Lightweight 50/50 Ski Boots: Nordica Unlimited LT 130 DYN Review

A ski boot that tries to be everything for everyone often ends up being good for no one. But buying two pairs of ski boots — one for the ski resort, one for the backcountry — is expensive. So, there’s obviously a financial reason to consider crossover ski boots. Like most hybrid ski boots, the Nordica Unlimited LT 130 DYN promises high performance at the resort, as well as lightweight comfort on the skintrack in the backcountry.

I’ve found that most options in this category are heavy. Experienced backcountry skiers aren’t willing to lug excess grams if they can afford one of the many excellent lightweight ski touring boots on the market. Luckily, the sub-1,500g Unlimited LT set is a weight that’s ready for longer missions.

Throughout my testing, this turned out to be a fairly soft boot for being labeled a 130 flex. But it’s predictable and stiff enough for most skiing styles, save the dedicated carver. Intermediate skiers looking for a new resort boot with backcountry chops might be the perfect fit since it isn’t too stiff, but this is also a boot that a skier can progress with.

You can’t get around the trade-offs required regarding fit and power transfer if you’re trying to use the Unlimited LT equally between the ski resort and ski tours. Still, if you can make it work, it’ll save you nearly $1,000. That’s good money for upgrading elsewhere in your ski closet.

In short: The 50/50 Nordica Unlimited LT 130 DYN ($950) keeps the weight low enough to be a serious option for serious backcountry skiers, instead of just another heavy resort boot with tech binding compatibility. If you can compromise on fit and flex, it’s a pricey boot that’ll save you money in the big picture.

Read The Best Ski Boots Buyer’s Guide to see how the Unlimited LT 130 DYN levels up against the rest of our favorite ski boots.

Nordica Unlimited LT 130 DYN Ski Boot Review

The first thing you’ll notice about the Nordica Unlimited LT 130 DYN ski boots is that they don’t look like backcountry boots. You can usually tell a touring boot from across the ski shop. But the build of the Unlimited is decidedly resort style despite being only 1,480 g — a weight in the class of high-end performance touring boots such as Tecnica’s Zero G Tour Pro.

The 3D Light Performance Fit TF Primaloft Liner is definitely thin and light and one of the ways Nordica shaves grams to achieve 1,480. The shell is split into three zones of different plastics — which they labeled Tri Force Cuff Construction (I’m still looking for a Zelda pun here) — that puts stiffer plastic in the back spine of the boot to help the lock/walk mechanism. Softer plastics are placed against the front of the shin for a more contoured wrap.

Despite claiming that there’s harder plastic around the foot, the plastic visibly warps out and flexes with forward lean. That flex helps the fairly upright boot bend forward but also makes it feel softer than a 130 flex would suggest.

Flipping the lock mechanism bar allows you to adjust the forward lean from 11 degrees to 13 degrees for a more forward stance. This is ultimately a personal preference that should be tailored to your biomechanics and skiing style. I went with the more forward 13-degree position, as I’m comfortable with a more traditional lean angle.

Testing Conditions

I skied the Nordica Unlimited LT 130 DYN boots for about 8 days in late spring at Breckenridge and Arapahoe Basin ski areas. Four of those days were in the backcountry to assess their touring performance.

I tested the 27.5 size, which is my normal boot size. For my foot shape, the Unlimited ski boot felt a tad big with the spine locked while I was skiing at the resort. That was the case with my heel pulled back into the boot and with a maxed-out forward lean. 

Everyone’s feet are shaped a bit different. So, it’s best to try on ski boots from various manufacturers at your local ski shop to get an idea of how each last matches your width, heel, ankle, and arch.

Fit: Lean Liners, Moderate Width

Fit is ultimately the most important feature of any ski boot. An ill-fitting ski boot out of the box can require too much bootfitting magic to make sense. And it’s always better to start with a good immediate fit that can be broken in or adjusted by your local bootfitter to address (hopefully) minor hotspots. 

The Unlimited pair has a medium 99mm last that hugged my foot nicely off the shelf. I found the modest instep height volume comfortable without feeling dangerously roomy. Though, I ultimately decided to add the thin-volume spacer insole — which was included in the box — to chew up a bit of space for a snugger performance fit.

Inside, the liners felt lean, but they were well-shaped to my foot. I didn’t feel the need to utilize their thermo moldability. Nordica says the liners are three-dimensionally shaped to fit the anatomy of the foot without molding, and that was the experience I had.

Both the liners and shell are moldable and punchable. But you’ll want to work with a Nordica dealer bootfitter to ensure they have the right knowledge and equipment to get the process done right.

