Dynafit TLT6 MOD Thread

[barrows]

Most splitters are looking for a boot which has softer medial and lateral flex, so we choose the pebax cuff models in the TLT5/6 boot. The carbon cuff “Performance” versions are quite a bit stiffer (as well as even more expensive).

[WhitePine]

Yeah. I figured that would be the response I’d get. For that very reason.

I’m unfortunately in the very small camp who skis and snowboards and wants to use this boot for both, and for my size and weight I’ve been told to go for the Performance CR for my nasty skiing habit. There are some pretty good sales going on now.

[FloImSchnee]

@WhitePine wrote:

I’m unfortunately in the very small camp who skis and snowboards and wants to use this boot for both…

Then I would choose the Pebax version and use the booster tongue when skiing. (and leave it at home for snowboarding)

I’m used to stiff soft boots (Fitwell, Flow The One) but would never want a stiffer boot than a stock TLT5/6 Pebax. In fact, without mods it’s still too stiff for me.

[barrows]

Of course what you are suggesting could be done, but if you use one boot for both skiing and snowboarding, you are going to have compromised performance for one, if not both, uses.
Skiing requires a boot that is stiff in the medial and lateral directions (for edge control), and relatively stiff in the forward direction. Snowborading requires a boot which has some flex medially and laterally, and which flexes forward.
My TLT6s are modded enough for more flex both forward, medially, and laterally, that they would ski rather poorly. And the TLT6, even the Performance version in stock form, is one of the softer AT boots available.

[buell]

I don’t want compromises in my boot performance because it will affect my riding too much. So much so, I have three types of boots just for snowboarding. In your position, I would have a pair of modified Mountains for boarding and a pair of Performance for skiing. They last a while so the initial cost could be paid back over time.

Vapor posted his mods in the TLT5 thread that has a heel side stop and an unlocked forward flex for snowboarding. With his mod, you could still ski the boot since he did not cut any material and the locking tab and bar are intact.

[Brendan]

Thanks for the info Barrows. Been riding unmodified TLT5s without the removable tongue and powerstrap for the last 2 years. Just bought a pair of TLT6 and they are a little stiffer so considering your mod.

Has anyone else had this problem with TLT5s?

Started to crack at the start of this season. Didn’t effect me for about a month and then one day started hurting the top of my foot to the point where I can’t even put them on anymore. I’m a bit concerned about doing the mod on the 6s incase the same happens. Any suggestions?

[lictor4]

Both left and right have done that on mine. Stop drilled the first one when it was only a 1/2″ long and it hasn’t progressed. The other one got longer before a noticed it so I stop drilled the crack and drilled 3-4 holes along each side of the crack and “stitched” across it with .032 wire. It hasn’t changed since either 😀

[Incalescent]

Any downside on the TLT 6 Mountains with CL liners? I have a pair with the CR liners NIB in my house and a line on a pair with the CL’s at a comparable price, and I’m wondering if I should return the CR pair. I’m a weight weenie above all else these days.
Thanks for all the Phantom / TLT mod write-ups, super helpful.

http://goldenincalescent.blogspot.com/

[barrows]

breadbox: I have been using the CLs for most of this season. They save about 3 ounces per boot, and they are also noticeably more flexible than the CR. I have not ridden the CR, just tried them on at home (carpet testing). I would say that the CLs are great, but I also suspect they will not last as long as the beefier CRs. Also, IMO, the CLs could use a little more support in the highback area, and I will probably add a little high density boot fitting foam back there to create a little more support: in harder spring snow I have been noticing the edge of the boot shell pressing a little uncomfortably on my calves on heel side traverses.
I would say if you want to save weight, and you are willing to deal with a liner which may not last as long, then got with the CRs. For best “value” the CRs might be the better choice. The extra flex of the CL is pretty nice though…
I suspect the Dynafit branded CL liner is the same as the stock Palau lightweight liner available direct from Palau. I am not sure, but they sure look the same. If so, the Palau self branded version is much cheaper, and available for direct order from Palau in France.
One other thing, I like to use laces with my liners, and find the Salomon quick lace to work really well for this.

[Taylor]

Barrows and others who’ve modified this boot:

The stock forward lean on this boot maxes out at 18*. Do you know what the max forward lean is in degrees following your modifications?

[barrows]

Taylor: The TLT6 has two possible lean settings, available by flipping the plate over. I personally prefer the higher lean setting (I do not remember the claimed angles, maybe 18 and 21? But I do not pay much attention to the claimed angles, because the way they measure varies from boot to boot anyway). With the higher lean setting I feel I have just enough lean, but the CL liner I use is a little thinner behind the calf, so the CR results in a little more effective lean angle. I also run a slight (~5 mm or so) heel lift on my rear foot binding, which increases the effective forward lean on my rear foot (in soft bindings I generally run a notch more forward lean on the rear binding).
If one wants more lean than what the TLT6 offers in stock form, I would recommend just shimming the rear of the liner in the spoiler area with some boot fitting foam, there is so much rearward flex in tour mode I doubt anyone would notice a change in touring performance. Alternatively, one could also fashion a replacement lean plate without much problem, and build in a custom lean angle.

[Jason4]

Barrows-
Did you consider cutting an angle into the forward lean stop in the boot and a complimentary angle into the pin on the buckle to allow the pin to ride up out of the hole in the forward direction and drop back in and lock in the heel direction?

