Review: Dynafit Ridge Pro Boot

Powder aims to feature only the best products and services. If you buy something via one of our links, we may earn a commission.

Straight from the mind of Hoji himself, Dynafit’s new Ridge Pro Boot brings freetouring boot design back to the drawing board with an ultra-high performance package that excels both uphill and downhill.

• Size skied: 28.0
• Stated Weight: 1,350 g per boot (27.5)
• Stated Flex: 120
• Binding Compatibility: Pin Bindings, Hybrid bindings
• Stated ROM: 70°
• Forward Lean: 12°, 15°
• Stated last width (27): 101mm

The Dynafit Ridge Pro is available now.

Intro:

Dynafit has been one of the biggest players in the tech touring boot game, having practically invented the category back when designer Fritz Barthel invented the Low Tech binding sometime during the stone age. We’ve come a really long way since then, and Dynafit has always been one of those brands to not shy away from thinking outside the box when it comes to designing things that go on your feet–some haven’t necessarily been the greatest of successes, but there’s definitely been no shortage of innovation.

The new Dynafit Ridge Pro boot is the culmination of years of development and tinkering, largely from their athlete mastermind Eric Hjorleifson. In many ways, it’s the stepchild of their Radical Pro and Hoji Free 130 boots, with perhaps a good bit of the Vulcan thrown in, designed with the ultimate balance of shred-ready performance and skimo slipper walkability in mind to create the highest-performing backcountry boot to date. It’s a two-buckle boot that shreds like a four-buckle boot.

That sounds like a lot of hype, I know, but the Ridge Pro really is quite different from any other touring boot I’ve tested in recent years. First off, it’s incredibly comfortable. To me, that’s far more important than any aspect performance, as I won’t be going anywhere in a boot that feels like a teeny-tiny foot prison. Then, thanks to some really interesting design choices, the uphill and downhill performance are also both there, and the Ridge Pro will surely give worthy competitors like the Tecnica Zero G Tour Pro , Scarpa 4 Quattro SL and Atomic Backland XTD a run for their money as a boot for chasing human-powered big-mountain lines.

Features:

Like some of its Dynafit predecessors, the Ridge Pro is centered around the Hoji Lock walk mode mechanism, a really unique system that makes transitioning between walking and skiing a one-move affair. Inside, there’s a mechanism that securely locks the cuff to the lower shell without the usual slop of a spine-mounted external walk mode lever. That internal system is also connected to the large power strap, allowing you to loosen up the entire top half of the boot in a single motion.

While the Hoji Lock tech has carried over from some existing boots, the Ridge Pro combines it with a new floating tongue design that does wonders for comfort. More on that below. The floating tongue is essentially a two-piece plastic tongue that cinches over your forefoot and instep using a BOA-like dial. I say BOA-like because it’s not made by BOA, but works just the same.

Up top, the velcro power strap essentially acts as the top buckle and securely closes the boot around your shin. Between the power strap and the ankle, there’s a second ratchet strap that further tightens the boot around your lower leg. It’s not an ankle ratchet like we’ve seen on other Dynafit boots or the Scarpa Maestrale, that closure is handled by the floating tongue.

Inside is one of Dynafit’s head-moldable Dynafitter liners. It’s pretty thin, but actually quite comfortable, and I wouldn’t immediately swap it out for an aftermarket liner. The shell is mostly carbon-reinforced Grilamid, keeping weight down while retaining maximum stiffness.

The Vibram sole is technically only compatible with pin bindings or hybrid bindings like the Tecton or Kingpin. It will probably work with a Shift or Duke PT, but likely won't offer the same consistency in release values, so maybe don’t try that. One thing to note is that the BSL is really short compared to other boots like the Zero G or Atomics–it’s on par with full-on skimo boots.

Fit:

Historically, I’ve found that Dynafit’s boots have been all over the place when it comes to fit, so I’ll try to compare it to some other boots out there. The Ridge Pro’s stated 101mm last falls into the category of “slightly wide, but appropriate for most feet.” There’s a good amount of toe width and height up front, something I’m always a fan of in touring boots. It honestly feels quite similar overall to the Tecnica Zero G Tour Pro, with a bit more instep height. I find it’s lower volume overall than the Radical Pro, and higher volume than the standard fit TLT X.

Dynafit says that Hoji and Fritz Barthel worked together to focus heavily on touring comfort for this boot, and thanks to the floating tongue, the boot closes very evenly across your forefoot and instep area.I have medium/tall insteps and often have trouble with boots feeling too “low.” The cable adjustment dial does a really good job of evenly applying pressure across the instep. I tend to completely open the forefoot of other touring boots, and I actually found myself rarely adjusting the Ridge Pro while out touring.

