Rear holding element for a ski boot comprising a heel grip (11), a lever (6) and a fitting pedal (7), characterized in that the fitting pedal (7) is mobile relative to the heel grip (11).

A ski for use on ice or snow is disclosed. The ski includes a ski body having a tip portion, a tail portion, and a longitudinal running length extending between the tip portion and the tail portion and a substantially flat bottom surface for sliding on snow or ice. The ski also includes a suspension system comprised of a substantially rigid support structure secured to the longitudinally central region of the said ski body at two attachment locations separated by a distance of at least 5 inches along the longitudinal axis of the ski body, and at least one resilient element configured to exert an opposing force between the support structure and the ski body in the area between the two attachment locations.

A heel unit for a touring ski-binding, comprising, a heel member, wherein the heel member comprises a reception bowl for receiving the heel part of a ski boot and a biasing device for biasing the heel unit against a ski boot, and wherein the heel unit is switchable between a starting position for receiving or releasing the ski boot and a snap-in position for holding the ski boot, wherein the heel unit comprises a blocking means by means of which the heel unit can be blocked in the starting position, wherein the blocking means is switchable between a blocking position and a non-blocking position.

An apparatus for holding a footwear heel to a snow travel aid is provided. The apparatus comprises a mountable base connected to a generally vertical post and an upper portion having at least one forward connector for connecting the upper portion to the heel. The upper portion is rotatable on the post between a downhill position and at least one touring position and comprises at least one part which travels over a prominence at a fixed location relative to the upper portion during rotation from the downhill position to the touring position. The at least one part becomes engageable with a depression adjacent the prominence when the upper portion is in the touring position to resist rotation from the touring position back to the downhill position. The post comprises a feature that provides clearance for the at least one part to travel over the prominence or which functions as the prominence and depression. Also provided are posts for use as a part in such an apparatus.

A snowmobile has a suspension with a spring. The spring has a central loop portion and an elastomeric bushing disposed in the central loop portion. A limiting cable is disposed adjacent to the spring. The snowmobile also has a rear snowmobile suspension with a torsion link structure. A control arm is pivotally connected to a first end of the torsion link structure. A wheel assembly is pivotally connected to a second end of the torsion link structure. A first slide rail is attached to the wheel assembly with a sliding mechanism. A track around the rear snowmobile suspension has a paddle oriented substantially perpendicular to the track. A first gripping element is disposed on the face of the paddle.

A ski binding reduces a likelihood of injury to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and the tibia is accomplished by absorption in the binding to limit loads transmitted through the boot-binding interface. Release based on an injury threshold includes a binding response tower attached to the ski and adapted for selective engagement with the ski, such that the binding response tower permits biased vertical and lateral horizontal displacement, prior to a release threshold. The binding is in communication with the boot heel and is adapted for slideable engagement in response to vertical and lateral forces exerted from the boot heel. The binding response tower adapted to disengage, or release upon reaching at least one a predetermined lateral displacement or a predetermined vertical displacement, such as when the boot heel is forced sufficiently sideways or upwards due to skier movement that would tend to cause an ACL injury.

An improved highback adjustment system for a splitboard boot binding. A captive strut is mounted on the spine of the highback, the strut having a forward lean adjustor block such that rotation or sliding of the block lengthens or shortens the strut. The combination provides a broadly adjustable range of forward lean bias in small increments and the block is readily disengaged and stowed on the highback when not needed. Advantageously, the mechanism that can be operated and adjusted without tools, even with gloved hands, a significant benefit in winter conditions, and does not jam with snow. Methods of use of the improved forward lean adjustor and highback are also disclosed.

A snowshoe-ski kit comprising a hybrid snowshoe-ski comprising a main body defining a bottom surface operative for moving over snow and having a snowshoe-ski traction coefficient, and a top surface opposite the bottom surface. The hybrid snowshoe-ski further comprises a binding attached to the main body for attachment to a person's foot atop the top surface. The kit also comprises a first removable and reversible sheet-like skin having opposite first and second surfaces each defining respective first and second skin traction coefficients that differ from each other and that differ from the snowshoe-ski bottom surface traction coefficient. The first skin is removably attachable to the snowshoe-ski main body with either one of the first and second surfaces bearing against the bottom surface and the other one of the first and second surfaces being exposed, for allowing the snowshoe-ski to be operatively used either alone or with the first skin installed with either one of the first and second skin surfaces exposed.

An adjustable ski binding adapter apparatus that adapt a snowboard boot for use with alpine ski bindings. The ski binding adapter apparatus includes a back support pivotally coupled to a sole plate, where the back support pivots to aid in stepping into the ski binding adapter apparatus. The sole plate is adjustable for length. Adjustable strap assemblies are coupled to the sole plate and the back support and snugly encircle and restrain the boot in the ski binding adapter apparatus. The back support and the sole plate are configured to conform to ski boot standards and attach to a conventional ski binding.

A ski boot (1) includes a base frame (2) for receiving a foot of a skier; a rigid sole (3) connected to the base frame (2); a shaft (4) for receiving a lower leg part of the skier, the shaft (4) being angularly variably connected to the base frame (2); and a traction element (12). The traction element is attached to the sole (3) and/or in a toe area of the base frame (2) and extends from there to a heel area of the sole (3). In the heel area, the traction element (12) is deflected towards the shaft (4) and is then attached to the shaft (4). By inclining the shaft (4) towards a toe region, the traction element (12) can be tensioned and, in particular, traction can be exerted on the sole (3) and/or the toe region.