Carbon Fiber Boots

[emorris]

I just came across the website for Apex ski boots.

http://www.apexsportsgroup.com/

They are a new start up in their first year. They are not yet making snowboard hard boots, but have gotten quite a bit of interest.

These look quite interesting. 8.7 pounds. But really pricey. $1295.00.

I asked if the toe and heel pieces could be made specificlaly for snowboards, and apparently there is a mounting lug on the carbon fiber shell that would not allow the parts to interchange.

But is it a hard soft boot or a soft hard boot?

Has anyone tried these?

[Pat Donnelly]

http://www.bomberonline.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=27726

But no real details.

[emorris]

http://www.ispo-brandnew.com/en/Winner_Finalist.Finalists.Finalist_Product.aspx?productid=1432

And I thought I had also seen a recent post on some custom carbon racing snowboard boots that were made by Mike Tinkler? I just can't seem to find it.

[ursle]

My wife is skiing in them, she carves hard and LOVES them, the outer shell (carbon fiber) is extremely lite, the inner-boot isn't to bad, she wears it from the car to the lodge.

Problem is the sole is quite long, will take some modifications somewhere to get them short enough for hardbooting

imho

[emorris]

a guy named Jim. He said that this year they are concentrating on the ski boots, but snowboard hard boots might be coming. This shell cannot be adapted.

[BobD]

I've tried a couple of the other soft ski boots. The problem for ski carving is that the boots are just too wide. Width in a ski boot is as much of a problem as length is, in an alpine snowboard boot.

Looking at the Ajax boot, it really is just a three strap soft boot binding (without the toe strap), with a beefed up high back.

BobD

[www.oldsnowboards.com]

And I thought I had also seen a recent post on some custom carbon racing snowboard boots that were made by Mike Tinkler? I just can't seem to find it.

Cool stuff.

Yes, Mike has built custom hardboot shells for an Alpine Racer.

[heroshmero]

Cool stuff.

Yes, Mike has built custom hardboot shells for an Alpine Racer.

Bryan, what do you figure custom shells like that cost? I'm just curious.

[www.oldsnowboards.com]

Bryan, what do you figure custom shells like that cost? I'm just curious.

Hi Evan. They were built by special request. I don't think Mike is looking to do this routinely. Much more expensive that just buying a pair of high end boots would be my guess.

[KingCrimson]

Hey! Mike stole the replacement cant adjuster off my Suzukas! ;)

[heroshmero]

Hi Evan. They were built by special request. I don't think Mike is looking to do this routinely. Much more expensive that just buying a pair of high end boots would be my guess.

I figured they'd be costly. I just wonder about that kind of thing because I spend so much time trying to find shoes and boots for my size 13/14 feet.

When I win the lottery I am going to have all my shoes and boots custom made. Hmm... I guess I'd better start playing the lottery.

[NateW]

This is at least the 3rd hybrid hard/soft ski boot system I've seen since I started skiing, so I'm a little put off by the claims that there hasn't been a new idle in ski boots in 20 years. The other two didn't succeed, and since Apex doesn't know about them, Apex hasn't learned from those failures.

I don't know why they failed either. Heck, I don't even remember what they were called. Anyone else remember the ski binding that had the funky zig-zag arm that cradled your calf?

Oh wait...

http://www.amazon.com/Rossignol-Soft-Boots-Mens-Mondo/dp/B000EE8YYQ

So Apex is not the 3rd, it's the 4th.

http://www.coloradodiscountskis.com/store/product1133.html

Maybe the 5th.

http://www.buzzillions.com/reviews/men-rossignol-soft-3-ski-boots-used-2003-reviews

6th?

