Gear junkie: Pricey ski boots

By STEPHEN REGENOLD

Last update: September 27, 2009 - 3:08 PM

These cost cold cash

The era of the $1,000-plus ski boot is upon us. This is not a trend I'm happy to see. But at least two new top-end boots promise innovations previously unseen in a plastic shell buckled on a foot and clipped into a ski.

The first pricey boot, Dynafit's Dy.N.A. TF model, retails for an astonishing $1,550. The company touts it as the lightest commercial boot in the world, and at just more than 2 pounds per foot, it weighs less than an average leather hiking boot. But the Dynafit boot was made mainly for the esoteric sport of AT (Alpine touring) racing.

Another pricey boot, the Apex, is marketed to resort skiers looking for comfort and performance on the slopes. At $1,295, the ski boot from upstart Apex Sports Group is touted as including a "snowboard-type" inner boot and a unique carbon exoskeleton shell. It has a heat-moldable inner liner and a close fit around the calf. A cable-cinch lacing system lets an Apex wearer dial in precise fit. Weight is about 4.25 pounds per boot, guaranteeing light and agile feet on the slopes -- if you can afford it.

STEPHEN REGENOLD

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