2020 Stöckli Season

With the new Laser AR, Stöckli has bridged the gap between its Laser and Stormrider collections, moving its widest carver within 5mm (waist width) of its narrowest all-mountain model. At 83mm underfoot, the Laser AR is one of a cluster of new models that blur the...

2019 Atomic Boot Brand Profile

It’s unlikely that Atomic management foresaw just how much it’s boot brand would come to depend on a modest line of recreational boots it launched eleven years ago. Called Hawx, its unique feature was vent-like creases on both sides of the forefoot, perceived as a fit...

2019 Head Boot Brand Profile

Over most of Head’s storied history as a ski brand, lighter weight hasn’t exactly been top of mind. They’ve been better known for building battleships as opposed to skiffs. Two pivotal shifts, one global and one local, has made lightweight design a priority, if not...

2019 Tecnica Boot Brand Profile

Six 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 is...

2019 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 boot fitting manuals. I trained the North American field force,...