The original Hawx series, a medium-lasted shell without a lot of flashy features, became an international best seller for a lot of subtle touches – a domed instep, flexible sidewalls, an abducted stance – that added up to above-market comfort and support at every price point where Hawx competed. The first generation Hawx were particularly beneficial to value-seekers who wanted as much boot as they could afford on a tight budget.
The current Hawx series, which debuted 3 years ago, upped the ante on every front: fit, performance and warmth. The liner and shell are heat-moldable to the skier’s feet, for the current state of the art in personalization. The liners were subtly modified a year ago to make the sizing more accurate, which helps keep people in the right shell size. Both stance and flex adjustments are integrated into the design and Thinsulate™ Platinum insulation (in the 130) should keep you warm anywhere below the Arctic Circle.
The wheelhouse of the revamped Hawx series remains in the softer-flexing 90, 100 and 110 flexes, but more powerful skiers shouldn’t shy away from the stiffer Hawx models just because the softer ones are so popular. The Hawx is the only boot we’re aware of that softens the boot sole as a way of improving energy transmission, an idea first proposed (to the best of our knowledge) by the most brilliant boot designer of our time, Sven Coomer.
Some of the design touches on the Hawx collection are even better suited to women than they are for men, Memory Fit first among them. Women often have bones in the mid-foot that don’t like ski boots one bit, but an adaptable shell in the instep area can help eliminate these pressure points.