[barrows]

@Jason4 wrote:

Barrows-
Did you consider cutting an angle into the forward lean stop in the boot and a complimentary angle into the pin on the buckle to allow the pin to ride up out of the hole in the forward direction and drop back in and lock in the heel direction?

No, there are a few reasons I would not recommend this approach. I prefer to have a point at which the boot stops bending forward, in order to protect my ankles from over flexion/breaking; the boot is really soft in forward flex when not supported by one of the additional tongues, and I want the forward support at the point where the pin hits the top of the slot in the lean mech. Also, allowing the boot to flex too far may stress the boot itself, bottom the buckles on each other, and perhaps cause breakage.
I would also be concerned that the pin might not find its way back into the hole, the boot would then flex backwards so far, that one’s heelside turn could totally blow out: this could be disastrous in some spots.

[Taylor]

@barrows wrote:

Taylor: The TLT6 has two possible lean settings, available by flipping the plate over. I personally prefer the higher lean setting (I do not remember the claimed angles, maybe 18 and 21? But I do not pay much attention to the claimed angles, because the way they measure varies from boot to boot anyway). With the higher lean setting I feel I have just enough lean, but the CL liner I use is a little thinner behind the calf, so the CR results in a little more effective lean angle. I also run a slight (~5 mm or so) heel lift on my rear foot binding, which increases the effective forward lean on my rear foot (in soft bindings I generally run a notch more forward lean on the rear binding).
If one wants more lean than what the TLT6 offers in stock form, I would recommend just shimming the rear of the liner in the spoiler area with some boot fitting foam, there is so much rearward flex in tour mode I doubt anyone would notice a change in touring performance. Alternatively, one could also fashion a replacement lean plate without much problem, and build in a custom lean angle.

Thanks.

[Jason4]

Good reasoning Barrows.

I haven’t cut my forward lean slot yet, I might do it tonight and go tour on it tomorrow though. I had slotted the forward lean bar on my Primes that I was riding before but never really cared for the hard stop, I think I’d prefer to use an additional tongue to get the forward lean to be progressive without any hard limits forward.

I share your concern with knowing that the pin would drop in 100% of the time going back to a heelside turn and I’m also concerned that return hard to the heels from a fully-forward position could generate enough force to break the pin.

[Powder_Rider]

Jason

Before you mod your Boots, consider trying the Eliminator Tongue. It works for me in that it provides a progressive lean and increase lean angle. I am to adjust the tension of the top strap to effect the stop. Generally I ride the top strap just snug, hence a softer and more forward lean in my stock F1s Search my post for more info on Eliminator Tongue.

see http://www.tognar.com/the-eliminator-custom-tongues-pair/

[giordi]

@Brendan wrote:

Thanks for the info Barrows. Been riding unmodified TLT5s without the removable tongue and powerstrap for the last 2 years. Just bought a pair of TLT6 and they are a little stiffer so considering your mod.

Has anyone else had this problem with TLT5s?

Started to crack at the start of this season. Didn’t effect me for about a month and then one day started hurting the top of my foot to the point where I can’t even put them on anymore. I’m a bit concerned about doing the mod on the 6s incase the same happens. Any suggestions?

This is a Known defect, a problem during plastic molding, I think Dynafit should replace in warranty.

[WhitePine]

Has anyone tried using the alternate forward lean lock instead up milling out a slot in the stock one? I was talking with my local boot fitter about options and he said to maybe try a rubber version to allow more flexing. This may allow for a more progressive flex rather than an on/off hard stop of the slotted mod.

Just curious if anyone has given them a go and how they work. Especially considering heelside turns.

[phareyouwell]

After just trying out my TLT6s for the first time unmodded (with Phantoms), I realize I will definitely need to be making tweaks to get these to ride as I would like. (They climb absolutely beautifully though!)

I think my biggest complaints were that (a) I could not lean forward as much I would like and (b) the whole system felt very stiff. Seeing the mods here it seems like the first mod to make is filing the forward lean plate. If I understand correctly that just allows the plastic locking mechanism to be able to go more forward, correct? E.g. it can move around in there as opposed to being fixed in place? But when you hit the end you still will have a hard stop? Hard for me to invision what that will feel like, but seems like it might be rather strange.

Really I would like more flexibility in the boot in that direction, just need to work up the nerve to start trimming plastic on these brand new boots!!!

Besides wanting more forward flex, more side-to-side flex would also be appriciated. However, if I do start removing material from the side of the cuff to get more flex will this negatively impact touring performance? I’d say the #1 reason I was convinced to go with hard boots was in response to too many times struggling on sketchy sidehilling where I could not get leverage with a soft boot.

Finally, I realize I made the mistake of strapping down the powerstraps. Did not think it would make a big difference, but from everything I have read that was a big mistake. Will have to try without those next time.

[JMAutio]

I would say a lot of the better sidehilling comes also from a better touring bracket boot interface. The only thing that´s rolling around on hard setup is your foot in your boot, on a soft setup the boot rolls in the binding also. Though I haven´t tried yet.

Has anyone tried this rubber lean plate which was mentioned a few posts ago? Has anyone experimented with drilling holes on cuff instead of shaving the top? Something like this, but on the upper cuff ofcourse. This might give a smoother flex? There’s quite a big risk that the holes would crack, so I don’t want to try with the brand spanking new TLT6’s 🙂

http://images.evo.com/imgp/1500/23648/192253/salomon-course-sp-ski-boots-2006-red-translucent.jpg

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