dynafit.com | $950 | 1,856g | Last: 98 mm | Sizes: 22.5-30
Dynafit positions the Mezzalama as a lightweight speed touring and skimo racing boot, alongside their race-oriented DNA model, and updated both boots for the 2025-26 season. The Mezzalama updates include a more accommodating fit, with more room above the foot, a thicker, more comfortable liner, a refined cuff lock, and a simpler gaiter design. I skied the boot recently to see how the new model performs, up and down.
The Mezzalama cuff and lower are built with Grilamid nylon with carbon fibers, while the DNA features the same lower with a woven full carbon fiber cuff. The vertical lever both locks the cuff to the lower and cinches the upper cuff for downhill mode. Moving the position of the lever pivot screw adjusts the forward lean angle to either 12 or 15 degrees. An abrasion-resistant cord, anchored to the cuff, routes through the lever, and around the front of the cuff. The cord tension can be adjusted easily without tools. A Twistfit cable knob snugs up the fit by tensioning an internal cable to pull the sides of the lower shell overtop the foot. With the knob, you can dial in the fit, both slightly tighter and looser, without losing the position of the cable.
The Mezzalama features a comfortable, warm full-height liner, while the DNA model saves grams with an ankle-high liner. The Mezzalama liner is built entirely from heat-moldable foam of different thicknesses based on position and function. Thicker foam around the ankle effectively locks the heel and ankle in place. As such, it will likely feel too tight out of the box but conforms nicely around the ankle area after heat molding. Some race-oriented liners are quite minimalist, but the tongue and upper edge of the Mezzlama liner cuff are stiffened with denser foam, effectively protecting your shin and calf from the rigid upper shell. The tongue-design liner, standard on speed-oriented boots, doesn’t inhibit long strides.
In a size 26.5, the Mezzalama weighs 4 pounds, 1.5 ounces per pair, or 928 grams per boot. Dynafit lists the last as 98mm, and that seems accurate when comparing the Mezzalama to other Dynafit boot models with slightly wider lasts. This should fit narrow to average foot-width skiers well, and the lower can be punched slightly for those with wider feet.
The wide gaiter opening, with a gusset and velcro closure, eased sticking my foot into the lower—some race-oriented boots require a more determined, multi-step trailhead effort. The tall gaiter on the lower extends under the front of the cuff and effectively sealed out snow during powder trailbreaking.
On the skintrack, the Mezzalama feels even lighter than its four-pound mass, with an excellent range of uninhibited ankle articulation, promoting long strides. Polymer bushings integrated into the cuff pivot allow the cuff to hinge with essentially no resistance. Fine-tuning the Twistfit knob/cable allowed me to snug my ankle and heel into the lower without any pressure points. Flipping down the cuff lock lever is all it takes to transition from touring to turning mode in seconds.
For turning power, the Mezzalama provides remarkable downhill control for a four-pound boot. The 3D structure of the cuff, combined with the carbon-infused Grilamid, really stiffens the forward flex and lateral rigidity. The flex feels naturally progressive and smooth – definitely not soft for a four-pound boot, or any touring boot, for that matter. This stiffness gave precise feedback about how my skis were responding to changing snow conditions, particularly during a scratchy, thin bobsled deproach.
If your vertical often reaches five digits, or you enjoy reaching further into the backcountry, the updated Mezzalama is worth checking out. All in all, it’s a comfy, full-featured lightweight boot that speeds up the skintrack and cranks turns after transitions. —Lance Riek
Where to buy
Related posts: