If you have looked at Dynafit compatible race heels you will notice that there is zero adjustment for different boot lengths. This means that the binding has to be installed with absolute precision using the same boots that will be skied and it precludes changing the boots or lending skis.
ATK Adjustment Plate
Dynafit have produced a rental plate to give more adjustment to hire shops for TLT bindings but this bulky piece of kit wasn’t really suited to race use. ATK are instead proposing a lightweight machined aluminium adjustment plate.
Two models are available giving either 10mm (1 mondo point) or a whopping 40mm (4 mondo points) of adjustment. The first option will suit most skiers and gives the same heel adjustment as the current TLT binding.
Dynafit Low Tech Race
The plates weigh 20 and 25 grams respectively. However the maths may not add up for all bindings. Take the TLT Vertical Lite. This binding weighs in at 295 g for a heel and toe piece. Add 20 grams and you have 315 grams. That’s getting pretty close to the standard Dynafit TLT Speed weight of 335 grams. The Speed already incorporates 10mm of adjustment in the heel. If you replace the heel stop with a piece of aluminium or cut the heel riser off you would probably only be a few grams heavier than the Vertical Lite + ATK plate solution especially as we haven’t counted the weight of four fixing bolts.
Where the plate makes more sense is for the Dynafit Low Tech Race (160 g), ATK Race (125g) or Felisaz Plum (135g). Our main worry is just how securely a heel piece can be fixed to this binding.