Dalbello 2021 Boot Brand Profile

Dalbello 2021 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...

Salomon 2021 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 boot fitting manuals.  I trained the North American field force,...

Atomic 2021 Boot Brand Profile

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 13 years ago. Called Hawx, its unique feature was vent-like creases on both sides of the forefoot, perceived as a fit...
Tecnica 2021 Boot Brand Profile

Tecnica 2021 Boot Brand Profile

Eight years 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 that...
K2 Brand Profile

K2 Brand Profile

2021 K2 Brand Profile K2 once reigned over the US market for so long, its sales leadership practically became a cliché. The keys to its sustained success were manifold, but from a product standpoint it’s not hard to summarize: K2’s have always been easy to ski....

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...