The Evolution and Innovation of Ski Boots Part 1: Traversing the Evolution of the Ski Boot

Introduction

Throughout the two decades I've been skiing, the sport and its technology have changed significantly. There have been countless advancements that have made skiing safer, more comfortable, and more fun. However, one area that hasn't seen as much progress is ski boot technology. As far as I can remember, my ski boots have always been the worst part of skiing. They are always uncomfortable because they are so tight and my toes are either numb from the cold or in pain from getting jammed into the hard front part of the boot after a few runs. Even on some great powder days, the best part of my day skiing is usually taking my feet out of my boots in the parking lot.

So why are ski boots like this? Why have we not solved the problem of ski boot discomfort? I'll take a shot at answering these questions throughout this series. First, I'll walk through the history of ski boots, from early 1900s to the present, and highlight the technological advancements that shaped today's ski boots. I'll then attempt to explain how ski boots work and why they are designed the way they are. And finally, I'll talk about the current innovation strides being made today that might help you select your next boot.

Ski Boot History

Leather Boots (1900-1962)

Before the invention and widespread use of the T-bar and chairlift, skiing was a combination of cross-country and downhill skiing. As such, it was required that a boot/binding combination give the skier the ability to lift their heel as they traveled up a mountain. So, it was commonplace for skiers to wear leather boots with a Huitfeldt steel toe iron binding and Høyer-Ellefsen tensioning heel clip. In this design, a leather boot was placed on top of a metal binding, and a tensioning heel clip wrapped around the back of the boot. In the front of the binding were two leather straps, one wrapped over the toe of the boot and another under the toe strap that pulled the boot forward.

The introduction of the chairlift allowed downhill skiing to become independent from cross-country skiing. This allowed for changes to both ski boots and bindings that focused specifically giving more control by making the system stiffer and more rigid. For bindings, this meant lots of innovation. But for boots, the only change made for decades was making the leather stiffer by boiling it in glue or oil. This fix was still very uncomfortable for skiers. This called for innovation.

Plastic Boots (1962)

Although there were many efforts to make plastic boots as soon as downhill skiing became independent from cross-country skiing, it wasn't until 1962 that Bob Lange invented the first commercially successful plastic ski boot (he and his company later released the first racing ski boot in 1965 with the first metal buckets, patented by Henke Speedfit). Plastic fixed many of the problems people had with leather ski boots. Langes' invention improved problems with stiffness, increased the control people had when turning, and was much warmer than leather. It also introduced the world to the overlap (2-piece) design, a design that is still commonly used today all over the ski industry.

Not only did the plastic boots fix a lot of problems, it could be mass-produced using injection molding because it was made from ABS. As such, Lange's plastic ski boot helped commercialize ski boots, ultimately starting an innovation movement in the space. Some companies designed boots with a different foot entry method (Side-entry was introduced in 1965 by Resemount and Rear-entry was introduced by the Hanson Brothers in the 70s). Other companies focused on the number of pieces. The Cabrio (3-piece) boots were first developed by Mel Dalebout and are the second most popular design today. And other companies just kept adjusting the initial design, such as varying the boot height, using different types of materials, etc.

The Ski Liner (1970)

As mentioned above, there were many advancements and innovations made to ski boots in the decades following Langes' plastic boot. None might be as impactful as Sven Coomer's ski liner. In 1970, plastic boots were on the market, but they still had many drawbacks. The main drawback was that they were extremely uncomfortable. People strongly desired a plastic boot that felt like leather. So, in 1970 Sven designed the Nordica Saporo, which was made of plastic laminated leather. The boot gave skiers the control of a plastic boot but the more comfortable feel of a leather boot. From that design, Sven designed the Nordica Olympic, Nordica's first successful plastic boot, and the first boot to have a removable leather liner.

Inner boot liners, which are commonly called inner boots, are widely popular today. Usually, you buy custom molded liners that mold to the shape of your foot. This not only increases comfort but also warmth and performance.

Innovations Today

It seems like we've come a long way from leather boots (and even the first Lange plastic boots). But as I mentioned in the introduction, ski boots are still incredibly uncomfortable and there is still a high demand for more comfort. Is there a fundamental problem with the Overlap and Cabrio designs, which haven't really changed much? Is anyone doing something completely different today? What other innovations are being done right now to make wearing a ski boot more enjoyable?

I have done some digging in this area and found a couple of awesome ski boot companies that are making more comfortable ski boots while maintaining high performance:

1. Apex Ski Boots: These ski boots are incredibly unique. Each Apex ski boot utilizes a two-piece system very different from the traditional Overlap design. The first piece is an Open-Chassis™ that allows for solid independent control of fit, flex, and closure when skiing. The second piece walking boot that is easily attached and removed from the the Open-Chassis™, allowing the skier to walk solely in the walking boot on long trecks to the car or in the lodge. The walking boot design reminds me of a snowboard boot. It seems easy to get into, and much more comfortable than traditional boots and liners. Furthermore, Apex prides itself on its use of the BOA® Fit System to tighten the walking boot as needed.

2. zUFO: zUFO is a French company with a mission to bring comfort to the feet of all skiers, to inspire pioneers of new ideas, and to create solutions in line with the environmental and social issues of today. They have a patented eco-design ski boot design that was an honoree at the CES 2023 Innovation Awards. The design includes a carbon fiber exoskeleton to handle skiing mechanics and a textile inner boot that keeps feet dry and warm. In addition to the design, I really like zUFO's approach: rather than focusing on improving a 50-year-old design, let's create something completely new.