Cuff pivot points are a typical wear point on alpine touring ski boots. Constant motion around the pivots causes friction that can slowly erode the surrounding material. This eventually leads to some play around the pivots, which can make skiing less precise. B&D Ski Gear has come through with a solution to this problem in the form of metal-on-metal pivots that are hardy enough to withstand the rigors of daily ski touring. Called Ultimate, the Cuff Pivots are designed specifically for the Dynafit TLT5, TLT6, and SpeedFit boots, but are also known to work on the DyNA Evo, PDG, and other boots with the same size cuff joint. More recently a version for the Vulcan was added with specifications that match that boot.
The kits come with hardware for two boots, left and right. They allow nearly friction-free ankle rotation, even less than the stock pivots. This means you’ll save a bit of energy on the uphill. There are two basic models with identical specifications, detailed below. In theory the standard model (stainless steel) is more robust but the ultralights (aluminum) seem to last forever as well. Also available are oversized bushings for heavily-worn cuffs and a spanner tool which helps with installation. For complete instructions, see the helpful post on WildSnow.
I’ve put over a hundred days on these, installed on a pair of TLT6’s. They were fairly simple to install, provided you are comfortable doing small modifications to the lower shell of the boot. You need to use a razor knife to remove a shoulder molded into the pivot location on the shell. Once that’s done the rest is very simple. Not only did they eliminate the amount of slop and play in the pivot, they also move much more freely than the stock pivots. All decent walking boots should have a pivot like this! After two seasons, they have a bit of wear on the bushings but absolutely way better than stock pivots.
Comment on this review:
10/13/2019
Question from
Riff
I don't see the oversized bushings on the drop down menu, are they still available? Also, the pin spanner is offered as an extra- I read on wildsnow that it was included, do I need to purchase it separately now?
Thanks for having all the little bits and pieces that nobody else carries!
Riff, sorry, we are out of all but the Vulcan. B&D is currently moving and not shipping, so we don't know when we will get more product. Hopefully by ski season.
I looked, the spanner is not included in our kits.
Answer this question:
10/9/2019
Question from
brendan
When will you have the aluminum version back in stock, and what is the price?
How can I tell if I need the oversized bushings?
Brendan, sorry but we do not know right now. The Ultralight is $110. If there is more then just a little play of the cuff on the pivot, time to change to the oversize.
Drilling out the stock pivots can take a while, but maybe about an hour if you’re good and know what you’re doing!
3/4/2019
Answer from
Chris C
hey you guys,
So I purchased and installed the pivot kit and mostly the boots are improved. However, after being in Chamonix all last week, I removed my boots from my checked baggage and found that I'd already lost a machine screw/washer somewhere along the way. Would you sell just a single pivot's worth of parts from on of these kits????
Answer this question:
1/7/2019
Question from
Brendan
Once installed, will these eliminate further wear of the pivot holes of the boot?
Hi Brendan, yes, when installed properly these pivots will prevent further wear of the pivot holes of the boot.
Answer this question:
1/2/2019
Question from
Andy K
Hi, my PDG's have a cuff joint that has between a half and 1 mm of wear (maybe more by the time this kit arrives). So do I need to order the oversize bushing set?
Hey Andy! Bummer. Yeah, I think that the oversized kit is probably worth trying but it's tough to assume anything without seeing exactly how they've worn. I'd say order it and if it's not needed, send it back and we'll get you the other one.
Answer this question:
12/2/2018
Question from
Elliot
Any word if these will work for the older version Maestrales? Or which product I should get as a replacement part?
Hey Elliot! I don't think we have ever tried that combo before. We haven't carried a ton of parts for the Maestrale in the past and I think the biggest spot that we're lacking is hardware for the first gen Maestrale. We do have parts here and there though, and parts of the pivot can be found here.
Answer this question:
9/26/2018
Question from
David
Any idea if these will work on La Sportiva Sideral 2.1s? The pivots seem like they will work and look similar to TLTs.
Hi David, we have not ever tried these on the Sideral 2.1 so we cannot say. It may be worth contacting B&D directly to see if they have any knowledge of the compatibility.
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5/7/2018
Question from
Tim
My pivots on Salomon x-alp have started to wear down. Could these fit?
Hey Tim! Your guess is as good as ours, the pivots on the X-Alp/Proclines haven't been made available as a spare part so who knows if these will work or not. The safe bet is that no, they won't work.
