Dynafit Ridge boots (and bindings)

[turnfarmer]

Good vid here-
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=VOUrxU...ByaWRnZQ%3D%3D

[Andyski]

To be fair, that same last made it impossible for people like me to fit in it. I gave up after punching to its limit and still having significant pain in the midfoot and heel because it was just too narrow still. I don't blame Dynafit for wanting to expand the market for the boot. Lets face it, not everyone with a super narrow foot will refuse to buy the mid-lasted boot. But everyone with a wide foot will refuse to buy the narrow-lasted boot.

[emoji817]. But like those lamenting the death of the 2500g, 30m radius, cambered charger (HL aside), I like to whine in the face of obvious business logic.

[XXX-er]

Instead of trying to fit in a sexy new boot which looked really cool but didnt remotely fit my foot I went with a boot that fit out of the box, fortunately it was the Mercury & Vulcan on which I did some big tours with no mods except a pwrwrap

the Ridge looks cool, i trust Hoji to make something incredible, what I don't trust is Dynafit bringing it to market as Hoji gave it to them,

but I sure hope I'm wrong

[nyskirat]

You can see his proto version here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ps5EIBoCFKE

[auvgeek]

I pre-purchased Ridges, picked them up yesterday. Like every boot I've had for 15+ years I replaced the liners off the bat with Intuitions. This is because I have a very low volume foot and with every boot AT boot I need to take up more volume (plus I think most touring liners are inferior to Intuitions, but I havent actually used any in a while). So I put the 12mm Intuition Tour Tongues in them. This definitely reduced the touring range of motion, but I think once the liners break in a bit it will get better. As previously stated the shells are short for a given length. I typically downsize and stretch boots out to fit. I wear size 10 shoes, I've been in size 25 Zero Gs (with lots of stretches/punches) for 4.5 seasons. Volume wise I'm sure a 25 Ridge would be better but I don't think I could get the length to work, and 25s don't exist right now to even try on so I'm in a 26 Ridge. The heel is bigger than my Zero G, but smaller than the Atomic Backland XTD in my opinion, or maybe about the same. I had one of those at home for a while and kept trying to decide if I could make it work. The biggest issue with the backland for me was the lack of any buckle around the ankle. For me the Z buckle was worthless, does nothing to pull my foot back into the heel pocket. The middle buckle on the Ridge is key. Same with the Skorpius. Nothing to hold my heel down, the BOA is worthless for me. I also found the heel/ankle on the Skorpius to be huge. Bigger than the Ridge if I remember correctly. Yes, both the Skorpius and Backland XTD have more and lower friction touring ROM, especially with the liner I put in. The Ridge Is much stiffer than either of those, which for me is a good thing. The Skorpius cuff is way too low for my taste, I didn't like skiing them at all (I know plenty of people love them, I wish I did!) Ridge cuff is about the same as my Zero Gs, a bit lower in the back. Ridge stiffness does feel a bit like a brick wall, at least in carpet testing. Tour to ski transition in Ridge very fast and efficient.

I dont think Skorpius and Ridge are really comparable boots, Ridge is much stiffer. Ridge also a bit stiffer than XTD at lower weight.

The fit notes are great, thanks! And love the comparison to the Skorpius and Backland XTD. All super helpful.

Can you speak to how well the Ridge walks and flexes compared to the ZeroG?

[GoldenBC]

From trying the Ridge on at the show and owning zero G, I would say the Ridge has a way better walk mode. Bigger range with much less resistance, especially backwards.

The ridge was too big for me but I would say the Zero G is more progressive in flex.

[wilcox510]

Skied the Ridges on Saturday. With putting the much thicker and stiffer Intuitions in them the walk mode is definitely worsened. Unfortunately the forward range of motion is now worse than my Zero Gs, I could definitely feel that on steep skin tracks. Rearward range of motion is still better than Zero Gs. Put then stock liners back in to test today in the house, and the range of motion is soooo much better. So if the Ridge fits you with the stock liner in (which it definitely does not for me, but pretty much no AT boot fits me without putting a thicker liner in it) awesome range of motion, at least for a boot of this stiffness. Speaking of stiffness, these feel similarly stiff to my Zero Gs (which have been skied a few hundred days), but less progressive. I'm still thinking about it, but right now, for me I don't see any advantage of this boot compared to the Zero G, so will likely be selling a pair of size 26 Ridges with one day of use on the shells and none on the liners. Ugh.

