Caber Bio Race Boot?

[otto]

 

[skipress]

View attachment 169999 View attachment 170000 View attachment 170001

Those are very similar to the zeppas in the Zays I used. Main difference is that the softer foam was not so deep

 

[wnyskier]

Here's my pair. The foam layer is about 3mm. I'm one of those people with a mildly cavus foot and this modification does make a significant difference.

 

[skiJ]

Proven for what? That’s what’s left out.
So they spent $750k, just on marketing and royalties in the 1980’s. Wait, how long after that did they go out of business?

conversationally, guys, a couple of observations -

Caber was purchased by Rossignol - still making boots today...

ski boots in the late 1970s was Dominated by Nordica and Lange. dominated.

Caber had tried to find a niche with external tongue designs -
the Caber Bio was a modified external tongue design ;
it was marketed to be a descendant of the Alpha, But it wasn't - it was a Very different boot !
( Caber's other top boot in '79 was similar, but had a molded closed-cell foam liner of the era ; I believe the cuff attachment was also different, but don't hold me to that - I know this was a significant difference of the top Dolomite's of that time... )

I will give Eisenberg's innovation a pass -
it was certainly consistent with other bio-metric ideas of the era.

I still cannot wrap my head around the part of Eisenberg's idea and a couple of posts in the thread that are promoting the idea of movement of the foot ( it's Not articulation. Articulation is simply the contact between the bones - it does Not mean movement )
... movement of the foot within the boot !

everything I have understood about optimal boot performance for too many years to acknowledge promotes the idea that all forces from the leg-and-foot are transmitted through the boot to the ski ! ! The idea that my foot would move within the boot before engaging the boot to engage the ski ,,, sounds scary
( or at least 'WarrenMiller comical' )

it had to be maddening to the executives at Caber that Ingemar cobbled his Alphas for a decade -
but that was Ingemar !
( Caber would have probably been better off to keep the Alpha in the line, and simply market it as, Ingemar's boot.

I bet I would have bought a pair in 1979 !
I also had an eye on Lange's racy new XL•R ! !! )

it was a long time ago.
Sometimes, it feels like the blink of an eye !


Thank you. skiJ

 

[skipress]

Eisenberg patented his boot board, see: US4144659A and US4253252A
View attachment 169557
According to Skiing Heritage (March 2005) Questor, Caber’s owners at the time spent half a million dollars on adverts for the Bio boot in Ski, Skiing and Powder magazines and agreed to pay Eisenberg $280,000 for the endorsement that appeared in the ads. When the idea bombed Questor refused to pay him so Eisenberg sued and won the full amount.

This the IHSA story

However someone could call him. I am pretty sure this is the man

https://www.doximity.com/pub/joel-eisenberg-md

or Doug Powell ?

Mind you Skiing magazine Sept 79 has that worrying statement to the effect of samples were not ready for testing....

 

[James]

It’s the lack of testing before going to market, not the idea, that’s the problem. I don’t blame Eisenberg.
Skiing in high heels might have been a clue too, as to this might not work.

 

[skipress]

It’s the lack of testing before going to market, not the idea, that’s the problem. I don’t blame Eisenberg.
Skiing in high heels might have been a clue too, as to this might not work.

Or it could be a case of those movies where reviewers don't get a preview because it's a stinker. They might have had racks of 'em and were desperate to avoid the guarded reviews we sometimes give.

• Stable at speed = impossible to turn below 40mph
• Beefy feel = see above and add totally lifeless
• Light and easy to turn = unless you're in mashed potato you'll travel 6ft downhill for every foot forwards, less grip than a wet ice cube on a warm ice rink
• Suited to lighter skiers = see above
• Quirky buckle system = make sure a friend is on hand to help or you'll either not get your boots on or you're driving home wearing them
• Cushy overall fit = you might as well ski in your Crocs, they'll be snugger and give you better snowfeel

and so on [none of the above to be taken wholly seriously]

 

[Daniel]

Retrieved from my gear closet, although doesn't say Bio, just Bio System.

 

[skipress]

Retrieved from my gear closet, although doesn't say Bio, just Bio System.

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Please put them on, climb stairs, or even better... get yourself to Big Snow [it's supposed to have just re opened..] or to Buck Hilll.

We want the full test results that Skiing Magazine couldn't supply in Sept 79. C'mon it's a public service

 

[Uncle-A]

Please put them on, climb stairs, or even better... get yourself to Big Snow [it's supposed to have just re opened..] or to Buck Hilll.

We want the full test results that Skiing Magazine couldn't supply in Sept 79. C'mon it's a public service

It is reopened but it is a long way from @Daniel to go just to ski some beginner slope.

 

[skipress]

It is reopened but it is a long way from @Daniel to go just to ski some beginner slope.

I wasn't being entirely serious He could adapt them like this and test the wobble on the road...

I doubt he's going to take em on his next ski trip

 

[Roundturns]

conversationally, guys, a couple of observations -

Caber was purchased by Rossignol - still making boots today...

ski boots in the late 1970s was Dominated by Nordica and Lange. dominated.

Caber had tried to find a niche with external tongue designs -
the Caber Bio was a modified external tongue design ;
it was marketed to be a descendant of the Alpha, But it wasn't - it was a Very different boot !
( Caber's other top boot in '79 was similar, but had a molded closed-cell foam liner of the era ; I believe the cuff attachment was also different, but don't hold me to that - I know this was a significant difference of the top Dolomite's of that time... )

I will give Eisenberg's innovation a pass -
it was certainly consistent with other bio-metric ideas of the era.

I still cannot wrap my head around the part of Eisenberg's idea and a couple of posts in the thread that are promoting the idea of movement of the foot ( it's Not articulation. Articulation is simply the contact between the bones - it does Not mean movement )
... movement of the foot within the boot !

everything I have understood about optimal boot performance for too many years to acknowledge promotes the idea that all forces from the leg-and-foot are transmitted through the boot to the ski ! ! The idea that my foot would move within the boot before engaging the boot to engage the ski ,,, sounds scary
( or at least 'WarrenMiller comical' )

it had to be maddening to the executives at Caber that Ingemar cobbled his Alphas for a decade -
but that was Ingemar !
( Caber would have probably been better off to keep the Alpha in the line, and simply market it as, Ingemar's boot.

I bet I would have bought a pair in 1979 !
I also had an eye on Lange's racy new XL•R ! !! )

it was a long time ago.
Sometimes, it feels like the blink of an eye !


Thank you. skiJ

Yep, time flies. I always thought Caber boots looked “cheap”compared to Lange, Nordica, etc.