1970's Ski Boots

I wonder if anyone could help me remember a ski boot manufacturer
circa 1970? I remember starting to ski around then. This was before
any of the new fangled injection foam boots hit the market. I remember
that many of the ski intructors were using this really ugly black boot
(maybe from Europe) that had these little removeable pillow pads that
would fit into the boot and then they would mold to your foot over
time. I also think that the boot had a nylon wrap around cover (black
I think) that would hide any closing clasps. Sort of looked like an
orthopedic version of a ski boot. Not very attractive. The boot may
have been fiberglass and I think it's name may have begun with a K.
Does any of this ring a bell?
Thanks,
Elzo

Koflach ???

wrote in message ...
I wonder if anyone could help me remember a ski boot manufacturer
circa 1970? I remember starting to ski around then. This was before
any of the new fangled injection foam boots hit the market. I remember
that many of the ski intructors were using this really ugly black boot
(maybe from Europe) that had these little removeable pillow pads that
would fit into the boot and then they would mold to your foot over
time. I also think that the boot had a nylon wrap around cover (black
I think) that would hide any closing clasps. Sort of looked like an
orthopedic version of a ski boot. Not very attractive. The boot may
have been fiberglass and I think it's name may have begun with a K.
Does any of this ring a bell?
Thanks,
Elzo

wrote:

I wonder if anyone could help me remember a ski boot manufacturer
circa 1970? I remember starting to ski around then. This was before
any of the new fangled injection foam boots hit the market. I remember
that many of the ski intructors were using this really ugly black boot
(maybe from Europe) that had these little removeable pillow pads that
would fit into the boot and then they would mold to your foot over
time. I also think that the boot had a nylon wrap around cover (black
I think) that would hide any closing clasps. Sort of looked like an
orthopedic version of a ski boot. Not very attractive. The boot may
have been fiberglass and I think it's name may have begun with a K.
Does any of this ring a bell?
Thanks,
Elzo

I know exactly what you're talking about, but I'm so old I'm having
trouble getting it on-line. Rosemont maybe, made in the Midwest USA, not
Europe. I sold them so I ought to remember. Come to think of it we didn't
ever sell a lot of'em, and I don't remember them as being very successful.
You could tinker with those little pillows forever and just not get it
right. It was not a bad idea and maybe with more time it would have gone
somewhere other than away.

I was thinking Rosemont.

TCS (The Colorado Skier)
Colorado skiing is now under way. Enjoy!

Yes Rosemont...that was it! Thanks to all for helping.



On Fri, 26 Dec 2003 19:56:44 GMT, wrote:


I wonder if anyone could help me remember a ski boot manufacturer
circa 1970? I remember starting to ski around then. This was before
any of the new fangled injection foam boots hit the market. I remember
that many of the ski intructors were using this really ugly black boot
(maybe from Europe) that had these little removeable pillow pads that
would fit into the boot and then they would mold to your foot over
time. I also think that the boot had a nylon wrap around cover (black
I think) that would hide any closing clasps. Sort of looked like an
orthopedic version of a ski boot. Not very attractive. The boot may
have been fiberglass and I think it's name may have begun with a K.
Does any of this ring a bell?
Thanks,
Elzo

Jack,

As an old timer, can you tell me who made those plate binding with matching
plate boots? I start my skiing in 1975 in Jack Frost. I still remember those
plate boots gave me so much trouble on the slope when it got loose. The Step
ins are just showing up and it was expensive, ski rental shops charge extra
to rent those "high performance gears".

Jack

"Jack Wan" wrote in message
...
... those plate binding with matching
plate boots?

Not totally sure what you mean: could be Spademans or Burts.

"Jack Wan" wrote in message m...
Jack,

As an old timer, can you tell me who made those plate binding with matching
plate boots? I start my skiing in 1975 in Jack Frost. I still remember those
plate boots gave me so much trouble on the slope when it got loose. The Step
ins are just showing up and it was expensive, ski rental shops charge extra
to rent those "high performance gears".

Jack

You're talking about the kind of binding--popular as rental
units--where the boot went onto a plate that then was attached to the
ski with a "safety" release mechanism? There were many manufacturers
of these bootplate bindings including Geze (which I remember
specifically because my wife had some). Some, like the Geze, used a
metal plate and some used plastic plates.

Jack Nixon wrote in message ...
wrote:

I wonder if anyone could help me remember a ski boot manufacturer
circa 1970? I remember starting to ski around then. This was before
any of the new fangled injection foam boots hit the market. I remember
that many of the ski intructors were using this really ugly black boot
(maybe from Europe) that had these little removeable pillow pads that
would fit into the boot and then they would mold to your foot over
time. I also think that the boot had a nylon wrap around cover (black
I think) that would hide any closing clasps. Sort of looked like an
orthopedic version of a ski boot. Not very attractive. The boot may
have been fiberglass and I think it's name may have begun with a K.
Does any of this ring a bell?
Thanks,
Elzo

I know exactly what you're talking about, but I'm so old I'm having
trouble getting it on-line. Rosemont maybe, made in the Midwest USA, not
Europe. I sold them so I ought to remember. Come to think of it we didn't
ever sell a lot of'em, and I don't remember them as being very successful.
You could tinker with those little pillows forever and just not get it
right. It was not a bad idea and maybe with more time it would have gone
somewhere other than away.

Rosemonts were made in Minnesota, I believe. The pillows had little
pellets of silicone inside. I had a couple pairs of Rosemonts. If
you took the time, you could get a really custom fit, but it was not
adjustable. That is, you couldn't tighten it more if your foot got a
little smaller during the day. Most users just "roughed up" the
padding some to make it less packed in place to "tighten" the fit. Of
course, that made it less comfortable too. There was a strap over the
top of the foot you could pull on to hold the heel back into its
pocket more snugly, but it wasn't like closing the buckles on a modern
overlap boot.

Jack Wan wrote:

Jack,

As an old timer, can you tell me who made those plate binding with matching
plate boots? I start my skiing in 1975 in Jack Frost. I still remember those
plate boots gave me so much trouble on the slope when it got loose. The Step
ins are just showing up and it was expensive, ski rental shops charge extra
to rent those "high performance gears".

Jack

I'd guess it was a Burt. They were outstandingly weird. The plate on the boot
and the plate on the ski were connected by a retractable cable. When you and the
ski went different ways the cable was supposed to keep you from being separated
-- and even bring you back together. Another ideas that didn't last long.

The Spademan had a tiny plate that attached to the bottom center of the boot and
snapped into the plate binding. No toe or heel pieces. They were supposed to be
super safe. Friends of a dentist at Aspen who couldn't afford to break his leg
and hence lose his business put him on a pair. Yeah, he broke the hell out of
his leg first try on'em.

Jack