May 13, 2015
No pictures, please. That was one of the conditions of taking part in this pre-preview of Atomic boots for the 2016-2017 season. Jake was in town from Salt Lake City and Matt flew in from Altenmarkt, Austria for this "think tank" session and a chance to check out Atomic's latest prototypes in the flesh. A lot of the time was spent explaining the thinking of the Atomic brass behind the changes in the boot line, and previewing options in each category for us to look at up close. Without going into too much detail, the most interesting development was taking what they've learned from building the new Backland Series boots and extending that technology into the alpine arena. I was able to try on a few of the prototypes, which were conveniently all sized in a 26.5 mondo, and what they're on to is impressive. Think super light and super stiff.
As a top US retailer, Atomic was interested in our perceptions of their conceptual thinking (they have also visited us with similar "validation" sessions for alpine skis) and in our opinions re: how the lines would be received. Seriously, being asked for our opinions in the development stage by one of the best companies in the business is one of the most rewarding aspects of working where I do, and shows how serious Atomic is about getting the absolute best products out there.
Previous Incoming Pages:
China: Wandering in the Middle Kingdom
"Incoming" covers developments that have personal interest to me (ie. gear I might consider acquiring, or events I feel may impact the sport of skiing) - it is by no means meant to be a comprehensive enumeration of gear or events in the ski world at large. Feel free to contact me via the randosaigai.com link below with news or images that may be of interest . . .
© 2017 Gregory C. Louie