Following the success of the Skiing museum, we have recently created the boot museum for customers to read about the history and progress of ski boots throughout the years. Featuring boots made from leather, boots with 4 buckles, boots with no buckles and every other variation you could think of!
Late 1800’s to 1950
IN THIS ERA ALL SKI BOOTS WERE MADE OF LEATHER AND WERE ATTACHED TO THE WOODEN SKIS BY CABLE BINDINGS, WHERE THE HEEL WAS FREE AND ABLE TO LIFT UP (LIKE TELEMARK SKIING).
THE BOOTS WERE VERY MUCH LIKE WALKING BOOTS, WITH A LACE SYSTEM, BUT WITH A STIFFER SOLE. LEATHER WAS SOFT AND NOT VERY INSULATED SO IT WAS MORE DIFFICULT TO CONTROL THE SKIS AND FEET GOT VERY COLD.
1954
BUCKLES WERE INTRODUCED ON TO LEATHER BOOTS. THIS NEW OVERLAP SYSTEM HELPED WITH FOOT RETENTION WHICH INTERN HELPED WITH BETTER CONTROL OF THE SKIS.THE ADJUSTABLE BUCKLES WERE VERY BASIC AND THERE WERE 5 WHICH SEEMS TO BE A BIT OVER THE TOP.
1962
THE INTRODUCTION OF THE FIRST PLASTIC BOOTS BY LANGE. BY THE MID 1960’S ALL SKI BOOTS WERE MADE FROM PLASTIC. INNER BOOTS WERE ADDED TO SKI BOOTS TO MAKE THE PLASTIC BOOTS MORE COMFORTABLE. THE BOOTS WERE STILL LOW IN HEIGHT, JUST ABOVE THE ANKLES.
1965-1970
PLASTIC BOOTS WERE GIVEN THE STANDARD TOE AND HEEL LIPS (FRONT AND BACK) THAT ALLOWED THEM TO BE FIXED IN TO THE NEW, FULLY RELEASABLE SKI SAFETY BINDINGS.
1973
SKI BOOT SHELLS MOVED TO JUST BELOW THE KNEE DESIGN THAT WE ARE FAMILIAR WITH TO THIS DAY. THIS GAVE THE SKIER MORE LEAVERAGE FROM THE SHIN, WHICH LEAD TO BETTER EDGE CARVING AND CONTROL. THE ORIGINAL LOW SHELL DESIGN WAS LEADING TO LOTS OF LOWER LEG/ANKLE BREAKS. THE LINERS WERE ALSO MADE TO BE REMOVABLE. THIS MADE SKI BOOTS HEAVIER BUT THAT
WAS THE COMPROMISE.
1980’s
REAR ENTRY BOOTS WERE NOW THE RAGE DUE TO THEIR EASE OF ENTRY AND ADJUSTMENTS TO CATER FOR NEARLY ALL FOOT SHAPES AND SIZES.
WITH CHEAP PACKAGE HOLIDAYS BECOMING MORE AFFORDABLE, THERE WAS A MASSIVE INCREASE IN SKI/BOOT RENTAL, REAR ENTRY BOOTS WERE IDEAL FOR THIS.
1982
NORDICA INTRODUCE THE FIRST SKI BOOTS TO INCORPORATE AN AIRBAG SYSTEM ABOVE THE INSTEP. THIS WAS TO HELP WITH COMFORT AND WARMTH. LADY DI USED TO SKI IN A PAIR OF THESE.
Late 1980s
AT THIS TIME OVER 80% OF SKIS BOOTS WERE OF THE REAR ENTRY DESIGN.
2 MANUFACTURERS DOMINATED THE REAR ENTRY ERA SUPPLYING MODELS SUCH AS THE SALOMON SX 82/92 AND NORDICA 757/857.
VELCRO STRAPS WERE ADDED TO SKI BOOT DESIGNS IN 1983 AND HAVE BEEN AN INTEGRAL COMPONENT OF SKI BOOT DESIGN EVER SINCE.
Late 1990’s
THE DEMISE OF REAR ENTRY SKI BOOT WHICH SLOWLY FADED AWAY. THE MAIN REASON WAS THAT THEY WERE NOT AS GOOD AS CONTROLLING SKIS ONCE THE PADDING HAD COMPRESSED.
2000-2020
SKIS BOOTS REVERTED BACK TO THE 2, 3 OR 4 BUCKLE DESIGN. THE BOOTS WERE MORE ANATOMICALLY DESIGNED ON BOTH THE SHELL AND THE LINERS. ALL BOOTS ARE MADE WITH THINNER BUT STRONGER PLASTICS THAN BEFORE MAKING BOOTS A LOT LIGHTER, MORE COMFORTABLE AND EASIER TO CARRY.
2020
ATOMIC REINTRODUCE A VERY BASIC REAR ENTRY BOOT, THE SAVOR RANGE.
SHORTLY FOLLOWED BY NORDICA SUPPLYING THE HF RANGE AND THIS YEAR 2026, ATOMIC PRODUCE THE NEXUS RANGE.
2023 – Current Day
2023 BOA SYTEMS ARE INTRODUCED TO VARIOUS MODELS OF SKI BOOTS. BY 2026 ROUGHLY 50% OF ALL SKI BOOTS HAVE THE BOA’S AS AN OPTION.
THE CLOSURE OVER THE FOREFOOT IS SO SMOOTH AND EASY TO ADJUST. THEY ARE NOT EVERYONES ‘CUP OF TEA’, BUT THE SYSTEM IS VERY EFFECTIVE.
