RetroSki 2025-2026

Page 61 of 63

Trivia Week 12

Most people consider the Look Nevada toe-piece to be the first modern release binding.  In what year was the Look Nevada created?  And as a bonus: who was the inventor?

Howard Head

Howard Head returned to Baltimore, Maryland, after his 1947 ski vacation in Stowe motivated to design and make a better ski.  He was an aeronautical engineer and knew that metal had replaced wood in airplanes because of its superior strength-to-weight… Continue Reading →

Trivia Week 11

What was the name of the first successful all fiberglass ski?  That’s the brand name of the ski, not who developed it.

Wooden Skis

The word “ski” is derived from the old Norse word skíð which means stick of wood.  And for hundreds, maybe thousands of years, skis were just that: sticks of wood. The Norwegians not only get credit for the word, but… Continue Reading →

Trivia Week 10

In what city and state was the first Head Ski factory located?

Raichle Fiber Jets

1968 Raichle Red Boot ad in SKIING Magazine The Raichle Fiber Jet (aka Red Hot) was the first boot to break the color barrier.  Introduced in 1968 the bright red Raichle Fiber Jet was a conversation starter in lift lines… Continue Reading →

Rosemounts

The first generally available plastic boots were introduced in 1965.  There was the Lange boot, a familiar name today, but there was also a less familiar name: Rosemount! The Rosemount company located in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, was (and is) a… Continue Reading →

Tom and Irene

For the past couple of posts I’ve been writing about leather ski boots.  Saturday, January 8th, I was on the Perry Merrill trail when I spied a pair, well actually two pairs, of leather boots!  I chased the couple down and… Continue Reading →

Trivia Week 9

What is the origin of the word “ski”?  We use the word constantly, but why is a ski called a ski?

Trivia Week 8

No column in the Stowe Reporter this week as they ran out of space, but here’s a trivia question in case anyone visits:  Many of the ski boot companies that made leather ski boots are no longer in existence –… Continue Reading →

« Older posts Newer posts »

© 2026 RetroSki 2025-2026 — Powered by WordPress

Theme by Anders NorenUp ↑