Featured Image Credit: Aaron Dodds

The Atomic athlete team carries a lot of weight around their Altenmarkt Headquarters in the heart of the Austrian Alps. Whether it’s listening to Mikaela Shiffrin’s equipment needs that have helped propel her to become one of the winningest World Cup skiers of all time or incorporating Chris Benchetler’s artistic vision into his Bent ski line and beyond as the brand’s Creative Director of Freeride and Freestyle, when their ambassadors speak—Atomic listens. So, when Freeride World Tour athletes like Aymar Navarro and Julian Jamesa Hampton required a new boot that was just as strong on the ascent as it was on the descent, Atomic delivered the new Hawx Ultra XTD 130 BOA.  

“The new Hawx Ultra XTD 130 BOA is the culmination of working with our freeski and Freeride World Tour athletes on creating the most versatile boot possible,” Atomic Product Manager for Alpine and Touring Boots Matt Manser said. “The new Hawx Ultra XTD 130 BOA fits better, flexes more smoothly, skis more powerfully, tours more efficiently and is just an all-around better boot than its predecessor in every aspect.”

The retooled boot comes out this fall and features an updated Prolite construction that add 25-percent more stability. Reinforcements in critical zones of the lower shell and upper cuff make the Hawx Ultra XTD 130 BOA super strong while True Flex PU plastics keep the flex progressive and smooth. 

 “It is firmly rooted in our core that we always want to be better at everything we do and everything we make,” Atomic Business Unit Director of Alpine Ski Boots Jason Roe said. “And although we would like to be ‘perfect,’ we know we are not, and we have learned the only way to close the gap is to listen very carefully to what our athletes and consumers have to say. Thankfully, we have a great roster of ambassadors that equally push us (as well as their limits) to be that much better.”

Not only does the Hawx Ultra XTD 130 BOA meet their athletes’ demands for downhill performance and efficient range of motion when walking, but it will also satisfy resort skiers seeking adventure and deep snow in the sidecountry and backcountry. The Free/Lock 4.5 ski/walk mechanism along with Frictionless Pivot provides 54 degrees of cuff rotation for maximum mobility. The full rubber GripWalk sole ensures traction and is compatible with a slew of alpine and touring bindings.

When it comes to comfort, the Mimic liner allows for ultimate customization. Beyond that, the new BOA Fit System replaces the Hawx Ultra XTD 130’s lower two buckles to deliver a precise fit and unmatched wrapping of the foot and toes. 

“One of the things we are really excited for is the new BOA closure system on the shell,” Manser said. “This is specifically developed for alpine boots to provide improved shell wrapping for a better fit, offer micro-adjust tightening and loosening, be far more durable than lighter weight systems and be easily reparable should it encounter buckle-destroying forces.”

The BOA dial and cables are screwed into the boot just like buckles would be. The dial has a quick breakaway feature that allows it to pop off of the shell if you happen to hit it with a substantial force against a solid object like a rock or tree.

“People are often wary when a brand follows up a successful product with a successor, right? There are too many stories of how brand X messed up a good thing with the ‘new & improved’ version,” Manser said. “But with the new Hawx Ultra XTD BOA, I’m honestly a bit embarrassed for the first generation. The new Hawx Ultra XTD BOA simply does everything better.”