A ski boot that tries to be the whole lot for everybody usually finally ends up being good for nobody. However shopping for two pairs of ski boots — one for the ski resort, one for the backcountry — is dear. So, there’s clearly a monetary cause to contemplate crossover ski boots. Like most hybrid ski boots, the Nordica Limitless LT 130 DYN guarantees excessive efficiency on the resort, in addition to light-weight consolation on the skintrack within the backcountry.
I’ve discovered that the majority choices on this class are heavy. Skilled backcountry skiers aren’t prepared to lug extra grams if they’ll afford one of many many glorious light-weight ski touring boots available on the market. Fortunately, the sub-1,500g Limitless LT set is a weight that’s prepared for longer missions.
All through my testing, this turned out to be a reasonably delicate boot for being labeled a 130 flex. Nevertheless it’s predictable and stiff sufficient for many snowboarding types, save the devoted carver. Intermediate skiers searching for a brand new resort boot with backcountry chops could be the right match because it isn’t too stiff, however that is additionally a boot {that a} skier can progress with.
You may’t get across the trade-offs required relating to match and energy switch for those who’re attempting to make use of the Limitless LT equally between the ski resort and ski excursions. Nonetheless, if you may make it work, it’ll prevent practically $1,000. That’s good cash for upgrading elsewhere in your ski closet.
Briefly: The 50/50 Nordica Limitless LT 130 DYN ($950) retains the load low sufficient to be a severe choice for severe backcountry skiers, as a substitute of simply one other heavy resort boot with tech binding compatibility. If you happen to can compromise on match and flex, it’s an expensive boot that’ll prevent cash within the large image.
Learn The Finest Ski Boots Purchaser’s Information to see how the Limitless LT 130 DYN ranges up in opposition to the remainder of our favourite ski boots.
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Final
99 mm -
Flex
105, 120, 130 flex (males’s) -
Weight
1,480 g per boot -
Sizes
22.5-30.5 -
Finest for
50/50 skiers
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Mild sufficient for lengthy excursions -
Good, easy-to-use buckling system -
Glorious vary of movement when touring or mountaineering
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Laborious to discover a balanced match for resort and touring -
A lot softer than marketed
Nordica Limitless LT 130 DYN Ski Boot Evaluation
The very first thing you’ll discover concerning the Nordica Limitless LT 130 DYN ski boots is that they don’t appear like backcountry boots. You may often inform a touring boot from throughout the ski store. However the construct of the Limitless is decidedly resort fashion regardless of being only one,480 g — a weight within the class of high-end efficiency touring boots reminiscent of Tecnica’s Zero G Tour Professional.
The 3D Mild Efficiency Match TF Primaloft Liner is certainly skinny and lightweight and one of many methods Nordica shaves grams to attain 1,480. The shell is cut up into three zones of various plastics — which they labeled Tri Power Cuff Building (I’m nonetheless searching for a Zelda pun right here) — that places stiffer plastic within the again backbone of the boot to assist the lock/stroll mechanism. Softer plastics are positioned in opposition to the entrance of the shin for a extra contoured wrap.
Regardless of claiming that there’s tougher plastic across the foot, the plastic visibly warps out and flexes with ahead lean. That flex helps the pretty upright boot bend ahead but additionally makes it really feel softer than a 130 flex would recommend.
Flipping the lock mechanism bar means that you can regulate the ahead lean from 11 levels to 13 levels for a extra ahead stance. That is finally a private choice that ought to be tailor-made to your biomechanics and snowboarding fashion. I went with the extra ahead 13-degree place, as I’m snug with a extra conventional lean angle.
Testing Circumstances
I skied the Nordica Limitless LT 130 DYN boots for about 8 days in late spring at Breckenridge and Arapahoe Basin ski areas. 4 of these days had been within the backcountry to evaluate their touring efficiency.
I examined the 27.5 measurement, which is my regular boot measurement. For my foot form, the Limitless ski boot felt a tad large with the backbone locked whereas I used to be snowboarding on the resort. That was the case with my heel pulled again into the boot and with a maxed-out ahead lean.
Everybody’s ft are formed a bit totally different. So, it’s finest to strive on ski boots from varied producers at your native ski store to get an thought of how every final matches your width, heel, ankle, and arch.
Match: Lean Liners, Reasonable Width
Match is finally a very powerful characteristic of any ski boot. An ill-fitting ski boot out of the field can require an excessive amount of bootfitting magic to make sense. And it’s all the time higher to start out with a great speedy match that may be damaged in or adjusted by your native bootfitter to handle (hopefully) minor hotspots.
The Limitless pair has a medium 99mm final that hugged my foot properly off the shelf. I discovered the modest instep top quantity snug with out feeling dangerously roomy. Although, I finally determined so as to add the thin-volume spacer insole — which was included within the field — to chew up a little bit of house for a snugger efficiency match.
Inside, the liners felt lean, however they had been well-shaped to my foot. I didn’t really feel the necessity to make the most of their thermo moldability. Nordica says the liners are three-dimensionally formed to suit the anatomy of the foot with out molding, and that was the expertise I had.
