DYNAFIT HOJI FREE 110
TESTED BY MARTIN
I was a huge fan of the Dynafit Hoji Free when the 130 model first came out, but I have to admit I like a slightly softer boot, so I was psyched to get my hobbit feet into these bad boys.
A slick looking boot, they almost explode at the front when you open them up. It takes a while to work out how to get them back together the first time, but once you’ve got it dialled you are in for a treat.
Jumping in, the tongue is on a Velcro adjuster (make sure that slides in without catching) so you can ease any pressure spots on your shins over multi day trips (if ever required).
Closing the boot, you have three buckles and a power-strap to ensure you get the perfect fit.
The Ultra Lock system on the power strap does what it says on the tin: ultra-easy to adjust and locks solid where you want it. I tend to crank them up in ski mode at the start, then flip them open for skinning. Cue the major Dynafit USP – the one lever transition.
Dynafit have always been king of the one lever transition in my eyes and the Hoji Free 110 simply reinforces this rep. Once they are set up right, opening the heel lever gives you oodles of flex for easy skinning, and plenty of room for comfy manoeuvre. Yet with two buckles over the foot, you can keep a grip of your edges (or your boot crampons) when you’re in more challenging terrain.
Lock Dynafit’s infamous Hoji Lock lever down and you get all the support of a performance hooning boot – but not in a rigid and restrictive way that you get with some other boots in this genre.
The Dynafit Hoji Free 110s ski with a progressive flex, which gives them the edge over the 130 for me. I like to be able to bend my ankles; to stand up and mince through powder; but to crank on the fronts and put the hammer down in the hardpack when required.
These boots give back every ounce of oomph you put into them, all over the mountain. Furthermore, they make me feel more nifty and nimble than locked in and lifeless. It is hard to imagine such all-round performance from just 1550g of boot.
