Nordica's Smartech 10 boot

I tried on a pair today, and it really is quite a system.

1.You open the boot up, the rear spoiler pulls back and the tongue pulls forward, like the old clam shell days of rear entry boots.
2. While inserting your foot, you hold on to a strap that is attached at the top of the tongue.This prevents the tongue from slipping down into your boot.
3. Next you rachet a lever like "gizmo" on the side of the boot, which pulls the boot tight in the upper cuff area.
4. Then you stand up and reach behind you and pull a handle up from the rear spoiler to which a cable is attached.This cable runs all over the fore foot area, and does an excellent job of pulling the boot tight to your foot.
5. Tighten the power strap, and you are on your way.

The first time through, it takes a bit of time to learn the order of things, but if you think about foot in, tighten the upper cuff, pull the handle for the lower foot, then things easily take on an understandible order and logic. And yes pulling the handle is very smiliar to the start cord of a lawn mower or chain saw, but it doesn't snap back!

The boot fit me well, except the tongue had a hot spot on both of my shins in the same area of each shin. The edge of the tongue was positioned in that location and seemd rather unforgifing even after the shop tech tried to make it more flexible.

Getting out of the boot, was easy in terms of easing off the cable and rachet, but when it came time to actually pulling my foot out it wasn't any easier to get out of than my 4 season old Salomon Evolution 2's.

The boots were both comparable in terms of forward flex, and more importantly lateral stiffness.

However, the suggested retail on the boot is $600.00, I was told I could have it for $429.00. My family has given a lot of business to this ski shop over the years, and I send a lot of people there who have boot problems, so the price MAY have taken that into consideration, though I can't be sure.

However, I am going to use my present boots for another season.

Bottom line, unless you are racing, or doing some very high speed skiing, this boot could be a definite possibility.

Furthermore, I think the trend to user friendly, more comfortable and conventient boots is going to expand. Either each manufacturer will have their own "soft"boot line, or will make changes in one or two of their present lines to be more acammodationg to skiers.

hahaha,
i tried this boot too. It looks...very....interesting [img]smile.gif[/img] The rep was saying that going soft boots was the new industry thing...most people don't need a full hard boot i guess. But, even though the rep said the boot is comfortable, i look at it and I see most, if not all of the components than make a boot uncomfortable in the first place.

1. Instep is still solid plastic
2. Heel area is reinforced with metal and plstic to make it laterally stiff
3. Front of the toe is still plastic

There are a few more things, but that's all i can remember this late at night

On the other hand tho, the boot is VERY easy to get on. First time I didn't have to bend over to get a boot on [img]smile.gif[/img] Pulling the string up on the heel to tighten the instep was painless, as was the racheting down of the shin. The string on the back reminds me a little of the rear entry boots, though. For my foot, the boot seemed too big. I had alot of space all around my foot, but then again, i use the salomon course which is a low volume boot (higher than most race boots, but much lower volume than other salomons nonetheless).

Conceptually, i think it's pretty good...would be even better if and when it gets refined. But, it's too techy for my tastes [img]smile.gif[/img] I like the 4 buckle system alot still. It might take more time than the smartech, but you can really dial in the settings on the 4 buckle boot. Extend the bales a bit, angle the instep buckle @ a different angle, tighten or loosen the shin just a tad etc. Atleast for now, I'll spend the extra mins to buckle up my current boots [img]smile.gif[/img]

But for the recreational skier who likes to just get in without a hassle, this might be a sweet boot. Or for those guys who like gadgets, it's a new gadget to play with [img]smile.gif[/img] It's nice to see the industry changing to accomodate more skiers...though with the $500+ pricetag...i think nordica has a little bit mroe research to do...but all in all, a great boot [img]smile.gif[/img]

MelloBoy

I tried this boot out twice last season with a nordica rep. Yes, it's an easy to use system and seems confortable until you ski it hard.
This boot is for a non agressive skier. When I skied hard (conditions on-piste hardpack and spring crud) the cables in the boot dug into my foot in a few spots. This boot will be a huge seller this year, Nordica just needs to work on pading the liner a bit more.

I read both of your comments, flava and Mello Boy. I agree. The fact is I used to ski in Salomon Force 9 rear entries boots, and my liner[inner boot] was becoming worn out. I had no choice but to go four buckle ovelaps, since that was all the industry was making. The only rear entries being nmade were for rec. skiers, and ski area rentals.

If there would have been a version of the replacement Zip liner for re-entry boots, I would have definitely given it a try.

The outer boot of my Force 9's would have eventually broken down a few years later, since the plastics they use today are far more advanced and not subject to the wear fatigues of the boots of 10 years ago.

The fact is, a lot of people over the years have been turned off from skiing because of how uncomfortable and complicated it was to get a good fit in boots, and the techniques needed to properly put the boot on, and adjust the buckles.

The soft boots address this problem. Frankly, I think the boot makers don't want to admit that they were a bunch of sheep, when they all decided to drop their rear entries. I don't know why ? Marc Giradelli, won a lot of races using "modified Salomon rear entries.

I think if they worked on it, they could have come up with a better new rear entry boot. The Salomon SX 90 extended my skiing in 1990. I was fed up with the traditional boots and was about to quit the sport because of the boots. I had three models of salomon rear entries, ending with the Force 9's. I still see people skiing thier old rear entries, some of them being well over 10 years old, and these skiers won't have anything to do with four buckle overlaps.

So for them soft boots is the boot makers chance to expand their market, by making a better fitting boot, that is user friendly, comfortable, and warm.

I hope that salomon is working on something special for their "soft" boot. May be it would be a redesigned rear entry. If it is, I am trying that boot on for sure.

The Nordica Smartech boot while easy to get on, I only found to be marginally easier to get off then my present boots. With the tongue being a potential problem area [ my boot tongue is far more comfortable], that the boot fitter realy didn't fully correct, I didn't think it was worth the price of $450-525 for what the boot would cost me. So I am going to wait to see what Salomon comes up with [ I can get at least two more seasons out of my present boots, so I can be patient.] I hope it is another wonderful version of the rear entry concept. If they do, and it does everything that their last rear entries did including correcting the rear support problems, they will sell tons and tons and tons of boots !

So I am going to wait, besides, after three full seasons on my present boots, they are just getting to point of being "properly " broken in. Such efforts and aggrevation should be properly rewarded.