Each the liners and shell are moldable and punchable. However you’ll need to work with a Nordica supplier bootfitter to make sure they’ve the appropriate data and tools to get the method completed proper.
Excessive Vary of Movement, Roomy Heel Pocket
When touring, the claimed 65 levels of rotation on the ankle was noticeable. The model’s declare of 40 levels again and 25 ahead felt about proper.
The one draw back of this spectacular vary of movement was that when articulating backward to the utmost, as you do when striding ahead on flatter terrain, my heel slid ahead out of the heel pocket, and my toes would jam in opposition to the entrance of the boot.
Because of this, I discovered myself shortening my strides. And I used to be far more snug touring on steeper pitches, which naturally saved my shins extra upright and ahead and toes again.
An apparent reply to this concern can be to measurement up within the boot to have extra room within the toebox. The plain draw back to that’s an outsized match would end in a sloppier match when locked in to ski on the resort. Even within the examined measurement, snowboarding the resort locked in with my heel firmly again within the boot, I felt there was extra room than I’d usually like in a efficiency resort boot.
This isn’t precisely a flaw of this explicit boot. However the steadiness isn’t simple to search out when purchasing for a boot that performs in-bounds and within the backcountry. Backcountry ski boots are often designed to be a bit roomier for touring movement and luxury at the price of some efficiency on the downhill.
If you happen to’re selecting a ski boot measurement for a 50/50 boot such because the Limitless, hold this in thoughts. Focus on the professionals and cons, in addition to your foot form and ski fashion, along with your bootfitter before you purchase your measurement.
Downhill Efficiency
It’s essential to notice that I examined the Nordica Limitless LT 130 DYN ski boots in late spring and hotter temperatures possible contributed to the boot feeling softer than regular.
Standing on skis and flexing ahead, the plastic across the foot visibly flexed and bowed out with out Herculean effort. I used to be initially involved the boot could be too delicate for my liking.
On the snow, nevertheless, I used to be pleasantly shocked. The flex when snowboarding was predictable and allowed me to push into a snug athletic stance by turns.
On the default ahead lean of 11 levels, I felt too upright. However flipping the lock mechanism to get to 13 levels was far more pure. It additionally saved my toes from bashing after I was snowboarding off-piste and touchdown airs. Once more, that is largely a private choice. However conventional skiers and ex-racers could discover even the 13 levels too upright.
On the downhill, the boots encourage a extra trendy, centered, and upright stance conducive to playful, freeride types. That will likely be snug and intuitive for skiers accustomed to this setup. It’s additionally going to be good for intermediates that are likely to ski with a extra relaxed stance.
Nevertheless, the flexibility to make use of the predictable flex to push the boot ahead signifies that superior skiers can discover their consolation zone. And, progressing skiers gained’t be held again by the boot in the event that they work to undertake a extra aggressive physique place whereas frontside snowboarding.
Touring Efficiency
Apart from feeling a bit cramped by the sizing, I used to be completely impressed with the uphill efficiency of the Nordica Limitless LT 130 DYN ski boots. Clearly, the low general weight makes them a breeze to pores and skin with. However there are some key options that enhanced the touring expertise.
Most notable is the buckle system, which has the standard 4 buckles however makes use of a cabling design between the 2 over-the-foot buckles. The setup streamlines switching from touring to downhill mode. Merely flipping the forward-most buckle cinches or loosens each of the entrance two buckles by way of the cable.
Helpfully, the buckle locks into both hike or ski mode and lies flat to remain out of the best way. Having toured in different boots with buckles which might be both flapping when unsecured, or protruding to catch on issues, this was a breath of contemporary air and a sensible design that different bootmakers may emulate.
The 2 buckles above the ankle are extra conventional however they lock securely right into a extra open place for touring that likewise retains them flat in opposition to the boot and out of the best way. The ability strap is extra minimalist than most resort boots however not as wimpy as some ultralight choices I’ve seen on devoted touring boots.
Nordica Limitless LT 130 DYN Ski Boots: Conclusion
The Nordica Limitless LT 130 DYN is a worthy 50/50 backcountry and resort hybrid ski boot for skiers that respect the familiarity of snowboarding the identical boots no matter their venue.
This design is noticeably light-weight. The sensible, easy-to-use cable buckle setup is useful with out getting in the best way or flapping round when it’s unlocked. A predictable flex means specialists can shortly discover their consolation zone whereas intermediates can excel whereas pushing their ahead lean. Whereas descending, the boots encourage a centered, upright stance.
There’s a powerful vary of movement that matches the model’s claims, and the heel pocket is roomy in comparison with different resort-specific ski boots.
Whereas there are inherent trade-offs to just accept when selecting a ski boot that pulls double-duty, the Nordica Limitless will reward skiers with a light-weight, succesful hybrid ski boot that replaces two pricey gear purchases with one. To see the place the Limitless LT 130 DYN suits into the broader panorama of ski boots, take a look at The Finest Ski Boots Purchaser’s Information.
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