B&D Ultimate Cuff Pivot –Ultra Light (UCP-UL)

Ultimate Cuff Pivot Ultra Light UCP-UL exterior is a slick looking anodized aluminum screw: significant weight savings over all-steel UCP.

Adding Bill Bollinger’s UCP to a pair of Dynafit TLT 5 or 6 ski boots is like adding lifetime guaranteed high performance shocks to your Audi Q5 TDI. It’s just so, well, right. Nonetheless, installing the stainless steel version of UCP adds 28 grams (1 ounce) per boot, not an insignificant weight increase that’s probably worth it for wear prevention and added beef — but weight creep is nemesis! Enter UCP-UL, the lightweight version in development by Bill at his B&D Ski Gear company. Breakdown:

– Original OEM pair of cuff rivets: 8 grams per boot.
– Pair of stainless steel UCP: 36 grams per boot.
– UCP weight increase over stock = 28 grams (1 ounce) per boot.
– Pair of UCP-UL: 16 grams per boot.
– UCP-UL increased weight over stock only 8 grams per boot. Minimal.

B&D Ski Gear UCP-UL is a combo of stainless steel and high strength aluminum.

We’re giving these the WildSnow field testing reinstatement. Only issues I can imagine: Getting dirt and grit between the bearing surfaces could result in wear on the aluminum as well as the Delrin. Durability should be good as this is strong aluminum carefully sized and don’t forget the original rivets are aluminum as well, but how the alu parts will endure the stress of downhill skiing is an open question.

See previous article about UCP for installation details in backcountry skiing boots. This being aluminum, be extra careful of how much tightening force is applied (limited by the exterior having a screwdriver slot instead of hex socket). Bill recommends Loctite Blue 242 which is reversible with normal hand tools, though spot heating of 242 to around 200 degrees in my opinion helps with disassembly without influencing boot plastic (aluminum is so conductive, never heat to the point where it could melt or soften plastic unless that’s what you intend). As with all Loctite, never let the witchy fluid touch your boot plastic as some folks say it can do things to the plastic that makes it crack. Be very careful using other types of Loctite, as some have permanent bonds that only release at temperatures above the melting point of Pebax and urethane plastic.

Aluminum shoulder washer is pressed in from the inside, held during tightening with the included spanner as shown. Tighten exterior slot head screw with largest blade screwdriver possible.

Another shoulder washer drops over the protruding part of the inside washer; this one is stainless steel and the same as the regular all-steel UCP version.

Before a Delrin shoulder washer and the cuff go on, this is what UCP-UL looks like. The idea is that the two shoulder washers sandwich the boot shoe when the exterior screw is tightened. When the system is installed correctly and broken in, the cuff has so little pivot friction you can hold the boot upside down and the cuff will pivot down to a plumb position under its own weight. Slick to say the least.

Please see previous UCP post for installation details, and known that the Ultra Light UCP is in beta testing for ski touring. It does look pretty good.