Thursday, June 16, 2011

Let's have a look at why "Carbon Fiber" works for Ski Boots!

http://www.dodgeskiboots.com/images/boot,right.JPG
Benefits of Dodge Carbon Ski Boots for Skiers
We know that carbon fiber has amazing performance characteristics in sport applications. Examples are:  the advances made in road and mountain bike design; strength and lightness are the most obvious benefits. But the power that can be generated by carbon fiber in Tennis rackets, is also well know. 
So we know that carbon fiber gives us more strength and less weight, but also gives us more power in many applications.
Less know or less realized is that carbon fiber, also has different vibration characteristics. This is important for rackets, bikes and ski boots. In rackets, Dodge Boots and bikes, less bad vibration is generated, reducing fatigue, therefore you can ride longer, play longer, at a higher level.. 
What does this have to do with ski boots and how do all the benefits that happen in other applications, work out for skiing?
The first thing you notice when you pick up a pair of Dodge boots is that they are light.  in relative terms they are about half the weight of a “Plug”, racing, plastic boot. 
When you begin to ski the boots, you notice the immediate strength of edging. Fitting aside, because anything you want can be accomplished with proper fitting, your skis will feel like they have better hold and feel like they are new again.
This is a result of the power of the side wall provided by the carbon fiber and the lack of vibration, which normally makes the skis bounce, in a plastic boot. Well, you didn’t know your boots made the skis bounce! This is not obvious until you ski the Dodge boots for a few weeks. 
The next thing you notice when skiing Dodge boots is how far you can tip the skis on edge. You feel like the skis hold better, so the immediate result is more confidence, which means you are willing to go deeper into building angles to the snow.
This has an amazing result and response in quickness as well. The boots are so much lighter that it’s easier and faster to go from edge to edge. 
The next performance improvement is fore/aft balance. Because the Dodge Boots are so much lighter they are easier to keep under your hips. They are easier to pull back and quicker to move.
The following are also all benefits, which may not be directly viewed as performance related by some, but they can also enhance comfort. For example: the boots do not change stiffness in extreme temperature changes. So you can put them on in the parking lot and remove them there, because they are not stiffer or harder to bend, when it’s cold. They are not much harder to remove then if they were in a ski lodge.
Another benefit not directly related to  performance, but you can derive performance benefits from, is fit. Because Dodge Boots are so stiff, in the right places, you don’t have to over buckle them. in fact, too much buckling may give you less performance. This helps your feet and allows you to stand in the boot longer without pain. 
So let’s do a recap, benefits of Dodge boot over Plastic Boots.
Much Lighter  -Dodge Boots- Yes, Plastic- No
Stronger        -Dodge Boots- Yes, Plastic- No 
Edge Hold     -Dodge Boots- Yes, Plastic- not so much
Quicker          -Dodge Boots- Yes, Plastic- not so much
Temperature dependent -Dodge Boots- No,   Plastic- Yes  
Comfort          -Dodge Boots- Yes, Plastic- not so much
Balance enhancing -Dodge Boots- Yes, Plastic- not so much
Better ski performance -Dodge boots- Yes, Plastic- same as usual
No Boot board -Dodge Boots, quicker transitions, Yes, Rubber Boots- not so much
There you have it in a nut shell, why I ski in and sell Dodge boots.

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