Simplicity and performance, those are the two words the come to mind when referencing Dynafit’s new Tigard 130 and 110 ski boot. The new freetouring boot blends the uphill capability the brand is known for by incorporating the frictionless walk mode and Hoji-Lock System with a downhill inspired four buckle boot, something skiers have always used as a benchmark for performance.
Eric Hjorleifson, the pro skier and product developer mastermind behind Dynafit’s Hoji-Lock System literally flipped the standard on ski/walk mechanisms in alpine touring boots several years ago. The Hoji-Lock System integrated the upper cuff buckles and power strap into one lever, allowing the boot to switch from tour to ski with one flick of a finger. It also has provided to this day the best power transfer of any ski touring boot, given the shells are pressed together, and not reliant on a pin hole lock mechanism. The new Tigard 130 takes that design and synthesizes it into a four-buckle boot that is either at home at the ski resort, quick access backcountry gates, or at the trailhead when you’re ready to log some vertical
“This project was really fun, it’s a new extension and leap of faith for the brand to go all-in on front side performance—spending more time riding chairs, skiing fast in all the variable conditions we could find,” explains Ross Herr Director of Sales and Marketing for Dynafit and Oberalp North America.
“At the same time, we brought the Dynafit mentality with us, an obsessive focus on keeping things simple and low-tech so you could still trust it in the deepest backcountry. The Hoji lock is now tried and true, we’ve tweaked the forward lean and improved the range of motion. You should put it on and be impressed with the comfort out of the box, simple intuitive buckles but then still be blown away when you flip the Hoji lock and release the range of motion. At 1500 grams it’s our hope to blur the lines between backside and frontside machine.”
The Tigard is constructed with a blend of Grilamid and carbon providing a progressive and stiff flex in an accommodating 101mm last—not too narrow and not too wide, with a bit more room on the instep than the Hoji Free 130. The boot comes stock with a Gripwalk sole and tech inserts, allowing it to be used in alpine and alpine touring bindings along with a more robust liner— Dynafitter 15 boot liner, which has PrimaLoft insulation and a better performance fit than previous liners Dynafit has offered. However, the story is all about the four-buckle boot construction that can handle any snow condition supplemented with the Hoji-Lock mechanism which rotates the cuff for 70 degrees of walking motion, and then flicks down in one move to dial things in with 13 degrees of forward lean. Providing peace of mind and power on anything from a short tour out of the gates or for walking several thousand feet to your favorite line.
Every few years ski boots enter a renaissance period, where manufacturers release new products that re-imagine what was previously the benchmark for high performance gear. The ski industry is currently in another wave of this creativity. Last year the industry showcased lightweight boots that were more robust. However, this year with the Tigard— high performance is blending both lightweight and ease of transitions by incorporating the Hoji-Lock System into a do anything, anytime, boot.
