Dynafit Blacklight 88 — Review

The Dynafit Blacklight 88 sits in the middle of Dynafit's sport-touring Blacklight line at 86-90 mm underfoot (sliding waist per length), combining a Paulownia Speed Core with full unidirectional carbon and 3D sidewall/cap construction. It targets fit ski tourers who want efficient uphill performance with enough chassis to handle variable downhill snow on a single ski.

The Blacklight 88's light tip and tail rocker with camber underfoot delivers a stable feel on skin tracks and on edge during firm descents. The 18.5 m radius at 172 cm holds medium-to-long arcs on hardpack and shorter swing-radius arcs in steeper terrain. Full unidirectional carbon makes the ski feel lively and energetic without adding weight — the 1150 g per ski at 172 cm is competitive for an 88 mm full-sidewall tour chassis. The 3D sidewall/cap hybrid construction trims grams from the tip and tail while preserving full sidewall under the binding mount.

The Blacklight 88 uses Dynafit's Paulownia Speed Core (lightweight paulownia wood profiled for low swing weight), full unidirectional carbon wraps for torsional and longitudinal stiffness, and 3D Sidewall/Cap Construction (full sidewall under the foot, cap shoulders at tip and tail). Profile: light tip and tail rocker, camber underfoot. Per-length specs: 158 cm (121/86/109, 15.5 m, 1025 g), 165 cm (122/87/110, 17.0 m, 1085 g), 172 cm (123/88/111, 18.5 m, 1150 g), 178 cm (124/89/112, 20.0 m, 1225 g), 184 cm (125/90/113, 21.5 m, 1315 g).

The Blacklight 88 is for the fit, intermediate-to-advanced ski tourer who prioritises efficient uphill performance and reliable downhill stability over wide-ski float. Compared to the narrower Dynafit Blacklight 80 it adds 8 mm of waist for better soft-snow performance at modest weight cost; against the wider Dynafit Blacklight 95 it gives up powder float for snappier hardpack carving and lower swing weight. Outside Dynafit, the Atomic Backland 88 and K2 Wayback 88 mens target the same 88 mm sport-tour niche with similar gram weights. The heavier directional Dynafit Radical 88 trades 200-300 g of weight for more downhill chassis.

Pros

• 1150 g per ski at 172 cm is competitive for a full-sidewall 88 mm tour chassis.
• Full unidirectional carbon delivers an energetic, lively feel.
• Complete per-length sidecut, radius and weight data across 5 lengths.
• 88 mm waist hits the sweet spot for mixed-condition touring days.

Cons

• Light rocker limits float in deep or wet powder.
• 3D Sidewall/Cap construction is less durable at tip/tail than full sidewall.
• 86-90 mm sliding waist means the shorter lengths are narrower than the badge suggests.
• Carbon-heavy layup can feel harsh on firm crud for less-skilled tourers.

Verdict: A balanced 88 mm sport-tour ski for tourers who want efficient uphill with reliable downhill performance — choose it over the Blacklight 80 if soft-snow days matter, or the Blacklight 95 if you ski mostly hardpack approaches.