Dynafit Dy.N.A Review

There are a lot of great race boots out there, all with their own features, quirks, and advantages/disadvantages.  Dynafit released the Dy.N.A World Cup Boot with the goal of eliminating any disadvantages and building a boot that caters to exactly what the ski mountaineering racer is really after, and to meet the demands of speed traverses, even steep skiing.  I had previously wrote an article on its features, those alone convincing me that this was an awesome boot.  But skiing is believing, here's all the other info you've been looking for.

The Fit

The Dy.N.A's sleek, anatomically correct fit, is not like the rest of the Dynafit line although some similarities can be noticed.  The heel pocket is snug, not too tight, but enough to grip the heel without pinching and/or creating blisters.  The mid foot, begins to widen from the heel, remaining snug with some room for the foots bones to move while walking.  The forefoot is nice and wide.  It is at its widest at the 1st and 5th metatarsals, which makes feels fantastic when walking, and allows the foot to move naturally inside the boot without being restricted.  The toe box, is widened to the inside, allowing the big toe to sit naturally and does not squeeze it it with the other toes.  The upper cuff is narrow, and hugs the athletic calf really well, where as other race boots may feel more loose.  
How It Walks

One word will describe the way the Dy.N.A walks, unbelievable!  There is absolutely no restrictions on your foot.  No walk mode limit, no instep top out on the top of the boot, and barely any weight on your feet.  The stiff sole is great   Breaking trail was much easier, as the boot was smaller in girth overall, so your foot cuts through the snow making life way easier in the deep.  In the track, they make maintaining a fast cadence easy, and are entertaining to pay attention to how light and efficient they are.  I loved the way they felt on the flats, regardless of other arguments of a stiffer sole, and was powerful on the steep up track.  


Each stride you take with these boots has a powerful kick.  The 5mm flex of the forefoot of the boot gives the boot a "pop" when your skinning, which I have never felt on any other boot on the market.  

How It Skis

If you've been after a really light boot, but have not found anything stiff enough, look no farther.  I having some incredible conditions to test it in, I decided to really test it out, taking it out in backcountry knee deep bottomless powder, wind-packed sastrugi, in-bounds chopped up crud and moguls, and icy groomers.  


Having skied other race boots on the market, the F1, some different Dynafit predecessors, but none could hold a candle to these.  You can drive these boots just like any other touring boot.  They are stiff laterally, but the real treat is that you can drive your knee forward, and ski these hard.  Bottom line they charge.  A massive advantage in racing, you will be well ahead of the pack when skiing through variable snow conditions, and not have to worry about holding back at all.  Coming from an alpine racing background using the stiffest boots and skis, it was revelation to ski this boot with such monstrous energy transfer, a big change of pace compared to the other Rando race boots on the market.  I know it may be hard to believe that such a light boot skis so well, but this is something you will have to experience to believe.

Fitting The Boot

Fitting the boot was just as easy as any other boot.  Just toss it on a stack heater, I wouldn't recommend using a convection oven as it may overheat the thin race liner too quickly, and wait 12 minutes at 114 degree Fahrenheit. Make sure you have a toe cap on with a stocking, not a sock, as they do pack out well, but also to make sure you aren't swimming in it.  I just walked around with it on, as it is a race boot for walking, rather than standing in one spot with my toes elevated (footbed out).  After it cooled down, I popped the footbed back in, and voila!  Perfect.  
This being said, fitting the DyNA can be more work than other boots.  Mine did work out easily, but I have spent awhile on other peoples boots making sure the little quirks fit, and concentrating on micro adjustments.  You can fit this boot in three different ways to customize the volume.  Boot shim in, Footbed in, or nothing at all; the choice is yours, and do what feels best, or combine two if necessary.

One thing to note, is that this boot has a significantly taller cuff than the F1, which may require some extra fitting for some people with larger calves.  This is also a big advantage.  A taller cuff means extra support, and if you are thrown into the back seat, you will have a much better chance of recovering.


Overall Impression

Before heading out to test the boot, I dealt with a person who believed he was too good a skier to even be in a Dynafit Titan.  Nothing was stiff enough to hold his ego in, as he tore into how poorly designed touring boots are, and how nobody who really knew how to ski could use them.  Laughing to myself knowing the secret to skiing more, faster, longer, steeper, harder, was using lightweight gear that still packed a punch.  The secret is out of the bag, and maybe we can hope that not every skier realizes it, and leave the great vastness to those who chose to accept it and move fast.  For those who do, the Dynafit Dy.N.A World Cup Race boot is the key to unlocking vast distances and massive elevation gains and loss, with no compromises.  


I could of easily just wrote this review in two words, "no brainer," but it would not explain and outline the reasons behind it.  Race gear is the future of ski mountaineering gear, and is the answer to accomplishing more in the backcountry.  The Dy.N.A World Cup boot is the big stepping stone that bridges the gap between light but flimsy boots, and really heavy but stiff boots, combined into an extremely light and beautifully stiff boot.  Not only will I be skiing this boot for training and racing, but for everyday skiing, steep skiing, and guiding.  So stoked to ski these everyday!