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| Performance Inspired Skiing Boots!Though Rossignol was the world's largest manufacturer of downhill skis, the company did not have its own line of downhill ski boots until 1989, when it purchased Lange, a brand of ski boots since 1965. Rossignol would gain much from Lange's existing research and development program. In the 1980s Lange had been working on a compromise between the two most popular types of ski boots. The first--pioneered by Lange's founder, Bob Lange of Dubuque, Iowa--was an all-plastic boot fitted with a series of buckles across the front. Exceptionally stiff, this boot efficiently translated body movement to the ski and was especially popular among competitive racers. The second, introduced in the early 1970s, was an all-plastic rear-entry model, in which the back of the boot hinged off to provide easy access for the foot. The rear-entry boot was more convenient and comfortable than front-buckle models, though its performance was generally regarded as inferior. The eventual compromise, introduced in 1989 under both the Lange and Rossignol brand names, was the MID line of ski boots. Although these were, in fact, front-buckle boots, a unique hinge system allowed the top to open wider, thus making them easier to put on. The traditional front-buckle design, however, continued to be used for many Rossignol and Lange boots, especially for high-performance models.
See more on Lange/Rossignol History at: View the Lange History
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