The heel pocket isn’t the tightest or narrowest I’ve worn, but doesn’t feel sloppy either. Cuff height feels appropriate, even a little tall, adding to the boot’s downhill performance.

I personally didn’t have any points on the shell that I would consider punching, but it should be noted that Grilamid shells aren’t the easiest to punch, grind, or modify in any way. Consult a really good bootfitter who’s comfortable working with this type of plastic if that’s something you think you might need.

Uphill Performance:

I tend to find it tough to compare uphill performance across dedicated touring boots, because what does “uphill performance” even mean? We’re not racing the clock here, so it’s hard to draw empirical evidence to support any conclusion. Instead, I’ll just leave it in simpler terms. The Dynafit Ridge Pro is not just one of the most comfortable touring boots I’ve ever tested when it comes to overall fit, it also feels like it’s one of the most efficient. I’ve skied a lot of two-buckle skimo boots over the years, and have trended away from them in favor of bigger boots with better downhill performance, but the Ridge Pro feels like it’s in the same league as a skimo boot when it comes to walkability.

It feels really light on my feet, and the range of motion is truly incredible. There’s also some of the least friction I’ve ever felt in a touring boot’s walk mechanism–it’s that smooth. 70 degrees of ROM is a lot, but it’s noticeable in that I felt I needed to use my binding heel risers less on steep terrain, felt more confident on awkward kick turns, and didn’t crunch my toes into the front of the boot on long, flat approaches.

The simplicity and ease of transitioning the Hoji Lock offers can’t be overstated. Going back to my beloved 4-buckle touring boots, like the Zero G Tour Pro or Atomic Hawx Ultra XTD, I felt like a total noob trying to switch between modes. The single-move motion of the Hoji Lock is really really cool. Sure, it’ll save you a few seconds on each transition, but that’s a few minutes over a day of touring–time that could be spent eating a few extra snacks while your friends are busy dealing with straps, buckles, BOAs, or whatever else is on their feet, while you lord over them with your transitional superiority.

The Vibram sole is quite grippy, and will provide secure footing on ridge scrambles, rock sections, or anything you might encounter in the high mountains. The toe and heel bails are compatible with any automatic or semi-automatic crampon–though do make sure your existing crampons are adjusted to the short BSL these boots have!

Downhill Performance:

So if these boots tour really well, are comfortable all day, and are efficient and transitions, they can’t possibly be stiff enough to ski well, right? Not exactly. The Dynafit Ridge Pro skis excellently, offering plenty of fore/aft stiffness in progressive flex that’s supportive enough to drive big skis at high speeds in good snow.

It’s not going to replace your resort boots, but that’s not the point here. Instead, it’s going to replace those ultralight two-buckle boots you secretly hate skiing but keep in your gear closet for big missions so you can keep up with your friends. In fact, the Ridge Pro is going to become your quiver-of-one backcountry boot.

It’s pretty cool to have a single backcountry boot that can cover the bases from mellow powder touring to steep skiing, and everything in between. Your feet and your skiing will appreciate not having to adjust between different boots every time you go out, and the stiffness is appropriate to drive everything from skinny steep skiing skis to 120-underfoot pow crushers.

What compromises does the Dynafit Ridge Pro make?

To eke every last bit of performance out of the design, there are a few compromises Dynafit makes. I think the biggest one is that the Hoji Lock/floating tongue design is pretty complicated internally. It worked without a problem during my testing period this winter, but it would certainly be quite difficult to field repair if something were to explode, let alone source a part for if you were on a trip far away from home. For a boot that’s designed with skiing big, remote peaks in mind, I might have designed it to be a little less proprietary.

Secondly, the boot’s downhill performance is on par with the best-skiing touring boots out there, so I’m somewhat surprised it’s not compatible with anything but a pin binding. Sure, I know Dynafit only makes those, so there’s probably a smart business decision here, but the boot would be a great candidate to pair with a Shift, Duke PT, or CAST binding.

Finally, and this is a gripe with all boots made of Grilamid, these aren’t super easy to work with from a bootfitting standpoint. Grilamid works great if it fits your foot, but is a pain in the ass to punch, grind, or heat mold.

What does the Dynafit Ridge Pro’s ideal skier look like?

Dynafit’s new Ridge Pro boot checks a lot of boxes in what I’d be looking for in a do-it-all touring boot. It skis excellently, tours better than any stiff backcountry boot I’ve ever worn, and is very light. Anyone looking for a boot for a day that involves a lot of walking to aggressively ski a big objective won’t be disappointed. Dynafit just re-upped the ante in creating a truly high-performance freetouring boot.

The Dynafit Ridge Pro is available now.