As I’m sure many readers have already seen elsewhere, Dynafit, in cahoots with Eric “Hoji” Hjorlefsen, made a splash this winter with an innovative entry into the 2+ buckle boot category. Ever the tinkerer, Hoji managed to integrate some clever and unique bits into a trimmed down iteration of the Hoji/Radical silhouette.
We recently got our hands on the new Ridge boot and have been putting it through the paces with some spring Teton ski tours. An in depth review is on tap for next winter, but in the meantime I wanted to do a photographic run through of the Ridge and its unique layout.
The Twistfit closure (Boa-like) does an excellent job of locking down the heel, and paired with the sliding tongue provides a uniquely good fit across the instep and ankle area.
The limit of rearward mobility—pretty impressive. The tongue is soft, and slides, for average resistance over the ROM for the 2+ buckle category.
The forward ROM is a bit less impressive, given the presence of the tongue this makes sense. The lack of degrees of freedom isn’t too noticeable when touring, but the forward resistance is more akin to the Zero G than the Backland XTD.
With the Hoji Lock in ski mode, the lighter grey “bridle” locks into the lower shell for what appears to be a lasting, wiggle-free interface.
With the Hoji lock open, the back half of the shell deconstructs into a few parts that move together with little friction, especially in the rearward direction.
More slidey-bits in the upper tongue area. This connects the upper and lower black (stiffer) parts of the tongue, and seems to assist in walking performance. The gold plastic on the tongue is softer and more pliable.
This shows the maximum extent of the tongue’s rearward “slide”. Useful for aggressive schussing or a very low instep perhaps.
The tongue slider all closed up in its furthest forward position, high(er) instep/steep skintrack friendly.
Attachment for the power strap—note the cable into the back of the boot, part of the genius of the Hoji lock. Word is a Hoji Free cam buckle is retrofit-able here if you want to skip the velcro.
This tab quickly and fully loosens the twistfit closure. Useful for removing the boots, but for ski-walk transitions, a quick “pop” of the knob and it spins open to a comfortable snugness.
Ridge Pro Liner, don’t mind the indentation, I think that was from an overly hasty footbed removal. The stock liner is pretty “meh” without much of a defined heel cup to keep things locked down.
A few points that make the Ridge interesting
- The Hoji lock mechanism allows for transitioning without lifting one’s pant cuff, in addition to providing an impressively solid connection between the upper and lower cuffs. I am confident that this mechanism won’t develop play at the same rate as many of its competitors.
- Three piece construction with a soft, sliding tongue has an impressive range of motion and freedom – akin to other boots in the 2+ buckle category like the Atomic Backland XTD or Fischer Transalp Pro.
- I’m not sure what the stated forward lean number is, but the Ridge feels much more forward/aggressive than I am used to with my go to Tecnicas. Combined with a very stiff and supportive forward flex, aggressive skiers that haven’t gotten along with other lightweight boots may be impressed.
- The buckle configuration is unique, with a low ratchet strap on the instep/upper cuff and a single velcro powerstrap. It seems to achieve really good pressure/contact over the top of the foot and shin, which I reckon results in more consistency in ski performance over a variety of fits. Space and gaps in this area are bound to feel sloppy and change the flex characteristics of a given boot, which perhaps accounts for some of the different perceptions of ski performance in different boots by different skiers.
I look forward to spending more time in the Ridge boots, they seem to be a good match for my foot shape and a great entry into the 2+ buckle category. While I’m not sure I would describe them as ground breaking, they occupy a nice space between better walking but slightly softer/less damp boots like the Backland XTD and the top downhill performer with poor ROM/high friction Zero G Tour Pro.
