The HF stands for Hands Free, meaning the Nordica HF 110 requires no hands to get it on and off. Don't believe it? Well, it's true. It's a modern day rear-entry boot available as either a medium (HF Pro) or a wide last, and in a few different flexes. We tested the wide, in the middle of the road 110 flex, though there's a stiffer 120 and a softer 100 in the 102mm option. We made the request to Nordica to submit the HF to the boot test specifically to grace our newly minted All-Mountain Access category and they obliged, even though it took two spots on their entries roster that they could have dedicated to harder charging All-Mountain or Freeride models.
The All-Mountain Access category is important to us because it represents boot manufacturers' commitment to skiers of all types, not just the expert-level, tip-of-spear, cool-guy influencers of skidom. The Access category boot is about eliminating barriers to the enjoyment of skiing, and one of the primary hurdles for skiers remains ski boots that are difficult to get on and off. The Nordica HF tackles that issue head on with the return to a rear-entry design that with a single rear lever flip hinges the back of the cuff rearwardly, opening up a huge gap that a skier fills with foot and leg, then just closes up shop with again, just that single lever. Done--in the boot and out the door to go skiing.
There are all sorts of folks who either want to be skiers and struggle with boot entry as novices or perhaps have been lifelong skiers but who have had to walk away from the sport because they simply couldn't bear to battle with their boots any longer. It may seem extreme to those who haven't experienced it, but many of our testers are career bootfitters and we see the problem daily. The Nordica HF is one of very few options for the seriously entry-challenged, and it was cool to see these veteran testers' reactions to finally getting to ski the boot (most hadn't, previously).
Does it ski really well? Hell no. But does it get someone into their boots without any help and then get them all around the hill in comfort and warmth? You bet. Our testers are mostly aggressive skiers, but they could see the HF for what it was--a godsend for the type of customer who needs its help, and they loaded a lot of praise onto a boot that fit that bill for that skier. Check out the Tester Comments for this review--we think those say it all, well, minus one hater, and we're requiring him to attend sensitivity training.
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