Well I have started to abuse these anyway. I have over 20,000m of vertical on these now including four skimo races, three days riding the lifts at Whistler, a handful of days in the mountains, and lots of on-piste training sessions and they have not exploded yet!
They are actually a lot stiffer than my Dy.N.A. boots. I prefer the rear throw lever over the Dynafit side lever on the Dy.N.A.s - it's quicker and less prone to getting bashed on rocks. It also means cutting fewer holes in your ski suit so less snow gets in the cuff. The full rubber sole seems to be pretty solid but I am still careful running around rocks. I opted for the low-tech binding rather than the RC-1 binding and it works well with a little trimming of the rubber under the toe. CAMP Rapid 290 crampons fit well after cutting off the metal heel tab.
I only took off one star because I am not 100% stoked with the instep lacing system. The slider that came on the laces barely worked so I replaced the slider and laces with a Salomon quick lace kit and that works pretty well. The Sidi style instep strap bunches up the top of the boot and just digs into my foot. It also gets clogged with snow that freezes into ice and makes it so I can't get the boot off. Really though, this isn't a huge issue and probably does not deserve losing an entire star.
Overall, it is crazy light for going fast uphill, fast in the transitions, and very stiff and skis well on the downhill. That's all I want in a race boot.
Dynafit DNA Boot By Pierre Gignoux
What a partnership! Hand-crafted by the world-renowned Pierre Gignoux, the carbon DNA racing boot is distributed by world-renowned Dynafit. Long the most dominant player on the European racing scene, Pierre has taken weight and performance to a new extreme. Being the most dominant player on the North American backcountry scene, it only makes sense that Dynafit has embraced the extreme. They've also added a bit of comfort, with a custom-designed liner that adds a bit more cushion versus the stock PG version.
The carbon fiber DNA boot will have you checking in around the minimum weight allowed for ISMF races. At an astonishing 507 grams [27], it’s a wonder the boots can ski so well. It’s not a wonder that skimo races have been won with such lightweight gear, since the boot is specifically designed for the podium. We predict it will be seen on top of one soon.
- Ingenious walk/ski mode switch is a quick, one-motion system that causes no delay.
- Adjustable lower boot buckle holds your heel in place and provides ample support for skiing.
- Comes with a bikini-style liner that provides a barrier between the carbon & your feet.
- Boot has 75 degrees of articulation, which is probably more than your ankle has.
- Compatible with standard race bindings and the carbon fiber RC1 by PG.
Update 2015/16: Most notably, the boots changed to pink & green (one of each). The shin pad is also now riveted to the cuff to help avoid wandering. Note for production: the upper closure is back to the cord found on the previous version (known as the "RC1 by Pierre Gignoux"), not the plastic clasp as pictured. See the picture of the red & white RC1 to visualize this.
Update 2019/20: Pierre has done it again! An internal lacing system has replaced the external buckle, and this featherweight boot got a paint job.
| Specifications | |
|
Weight |
507g [27] 560g [28] |
| Weight (pair) | 1014g [27] 1120g [28] |
|
|
Upper cord, ankle latch |
|
Boot Sole |
248mm [23.0] 259mm [24.0] 269mm [25.0] 279mm [26.0] 284mm [26.5] 289mm [27.0] 294mm [27.5] 299mm [28.0] 309mm [29.0] 320mm [30.0] |
|
Binding |
Tech + RC1 |
|
Cuff |
75° |
|
Forward |
12° or 18° |
| Specs Verified | Yes |
| Design | |
|
|
Full carbon |
|
|
Bikini |
|
|
Yes |
| Skimo Co Says | |
| Usage | Winning |
| Notes | Hand-crafted in France |
| Bottom Line | World class skimo boot |
| Compare to other Race Boots | |
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Questions & Reviews
5/23/2015
And to follow this up... I'm still a big fan of the RC-1. One word of warning is that despite the fact that they are suitable for racing and training in, they are fragile pieces of thin carbon. Through the season I managed to do some damage to them - cracking the carbon shell and ripping a rivet. Both times, the excellent customer service folks at Gignoux (Dynafit directs you directly to them) were quick to fix or replace the broken part in under a week turnaround. Unfortunately they are located in France, not an issue for me this season, but if you are in North America, the shipping becomes significantly more complicated. Be prepared for a significant turnaround for any repairs. I suspect in N. America I will use these only as race boots and stick on my DyNAs for training to minimize issues. Also of note, the newest version of the RC-1 has a new and improved rubber sole that is much more robust.
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