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October, 2024

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Rumors-on-Armada-Ski-Boots

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KyrgyzSchnitzel
Posts: 6 - Karma: 103
Is it just me, or have there been some new bold ideas in alpine ski boot design recently (e.g., Lange's "full suspension" Shadow and Faction's Phaenom)?

Moreover, apart from Armada (apparently) getting into snowboarding, there are rumors of them developing conceptually new ski boots. Should we expect a dedicated freeski boot? Or it will be yet another do-it-all/all-mountain boot?

What's your take on this?
Oct 21 2024 4:27AM
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KyrgyzSchnitzel
Posts: 6 - Karma: 103
UPD. the source is this forum https://www.skitalk.com/threads/faction-phaenoms-boots.34823/#post-1011307 with one particularly interesting comment from no other than @tomPietrowski
Oct 21 2024 4:28AM
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tomPietrowski
Posts: 7145 - Karma: 17,457
They are being shown off right now to retailers. Im really interested by them but I do wonder if they perhaps should have waited a little longer with what is coming development wise from a closure system stand point.

But its always good to have more modern ski boot options out there.
Oct 21 2024 12:59PM
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IanAvery-Leaf
Posts: 9931 - Karma: 9,399
tomPietrowskiperhaps should have waited a little longer with what is coming development wise from a closure system stand point.

additional BOA for the top two buckles instead of just the bottom ones?
Oct 21 2024 1:53PM
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tomPietrowski
Posts: 7145 - Karma: 17,457
IanAvery-Leafadditional BOA for the top two buckles instead of just the bottom ones?


Thats next yeah but beyond that there is more coming too :)
Oct 21 2024 2:15PM
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Ghini
Posts: 2261 - Karma: 3,000
tomPietrowskibut I do wonder if they perhaps should have waited a little longer with what is coming development wise from a closure system stand point.

From a business POV its not that strange. You also want to have gained experience, set up sales channels, make mistakes and have time to revise etc before your main product launches. You see this happen all the time with companies that are backed by a bigger company. Armada would have had to get aproval from Amer for this step and investments etc and set up a longer term plan than only a first boot.
Oct 21 2024 3:27PM
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tomPietrowski
Posts: 7145 - Karma: 17,457
The thing is with boots its a huge investment in tooling. This initial boot if its a full size run is $1million investment meaning to make a return on investment it needs to be in market at least 6 years if not more. So its not the type of thing they can just easily update a year or two later.
Oct 21 2024 4:09PM
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Non_State_Actor
Posts: 4800 - Karma: 17,024
IanAvery-Leafadditional BOA for the top two buckles instead of just the bottom ones?


tomPietrowskiThats next yeah but beyond that there is more coming too :)

Three additional Boas??? One to replace each buckle in a traditional four buckle configuration???
Oct 21 2024 6:54PM
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tomPietrowski
Posts: 7145 - Karma: 17,457
Non_State_ActorThree additional Boas??? One to replace each buckle in a traditional four buckle configuration???


Haha not quite.
Oct 21 2024 8:03PM
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chimpansteeze
Posts: 100 - Karma: 482
tomPietrowskiThey are being shown off right now to retailers


Interesting, three piece or two piece boot? And is there a boot out there that draws comparison?
Oct 23 2024 12:07AM
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PartyBullshiit
Posts: 3776 - Karma: 16,985
tomPietrowskiThats next yeah but beyond that there is more coming too :)


Did you guys start selling the new boa liner solo yet?
Oct 23 2024 12:55AM
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SkierShane16
Posts: 4 - Karma: 32
Its a three buckle boot saw it the other day but there trying to keep it lowkey. Has a sick cable set up on the ankle strap.
Oct 31 2024 11:37AM
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tdollo
Posts: 3770 - Karma: 18,526
There will be a 130 flex armada alpine boot with tech inserts on the toes
Oct 31 2024 4:31PM
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scratchskier321
Posts: 2571 - Karma: 1,313
tdolloThere will be a 130 flex armada alpine boot with tech inserts on the toes


when does it come out
Oct 31 2024 6:19PM
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tdollo
Posts: 3770 - Karma: 18,526
scratchskier321when does it come out


No sure on that, probably next season I would imagine
Oct 31 2024 7:12PM
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sicbith
Posts: 110 - Karma: -77
Ask me why my shop needs another boot brand. Especially one which has Salomon and Atomic roots. I sell X amount of boots per year, and it has been a rather consistent number over the last few years. To bring this in the shop the demographic here suggests the models/units will come from Salomon, Atomic, and K2.
Nov 2 2024 12:04PM
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chimpansteeze
Posts: 100 - Karma: 482
SkierShane16Its a three buckle boot saw it the other day but there trying to keep it lowkey. Has a sick cable set up on the ankle strap.


