TLT5

Round 5 – Boot Selection, AT/Sidecountry/Telemark, Pick 8

Putting this boot on feels like stepping two years into the future. And while there’s a number of similar ultra-light AT boots on the market, the Magic Elf Shoe is still ahead of the game. I’m not a weight weenie; that part is great, and so is skinning with full range of motion. But the Dynafit’s edge is the razor-sharp downhill handling thanks to the most performance-oriented (i.e. narrow in the mid-foot to heel) last on the market and a carbon-fiber cuff that’s as stiff laterally and to the rear as any alpine race boot. The term “ski boot” doesn’t do this thing any justice—it’s the ultimate alpine shoe.