Dynafit Mercury Review - The Backcountry Ski Boot to Beat

Each year our staff, including America's Best Bootfitters instructor and Start Haus owner Jim Schaffner tests dozens, if not hundreds of ski boots. This year, we're lucky to be working with Craig Dostie, the backcountry skiing guru who founded earnyourturns.com, who is an expert on backcountry ski boots.

While we skied and liked a handful of what we'd call sidecountry ski boots that ski really well and have a walk mode for hiking, we only picked two dedicated backcountry ski boots that really deserve to spend their lives out of bounds: The Dynafit TLT 5 Performance, which has been around for a year and is the weapon of choice for ultralight altitude seekers, and the Dynafit Mercury, a new boot this year, that we think strikes the best balance between hike-ability, ski-ability and weight of any backcountry ski boot to-date.

Here's what Craig had to say:

Like the Dynafit TLT5, Dynafit Vulcan and a few other models, the Mercury features a top buckle that acts both as the buckle and as the switch between hiking and skiing modes - a really slick system that simplifies the boot and simplifies your transitions.

Also like the TLT5 and the Vulcan, it has a removable tongue that when out, gives you a better range of motion, and when in, stiffens up the cuff for power and control.

Rockered, rubber soles also aid in boot packs, hiking over rocky ridges or snow-less approaches to spring backcountry ski trips.

The Dynafit Mercury fits a pretty wide range of feet, as we've found with numerous in-store customers and employees. Dynafit calls it a 102 last, but we'd call it narrower, with a low instep height that makes it better fitting on lower volume feet. It's always best to try on boots before buying, or better yet, working with top boot fitters like our staff at the Start Haus, but if you know you tend to be on the lower volume side of the spectrum, this boot is a good bet. It's got great heel hold, too.

As for skiing, it's lateral stiffness is fantastic, as is fore-aft. It doesn't have quite the progressive flex of a true alpine boot - but for most people in backcountry snow conditions, you shouldn't notice a big difference (we're not wearing these to rail super-g courses, are we?)

We mentioned the Vulcan above, and the Mercury is the little brother to those boots. We think most people will be happier in the Mercury, and save some money at the same time.

Shop the Dynafit Mercury here.