Review: Dynafit’s Radical AT boot

 

In recent years Dynafit has earned a reputation for producing low volume, high priced boots through their TLT line. Such is the price of trimming weight. Unfortunately those with higher volume feet couldn’t experience the touring freedom they offered. That changes this year with Dynafit’s new Radical boot. It isn’t Dynafit’s lightest, or stiffest boot, but it surely is their roomiest. A case could be made that it skis smoother than the Mercury or Vulcan, and is easier to switch modes.

Sizing

Dynafit’s Radical Man (and Woman) marks a return to a generous last with a width of 104mm in the forefoot and slightly more instep height for higher volume feet. The tongued liner is heat moldable so many foot oddities can be absorbed by cooking the liner, and if that is insufficient, the PU shell is a material bootfitters are familiar and comfortable punching or grinding to your foots delight.

Downhill Chops

Using polyurethane for the shell does increase the weight of the boot, knocking it out of the lightweight category, but its downhill performance may be worth a few extra ounces. Light weight boots either lack the ability to drive big skis, or they’re so stiff they can only be driven by big boys or very aggressive attitudes. A flex that gets progressively stiffer as you drive forward is generally preferred and that’s exactly what polyurethane does instinctively, yielding one of the more friendly flexing boots in the entire Dynafit line, able to adapt to varying snow conditions and speeds without even thinking about it.

Uphill Efficiency

While the extra ounces may weigh you down after a day of big vertical, for typical day tours or one and done dawn patrols the weight is easy to accept thanks to a huge range of motion in the cuff. With 25 degrees of rear cuff motion with a foot in the boot it still beats nearly every other brand or model on the market except its brothers and sisters in the TLT5 and TLT6 lines. Though it may not set the record for total range of motion, the cuff buckles and patented Motion-Lock power strap are much easier and faster to switch from locked to tour mode than the fiddly, single buckle lock and release system of the TLT series.

Tightening the buckles and power strap is standard operating procedure. To open up the cuff for walking you don’t need to reset the power strap by releasing the lock, instead, just yank on the Motion-Lock finger loop and the power strap opens up. From there, just flip open the cuff buckles, or if it’s a long climb, reset the buckle wires in the touring teeth that slide smoothly and reliably, unlike some other brands.

Conclusion

The Radical is a classic four-buckle boot so it’s easy to get a good grip on your foot and transfer all the power of your leg to the turn, or hold it in place so it doesn’t slop around when touring. The sole has sticky rubber lugs and of course it comes standard with Dynafit’s improved toe inserts that make clicking into pintech bindings faster and more reliable.

Finally, if the thought of new boots has your wallet quivering the price of the Radical should quell those fears. Combined with a progressive downhill flex, roomy fit and excellent cuff range of motion the only reason it won’t make your feet smile is if it’s too big.

Dynafit
Radical Man
MSRP: $550
Weight/boot: 4 lbs. 1 oz. – 1830 g (sz 26)
Sizes available (mondo): 25—30.5

Radical Woman
MSRP: $550
Weight/boot: 3 lbs. 12 oz. – 1700 g (sz 24)
Sizes available (mondo): 22.5—27.5
© 2014