Review: 2027 Dynafit Radical Pro Boot

To me, the most important feature of how a backcountry boot performs is how it skis. After all, why else am I walking up all these mountains in the winter? There’s not much of a point in taking a boot all the way up a skintrack if the way back down is going to suck. Sure, walking is fun, but skiability rules all.

That being said, there are many schools of thought on how a touring boot should achieve good skiability. For Dynafit, it’s all about the walk mode mechanism. Thanks to a long-standing collaboration with Eric “Hoji” Hjorleifson, Dynafit has an ace up their sleeve in the form of the Hoji Lock walk mode mechanism, a unique, fully-integrated lever/buckle/overlap mechanism that provides both a huge range of motion in walk mode and securely connects the upper and lower halves of the boot in ski mode. It’s the same mechanism shared in their Blacklight, Ridge, and Tigard boot lines. Better yet, it manages to completely transition the boot all in one motion.

In short, the new 2027 Dynafit Radical Pro is a no-compromises backcountry boot. It doesn’t promise resort skiing power, or skimo-level weight, but it’s ready to take you up and down whatever mountain you please, transition quickly and smoothly, and provide a solid ride quality on the way back down. It’s clever design makes backcountry skiing really easy, and in the age of boots and bindings that require an engineering degree to set up and use properly, this is a refreshing break from that. Simply put, you can slide your foot into this and go have a really good time in the backcountry.

2027 Dynafit Radical Pro Specs

• Sizes available: 22.5-27.5 (W), 25.0-31.5 (M)
• Stated Flex: 120 | 110 W
• Binding Compatibility: Tech, ISO 9523
• Closure: 2 forefoot buckles, upper Hoji Lock, power strap
• Shell Material: Grilamid + glass fibers
• Forward Lean: 11 degrees
• Range of Motion: 60 degrees
• Stated Last Width: 104mm
• Stated Weight: 1400g (27.5)

Fit

Despite the advertised 104mm last width, I did not find the new Dynafit Radical Pro boot to be insanely wide. It’s comfortable, that’s for sure, but I was surprised to see it stated as having an ultra-wide forefoot last width. To me, it feels more on par with a 101-102mm last.

Similarly, I found the stated 11 degree forward lean to feel much more forward. It’s not in 16-degree plug boot territory, but the boot did not feel too upright to me by any means, and I normally prefer a much more aggressive forward lean.

Inside, there’s plenty of toe room, though the front of the boot is pretty tapered, meaning anyone who typically has to punch around the sixth toe area will likely have to do so in this boot, too. The ankle/heel pocket is quite snug, and thanks to the over-the-instep buckle, my foot felt comfortably locked in, even when touring or bootpacking.

I’ve always been a fan of Dynafit’s stock liners, and the Dynafitter 10 thermo-moldable liner keeps that heritage alive. There’s nothing too special about it, but it’s warm, comfortable, and is designed to integrate cleanly into the boot shell and walk mode.

Finally, one thing that really stands about the overall fit is how easy it is to get into and out of this boot. Skiing in the Tetons, I spend a lot of time putting my boots on in the driver’s seat of my Crosstrek in snowstorms on top of Teton Pass. Getting into a 4-buckle boot is a pain in the ass in the cramped confines of a hatchback, let alone in the freezing morning hours of an overnight spring mountaineering mission in a tent vestibule. The Radical Pro’s tongue pulls forward completely, making it very easy to just slide my foot into the lower without having to contort my foot around the boot’s pinch points.

Features

Dynafit’s new Radical Pro boot isn’t a complete redesign from the existing version. Instead, it’s an incremental adjustment and perfection of fit, flex, and usability from the existing Radical Pro. The fit is slightly adjusted, and the flex feels both stiffer and a bit smoother than older versions. There’s no carbon in the boot, but glass fiber-reinforced Grilamid in the cuff is paired with pure Grilamid in the lower. It’s not the lightest boot by any means, but if there’s something we’ve learned over the years, it’s that heavier boots nearly always ski better.

