An Austrian sporting goods retailer operating at Dorfgastein near Salzburg, Franz Egger, has registered a patent for a ski boot construction where the front part is positioned higher than the rear part. This allows the toes to move more freely, thus avoiding freezing, and according to Egger, it gives the skier a more comfortable position and much better control of his skis. Called Easy-stand-Freeleg, the invention was presented at a booth obtained at the last minute at the Ispo Munich show earlier this month. With the help of Fritz Schrempf, the former chief executive of Atomic, Egger is talking to manufacturers who may want to license the invention or even buy the patent rights, since the inverted position can only be implemented by developing completely new moulds.

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