Transitions
As a result of its unique buckle system, the TLT7 allows for the fastest and easiest transition of any of the boots that I’ve used in this category. I’m not a rando racer, and I’ve never had issues transitioning quickly with any of the boots in this category (or any other touring boot for that matter). But the TLT7 transitions in essentially a single-handed motion, since the single top buckle tightens or loosens the entire boot and engages the walk mode. It’s quicker to transition than the TLT5 or TLT6, since there is no tongue to swap out — all you have to do is flip open the Ultra-Lock 3.0 system.
Touring
Once you put them in walk mode, every boot in this category tours ridiculously well. (If you’ve used any of them, expect the rest of them to be quite similar.) For me and my style of skinning, the walk mode on all of these boots — including the TLT7 — provides more range of motion than I’ll ever need, even for long, flat approaches. So any small differences in measured ROM seem trivial to me. And all that is to say, then, that the TLT7 tours very, very well. In walk mode, it feels very similar to the TLT6 with the tongue removed.
The TLT7’s unique “speed nose” (which doesn’t feature any sort of welt) allows the boot sole length to be a few mm shorter than the TLT6’s. It also means that Dynafit was able to set back the tech fittings closer to the center of the boot, which technically make for a more efficient and natural stride. So I appreciate the setback position of the tech fittings, but I didn’t notice too much of a difference from other boots in this category that also have reasonably setback fittings.
The TLT7 also features Dynafit’s “Snowdynamic Concept,” which is a fancy way of saying that Dynafit made the boot sleeker to cut through fresh snow easier. I can’t honestly say that I noticed a difference, even when skinning in snow that was boot-top deep.
Stiffness and Downhill Performance
I’ll get into more detail in my Deep Dive Comparison article between all of the ultralight boots I’ve been in, but in terms of pure forward flex, the TLT7 is in the middle of the pack in terms of both stiffness and progressiveness. The Atomic Backland Carbon is a bit stiffer and less progressive than the TLT7, and the Salomon X-Alp is a touch softer. All of the boots in this category are capable of driving powder skis in soft snow at high speeds.
It must also be said that all of these boots (including the TLT7) require some compromises in skiing style for those who are used to stiff alpine boots, and this is amplified as snow conditions become more challenging. In perfect powder, these boots can be skied aggressively. But as the snow becomes firmer or crusty, all of the boots in this category require slowing down a little and adopting a more balanced stance. They also don’t provide as much of a margin for error as heavier, damper, more cushioned boots.
In terms of lateral stiffness, the TLT7 is quite good (as are all of the carbon-cuffed boots in this category that I’ve skied), and so long as the snow conditions are pretty forgiving, provides enough power transmission for any ski I’ve toured on, including some superfat powder skis.
On the descent, the Dynafit TLT7 is right in there, overall, with the boots in this category. The higher-volume heel and ankle, in addition to the floppy stock liner, take it down a notch for me, but your feet might find a better fit than mine, and liners and can replaced.
For a direct comparison to its predecessor (the TLT6 Performance), I would say that at indoor temps, the TLT7 flexes stiffer than the TLT6 with its stock tongue, but the high-volume fit and thin, low-cut, and floppy liner negate any small performance benefits that this innovative shell might provide. So for my feet, the TLT6 still skis better.
Bottom Line
The Dynafit TLT7 Performance certainly employs some cool and effective innovations in its buckle-closure and walk-mode system over the mainstay TLT5 and TLT6 boots that it replaces. It also provides the highest-volume overall fit of any boot in this category. For those who need a high-volume touring boot and can tolerate the low-cuffed, floppy liner (or are willing to change it out), and the TLT7 Performance is an excellent choice.
Deep Dive
Stay tuned for our Deep Dive Comparisons article, with uphill-performance and downhill-performance comparisons between the Dynafit TLT7, Atomic Backland Carbon, Scarpa F1, Arc’teryx Procline Carbon, Salomon S-Lab X-Alp, and the previous Dynafit TLT5 and TLT6 boots.
