CROSS COUNTRY SKI BOOT ANKLE SUPPORT

PROTEGE-CHEVILLE POUR CHAUSSURE DE SKI DE FOND

English Abstract

ABSTRACT

There are three types of cross country ski boots available on the
market today: Telemark (or back country) boots, ski-skate boots,
and standard boots or shoes. Each provide different levels of
ankle support. This invention is an external ankle wrap which
works in conjunction with a standard boot or shoe and provides
additional ankle support, enabling the skier to try telemark (back
country) and/or ski skating without first purchasing additional
pairs of costly boots.

Claims

Claim:


An ankle support device comprised of a material shaped to
accommodate a standard cross country ski boot or shoe and long
enough to facilitate wrapping around the shin, stiffened to
provide support where required, having velcro strips to aid
fastening of the two shin straps and the one foot strap.

Description

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SPECIFICATION: "The Cross Countrv Ski boot Ankle Su~port.
Disclosure:
This invention relates to an external ankle support which is
used in conjunction with a standard cross country ski boot.
There are three different types of ski boots commonly used by
cross country skiers: telemark (back country) boots, ski skate
boots and standard boots. Each category of boot provides
different levels of ankle support. For example the telemark
ski boot provides much the same support as a hiking boot and
allows the cross country skier to negotiate steep inclines,
while the ski skate boot provides additional support to the
inner ankle similar to a skate. The standard cross country
ski boot (or shoe) does not provide much ankle support but is
the most common as well as the most affordable boot type,
(telemark and ski skate boots can be 3 to 4 times as expensive
as a standard cross country ski boot).
I have found that cross country skiers who wish to engage in
telemark skiing and/or ski skating must first acquire costly
equipment in addition to the equipment they already own. This
often results in the skier possessing three different boots
for what is essentially one sport. This invention provides
additional ankle support to a standard boot or shoe allowing
the skier to try telemark or ski skating without first
purchasing costly boots.
The invention, as shown in figure 1, is an external ankle wrap
shaped to accommodate the dorsum of the foot. It can be
constructed from materials such as leather, nylon, plastic or
a combination of the three. There is an adjustable strap
which wraps around the foot to secure the invention to the ski
boot (photo 1). There are velcro attachments to hold the
ankle support in place while adjustable straps are being fixed
around the ankle area (photo 2). Additional lateral ankle
support is provided at the foot strap which is attached to the
support material at four points. The amount of support may be
varied by varying the stiffness of material at these
locations.




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Representative Drawing