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Snow – and not in short supply. But no way to get there where it is in abundance. Frustration. Touring enthusiasts now have to indulge in their hobby in their own country and home areas. But is this really so bad? Why not just use public transport and take the train, for example, to get to the starting point of the planned ski tour? Especially in the Bavarian mountains, there are numerous possibilities for this.
The right tool
But heavy skis in this scenario can make the journey a bit tedious. Not however, if the equipment hardly weighs anything. With the Blacklight 80 ski touring skis, Dynafit has a ski model on the market that is rather flyweight for its width: 1,010 grams (at 165 cm) and in combination with the TLT Superlite 175 bindings, which adds just – who would have thought it – 175 grams per binding, the perfect combination for the ascent-oriented weight-saver. If desired, a suitable ski stopper can easily be fitted, which weighs in at approx. 85g. The stopper makes sense especially when strapping on in somewhat rough terrain – but of course also in the event of a fall when the ski circles around you with a safety strap.
Powder? In Germany?
The conditions are by no means bad for the first domestic ski tour of the season. So into the boots and bindings. Getting into the TLT Superlight 175 is easy and, as usual for Dynafit, inconspicuous – which is definitely positive. Even without a real stop, the pins find the inserts of the touring boot securely. That’s what you want! Then press the stopper down and turn the buttocks 180 degrees to get into ascent mode. Here you have to grip a little harder to get into the final position. Accidental turning of the rear jaw, for example when crossing slopes, can thus be virtually ruled out. The climbing aid also does what it is supposed to do and can be folded forward effortlessly using the pole plate. To take it out again, I found it easier to use the handle of the touring poles. For long flat sections, one or two touring skiers might miss a mode without any climbing aid at all. On this tour, however, this was hardly noticeable.
And the skis? “Which ski?” is what you think at first. The minimalist weight of the Blacklight 80 touring ski really pays off uphill and saves your energy for long climbs. But can this lightweight also convince downhill? Especially in fresh snow – at least that’s the assumption – you’ll completely drown, won’t you? The summit comes closer than expected. Once at the top, switching the TLT Superlight 175 to downhill mode is no problem. Neither snow nor ice could harm the binding and turning the rear jaw simply pushed the snow aside. Exemplary!
Untracked is good
Now the moment of truth. Terrain? Untracked at first. To my astonishment, the shovel lifts just far enough out of the powder and gives the ski enormous turning pleasure. The Blacklight 80 seems very playful and doesn’t seem cumbersome at all, even in tracked or sticky snow – which is more dominant at lower altitudes than I had hoped. Big turns at high speed, however, remain more the parade discipline of the wider/longer “freetourer” faction. But this is not what the Blacklight 80 wants to be. It is most fun when demanding or steep descents with changing snow conditions prevail. Here, the carbon construction gives it a very stable ride. You get a taste of this during a short excursion on a frozen, semi-well prepared slope, where the Dynafit behaves very predictably and simply does what it is supposed to – fun!
Even the ultra-light TLT Superlight 175 copes well with the changing conditions. On the descent, the binding gives a very confident impression. Stability problems? Not a problem. Not only the ski, but also the binding does what it is supposed to do – work…and work well. It should also be emphasised that for a binding of this weight, an (effective) stopper is by no means a matter of course – this is where the Superlite scores a lot of plus points.
Conclusion
The combination of minimalist individual products works! The Dynafit Blacklight 80 skis paired with the TLT Superlite 175 bindings are a highly recommendable combination. Anyone looking for an ascent-oriented touring ski set will find it here! The fact that this pairing is not only a good choice for piste tours, but also for a demanding spring gully party should be clear to anyone who chooses skis with Dynafit genes.
For all Dynafit ski touring skis click here.
For all Dynafit ski touring bindings ckick here.