[carterhudson]

Skied the Ridges on Saturday. With putting the much thicker and stiffer Intuitions in them the walk mode is definitely worsened. Unfortunately the forward range of motion is now worse than my Zero Gs, I could definitely feel that on steep skin tracks. Rearward range of motion is still better than Zero Gs. Put then stock liners back in to test today in the house, and the range of motion is soooo much better. So if the Ridge fits you with the stock liner in (which it definitely does not for me, but pretty much no AT boot fits me without putting a thicker liner in it) awesome range of motion, at least for a boot of this stiffness. Speaking of stiffness, these feel similarly stiff to my Zero Gs (which have been skied a few hundred days), but less progressive. I'm still thinking about it, but right now, for me I don't see any advantage of this boot compared to the Zero G, so will likely be selling a pair of size 26 Ridges with one day of use on the shells and none on the liners. Ugh.

Where are you located? I’d be very interested in buying them from you if you’re serious.

[wilcox510]

Park City/SLC. Not 100% sure yet, but yes most likely..

[auvgeek]

Man, I think I’m gonna have to size up to the 27 in the ridge otherwise I’d be all over that.

[GoldenBC]

Cut a walk mode into your intuitions. It works like a charm and is super easy. Doesn’t affect the durability in any meaningful way.

[wilcox510]

Cut a walk mode into your intuitions. It works like a charm and is super easy. Doesn’t affect the durability in any meaningful way.

They are the Intuition Tour Tongue liners, so already have a walk mode cut out. It seems its just like the bulk of having more liner, I need all the extra liner for my foot, but the cuff is pretty bulky so I can only get the cuff velco strap set at number 1 (it goes up to 6), I think that might be impeding things. Maybe I should have cranked down on that when molding the liners.

[wilcox510]

So more OCD-ing with the boots... Took an old pair of beat up but higher volume liners and put them in the Ridges, and they limited the touring ROM a fair amount as well. Then I home molded those liners and cranked down on the cuff and middle buckles. Afterwards, big improvement in ROM. So, maybe I'll remold my 1 day old Intuition Tour Tongues and do the same with them. These things are seriously stiff though, I do wish they were more progressive like the zero Gs. I'll also say that in actual use in the field the Hoji Lock was kind of challenging to push down into ski mode. I'm sure I just need to get the hang of it a bit, but I could see that in a really awkward/exposed transition spot it might feel challenging.

[nyskirat]

So more OCD-ing with the boots... Took an old pair of beat up but higher volume liners and put them in the Ridges, and they limited the touring ROM a fair amount as well. Then I home molded those liners and cranked down on the cuff and middle buckles. Afterwards, big improvement in ROM. So, maybe I'll remold my 1 day old Intuition Tour Tongues and do the same with them. These things are seriously stiff though, I do wish they were more progressive like the zero Gs. I'll also say that in actual use in the field the Hoji Lock was kind of challenging to push down into ski mode. I'm sure I just need to get the hang of it a bit, but I could see that in a really awkward/exposed transition spot it might feel challenging.

They're making a non-pro version that comes out fall 2024 - wonder if that's going to be more progressive.

[rod9301]

So more OCD-ing with the boots... Took an old pair of beat up but higher volume liners and put them in the Ridges, and they limited the touring ROM a fair amount as well. Then I home molded those liners and cranked down on the cuff and middle buckles. Afterwards, big improvement in ROM. So, maybe I'll remold my 1 day old Intuition Tour Tongues and do the same with them. These things are seriously stiff though, I do wish they were more progressive like the zero Gs. I'll also say that in actual use in the field the Hoji Lock was kind of challenging to push down into ski mode. I'm sure I just need to get the hang of it a bit, but I could see that in a really awkward/exposed transition spot it might feel challenging.

It's easier if you undo the top buckle

Sent from my moto g 5G using Tapatalk

[wilcox510]

It's easier if you undo the top buckle
Sent from my moto g 5G using Tapatalk

Are you referring to pushing the Hojilock down? I don't understand. There is no top buckle. The Hojilock does the Velcro strap top cuff closure. per Dynafit you're supposed to close the ankle buckle first then "close" the Hojilock

[rod9301]

I'm referring to my hoji free boots, do it might be different.