High Range of Motion, Roomy Heel Pocket

When touring, the claimed 65 degrees of rotation at the ankle was noticeable. The brand’s claim of 40 degrees back and 25 forward felt about right.

The only downside of this impressive range of motion was that when articulating backward to the maximum, as you do when striding forward on flatter terrain, my heel slid forward out of the heel pocket, and my toes would jam against the front of the boot.

As a result, I found myself shortening my strides. And I was much more comfortable touring on steeper pitches, which naturally kept my shins more upright and forward and toes back.

An obvious answer to this issue would be to size up in the boot to have more room in the toebox. The obvious downside to that is an oversized fit would result in a sloppier fit when locked in to ski at the resort. Even in the tested size, skiing the resort locked in with my heel firmly back in the boot, I felt there was more room than I’d normally like in a performance resort boot.

This isn’t exactly a flaw of this particular boot. But the balance isn’t easy to find when shopping for a boot that performs in-bounds and in the backcountry. Backcountry ski boots are usually designed to be a bit roomier for touring motion and comfort at the cost of some performance on the downhill.

If you’re choosing a ski boot size for a 50/50 boot such as the Unlimited, keep this in mind. Discuss the pros and cons, as well as your foot shape and ski style, with your bootfitter before you buy your size.

Downhill Performance

It’s important to note that I tested the Nordica Unlimited LT 130 DYN ski boots in late spring and warmer temperatures likely contributed to the boot feeling softer than normal.

Standing on skis and flexing forward, the plastic around the foot visibly flexed and bowed out without Herculean effort. I was initially concerned the boot might be too soft for my liking.

On the snow, however, I was pleasantly surprised. The flex when skiing was predictable and allowed me to push into a comfortable athletic stance through turns.

At the default forward lean of 11 degrees, I felt too upright. But flipping the lock mechanism to get to 13 degrees was much more natural. It also kept my toes from bashing when I was skiing off-piste and landing airs. Again, this is largely a personal preference. But traditional skiers and ex-racers may find even the 13 degrees too upright.

On the downhill, the boots encourage a more modern, centered, and upright stance conducive to playful, freeride styles. That will be comfortable and intuitive for skiers accustomed to this setup. It’s also going to be good for intermediates that tend to ski with a more relaxed stance.

However, the ability to use the predictable flex to push the boot forward means that advanced skiers can find their comfort zone. And, progressing skiers won’t be held back by the boot if they work to adopt a more aggressive body position while frontside skiing. 

Touring Performance

Aside from feeling a bit cramped by the sizing, I was thoroughly impressed with the uphill performance of the Nordica Unlimited LT 130 DYN ski boots. Obviously, the low overall weight makes them a breeze to skin with. But there are some key features that enhanced the touring experience.

Most notable is the buckle system, which has the traditional four buckles but uses a cabling design between the two over-the-foot buckles. The setup streamlines switching from touring to downhill mode. Simply flipping the forward-most buckle cinches or loosens both of the front two buckles via the cable.

Helpfully, the buckle locks into either hike or ski mode and lies flat to stay out of the way. Having toured in other boots with buckles that are either flapping when unsecured, or sticking out to catch on things, this was a breath of fresh air and a smart design that other bootmakers could emulate.

The two buckles above the ankle are more traditional but they lock securely into a more open position for touring that likewise keeps them flat against the boot and out of the way. The power strap is more minimalist than most resort boots but not as wimpy as some ultralight options I’ve seen on dedicated touring boots.

Nordica Unlimited LT 130 DYN Ski Boots: Conclusion

The Nordica Unlimited LT 130 DYN is a worthy 50/50 backcountry and resort hybrid ski boot for skiers that appreciate the familiarity of skiing the same boots regardless of their venue.

This design is noticeably lightweight. The smart, easy-to-use cable buckle setup is functional without getting in the way or flapping around when it’s unlocked. A predictable flex means experts can quickly find their comfort zone while intermediates can excel while pushing their forward lean. While descending, the boots encourage a centered, upright stance.

There’s an impressive range of motion that matches the brand’s claims, and the heel pocket is roomy compared to other resort-specific ski boots.

While there are inherent trade-offs to accept when choosing a ski boot that pulls double-duty, the Nordica Unlimited will reward skiers with a lightweight, capable hybrid ski boot that replaces two costly gear purchases with one. To see where the Unlimited LT 130 DYN fits into the broader landscape of ski boots, check out The Best Ski Boots Buyer’s Guide.