A NEW GENERATION OF RACE BOOT: HOW VAN DEER-RED BULL SPORTS HAS TAKEN SKI BOOTS TO A NEW LEVEL

What could be so special about a ski boot? It's understandable you might think that way, because at first glance they all look pretty much the same – with an outer boot, inner boot, shell, cuff, buckles and end band. That familiar look hides a whole world of possibilities though. If you had been a part of the discussion between Marcel Hirscher, his father Ferdinand, Toni Giger, Hubert Immler and Gerhard Neumayr, two of the world's most esteemed ski boot experts, in the summer of 2023, you would see things very differently. The sketches made back then at the VAN DEER-Red Bull Sports RaceBase in Annaberg, Austria with the aid of so much World Cup experience prompted the kind of rapid innovation in the field of ski boots that has not been seen for decades. 

A GREAT INNOVATION FROM A BLANK SHEET OF PAPER

Let’s go back to the start. Toni Giger, COO at VAN DEER-Red Bull Sports, says: "At that time, we were already gaining a high level of performance with our ski equipment and therefore agreed the next logical step was to develop our own ski boot. It is the most important connecting element between the skier and the piste and interacts with the other components we focus on - bindings, binding plates and skis. The ski boot is a very sensitive and frequently underestimated part of the setup, and we had a pioneering project in mind.” It literally began on a blank sheet of paper, says Giger, of the development process: "Just like with ski development, the first step was to record and categorise the unique racing experience of Marcel and his father Ferdinand. On the basis of this, we produced the first sketches and converted them into a CAD model. The first prototypes of the "RB02", which was developed in-house at VAN DEER-Red Bull Sports and is produced by the innovative Scarpa company in Italy, came from a 3D printer." This followed Hirscher’s motto - as is the way with everything at VAN DEER-Red Bull Sports: "When perfection becomes obsession, magical things arise." Giger adds: "We made about 50 optimisation loops with the CAD models." 

 

THE EUREKA MOMENT: PERFORMANCE MEETS COMFORT

At some point in the meticulous planning, there was a lightbulb moment at VAN DEER-Red Bull Sports. Toni Giger says on the innovative details that make the "RB02" race boot a trailblazer: "In general, performance was the dominant consideration in racing boots and everything else was secondary to power transmission. In our design philosophy, we deliberately took a new approach: The "RB02" is zoned along the lower leg, ankle and foot. Where the transmission of power from the skier to the ski equipment and subsequently to the slopes has priority, the boot is guided closer to the contours of the body. Other zones are there to improve shock absorption, however, so that the forces that rebound from the slope are weakened by the time they reach the skier's body. In this way, we achieve a much more differentiated distribution of forces with our boot and a more controlled handling." says Toni Giger as he discusses the challenges of ski boot construction and highlights the key details that make the Race Boot "RB02" the benchmark in its class.

FEW ELEMENTS, BUT SO MANY FEATURES

Giger says: "The two basic elements of the shell and cuff are connected to each other via two kanting parts, which can be used to adjust the angle of the shaft. If you adjust this outwards, the reactivity increases during turn control, and this is reduced if you adjust it inwards. For stability at the rear, we have a special connecting construction, the so-called DEER-Boost, which is a kind of rear spoiler on the ski boot that can also be adapted to different conditions." The dual functions of the so-called lifters, the flat plastic parts on the ski boot sole, are little known. On the "RB02", they not only provide grip when walking over snow but also act as additional shock absorbers due to their material. The only thing to add to this list is the Powerstrap, the carbon fibre band that provides an ultimate compact finish at the edge of the ski boot. 

MARCEL HIRSCHER: "THE SKI BOOT IS A SERVER ROOM"

Marcel Hirscher describes the ski boot as a "server room in which all data lines come together while skiing". Not all the properties of the new "RB02" are possible to explain or even see. The special formula of the plastic composition, for example, is a company secret. What does it do? Toni Giger says: "It ensures the boot maintains a stable form and is true to its properties whatever the temperature. That's the biggest challenge in ski boot development." Another thing that can’t be seen with the naked eye is the hard work ski boot experts Hubert Immler and Gerhard Neumayr have done to fit the "RB02" model to the individual foot needs of the likes of Henrik Kristoffersen. "This is common and necessary in the high-end sector. The strength of our ski boot philosophy, however, is that less finetuning is needed than with other brands, which is also very much due to our liner design. We use the very best intuitive materials that enable intelligent, millimetre-precise adaptation to the foot and ideally support the balance of our ski boot between its performance and cushioning properties." Giger sums up the greatness of the "RB02’s" innovation by saying: "Proper racing boots have been associated with pain so far. Our racing testing over the past two winters has shown that it doesn't have to be this way. We have redesigned a toebox with more room for the toes and saw that this little extra comfort supports looser skiing without sacrificing performance or control. Henrik Kristoffersen and Timon Haugan have recently proven this in their slalom victories in Val d ‘Isere and Alta Badia."

RACE BOOT "RB02": INSPIRING THE PRO BOOT FOR EVERYONE

The added comfort is what links the new "RB02" race boot from VAN DEER-Red Bull Sports and the soon-to-be-launched PRO BOOT for consumers. Toni Giger says: "The same basic principles we follow for our skis are applied when it comes to ski boots, of course: There is no difference in the quality or component selection between racing and the casual skiing we all love. Except for even more comfort, which we are generating with a slightly softer material option and a little more space for the foot. They are identical otherwise.  Marcel Hirscher, for example, rode a PRO BOOT on his successful return in Sölden and other athletes also use it from time to time."
How does a normal skier know they have chosen the right ski boot? Toni Giger says: "They feel the difference and the comfort on slope. Comfort means you close your ski boot in the morning and only open it again after skiing - and skiers will experience this in the future with our PRO BOOT."