Dynafit TLT8 Carbonio Boot
Dynafit just won't stop! Now in its eighth iteration, the TLT8 Carbonio boot has improved the previous models to become the epitome of an all-purpose backcountry ski boot. Seen equally as often at both skimo races and atop committing lines far from the nearest road or chairlift, many skiers can attest to the balance of walkability and skiability in the TLT boot lineup. This updated model has a simpler, two independent buckle closure system that replaces the complex single-buckle, routed-cable system that the TLT7 had. A taller cuff improves the downhill performance and support powerful turning on the way down. Carried over from the previous model is the smooth, lug-free Speed Nose, extra-burly inserts for driving bigger skis, and Dynafit's Ultra Lock horizontal ski/walk mode lever. Exactly what you need and not an ounce more, the TLT8 Carbonio packs top of the line functionality into a package that weighs less than a kilo per boot. Perfect for all your powder-shredding, lap-stacking, chute-skiing, dawn-patrolling needs.
- Dynafit's hallmark Speed Nose removes the lugs on the toe of the boot and moves the inserts closer to the ball of the foot, allowing for a more efficient pivoting motion.
- Master Step inserts are more stout than your typical tech inserts and provide additional power transmission to the ski.
- Adding some height to the cuff of the TLT8 increased skiability, and adding 5 degrees to the range of motion maintains the walkability.
- Ultra Lock 4.0 is very similar to the ski/walk lever system seen on previous TLT boots, but the 4.0 version adds a larger lever for increased ease of use with gloves.
- With a simple, independent two buckle closure system, Dynafit made transitions simpler and fit more customizable.
Specifications | |
Weight |
1102g [27.0] |
Weight (pair) | 2204g [27.0] |
|
Ultralock 4.0 |
Boot Sole |
253mm [23/23.5] 263mm [24/24.5] 273mm [25/25.5] 283mm [26/26.5] 293mm [27/27.5] 303mm [28/28.5] 313mm [29/29.5] 323mm [30/30.5] |
Binding |
Tech only |
Cuff |
60° |
Forward |
15°, 18° |
Specs Verified | Yes |
Design | |
|
Grilamid shell, Carbon/Grilamid Cuff |
|
Custom Light |
|
Formula Pomoca Climb |
Skimo Co Says | |
Usage | All-terrain, all-conditions ski touring |
Notes | A Dynafiit classic with simpler closure. Cramp-In system ready |
Bottom Line | One TLT to rule them all |
Compare to other Touring Boots |
Related Products
Questions & Reviews
Thanks!
My TL;DR review: These boots are high volume, have great ROM and ski better than they should given their weight... but they're still a lightweight boot.
Slightly longer review:
I got these because I have one foot that getting wider as I age and skinny boots just don't work for me anymore. These are plenty wide but the overall volume is a bit much. I'm using a couple volume reducers and an aftermarket footbed which has helped a lot, I may try another liner in the future but I actually like the stock liner quite a bit. I'm a big fan of thin liners, which this is and the foam/insulation in is quite firm.
Next, these are possibly the best uphill boots I've ever owned. The ROM is fantastic and you can really use every advertised degree, unlike some other boots. The insert placement does seem to make a difference as well. I find myself getting into a classic XC style glide very easily with these.
On the other hand, the snub nose is a pain in the ass. In firmer snow, it's absolutely more difficult to kick into snow for a booter. Crampons have been an issue. The fancy bottom clips style Dynafit makes seem cool but the price is outrageous ($300?!) and while I regularly make horrifici financial decisions when it comes to gear, that's a bridge I will not cross. Three hundred bucks for specialty crampons that will only work with this specific set of boots? C'mon. I used semi-auto for a while which was ok but a bit fiddly and have not switched to the toe bail adapter from Dynafit which has been working pretty well.
On the downhill, these ski pretty good. No, they won't replace your beef boot but they are surprisingly stiff. In my opinion, what really limits them is the cuff height rather than the stiffness. If the cuff were 20mm higher, I think they would compete with boots that weigh 50% more. As it is, they punch (or ski) way above their weight.
Transitions are simple, the top buckle is down, the boots lock. Open the buckle, walk mode. Piece of cake. Just a well designed, simple boot. This is my go to for any longer tour or bigger objective. A very versatile boot that's fun to ski. I did everything from a winter ascent of Shasta (Denali prep for some buddies) to a late spring resort day.
- Range of motion is listed as a bit less than my old Scarpa F1s (non LT), but it feels like more, definitely less friction in the ankle motion. This is most likely due to the liner.
- The stock liner is a torture device. I replaced it with a Palau Tour Lite right out of the box. Even this "thicker" liner is very thin, since I'm used to Intuition tour liners in beefier boots.