Paul, How do you like touring in a wrap liner? Doesn’t it restrict your range of motion? Do you notice a significant difference when use a tounge style liner?
My $.02 from using Powerwraps versus a stiff tongue-style liner in the same boot:
It’s a pretty huge difference in ROM. Such that I would not tour with a wrap liner unless I absolutely had to, even though I like they way they ski. YMMV.
Hey Severin, There are those that disagree with me but I find the slightly limited range of motion to be pretty minor and well worth the extra performance. The TLT7 is a little different because it has the ability to tighten the cuff when in walk mode but in all of then other boots in this category I sometimes even prefer the additional stiffness of the wrap liner when in walk mode because they give a little more support when skinning gets weird and technical. Again, I know people who would never put a wrap liner in boots like this because they want maximum ROM and I could see the need for that if you have a lot of super long, flat approaches but for me it’s an easy call to add the wrap liner.
Just adding a my two cents general comment about touring in wrap style liners. Toured for a few seasons in the old Dynafit All Terrain and Garmont Axon boots with Intuition thick foam wrap liners. For uphilling rom, I found flipping the edges of the two portions of wrap to create an ‘inverse overlap’ of the front of the upper cuff offered an increase in fore and aft rom and general uphilling comfort. Just sayin’ for sayin’s sakes…and like ‘not paul’ says, ymmv.
I have extremely narrow and flat feet. Street shoe size 11.5 to 12 American. I am an Advanced Skier (Not expert) who mainly likes to stay on Front side Groomers at Big Sky in MT. Would you recommend this boot for someone with hard to fit feet like me?
Greg. I’ve skied Big Sky extensively. Ive had the TLT 6 and the Dynafit Titan UL. For my money while it sounds like Dynafit in general would feet your feet well, you could get a far more resort based boot by Dynafit for about 1/2 the price. Since it does not sound like you plan on touring I’d recommend it. I think you’d get a cheaper, better, and longer lasting experience out of a beefier Dynafit boot. Plus you need Dukes, Barons, Guardians, Wardens or some other AT compatible binding. This boot WILL NOT FIT any non-tech specific binding due to its toe, neither will the TLT6 or 5.
I had to upsize from a 27.5 (normal boot size) to the next larger boot shell (28-28.5) in this boot and I do not like the custom light liners. I am wondering what size of intuition liner you put in this boot? Its supposed to be a 28.5 but it sure feels like a 27.5 .
Hey Paul, do you mind stating what your foot size is measured as (length, last)?
GARBAGE!
I have the TLT7 expedition. Broke the shell day 8, the forefoot cable day 10. Broke the silly Dynafit crampon adapter yesterday. The lower buckle cable housing freezes up routinely, which disables the ability to tighten the lower buckle.
THESE BOOTS SUCK! Dynafit gizmo tech that doesn’t work. Does this company not field test their product?
Same with mine TLT 7 Expedition CR.
On my fifth touring, when closing buckle for the lower cuff, my shell broke. Forward flex is terrible and everybody knows when Im touring – they are soo creaky!
I’m looking for the “Deep Dive Comparison between all of the ultralight boots” you mentioned. Does this article exist?
Thx!
TLT7’s are retailing pretty inexpensive lately, and I see barely used ones on Craig’s list. Can I assume these were a failure?
I think so. I have had for one year. Bought for 550$ on eBay. Messed around a lot to get an intuition liner to make them tolerable. They seem stiff most the time on the downhill. They are very light.
I worry about durability but nothing has broken. The boot sole is not grippy at all on rock and I feel like it’s about 10% as good as a vibram sole.
I would not buy again and therefore don’t recommend.
There has been diy experiments recently with a mod that replaces the buckle cable with a thicker one and moves the shorter forefoot cable to improve forefoot security and ease of buckle closure. Might be worth trying…