Se7en Summits NZ$880 (left)
156, 163, 170, 178cm;
113-78-100 mm; 1330 g at 170 cm
Manaslu NZ$1050 (centre left)
169, 178, 187 cm;
122-95-104 mm; 1410 g at 178 cm
Haute Route Plus NZ$910 (centre right)
156 cm; 113-78-100 mm; 1160 g
DNA World Cup Race NZ$940 (right)
161 cm; 96-65-78 mm; 710 g
Stoke (not shown)
173, 182 cm;
129-105-119 mm; 1550 g at 173cm
Mustagh Ata Super Light NZ$1020 (not shown)
178 cm; 118-88-110 mm; 1335 g

3D view
3D view
3D view

Titan TF-X NZ$1099 (top)
2000 g; sizes 25–30
Zzero4 PX-TF NZ$1040
1590 g; sizes 25–30
Zzero4 U TF Woman NZ$930
1555 g; sizes 24.25
TLT Lite4 NZ$880 (bottom)
1330 g; sizes 24–29

TLT Vertical ST NZ$700 (top)
530 g; 84, 92 or 100 mm breaks
TLT Vertical FT NZ$960
530 g; 110 mm breaks, DIN 12
TLT Speed NZ$630
335 g
Low Tech Race NZ$1530 (bottom)
160 g; Titanal, titanium, high-strength plastic and aluminium, stainless steel 

Weights are for one ski/boot/binding

Dynafit ski-mountaineering skis, boots and bindings

Grant Guise is the importer of Dynafit products and the biggest promoter of ski-mountaineering in New Zealand. He is one of the team behind the Skimonz ski-mountaineering race series. Grant also holds ski-mountaineering workshops and writes articles on how we can get into ski-mountaineering. He is a member of the New Zealand Ski Mountaineering Team. So, this is the guy you need to talk to about your ski-mountaineering.

(In case you didn't know, ski-mountaineers use a "touring binding" that allows the heel to raise for progress uphill and locks it down for downhill skiing. Skins are attached to the underside of the ski to provide traction when moving uphill.)

Dynafit is a brand well known for its unique binding system. At least half a kilogram is saved for each foot using the Dynafit system. Essentially, the boot is specially designed to fit toe and heel binding sections on the ski, whereas a conventional binding involves a heavy plate running the length of the boot. Check out this video of how the Dynafit binding works. However, you can also fit the Dynafit bindings to skis you already own and many ski boot brands have models that are compatible with Dynafit bindings.

Anyway, lets get a little more specific. You are likely to fall into one of three categories.

1. A front and slack country skier
You are predominately into skiing for the turns and therefore spend a lot of time in the slack or front country (areas just outside of ski field boundarys); e.g., Tarn Basin, Crystal Valley in the Craigieburns, 6-1 at Rainbow or over Wye Saddle in The Remarks. This category is all about fat skis and big, stiff boots.

Skis: Stoke ski, Manaslu ski, Mustagh Ata Super Light ski
Bindings: Vertical FT binding
Boots: Titan TF-X ski boot (an alpine-style ski boot, unmatched downhill performance while still very tourable, 30-degree cuff rotation, alpine and touring soles)

2. A back country skier
You consider the ascent to be as important as the descent; i.e., you aren't taking a chairlift. You get to that peak next to the ski area and want to keep going, always wanting to see what is over the next ridge. You save your money for heli flights to the West Coast neves rather than buying a season pass. Your idea of fun is connecting the club fields in the Craigieburns or spending a week up the Tasman Glacier.

Skis: Mustagh Ata Super Light ski, Se7en Summit ski, Haute Route Plus ski (womens)
Bindings:TLT Vertical ST binding
Boots: Zzero4PX-TF boot (Dynafit’s lightest four-buckle boot), Zzero4 UTF boot (womens)

3. A Speed Tourer
Wherever you are going you are in a hurry. You find yourself looking at topo maps playing dot to dot. You read about multi-day trips and dream of ripping them out in a single push. You like to ski as much vertical as you can every day you are in the back country.

Skis: Broad Peak ski
Bindings: TLT Speed binding
Boots: TLT Lite4 boot

4. A climber using skis to access climbs
You use skis to reach Empress in winter or to make your way across the West Coast neves for a dawn start on Mallory. You are in the mountains primarily to climb and skis are there to get you in and out again. You need light gear for that special moment that you are slogging over morraine on the lower Tasman.

Skis: Se7en Summit ski, Haute Route Plus ski (womens), DNA World Cup Race ski
Bindings: TLT Speed binding
Boots: TLT Lite4 boot

5. A ski-mountaineering racer
You are a racer or an endurance athlete training in the winter months and love to push yourself. In particular, you like the sound of ski touring with less than 2 kg (skis, boots, bindings) on each foot.

Skis: DNA World Cup Race ski
Bindings: Low Tech Race binding, TLT Speed binding
Boots: TLT Lite4 boot

There are also skins, helmets, ski packs, ski crampons, racing poles and clothing. All products are described in detail at http://www.dynafit.co.nz.

Simond Ocelot Hyperlight ski-mountaineering axe

Simond's "sawn-off" 50cm Ocelot Hyperlight axe is designed for skiing when there is little or no serious climbing involved; that is, a trip where the emphasis is skiing in the mountains. The axe weighs only 345 grams.

Ocelot Hyperlight ski-mountaineering axe NZ$115

Simond Caiman alloy ski-mountaineering crampons

These crampons are 10-point crampons specifically made for ski-mountaineering. They are made of an aluminium alloy rather than steel and are hence incredibly light (weighing only 720 grams with their antiballing plates attached, whereas most other 10-point crampons weigh 850-950 grams and most 12-point crampons weigh 950-1150 grams). You should be aware that alloy crampons blunt faster than steel crampons if worn on rock, so these are more likely to suit your needs if you are flying into the West Coast neves, skiing off-piste at a skifield or requiring light gear for racing.

Caiman crampons incl. anti-balling plates and crampon bag NZ$240