- The "Hoji style" lock mechanism is so good! I bought this TLT8 because I love the Hoji so much
- My forefoot is incredibly wide, I've had to punch every AT boot I've ever owned. I haven't punched this TLT8.....yet.
Lastly, regarding the location of pin sockets: I've heard/read many reviews saying that the lack of a toe welt negatively affects kick steps. I disagree and think these people are inventing things in their head. If that tiny little shelf is making a difference in your bootpack, you need crampons on, and once those are on there is no difference. The *only* downside of no toe welt is compatibility with non-pin bindings.
I have also heard/read many people say they can't notice a skinning efficiency difference with the tech pin location being further aft. Crazy. I noticed the improvement in skinning immediately, so did my ski partner when they first put on the boot.
Speaking of crampons, if you use Tech Crampon 250s (from Pro Ski and Guide in WA) you need the special TLT version. My "regular" 250s that fit my Hojis do not fit these TLT8s.
I'm curious to see how many days these feather weight boots last. My Scarpa F1s lasted half as many days as a "normal" pair of AT boots for me.
my feet measure 115mm across at the widest point.
I am currently deciding between the TLT 8 Expedition and Carbonio. I want to buy the Carbonio for it's improved stiffness and to be honest sexappeal. My only concern, the carbon cuff. Breaking Carbon poles with ski edges is easy, so how do carbon cuffs hold up? From anecdotal evidence do you see a lot of broken carbon cuffs? Or is it a no brainier.
Thanks!
- this one, TLT8 Carbonio
- the TLT8 expedition
- the PDG2
- the speed fit pro
- the new speed nimbus
Which is the wider boots between them ?
Do I have to take a size bigger (29) to match my foot last ?
Are they wider boots which can also be interesting for ultrawide foot?
Thank you for your help !
The shells for the TLT8s and the PDG2 are quite similar, the main difference in fit will be in the liner. The thinnest liner will be in the PDG2. However, due to the thin liner they do actually size the shell down for that one, so if you're considering that model you might want to size up one shell size. The boot that will likely feel the widest out of the box is the TLT8 Carbonio.
If you have further questions about fit and finding the best boot for you, feel free to fill out our Online Ski Boot Fitter and one of our boot fitters can go more in-depth with you.
My question is; how crazy would it be to just drill a small hole in the side of the boot and then cover it with a patch or even rubber vulcanized onto the outer shell? I'm pretty sure it would feel better but would that last? Would a hole affect the flex of the boot? Is this genius or just very dumb?
FWIW, the rest of my foot/feet is not high volume and bigger boots fit poorly, even the Carbonio is more spacious than I would really prefer.
In lieu of visiting a boot fitter, skiers have tried all kinds of things over the years, including drilling holes in the shell as you suggested. More common is cutting into the liner, either a simple splice or more aggressive removal of a section of foam. These might be considered hacks but they can work well enough for many folks. Not a huge risk of breaking the boot or changing the flex, but anything is possible depending on what you do.
The rear piece of the binding can travel far enough to accommodate the difference in the BSL. The question is should I consider remounting the bindings for the dedicated use with the TLT8 to the rear, or the difference in the BSP/design is practically insignificant?
Thanks.
This is my first lighter weight touring boot. I purchased them from Skimo in May 2020 and skied them through the summer and into this season.
These boots go uphill like a dream and transition like lightning. Coming from a beefier four buckle boot, the ultra lock system is so fast and magical that I still occasionally giggle about how easy it is. The downhill performance is fine for me, though I don’t have anything to compare them to in this weight class. I like the buckle system on the TLT 8 much better than TLT 7: it’s significantly more adjustable and seems way more durable. I’ve used Camp universal strap-on crampons with the boots, and they work fine. Re the speednose, I can’t say I notice more efficiency in terms of mechanics (they’re so light— that’s what I really notice), but getting the boot to pivot off your toe in kick turns when you lift a ski etc. is a little different than when using a boot with a toe welt.
I know the big critique of this boot is that its last is really wide and the liner is ultra thin. I, however, am really glad dynafit made the boot this way. I have high arches, high in-steps, and wide forefeet. (If you’re a runner, I have Altra / birkenstock feet, not Hoka feet.) These boots are still on the narrow side for my forefoot, and I needed to get them punched on the lateral sides for the sake of my fifth toes. But overall they work really well. If you don’t like the fit the liner gives you, that’s a bummer. But I’m guessing skimo could make them work for you with a thicker liner and some boot magic.
