Here in Baqueira, we’re lucky to have one of the best-known brands when talking about ski boots. Stroltz boots are a large, family-run company that’s come from humble beginnings. However, none of the care, effort, and attention to detail that goes into each high-quality pair of boots has been lost over the 90 years the company has been trading.
If you’re looking for one of the best ski boots in Baqueira, you’ll find it in Copos Skicenter. But why Strolz is such an exclusive, singularly unique hand-made product?
Strolz Company History
Strolz boots originated in Lech, Austria over 90 years ago. It’s perhaps no surprise, as it’s also the location noted as being the birthplace of modern skiing. The company was created by Ambros’ Strolz, who began making leather shoes for skiers in his workshop.
At the time, his son Martin was a member of the hugely successful Austrian national ski team. He developed, tested and promoted his father’s boots. His friends, Egon Zimmerman and Otmar Schneider were also kitted out with Strolz ski boots. They went on to achieve Olympic gold wearing them.
Martin Strolz’s biggest achievement came at the 1954 world championships in Sweden. When wearing boots helped to design, he won a silver medal in downhill skiing. These major successes by athletes wearing Strolz Boots led to elite skiers all around the world clamouring to own a pair.
Retired from Racing
Martin Strolz retired from active racing and dedicated himself to continuing the success of the family business. he used his experience as a world-class skier and ski boot designer. The business expanded and became the leading boot company in the sport for more than a quarter of a century.
Strolz Boots were not only used by international race teams all over the globe, but they also became highly sought-after by all skiers wanting high-quality leather boots created with handmade precision. They had truly become an established elite brand.
New Times, New Challenges
As the end of the 1960s arrived, the first ski boots made from plastic appeared on the market. This presented a brand new set of challenges to Strolz. Not only were these boots made from a new material, but their mass production went against everything the company holds dear.
The challenge was clear – to survive the change by adopting new technologies and materials into the Strolz design, whilst maintaining their philosophy for highly individualised, customised, handmade ski boots. By using plastic and innovative foam-fit technologies, the Strolz company began producing plastic boots that fitted their clients’ feet perfectly. They bore all the hallmarks of an elite manufacturer.
There were 5 leather ski boot manufacturers in German-speaking countries before the change to plastic boots. Strolz was the only one to survive.
Modern Day
Time inexorably moved on and in 1990, Martin’s son, Hannes, took over the company. Hannes Stroller is a trained graphic designer and orthopaedic shoemaker and he has been central to the successful development of Strolz as a brand. He’s steered the company through new changes in the skiing sphere and has shown real pioneering spirit in developing the first combined ski/snowboard boot.
That said, he still holds the company’s original values dear and stays faithful to the Strolz company motto and the high standards it has set for itself. Strolz still produces all of its boots in Austria, with almost 100% of the manufacturing being done in Lech. The company’s origins can still be seen in each pair, as each boot liner is still made of leather.
The reason for this is that leather is a natural material with the ability to mould itself around the contours of each person’s foot. Each leather liner is still hand-stitched by craftsmen, illustrating the company’s ethos of focusing on quality over quantity.
The Ideal Boot Fitting
When you choose a pair of Strolz Ski boot, you’re investing in a product that still highly-individualised to this day – even after nearly a century of manufacturing. Your consultant will ask questions regarding your level of skiing, as the company understands that no two skiers are the same.
The boot you get from Strolz will be as individual as you are, which is something you just don’t get with a mass-produced product. And when your boots fit like a glove, you’ll have a better, safer time skiing.
Taking Your Foot Measurements
When your feet are measured by a Strolz professional, nothing is left to chance. Either your instep, calf and forefoot are scanned or a plate measurement is taken. The data is used to determine how the footbed is manufactured. This process ensures that a supremely comfortable fit is created.
Once your measurements have been precisely taken, a 3D model of your foot is created. It’s placed inside the pre-warmed ski boot shell and, if required, pads are placed at the pressure-sensitive areas of your foot. You then place your foot inside the boot shell. The foam is injected into the liner with micro-adjustments being made that are exact to the millimetre.
10 minutes later, you’ll have a boot that is unique to you. 12 hours later, when the foam is cured, it’ll be one that fits you perfectly.
Why Choose Strolz?
Your ski boots are a key part of any skiing experience, which is why choosing the right ones is so important. They’re certainly at the premium end of the market, but there really is nothing quite like a pair of Strolz pair of ski boots. We know that they’re a brand that will remain prominent in Baqueira for many years to come.
If you need any additional information, you can contact us. Call us on 🇬🇧+44 (0) 20 3960 5090 / 🇪🇸+34 683 566 151. Or visit us online at www.sunskitrips.com. We’ll be happy to help!
