Nordica W10 ski boots - need info

I'm looking at new boots and have found some Nordica w10's.
Are they a relatively stiff boot? It seems that Nordica no longer makes them - any specific reason? Were they replaced by the GTS series?
I spend most of my time off the groomers and on the blacks and double blacks but don't really "rip" (too old). If anyone else has this boot, I would appreciate any info that you might have.
Thanks,
Gary

The curreent Beast series, is last years w series +2[ie: the Beast 12 is last years W10]. A Nordica rep verified this to me.
The Beast series is stiffer than the Gtw series.

I meant to say GTS series.

I've got a pair of those! I picked 'em up at ski swap a few months ago, brand spanking new! They're a comparatively stiff boot but not quite as stiff as a racing boot, which is what I was on last year (Atomic Beta Race...I have bone spurs on my insteps, thanks to those guys).The product literature states that the boot is intended for people who want the performance of a higher-end boot without all the aches and pains associated with, er, racing boots. All told, it's a performance ride with a cushy feel, kinda like a turbo-charged Benz. As for fit, mine fit me pretty well out of the box, but my feet are somewhat narrow and long with high insteps and a good deal of pronation. I spend most of my time aggressively skiing hard blues and blacks, since that's pretty much all that I have available to me at the moment. I did get to run them through some off-piste stuff as well as crud and they did well there.

As for why Nordica stopped making them, I'm pretty sure the line got re-christened as noted above. However, the guy I brought 'em from was actually phasing Nordica out of his shop because he didn't quite agree with the direction the company was taking in terms of ski development and so on. All he would say was that the company was, "trying out some, weird, funky ideas." Go figure.

The liners are kind of suspect..expect them to pack out pretty hard, so i hope you've got a wide foot.

this is a good, not too soft, not too stiff boot. if you're not charging too hard, like you say, you'll like the way these boots ski. plenty of energy transmission.

I'm kind of surprised to hear the "knock" on the liners. Nordicas neophrene toe box is seen by most as one of their best features in terms of fit and comfort. A close second, in terms of features, is the stock Booster Strap that Nordica uses on their boots.

I think if the Nordica boot fits the shape of your foot and you like a relatively soft flexing boot, the w10 should work well for you. I think if your a big guy or aggressive at all that you'll find the w10 to be too soft.

Coach - you're right that the liner has some great features. There's no doubt about it. I think the neoprene is awesome and it definitely keeps toes warmer - these liners are known to be super warm!

I even put the Booster Strap on my boots aftermarket - and I love them.

It's just that this liner can feel quite snug when you first buy the boot and then once the boot is worn in (let's be generous and say 10 days use) there is a very marked difference in the amount of room in the boot.

All liners pack out. These liners seem to pack out more than most. Just an observation from selling these boots for as long as the "W" line has been out...and we sell ALOT of these boots.

Like you said (and I said too), if the foot is wide, this boot will rock your socks!

Is this still the case? I had heard they had improved this. I know in the past, Sollis had the same rap but I have about 40 days on my x-wave 10's with no problem at all.

FWIW, had the Nordica fit my foot I would have probably bought the Beast. It was just a little wide in the heel for my liking though.

as far as my experience goes, all liners do tend to loosen up and fit slightly differently (looser overall, but more comfy on ankle bones and in the heel) after about 6 days of skiing. the in-store heatable liners do speed up this process so you don't notice the difference nearly as much or at all (these liners are now in all boots other than the cheapest of cheap boots).

there are notable exceptions here, namely Tecnica's Hot Form and any injection foam liner.

I agree, my Nordica W-8's packed out a lot, quickly, but I put bontex under my footbeds and some ductape around the achilles and they're fine again.

Yeah, the liners do seem to pack out a bit more compared to the Atomics I had. I've logged about ten days on mine so far and the liners do feel a little loose but they still feel snug as they felt just a little tight out of the box. I would think that you could compensate for that by using thicker socks.

Thank you all for your knowledge and insight.

Garyskr

i would just point out that thicker socks are generally not a solution to a bad boot fit. they just pack down during the course of the day. however, if it works for you, go ahead.

a boot technician would still recommend a thinner sock and liner surgery to solve this.

but, no one is gonna stop you on the hill for wearing thick socks.

I am writing this sitting with a new pair of Nordica Speed Machine boots in my feet. I am trying to find a new pair of boots and took these home from my Ski shop for testing. They are VERY snug compared to my old boots which were TOO big for me. So, it sounds good news to me if Nordica boots tend to pack out more than others. Any comments or experience?

Also, does anyoe have any idea if these boots are lateral or rotary design?

Cheers,
P

the liners seem pretty great to me, and I have this years Beast 12. If you size the boot correctly, the liner shouldn't be an issue, as its compressable enough during initial fitment to determine the proper fit. Great boot, great features.

on the GTS 12 the flex index is 90-80, one the GTS 10 the flex index is 80-70
is there a huge difference between the two?

To repeat the obvious, are you saying that a W8 is the sam as a Beast 10? They sure look similar, but I think the Beast 10 has a flex adjuster. On that note, year ago I used to be able to modify lower end Nordicas to add some of the features of their higher-end models. As an example, I sould drill out the side rivets in their junior racing boots and replace them with the canting devices.

I notice that the W8 has a "knock-out" plug where the flex adjuster on the Beast 10 would go. Is this a spot for a lock-down screw or something?

I must have mispoke as the Beast 10 does not have a flex adjuster. The Beast 12 does though so I wonder if the Beast 10 or W8 can be retro'd by knocking out the plug in the rear shell and inserting some rivet device?

just step up to the 12, the soft setting is not superstiff. It's about perfect for everyday use, actually.

I had meant to ask. How do you reconcile the flex indices in this W series +2 = Beast formula? Perhaps they changed the flex index scale? E.g. a Beast 10 has an 80 flex rating while a W8 has a 60 flex rating.