Every year we have tested the Atomic Hawx Prime boot our test team comes away impressed with its accuracy of fit and performance. Accurate means precise and targeted for our purposes, and testers like how both aspects, fit and performance, complement each other in this well-put-together new iteration of an old favorite.
The BOA closure system is the most obvious new feature on this veteran all-mountain utility boot. Testers like the way it made subtle, incremental changes to the fit tension in the lower boot, a click at a time. The lower boot feel of the Hawx Prime has been characterized by a tall, dome-like fit over the top of the foot, which testers like for freedom of blood flow and a comfortable instep hold, but the BOA's cable-wrapping closure seemed to pair well with this starting shape. Testers felt that while the forefoot offered typical medium width fit tension, the BOA did a fantastic job of closing that space down enough to match the more-snug-than-medium grip they felt in the ankle and heel pockets.
The scores the Hawx Prime 130 S BOA received seem unfairly low to many on our test team, looking back on them post-test, as some veteran testers gave perfect 5.00s while others downgraded the fit and convenience scores for two reasons. One, many testers thought the heel and ankle fit was snug like a narrow boot, so they dinged the fit score. Two, several testers thought that the introduction of the BOA closure impeded entry and exit in comparison to past non-BOA Hawx Prime tests, and so the Convenience metric took a hit.
While both criticisms are fair, we have a few thoughts about them. First, the extra snug heel and ankle is not necessarily a bad thing for the skier looking for maximum rearfoot control with some freedom of fit in the toebox and forefoot, as well as at the boot top where the cuff still flares open in characteristic Hawx Prime fashion. Also, a slightly too-snug heel and ankle zone can be easily remedied with the Hawx's Memory Fit shell molding feature and a good liner cook job--so not a deal breaker by any means. Last, the entry was not that bad--there were certainly more difficult to put on boots at the test, and it's not clear that the challenge was directly related to BOA. Our thinking about entry and exit at the 130-flex level is that an easy slide in is a nice bonus, but like a fat gratuity, should not be expected. Skiers looking for 130-level performance should be accomplished enough that they can put a boot on, and if they can't, we guess it's time to step it down to a 120-flex. Sorry guys.
The Hawx Prime is an example of how lighter weight can be achieved by way of thinner shell wall plastic construction. Atomic employs traditional polyurethane plastic in the cuff and lower shell in a stiff-enough form in thicker areas to provide a rigid, stable lever for attacking edge angles but also optimizing shell-wrapping for fit and closure by thinning out the wall thickness elsewhere. This thin but stiff plastic design can make the 130 a little tougher to get on, but the trade-off is for high levels of agility, responsiveness and accuracy of messaging to the ski. The Hawx Prime 130 S BOA received its highest score of 4.80 in the Quickness and Steering metric, and while testers liked the solid feel on edge they got with the Hawx Prime tipped over, they called-out the boot's fast twitch transitions and precision direction changes as its strong suit.
Testers like the full complement of top-shelf features, from quad pull loops on the liner to dual cuff adjusters, cam buckle power strap and GripWalk soles. There's a lot to love about the Atomic Hawx Prime, as always, and our advice to good skiers in the medium width market is to get one on their feet this Fall--our scores this time around didn't tell the whole story, we think.
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