Dynaftt TLT X Boot Reivew
Tom Robertson Review
I’ve always wanted to try a lightweight ski boot, and since MTCX was selling Dynafit, I knew this would be the year. In my quest for comfort I wanted to find the most comfortable boot out there. The new Dynafit TLT X kept coming up as the on to try. Dynafit bills this as a “North American fit,” as, it has a little more room, especially in the toe box.
Fit:
The first time I put them on at MTCX they felt like slippers. I could have just worn them home. I did replace the minimal footbeds with green Superfeet insoles. I have these in all of my footwear (skiing, cycling and everyday shoes) to help with high arches. The boots also have a new BOA-like “Twistfit” knob that replaces a buckle. Some folks are skeptical of this, but I found it works for me and allows for a precise fit.
Uphill:
These boots are made for the uphill. The first time I skinned up hill I couldn’t believe these were actually ski boots. So comfortable with a large range of motion. There is one buckle that is adjusted with a velcro cuff strap, that takes from you walk to ski mode. Once you open this up, you are ready to go. It felt like a combination between a slipper and a running shoe. These boots were made to go uphill.
Downhill:
The big question with lightweight boots is how do they ski. I took these boots out three times before I was scheduled for a hut trip in Canada. I was hesitant to take these as my main boot on the trip as it’s a helicopter ride in, and whatever boot you take is all you have for a week of skiing big mountains. But after those three times out I felt confident that these would work. And… they did.
I was able to ski similar to how I a medium-weighted boot. It does seem you need to really engage the boot to get the most out of it, really keeping your shins agains the front of the boot. There was enough stiffness there for me to really drive the ski. A separate set of power straps is included if you need them. On the Canada trip we did experience a couple of warmer days with heavier snow and I used the power straps. It really added some stiffness, and felt like another buckle was engaged. You can keep these straps on there during transitions and the uphill. The power straps also add confidence when you ski “no fall” zones and areas with tricky spots.
I was skiing DPS Pagado skis that are 100 underfoot. From what I’ve read, 100 is the widest ski suggested for these boots, though others noted that if you are in powder you can go a little bit bigger. These boots are made for long days in the mountains. Going up and down and up and down all day are where these boots really shine. I was skiing 6- to 8-hour days and they were comfortable the whole time and I never developed any hot spots or problem areas. That said, even heading for a quick lap up at Marshall in them is also pretty sweet.
