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Ski gimmick with the most potential?

Dave Petersen

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crgildart

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Wider lug boots and binding claw footprint for skis over 80mm underfoot. The boots will feel more like snowboard boots on a wider footprint, more comfortable, no need for the narrow lug on wider skis.. but not able to use with race skis..
 

dbostedo

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Can you explain what they are? B and C are kind of evident, but I don't know what the gimmick is for A and D.
 

graham418

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'A' are the Olin boots which , I think, had adjustable fit via the knobs on the front. 'D' was the fleeting moment of knee high boots to make it easier to pressure your skis with the extra leverage provided
 

Uncle-A

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Can you explain what they are? B and C are kind of evident, but I don't know what the gimmick is for A and D.
"A" is a rear entrance boot with screw down device over the front of the foot. "D" is knee high boots that linked the entire leg to the ski. BTW I have had that boot on years ago and it was surprisingly comfortable and very warm. The shell didn't go up the entire hight but it was higher than most of the other of it's time. One of the shops I worked was a Dolomite dealer and we sold several pairs of the boot.
 

cantunamunch

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Well, one might argue that cable-tensioned forefoot fits are the natural descendant of (A). If one allows that, then just about every rear-entry boot ever owes something to (A).

Having skied (B), I'm actually most interested in (D) as having the most unrealised potential.
 

Uncle-A

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What about “The Pump” by Reebok?
I don't know if you are old enough to remember but Head once made a ski boot with an air blatter that you would pump up when you put it on and release the air when taking it off. It didn't go far because they didn't hold up well under pressure. I seem to remember that they would break down not long after the warranty expired.
 

Uncle-A

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Well, one might argue that cable-tensioned forefoot fits are the natural descendant of (A). If one allows that, then just about every rear-entry boot ever owes something to (A).

Having skied (B), I'm actually most interested in (D) as having the most unrealised potential.
A few manufacturers jumped on the "D" bandwagon, I think one was a Nordica Polaris but you can check the All Things Nordica thread.
 

Bad Bob

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There was one out there in about 1970-71 from Henke, the "Rebel". It was a 3 buckle plasticized leather boot done in Red/White/Blue, designed as a higher performance boot. Have never been able to find picture of it.
It skied great, for 5 or 6 days. Then it started breaking down. It might have been a good boot if they had used a plastic shell. Went through 4 pairs by January and the shop owner took me out of them and put me into some Langes.
 

coskigirl

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There was one out there in about 1970-71 from Henke, the "Rebel". It was a 3 buckle plasticized leather boot done in Red/White/Blue, designed as a higher performance boot. Have never been able to find picture of it.
It skied great, for 5 or 6 days. Then it started breaking down. It might have been a good boot if they had used a plastic shell. Went through 4 pairs by January and the shop owner took me out of them and put me into some Langes.

Was it these?

1641411592340.png
 

jmeb

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E.

Salomon_SX92.jpg


Specifically fitting ski boots foremost by instep measurement.
 

Bad Bob

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Close but no cigar. The Rebel was basically a leather boot where the leather was coated in aplastic before being stitched together. and it was a 3 buckle one high, one at the ankle, and one at the arch area. Worked great till it didn't.

Here is another odd one I skied (have put it up on the site here before) The Montan. Really liked it, and it skied very well for the day. Another plasticized leather boot and the last leather boot I skied. The first rear entry boot I ever saw.
Montan boot.jpg
 
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Dave Petersen

Dave Petersen

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There was one out there in about 1970-71 from Henke, the "Rebel". It was a 3 buckle plasticized leather boot done in Red/White/Blue, designed as a higher performance boot. Have never been able to find picture of it.
It skied great, for 5 or 6 days. Then it started breaking down. It might have been a good boot if they had used a plastic shell. Went through 4 pairs by January and the shop owner took me out of them and put me into some Langes.


I bought this Henke on eBay for my collection, and the plasticized leather has just gone crazy. Now it is in my furnace room as opposed to displayed.
F0F99E8F-3B64-46E2-A452-FA1C96B457CE.jpeg
I don’t believe this boot was ever worn, but now it is turning to dust.
 

Bad Bob

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I bought this Henke on eBay for my collection, and the plasticized leather has just gone crazy. Now it is in my furnace room as opposed to displayed.
View attachment 154011
Thanks Dave, but that it still not it. Think Henke might have payed big bucks to erase this boot from history in shame.
I may have been one of 8 people in the world who had a pair.
 
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Dave Petersen

Dave Petersen

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Thanks Dave, but that it still not it. Think Henke might have payed big bucks to erase this boot from history in shame.
I may have been one of 8 people in the world who had a pair.

I knew it wasn’t the one you were looking for, but that material it is made with is horrible.
 

Crank

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The Henkes looked like D in that they were super high...came up almost to a skier's knees. Never had 'em but they were popular in the early to mid '70's.

I like C. As I get older it's getting harder to stuff my feet into boots.
 

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