During my tenure as Editor of Realskiers.com, one of the benefits of membership has been a long-form ski review, accompanied by test scores complied by our small volunteer army of testers. Long-form reviews are still a principal component of the Realskiers’ membership...
This isn’t the typical season-opening salvo from Realskiers.com that my Dear Readers and Dear Listeners have come to expect. In years past, I’ve kept the focus on emerging trends as exemplified by interesting new models and where they fit in the big picture. The...
It’s unlikely that Atomic management foresaw just how much its boot brand would come to depend on a modest line of recreational boots it launched some 15 years ago. Called Hawx, its unique feature was vent-like creases on both sides of the forefoot, perceived as a fit...
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....
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...
