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It’s the custom fitting features that really sets this company apart. After a complete athletic assessment is performed and key measurements including volume are taken by one of DaleBoot's partners, the information is communicated back to the factory which then uses their original lasts to shape the shell for a truly custom fit. This is not your basic boot-fitter heat-gun punch — shell thickness remains constant and no shell deformation happens. Any foot shape or width can be accommodated. Virgin polyether TPU plastic which DaleBoot uses is not only very light but any changes to shape remain forever. Once the shell fits perfectly, a heat-formed Intuition EVA liner completes the ultimate fit.

Rocky Mountain Gear Guide visited the factory for a first hand look and custom fitting last season. See our full report and boot review here.

The boot design is a bit different too. With one glance it is clear that it has 3 backwards-facing buckles and a 3-piece plastic tongue. Unique features, designed with a purpose.  For example, the reverse mounted buckles are far easier to close and do not pre-release in deep snow or get caught up on man made or natural obstacles, such as chair lifts, park rails, tree branches, etc.  Instead of relying on plastic stiffness to regulate flex, DaleBoot uses an adjustable spring mechanism in the cuff. By controlling flex with a spring, DaleBoot avoids the temperature variance issues of traditional designs that control flex via the plastic shell itself. Cold plastic is stiff, warm plastic is softer — DaleBoot always flexes the same. As an added bonus, the spring mechanism can be released to free the cuff for walking, skinning or a softer flex.

The tongue of the boot is on the shell, not the liner, and a separate plastic piece called a “spat” distributes pressure 
evenly over the instep in such a way that the boot can flex without distorting the lower shell. The tongue is adjustable and lines up directly on the tibia (shin bone) for enhanced power transmission to the ski's edge.

An adjustable footbed can change internal ramp angle, properly support high or low insteps, account for small differences in leg length and accommodate for pronation/supination. A final nifty bit of engineering is the patented cantable sole feature (since 1974!) that allows true canting without the conventional milling, shimming or planing of boot soles.

After over 40 years of DaleBoot working with heat-formable liners, Rob says the Heat Fit IV liner is the best yet. It’s comprised of multiple layers of progressively dense foam tailored to match the needs of a skier’s foot and lower leg. The liner is pre-molded to fit the inside of the shell exactly. DaleBoot has a rather unique way of describing the whole package. It sees the liner as a perfect fit around the foot with progressively dense layers radiating outwards until it meets the shell which reinforces the liner. Three volume-dependent versions of the liner are available with each boot model to ensure a perfect fit for any foot-ankle-lower leg. Add to that the custom shell molding and the multitude of adjustments in sole canting, forward lean, footbed canting and bootboard ramp angle and you have the most comprehensive custom fit package on the planet.

VFF stands for Variable Forward Flex which is a reference to the flex-controlling spring mechanism on the cuff. DaleBoot’s philosophy is to provide lateral stiffness without inhibiting forward flex.

DaleBoot stands behind its fit with a lifetime guarantee and deserves serious consideration by any skier who loves skiing but hates boots. And for those who want a high performance ski boot with the ultimate custom fit, it’s the only game in town.