Custom fitting has been available for ski boots for years. Now, Tecnica is bringing their Thermoform system to hiking boots built with an anatomic last Custom Adaptive Shape. Just like it sounds, the boot is heated to make the C.A.S. Components pliable and then the boots are custom molded to the wearer’s feet.
You’re now getting a first look at this new technology.
The first Tecnica product line for the outdoor market is called FORGE. Tecnica guides the development of FORGE and other, future products with three pillars:
DESIGN
A new and unique design approach that combines style with versatility. Our goal is to always ffer the best performing footwear in each category with an extremely versatile and visual appeal. Footwear that progressive outdoor enthusiasts will want to wear beyond their intended use.FIT
A revolutionary 360° t concept that offers great out-of-the box fit with Tecnica’s proprietary C.A.S. Technology, a complete, real time, in store customization solution. “The first shoe shaped for you.”VERSATILITY
All Tecnica footwear will do more. A progressive mindset will be used on the design of all our shoes to create products which can be used in a variety of activities, terrain and conditions.
C.A.S. consists of a footbed and upper. The footbed works in concert with the upper’ arch. The upper also features a customizable heal cup and ankle pads.
Additionally, Tecnica abandoned traditional tongue designs to introduce an innovative overlap collar.
Kevlar loops take the place of metal hardware to form the self locking lace design that doesn’t creep while moving.
Finally, the FORGE line features a triple density EVA midsole and Vibram Megagrip outsole.
Offered in Men’s and Women’s versions, there are two styles. Both are lined with Gore-tex, but one has a Nubuck leather face (FORGE) while the other is a high tenacity face fabric (FORGE S).
As you can see, in a edition to a custom fit, Tecnica also offers colors useful for tactical applications.
Due to the technical requirement of properly fitting and customizing the boots, they will initially, only be available at select brick and mortar retailers.
The FORGE line will be available starting February 2018.
Tags: Tecnica
Why would the not reinforce the lace eyelets. Nice looking boots but I don’t see them holding up very long.
We’re going to play a new twist on an old game.
Have you tried them yet? Touched them? Actually seen them in person?
Since all we have is your name “Dan” could you qualify your statement with a brief CV so that we can have some confidence in your assertion that this boot won’t last? For instance, if you live in your mom’s basement and haven’t seen the sun in two years, your opinion means squat. But if you are a professional guide, or hiked the AT, or worked as a return specialist for a major boot company for five years, then we’ll listen.
It’s like Mike Tyson fighting a 4th grader.
Sorry that my assertion rubbed you the wrong way and you felt threatened enough by an opinion to lunge directly into belittling me rather than just taking the time to explain the technology to me. I am no operator or professional guide, just a guy that spends most weekends hunting, fishing or backpacking. In my experience fiber on fiber eyelets had worn out prematurely, but thanks for taking the time to reply.
You came in here and told us it wouldn’t work, like you knew what you were talking about. If you give an uniformed opinion, expect to be critiqued.
^ and that kids, is what we call being Blown The Fuck Out
These boots are designed by the guys that started with Salewa and Vibram…. The kevlar lace lock system is amazing as I have tested these and had mine thermoformed too
No, the guy who worked for Salewa and ARCTERYX Footwear and not for Vibram is the project director. I am the designer. I am happy to read your interest and shared vision about one of my best design experience ever.
Daaaaaaaaaamn!!! You just got knocked the fuck out!
I’ll try. Not a guide, never worked at a boot company. I have hike all my life and was an avid rock climber for years.
Rope on rope, or in this case cord on cord = destroyed rope. Quickly. Now perhaps the addition of kevlar helps to mitigate this somewhat. I would still guess that the eyelets or the laces will fail long before the EVA midsoles wear out. In a real world conditions your laces will get dirty which will only increase the abrasion between the two cords. Unless they have made the eyelets out of some special onobtanium I think Dan is right. Okay I’m going back to my mom’s basement now and will expect to visiciously taken to task for my lack of credentials/poor grammar.
So, despite your dissertation, you don’t really know anything about Kevlar laces either.
Maybe mom will make you some meatloaf.
Diggin the coffee/green and the innovations and was all ready to buy them but not until Feb of 2018!!?? That’s a bummer
Ill tell you my experience with kevlar laces is they wear out any material they come in contact with that isnt made of kevlar. The laces will outlast pretty much anything else on the shoe.
I like the wrap around tongue.
I agree the wrap around tongue is a neat idea. I know with all my hiking boots the tongue ends up twisting inwards around my ankle the longer I walk in them. So I end up with all the padding bunched up one side and debris working into my boot from the other side. Maybe this is the answer to the problem.
Are Kevlar laces Kevlar core or Kevlar outer,only used dynema climbing ropes and they have mixed outer and core
These aren’t climbing ropes. There are reasons you have a different core in climbing rope. Were the ropes static or dynamic kernmatel?
Static abseil (rappelling for our American friends) dynema copes with the generated heat better but they are still susceptible to enhanced abraision when they’re exposed to dust and salt water
The question was more about composition to stay on topic
I usually go by Chris but I thought I’d be slick and use a different name to talk shit even though I’m still posting from my mom’s basement. I’m pretty pathetic.
Hi Guys as I was mentioned a few times in this discussion and as I see we have a lot of expert of kevlar laces here I decided to give you a few info factual data.. as the choice to put those loops has nothing to do with look but because of a lot of good reasons:
1. It is the first auto locking lace system. hard to see on pic but those kevlar lace loops locks the lace which has a special rugged surface once tighten. what happens it makes super fast and efficient to adjust the laces, they don’t release while walking and they make for the super good snug fit the boots deliver.
2. Metal hardware is fragile, no chance to brake those kevlar loops on a rock.
3. We could remove all extra protection on the back to avoid pain. therefore a more snug lacing and super light weight boots… note that they forge (leather upper) is around 580 for 9Us which is extremely light for the level of support.
As regards the sure failure exposed from the materials engineers… and as believe it or not we are not all idiots 😉 :
– The loops are Kevlar core and polyester outher. this give extreme pull durabilty and no risk of cutting of the lace
– The lace isn’t kevlar but polyester…
– in case of a failure it will the lace not the loops which isn’t an issue you just replace it as in all other shoes..
TESTS:
– Loops pass over 2000sliding tests with 2Kg weight. this is way over the required standard so we stopped the test.. note the lace as they are autolocking they dont’ slide while walking…
– laces resists around 1700 sliding tests with 2K then the brake (note not the loop broke but the lace) … 1700 sliding with 2Kg are a lot… trust me.
– Pull test… both the loops and laces resists 44Kg pull, standard of the industry is 40kg. try to pull 40kg ona lace… you’ll cut your hands first.
The pair of test boots SSD is using doesn’t have the final loops those ones are just polyester so the final production which will have kevlar as i described here will be extremely durable. the demo boots are also very good but we wanted to reach over the industry standards.
Bye
FEde
as for the laces , la sportiva if you don’t understand .. but to the point, i breed arabian horses and tie my own friendly head ropes , the rope i use is nylon core and poly outer .. they don’t break or wear out and get thread bare for several years, period! and they don’t have kevlar!! if i had these laces in 10mm thick rope i would never make another head piece .. metal and plastic fatigue, get caught on things and break, these don’t (on my la sportiva) sorry .. anyway, i will have a pair of these fitted as soon as .. i have narrow feet and bad arches so it is about time someone made a boot that molds to your foot .. well done ??
Kento, thanks, I hope the boots will fits you. Not sure I understood the first part of your message but I can assure you it will be extremely tough to brake, cut or destroy those laces and lace loops.