna 130 lived up to its flex index billing, testers said, citing strong control over the edge and a stable attitude while at speed or traveling through inconsistent snow. For a hinge-cuff, tech-compatible on-off area style boot our testers said it more than held its own on descent. Quickness scores were highest from testers who had enough lower leg shaft girth to fill the cuff and connect with lateral moves where the boot's leverage could be tested, and the consensus was that there were no problems with the quick communication of message from skier to ski. Testers appreciated the solid connection between cuff and lower enabled by the Free Lock 4.5 hike mode release mechanism, and they found it convenient to use, as well.
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