Dynafit TLT5 Performance

Weighing less than 5 pounds per pair, the TLT 5s are the lightest AT boot currently on the market and don’t seem like they’d drive a big backcountry stick. Yet everyone who’s skied this boot came to the same conclusion I did: “I can’t believe how stiff this thing is.” Thanks should go to the carbon upper cuff, which is much stiffer than the TLT “Mountain,” the same boot built with a pebax upper cuff. I actually noticed the stability the most when I was testing how well the boot could steer a ski by carving turns on resort hardpack. The power transfer back and forth drove the skis when and where I wanted them. And as for soft snow, they were a no-brainer.

The clever ultra lock system engages downhill mode when the second buckle is clipped into place. Disengage the buckle and I had walk mode. The other buckle crosses the forefoot and kept me snug into the front of the boot. Not that I needed it, as this boot was quite narrow overall. So, if you have a really wide foot, there might be some fidgeting to get the fit you want.

If the downhill chops are the sell, the uphill ergonomics are the hook. And the barb to keep you hooked is the removable tongue for walking and bootpacking. It takes 5 seconds to put the tongues in or take them out, and though the boots are very mobile with the buckles open, removing the tongues took me to a new level. I’m not kidding when I say you can jog up the bootpack. Because the boots are so light and nimble underfoot, hiking in them seemed like cheating. I was able to keep up a higher pace throughout a 1,500-hundred-foot climb and felt less taxed overall at the top. This means going higher and farther with less exhaustion.

There is a small caveat, which comes in the form of the liner. Because they are so streamlined and built for mobility, the liners are thinner when compared to other backcountry boots and didn’t keep my feet as warm. By no means is it a deal breaker but if I’m spending a grand on boots I want the best possible liner I can get.