I also have Raynauds syndrome, which means my feet get very cold very easily and they’re more susceptible to frostbite than the average person’s. In my case, I originally wanted to go with TLT 8 Expedition for the warmth, but the thicker liner put too much pressure on my instep and reduced circulation, which would mean colder feet faster. So oddly, the thin liner seems to be OK because it doesn’t restrict circulation.
Overall, great boot and it seems like a big improvement from the TLT 7. I can easily hike miles uphill w/ or without skis on with these boots. And it's easy to drive a stick shift in them.
Pros
-Good walk ability
-Stiff ski mode
-Easy transitions
-Light AF
Cons
- Liner thickness and padding is inadequate
- carbon cuff is delicate to ski edge and parking lot impact
-Irvis hybrid crampon fit was secure but difficult
-flex is not progressive
-The PDG2.0s took a ton of work to fit my feet. The TLT8 took ZERO shell work. So I was psyched about that! Sized 1 shell down from previous TLT5 and 6s.
-The liner didn't do it for me. It's super thin and even after a mold, it just didn't feel right. Slapped in my intuition liners and it made all the difference in the world. I wish they offered the TLT8 with the Hoji liner though I can see the appeal of the thin liner for warmer conditions.
-Ankle flexion and walkability seems as good as the PDG. Walk mode is great and the new ultra-lock
-Ski ability is excellent for the weight class and leagues ahead of the PDG. For not that big of a weight difference, this makes it pretty appealing in most situations.
-The missing toe welt is certainly it's biggest sticking point. It's obviously not a boot you'd use in a frame binding so that's not an issue. In terms of crampon compatibility, it's limited to those with a flex toe binding. I've done quite a bit of climbing on ice and rock now with the petzl irvis hybrid and it's super effective. I certainly like having a welt but I can still get a good fit.
-The main downside is booting in firm snow without crampons. Without the toe welt, it's much harder to kick steps. Obviously putting on crampons is the answer but sometimes it's just a short stretch. That's really my only complaint!
I am considering TLT8 or La Sportiva Scorpius, however I have a rather high arch which made, for example, wearing La Sportiva Spitfire painful in less than an hour.
Given that would you recommend TLT8 or there is a chance that Scorpius will work?
Thanks.
Today I actually had a chance to try TLT8 Carbonio on and do some carpet testing.
First, compared to Maestrale RS in the 29.5/30 size, these walk like sneakers, no rearward bend resistance in the cuff whatsoever, at least these make a striking contrast with Maestrales. In the ski mode, they are surprisingly stiff, but again, this should be verified on snow.
As far as the fit goes. As you said, the original liners give the impression of the somewhat loose heel fit and noticeable room in the toebox. The tightest place (the first pressure point I experience when tightening the lower buckle) is again, my arch.
I did the experiment and tried TLT8 with the liners from Maestrale. While I had no problem getting the liner into the boot, I was barely able to get the foot in the boot, and was unable to even close it without fear of damaging the buckle, or perhaps, my foot. It appears that Maestrale's shell is still roomier than the TLT8's, as the former fit my foot reasonably well with the original liners.
Having said that it looks like getting a beefier liner for the TLT8 may e a good solution to the fit problem (my biggest concern is the heel pocket), but Scarpa's Pro Flex G is definitely an overkill.
What are good liner options for substituting the original Dynafit Custom Lite liner?
Thanks.
Here's what I did to get them working to my satisfaction: 1) Replaced factory footbed with "green" Superfeet. 2) removed power strap. 3) Used a machine to cycle the cuff pivot at high rate until broken in (probably the equivalent of 10 long tours), then lubricated the pivots with high-viscosity gun oil. Most of the excessive friction flexing the boot while skinning is coming from the cuff pivots. This can be seen after removing the liners. The liners are thin and soft, but that works from my hot, sweaty feet! I don't have any problems keeping the liner tongue in place while skinning like some have reported, but it does take extra care when putting the boots on to make sure it is under the sides of the liner.
I don't think there is a huge forward flex difference between the two."
Thanks Jason!
I'm thinking about a pair of Aliens for spring days when uphill performance is more important than downhill. I use Salomon MTN Lab boots on resort, and for slack-country. They are heavy, but work well for that purpose. Bottom line, no one boot is perfect for everything.
FWIW I owned or still own a lot of boots to make that short comparison. Including the Scarpa Maestrale, Maestrale RS, F1, La Sportiva Spectra, both versions of the TLT5 and 6, the PDG and the Scarpa Alien 1.0.
How do you like your Scarpa Alien 1.0? I'm sure they are great on the skin track. How about down hill? Good enough for some easy powder turns?
Thanks!
Earn store credit by writing reviews. Learn more.