Ski touring boots · Test magazine 2022
Tech talk with Schorsch Nickaes, DYNAFIT
Product Director Hard Goods · Print page 81
Who is Schorsch Nickaes? Product Director Hard Goods at DYNAFIT
As Product Director Hard Goods at DYNAFIT, Schorsch Nickaes is also responsible for developing ski touring boots. He grew up in the Berchtesgaden Alps and went on his first ski tour at the age of ten. After training as a mountain guide and ski instructor with the German armed forces, he was a member of the German national ski mountaineering team from 2002 to 2008 and subsequently became national coach of the youth squad.
In the 2022 BACKLINE test magazine, Nickaes describes around ten key stages in ski touring boot development: from the initial idea and proof of concept through prototypes, testing, development and design to tooling approval, pre-production and series production. According to Nickaes, all DYNAFIT ski touring boots are manufactured in Italy. On sustainability, he emphasizes durability and spare parts supplied through the Care & Repair Center. The Lifetime Guarantee described in the interview applies to purchases from October 1, 2021, covering a touring boot’s stated five-year product life cycle.
Nickaes considers compatibility between skis, boots and bindings largely governed by ISO standards, but finds the range of combinations confusing. Pre-mounted ski touring sets are intended to simplify selection. For his own tours, he mostly uses the TLT X, choosing the Radical Pro on powder days and the DNA race model for fast training sessions.
What steps and phases does a new ski touring boot model go through at Dynafit until it is available in stores?
From the initial idea to series production, there are about ten important phases until a new model reaches the market. It starts with the idea of which model should be developed for the respective application area. In the next step, we decide with a 'Proof of Concept' whether the model goes into the prototyping phase. Then the first tests already follow, before a new ski touring boot goes into the development and design phase. The next step is tool release, and the boot goes into pre-series production. After another extensive test, series production can begin.
Where are your ski boots produced?
All Dynafit ski touring boots are produced in Italy.
Is ski boot recycling on Dynafit's agenda?
We focus on the longevity of our products and aim for a long product life cycle. All Dynafit ski touring boots purchased or to be purchased from October 1, 2021, come with a 'Lifetime Guarantee' covering the entire product life cycle, which is specified as 5 years for a touring boot. In our Care & Repair Center, we have all spare parts for our models, allowing ski touring boots to be used for as long as possible. The most sustainable product is the one you already own.
In your opinion, is the compatibility between ski tours, ski boots, and touring skis, ski boots, and touring bindings from different manufacturers satisfactory from a consumer perspective?
Yes, because ultimately almost everything is compatible, as compatibility is regulated by various ISO standards. However: The standards create an unclear and completely confusing complexity for the majority of customers – we're talking about approximately 1,500 ski-binding combination possibilities. We support end-users by solving this complexity and offering systems like pre-assembled ski touring sets. As a ski touring expert, Dynafit knows what hardware customers need for their specific applications and develops target-group-specific head-to-toe systems.
Which ski boot do you use on most days for ski touring in winter?
With the Dynafit TLT X! But on powder days, I take the Radical Pro. For fast training sessions, I'm out with our Race model DNA, which weighs just 810 grams.
