2025 Kästle Boot Brand Profile

2025 Kästle Boot Brand Profile

Why would a relatively small ski company decide – seemingly out of the blue – to absorb the absurd expense of becoming a boot supplier?  The answer to this question isn’t the usual brand-extension story, although that must be part of the overall strategy....

2025 Tecnica Boot Brand Profile

Roughly a decade ago, Tecnica was at a point in its evolution where it had to change. The brand still had market mojo, but the line was due for an upgrade. Once a brand decides it needs new molds, all ideas are on the table until eliminated in the R&D cage match...

2025 Salomon Boot Brand Profile

I was one of the many midwives who attended at the birth of the Salomon boot in 1979.  I translated Salomon’s encyclopedic Boot Bible into English and later condensed parts of it into one of the first bootfitting manuals.  I trained the North American field force,...

2025 Dalbello Boot Brand Profile

No other boot brand has done more with the 3-piece, external-tongue shell design than Dalbello.  Dalbello didn’t just copy the Raichle design they adopted; they improved on it.  They optimized its performance properties by playing up its strengths: a stout spine and...
2025 Atomic Brand Profile

2025 Atomic Brand Profile

Overview Atomic can’t help being obsessed with speed. They’re Austrian down to their toes, thereby making it a patriotic obligation to assist Austrian natives in winning World Cup titles.  They’ve been very good at meeting expectations, delivering a horde of gold to...