Anyway, the idea is to loosen the top, either buckle or Velcro. It's really hard to go into ski mode with them tight, regardless what dynafit says

Sent from my moto g 5G using Tapatalk

[auvgeek]

So more OCD-ing with the boots... Took an old pair of beat up but higher volume liners and put them in the Ridges, and they limited the touring ROM a fair amount as well. Then I home molded those liners and cranked down on the cuff and middle buckles. Afterwards, big improvement in ROM. So, maybe I'll remold my 1 day old Intuition Tour Tongues and do the same with them. These things are seriously stiff though, I do wish they were more progressive like the zero Gs. I'll also say that in actual use in the field the Hoji Lock was kind of challenging to push down into ski mode. I'm sure I just need to get the hang of it a bit, but I could see that in a really awkward/exposed transition spot it might feel challenging.

It's weird that you have less forward ROM in the Ridge with an Intuition Tour Pro than the Zero G ... I'm assuming you also used an Intuition in the Zero G? I guess I'm struggling to understand your experience with how liners affect the ROM of both boots. Can you elaborate, or am I just confused?

[Benneke10]

It's weird that you have less forward ROM in the Ridge with an Intuition Tour Pro than the Zero G ... I'm assuming you also used an Intuition in the Zero G? I guess I'm struggling to understand your experience with how liners affect the ROM of both boots. Can you elaborate, or am I just confused?

I would guess he's able to use a thinner liner in the zero g because of its lower volume shell fit

[wilcox510]

It's weird that you have less forward ROM in the Ridge with an Intuition Tour Pro than the Zero G ... I'm assuming you also used an Intuition in the Zero G? I guess I'm struggling to understand your experience with how liners affect the ROM of both boots. Can you elaborate, or am I just confused?

I actually think the forward ROM of the Zero G is pretty good, especially with the buckles all the way loosened, any my Zero Gs have different cuff buckles on them with longer touring latches which makes it even better. Its the rearward ROM of the Zero G that is not great in my opinion. Anyways... with the really bulky cuff off the current liner I have in the Ridge it just wont let them flex much, its not really the liner, its like the liner gets bound up within the shell. I think I just need to compress the liner cuff a bit with remolding and it will help quite a bit, as it did in my experiment with the old liner.

[Lindahl]

I actually think the forward ROM of the Zero G is pretty good, especially with the buckles all the way loosened, any my Zero Gs have different cuff buckles on them with longer touring latches which makes it even better. Its the rearward ROM of the Zero G that is not great in my opinion. Anyways... with the really bulky cuff off the current liner I have in the Ridge it just wont let them flex much, its not really the liner, its like the liner gets bound up within the shell. I think I just need to compress the liner cuff a bit with remolding and it will help quite a bit, as it did in my experiment with the old liner.

Wait... did you not first mold the liner in the Ridge boot? lol

[wilcox510]

Wait... did you not first mold the liner in the Ridge boot? lol

Yes I molded them. Note how I wrote "remolding" which implies doing it again... It's all in the reading comprehension

[Lindahl]

Yes I molded them. Note how I wrote "remolding" which implies doing it again... It's all in the reading comprehension

You could have molded them previously for a different shell.

[auvgeek]

With the floating tongue design, do you skin with the middle buckle closed or open? Sorry if that's obvious to everyone, but it's not clear to me.

I had assumed you'd leave the middle buckle open while touring (like you do with all upper/cuff buckles), because I had (incorrectly) assumed the BOA on the lower/clog governs the floating tongue volume. But that cripple creek video shows how the volume taken up by the floating tongue design is based on the closure of the middle buckle. So it seems like you'd have to close the middle cuff buckle to lock your ankle/heel down while skinning. But does closing the middle buckle kill the ROM for touring?

I care less about what Dynafit says and what people actually do when touring. Like I know Dynafit markets the Hoji lock as a "set and forget" type thing where you don't adjust the power strap for touring or skiing ... but many people loosen the strap on long skins to improve the ROM and then tighten for ski down.

[GoldenBC]

From what I recall, the boa clamps down on your foot and the middle buckle pulls the tongue back. So, with the middle buckle undone, the tongue is floating and gives you more walk mode ROM. When they say floating tongue, it is floating fore and aft.