Blister Brand Guide: Dynafit Running Shoe Lineup, 2022

Brand Background: Dynafit

Similar to several other brands we’ve featured in this series, Dynafit’s emergence into the trail shoe space happened a bit later than some of the biggest brands. Up until the last decade or so, Dynafit’s main focus had been on producing highly capable equipment for backcountry skiing and ski mountaineering, which helped establish their reputation as industry leaders in the world of snow sports. Hailing from Austria, Dynafit was officially incorporated in 1969 and quickly found success making boots and bindings for downhill ski racing and touring. After a change in ownership in the early 2000s, the brand rededicated themselves to lightness, efficiency, and speed, three design principles they planned to use as their north star heading into the 21st century. These tenets yielded results; Dynafit is now widely credited with pioneering “Speed Mountaineering,” a style of climbing defined by its quick, minimalist approach.

In the summer of 2011, Dynafit launched their first trail running collection, a close collaboration between designers and skimo athletes in need of true mountain running shoes to train in during their off-seasons. Now over a decade old, and with over a dozen models to their name, it’s finally starting to feel like Dynafit’s trail running line is getting its due, especially in the US market. Their shoes are uniquely styled to perform on truly treacherous terrain, and as European-style events such as vertical kilometers and sky races continue to spread, more and more of Dynafit’s models are finding their way to starting lines everywhere.

There are a couple proprietary technologies Dynafit uses throughout their lineup that are worth commenting on in this prologue. A good starting point is their “Heel Preloader,” which amounts to a TPU band that wraps around the rear of the shoe above the calcaneus. Its primary function is to enhance heel hold when under tension before then transferring force through the rest of the stride. This feature works in conjunction with their “Alpine Rocker” (a rocker-shape midsole geometry) to improve energy return. Other notable components unique to Dynafit include their “Invisible Lacing System,” which is simply their take on quick laces, with the addition of a stretch covering to keep out debris; and the use of grippy Pomoca outsoles, a clear influence from their ski side. Fit-wise, expect Dynafit shoes to adopt a slimmer fit, though they’re pretty good about adapting each model’s volume to its intended purpose (e.g. wider lasts for their long-distance models).

This breakdown will give a quick overview of each model’s features and intended purpose. It’s organized from most- to least-cushioned.