[tenorman]

Anyone else remember the ski binding that had the funky zig-zag arm that cradled your calf?

hi NATEW

i can't remember the name either but do remember they were made in ITALY. it was featured in a WARREN MILLER movie back in the late 80's/early 90's. i am sure i have a copy of the old vhs movie somewhere in my collection. during the summer i usually watch a couple of ski movies to satisfy my snow withdrawal and will look out for the name of the manufacturer and see if BLUEB can post a clip for me on bomberonline.

in addition to the funky arm that fit like an open-ended (maybe 270 degrees?) hoop around the calf, the boot was even funkier looking. they looked like a cross between the 1970's mukluks and the modern ugg boots that teenage girls wear nowadays.

[BlueB]

[NateW]

That's the one!

[Sultan Guy]

I work with composites everyday as part of my job and have over 25 years of experience with these materials. Since owning modern plastic hard snowboard boots I too have wondered how to make a better mousetrap that would be stiffer and less bulky.

Definitely achievable as some of these examples show however the complexity of the tooling to manufacture composite boots at a reasonable cost is challenging. Tooling intensive project with limited sales means you need to put much of the development costs into each pair you sell.

[boarderboy]

Definitely achievable as some of these examples show however the complexity of the tooling to manufacture composite boots at a reasonable cost is challenging. Tooling intensive project with limited sales means you need to put much of the development costs into each pair you sell.

be used with a tooling/material combination less expensive than that of carbon fiber?

At my age, skill level, riding frequency, etc., I'm more interested in boot comfort (on & off-slope) than in the penultimate level of carving performance. I also really like the idea of a two-buckle, durable exoskeleton that's designed to accept an "updatable" inner boot that's less expensive than buying an entirely new pair of boots.

Confession: I hated the only pair of 4-buckle SB boots I ever tried (granted an old model quite some time ago), and I ride 3-buckle boots now.

Thanks

BB

[MUD]

be used with a tooling/material combination less expensive than that of carbon fiber?

BB

The characteristics of carbon lend itself well for this application. You can use a relatively small amount of material and still have it be relatively stiff. To achieve a similar effect with another material would require the use of more material (or metal), thus requiring new molds.

[MUD]

Cool stuff.

Yes, Mike has built custom hardboot shells for an Alpine Racer.

Hey Bryan, is that a carbon shell for the boot shell? It looks like it is over the current boot.

[Dr D]

Hansen has been making exceptional specialty ski boots since I was a kid. I assume its the same dude anyway. used to make a rear entry skiboot that was the bomb. you had to wear nylons and spray the inside with silicone spray to get them on but they were unbelievably comfortable. had a kind of liquid gel between the liner and shell that fit to you each time you put them on. this was in the 80's. I think he has potential here.

[GeoffV]

There is no correlation with the boot maker and the small Austrian company making Apex alpine boards correct?

[www.oldsnowboards.com]

Hey Bryan, is that a carbon shell for the boot shell? It looks like it is over the current boot.

I believe the boot shell was a completely new shell Mike built, the upper is from another boot.

If my memory serves me correctly, it was a custom job for Tyler J.

Mike builds allot of cool custom stuff that we don't always see. His scope of design is rather wide.

I was recently honored to see what he has been up to these past couple weeks. His, is a fascinating mind!!

[MUD]

I believe the boot shell was a completely new shell Mike built, the upper is from another boot.

If my memory serves me correctly, it was a custom job for Tyler J.

Mike builds allot of cool custom stuff that we don't always see. His scope of design is rather wide.

Cool. I have a buddy similar to Mike. He works with some ski companies, it is common for them to shell a boot with carbon before they go to the work of molding a stiffer shell or if they are in a hurry.

Fun stuff!

[www.oldsnowboards.com]

Cool. I have a buddy similar to Mike. He works with some ski companies, it is common for them to shell a boot with carbon before they go to the work of molding a stiffer shell or if they are in a hurry.

Fun stuff!

I will try to remember to ask Mike. I hope to ride with him this coming week.

I honestly don't know for certain. It is obvious that he had to work around standard components. Yes, Mike too has worked with several of the big companies. Some of the products in the ski industry have direct lineage to Mike's work with them.

[www.oldsnowboards.com]

"Apex" is starting to sound similar to "Acme" :)