Nordica Strider Pro 130 Dyn

The Gist

The all new 2018 Nordica Strider Pro 130 Dyn takes the award-winning Speedmachine lower boot, makes some slick touring modifications to it and bolts on a light and stiff Grilamid cuff to create this year's favorite medium-width hike mode enabled All-Mountain do-everything boot.

The Fit

There were a lot of tests conducted on the Strider Pro 130 and so few negative remarks on its fit. Right down the middle of the medium-fit target for appropriate fit tension was the consensus. Some testers mentioned an overly snug heel and ankle for a medium fit, but noted that after skiing a few runs the liner relaxed just enough to even-up the fit throughout. The flex-feel is firm but on target for a 130, they said, with just enough cushion for the shin. The Cork LIte liner is articulated for touring and is light weight, but still manages to both cushion and control the foot. The Tri-Force design polyurethane lower shell can be molded with Nordica's Infrared molding system, but there weren't many testers calling for it.

Performance

One tester said, form has high-fived function here, and the rest of the crew agreed. Testers were surprised by the Strider Pro 130's power-to-weight ratio as the thin-shell-wall lower boot and Grilamid cuff teamed up to produce a noticeably light weight boot that pumped out remarkably strong and quick turns. It didn't take many of those turns for a tester to forget it wasn't his own daily driver and go start looking for fresh lines. The hike mode got pretty decent marks for mobility range and quality of movement—one of the best of the alpine-strong tourers for sure, testers agreed. The wire-bale cuff release actuation was simple and effective, they said.

Cool Features

The lightweight, Spartan Velcro power strap was a favorite—no silly pulley-buckle B.S. here, thank you Nordica. The wire-loop-hooky buckles were disdained by some and loved by others, but they got the boot buckled just fine with a little fiddling about along the learning curve. The combination of Dynafit certified tech inserts and GripWalk soles made this boot viable in a variety of different bindings: low-tech, alpine GripWalk, or A.T. frame, and testers appreciated that versatility (as will retailers). Testers were divided on the boot name's coolness, since it sounds an awful lot like an elliptical trainer found on the Home Shopping Network—but hey, you can get exercise with this one too, and with way better views.