The boot’s design is very unique, but is similar to other Dynafit touring boots. A three-piece hybrid design with a plastic tongue is built around the Hoji Lock walk mode mechanism, which provides the upper/lower boot connection and power transfer. Without going too much into how it works, I’ll say it has a lot of moving internal parts, but it provides by far the best connection in any walk mode boot I’ve experienced. There’s a lot of plastic overlapping other plastic, eliminating slop and any vagueness in the boot’s flex.

Complicated walk mode mechanisms can be a blessing and a curse on boots. Like anything mechanical, things break, and when the moving parts are molded into the shell and cuff of a ski boot, that makes repairs more difficult. Luckily, the Hoji Lock walk mode system has been around for a few product cycles now and has been refined to the point where it works pretty damn well. I haven’t had any issues with these failing or icing up, and I’ve broken my fair share of external walk mode mechanisms.

A few other small details are worth mentioning. Dynafit added a small catch at the top of the cuff that keeps the powerstrap in place when touring, preventing it from rising up over the cuff and digging into your shin.

On-Snow Performance

If I were to sum up the Dynafit Radical Pro in one word, it would be “intuitive.” Everything about it is very easy to use, from entry, to transitioning, to walking, to how the boot flexes. I test a lot of boots for my job, and this is one of the few that I was able to ski immediately and comfortably right out of the box. Now, I know that has a lot to do with fit, and a 104mm last will feel spacious for just about any foot, but it’s more about how the boot skis than fits.

I got a pair of these last spring and was able to squeeze about a dozen days of powder touring and ski mountaineering in before the snow melted. I paired them with a handful of different skis, from the bigger Salomon QST X to the much lighter and smaller blackcrows Camox Freebird. The boot feels plenty powerful to drive bigger, heavier skis like the 1900g QST X, even in weird snow, but isn’t so beefy as to completely overpower a smaller one.

The flex is smooth and progressive, and it honestly does not ski like a Grilamid or a carbon touring boot. By that, I mean that it isn’t like flexing into a wall once you get about halfway through it’s “travel.” It’s damp, smooth, but not overly stiff. In short, perfectly paired for backcountry skiing.

That part surprised me. When you flex into any ski boot, the plastic is designed to deform in certain places (usually around your ankles), but different plastics behave very differently (exactly why Tecnica used heavier PU plastic in their new Decoy Pro boot). While light and stiff, Grilamid has a tendency to not deform predictably, especially when cold, and makes boots lack both the damping and feeling of a smoothly-ramping flex that’s characteristic of high-performance alpine boots. In some ways, it’s funny that the high performance alpine boot has become the de facto standard for boot performance, but it’s what most skiers would say allows them to ski at their best, so that’s where we are.

When touring, the boot boasts a pretty sizable 60-degree range of motion. That’s more than most ankles can flex, but the best part is that the full ROM is accessible. Loads of boots claim huge ROMs, but once a liner is installed and buckles are even partially done up, the full range goes out the window. Here, as with any Dynafit boot I’ve tried, the ROM is fully there. There’s also little to no friction when walking, which helps keep this thing feeling lighter than it actually is. The Vibram rubber sole has loads of grip for sketchy bootpacks and the boot is fully crampon compatible.

The best part, however, is the one-move transition between ski and walk modes. This particular version of the Hoji Lock connects the power strap, upper buckle, and walk mode lever into a single mechanism. With a single motion, it’s possible to fully transition the boot between ski and walk mode, no fussing with other buckles or straps to make things feel good. That might not sound like much, but it’s really nice in the backcountry on days with lots of transitions, shitty weather, and if your friends are faster than you.

What type of skier is the Dynafit Radical Pro boot best for?

Dynafit’s Radical Pro is a one-stop shop for any and all backcountry skiers. Whether you’re out there making hop turns down steep ski mountaineering lines, seeking untouched powder lap after lap in your secret zone, ski guiding, or just getting out a few days a year and want a comfy boot, look no further. The ski performance is there, the uphill performance is there, and the fit should cover most bases.