One of the basic ethical conundrums of being a environmentally minded skier, or heavens forbid telemarker, is that those plastic boots that make the sport so much damn fun are petroleum products. Starting next season, that doesn’t have to be the case. Scarpa will be introducing five new boots—the interchangeable men’s AT/alpine Tornado Eco ($679), men’s and women’s telemark T2 Eco ($579), and AT men’s Flash Eco and women’s Velvet Eco ($569)—that will be built with a renewable plastic that’s 90 percent veggie-oil-based. Called Pebax Rnew the bio-plastic is just as stiff, flexible and durable as petroleum-based boots. In fact it’s even better at staying stiff over a wide range of temperatures. Manufacturing boots with Pebax Rnew also uses 29 percent less fossil fuel and pumps out 32 percent less carbon. Look for them next fall.
