PROJECT 165
PROJECT 165 “Tecnica Orange”
WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO?
A Few Good Men, Oprah’s media empire, Shark Week – Sometimes genius is struck on something as simple as a bar napkin. As for the spark that ignited Tecnica’s revival back in 2011, it wasn’t exactly as simple as a cocktail napkin. But it’s safe to say there was probably a cocktail or two involved.
For a while, Tecnica had lost its way as a brand, pumping out gimmicky tech with questionable benefit to the consumer. It had become pretty clear that an ideological shift was in order, one that would re-establish Tecnica’s credibility in the alpine world and provide a fresh identity for the storied Italian brand. Jed Duke and Bart Tuttle, then Director of Product Marketing and Product Manager for Tecnica, recognized this and knew they needed to do something different – They needed input directly from the people selling boots every day.
Their idea was simple: Let’s bring together some of the best boot fitters in North America, and let them blow the whole thing up.
Enter: Project 165 – A unique insight group composed of the best foot ninjas in the country, and aptly named after the original “Tecnica Orange”: Pantone 165.
“What do we need to do?”
That is the simple question Jed and Bart asked the six original members of the newly formed insight group, as they slid a blank piece of paper across the table (our proverbial cocktail napkin).
And they blew it up.
From there, the team got to work rebuilding the entire Tecnica collection from the ground up. The insight provided by Project 165 members paved the road for Tecnica’s the fit-and-performance-aboveall ethos, which continues to be a brand pillar as well as a throughline of every product we make today, regardless of category. Mach1, Custom Adaptive Shape (C.A.S.), the use of an anatomical last – All the result of listening to the members, challenging the traditional ideology of what a boot can and should be, and designing products that are intended to solve real world problems for real skiers and boot fitters.
As the market has evolved, so too has Project 165 and with it Tecnica, bringing in new members who provide invaluable insight on the ever-expanding world of boot fitting and skiing. The faces have changed over the years, but the simple goal to push the needle of progression to the limit remains the central focus of each Project 165 meeting.
The current Project 165 Team outside the North American headquarters in New Hampshire.
Global Tecnica Product Manager, Matteo Murer, speaks to the P165 team in New Hampshire.
THE PROJECT 165 TEAM
SAM Telluride, LOUIS Montreal,
SAM TISCHENDORF Telluride, CO COREY CHAMPAGNE Truckee, CA GREG HOFFMAN Snowshoe, WV LOUIS BLANCHARD Montreal, QC NICK BLAYLOCK West Dover, VT CHRISTIAN AVERY & MATTEO MURER Product Managers (N.A. & Global)
FUNDAMENTALLY
DIFFERENT
The brainchild of Project 165, the Mach1 series changed
for Tecnica, and continues to set the industry
for fit and performance in alpine boots.
everything
standard
THE TECNICA VOLUME STORY SAME NEEDS,DIFFERENT FOOT SHAPES THE SIZES INCREASE PROPORTIONALLY LV 98 mm MV 100 mm HV 103 mm THE PERFECT FIT, RIGHT OUT OF THE BOX We believe that when it comes to your ski boots, you should not have to compromise on fit or performance. This is why we set out to create boots that fit the best right out of the box. The liner and shell of Mach1 boots are anatomically shaped to closely match the natural shape of the foot. This not only results in more comfort, but also better performance. And because we know that high-performance skiers have feet of all shapes and sizes, the Mach1 series is offered in 3 different volumes. Whether your feet are big or small, there’s a Mach1 boot specifically designed to take your skiing to the next level.
T.DRIVE TECNICA’S GAME CHANGING HIGH-PERFORMANCE TECHNOLOGY, NOW AVAILABLE ACROSS ALL THREE VOLUMES.
DRIVE PRECISION The T-Drive dynamic carbon connector creates a longer lever arm compared to that of traditional ski boots. This allows: • Quicker edge-to-edge transition • Increased lateral power and stability • Edge drive precision PERFORMANCE EFFICIENCY The T-Drive technology creates a stronger and more efficient connection between the cuff and the shell, which delivers a more consistent flex and reduces plastic deformation. The result is a boot that performs better with less effort, so you can ski longer and have more fun. 10% More efficient energy transmission 25% Increase in lateral power 20% Increase in edge stability 10% Less material deformation Flex More progressive flex ENHANCED COMFORT The T-Drive technology provides a consistent flex regardless of the temperature, which reduces shell deformation and ensures a consistent fit. Because the stiffness of the boot comes from the T-Drive piece, the material of the shell and cuff is softer, meaning the boots wrap better and are easier to get on and off without compromising on performance.
C.A.S. TECHNOLOGY
One of the key purposes of the Project 165 insights group is to solve real world problems for both skiers and boot fitters. C.A.S., or Custom Adaptive Shape Technology, does exactly that. Although the anatomical shape of Tecnica boots is designed to fit great out of the box, we know that no two feet are the same. The C.A.S. dimples on Tecnica boots and liners are specifically designed to allow for easier and more effective punching, grinding, and molding in areas that tend to give people more trouble. The better your boots fit, the better your skiing experience will be.
ASK A BOOTFITTER
“What’s one thing you wish every customer knew before coming in to get a bootfit?”