Cable as in boa? And how similar does it seem to the Krypton and/or Full Tilts?
Nov 2 2024 1:07PM
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scratchskier321
Posts: 2571 - Karma: 1,313
sicbithAsk me why my shop needs another boot brand. Especially one which has Salomon and Atomic roots. I sell X amount of boots per year, and it has been a rather consistent number over the last few years. To bring this in the shop the demographic here suggests the models/units will come from Salomon, Atomic, and K2.

well all of us in this thread will probably buy it... NOT at your shop. This is why we buy online now, shops are out of touch.
Nov 2 2024 1:24PM
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Session
Posts: 5374 - Karma: 22,065
scratchskier321well all of us in this thread will probably buy it... NOT at your shop. This is why we buy online now, shops are out of touch.


You buy online because of where you live. not because "sHoP's aRe oUt oF t0uCh"
Nov 2 2024 3:40PM
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scratchskier321
Posts: 2571 - Karma: 1,313
SessionYou buy online because of where you live. not because "sHoP's aRe oUt oF t0uCh"


sounds like cope from a shop owner.
Nov 2 2024 8:06PM
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tomPietrowski
Posts: 7145 - Karma: 17,457
sicbithAsk me why my shop needs another boot brand. Especially one which has Salomon and Atomic roots. I sell X amount of boots per year, and it has been a rather consistent number over the last few years. To bring this in the shop the demographic here suggests the models/units will come from Salomon, Atomic, and K2.

This is actually the real question we have been asking. Where will the units come from. It’s more than likely going to be from existing three piece boots sales. Atomic and Salomon won’t won’t to take from their current market share so I would expect them to market them more towards the park 3 piece crowd. So I anticipate it taking units from mainly Dalbello and us. But those units won’t be big as it’s a pretty small market. That is the part I’m a little confused about with this project and why I’m interested to see what else they plan to do moving forward. But new boots is only good for the market I believe.
Nov 2 2024 9:20PM
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Hot.tamales
Posts: 9 - Karma: 51
tdolloNo sure on that, probably next season I would imagine


Look forward to seeing it this season. :)
Nov 8 2024 10:09AM
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SkierShane16
Posts: 4 - Karma: 32
chimpansteezeCable as in boa? And how similar does it seem to the Krypton and/or Full Tilts?


Very similar, some of the older homies I work with were saying it was a rip off of an older boot i don't remember what the name was. The cable isn't like BOA its more of cable that attaches to the ankle buckle, kinda like Dalbellos stuff.
Nov 12 2024 1:12PM
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A15
Posts: 126 - Karma: 344
has there been pics yet put out?
Nov 12 2024 1:16PM
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SkierShane16
Posts: 4 - Karma: 32
A15has there been pics yet put out?


Na not yet the reps freaked out when one of my co-workers tried to get a pic. I think they wanna do a reveal thing next year but I'm sure you'll start seeing some of their pros on them soon.
Nov 12 2024 1:23PM
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21CABBAGE
Posts: 236 - Karma: 1,409
Little birdy told me about some weird heel lock tech in the new boot…
Nov 13 2024 2:01AM
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westoxified
Posts: 72 - Karma: 65
tomPietrowskiThey are being shown off right now to retailers. Im really interested by them but I do wonder if they perhaps should have waited a little longer with what is coming development wise from a closure system stand point.

closure system innovation? god i hope we can move beyond boa soon.

something like a long lever pivoting in two places that hooks onto a toothplate would make my day. preferrable if said toothplate is connected to a fixed length cable loop. hopefully some overly-caffeinated Italian is figuring this out as we speak.

we need more solutions that clamp the foot in place.
Nov 13 2024 1:05PM
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sicbith
Posts: 110 - Karma: -77
scratchskier321well all of us in this thread will probably buy it... NOT at your shop. This is why we buy online now, shops are out of touch.


If I had to guess, you’re buying it from a shop which has an online platform as well. And, most people don’t buy boots online without trying them on first, but as you mentioned shops are out of touch.
Nov 17 2024 10:54AM
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sicbith
Posts: 110 - Karma: -77
tomPietrowskiThis is actually the real question we have been asking. Where will the units come from. It’s more than likely going to be from existing three piece boots sales. Atomic and Salomon won’t won’t to take from their current market share so I would expect them to market them more towards the park 3 piece crowd. So I anticipate it taking units from mainly Dalbello and us. But those units won’t be big as it’s a pretty small market. That is the part I’m a little confused about with this project and why I’m interested to see what else they plan to do moving forward. But new boots is only good for the market I believe.


After seeing it, I would agree the 3 piece market is the target, and that market has been shrinking, which is the lure for Amer to launch this under its Armada brand. I do my best to support a brand’s story, not a company’s story. If I have enough interest in the boot and choose to bring it in, the units are going to come from Salomon, or Atomic, with the possibility of it pulling from the small amount of 3 piece models in the shop. It won’t be an addition to an already crowed boot wall.
Nov 17 2024 11:16AM
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