Koflach boots to be available again next year

[sardog1]

Given the numbers of you who wear (or swear at) Koflach boots, I thought you'd be interested to know: SCARPA NA to Distribute Koflach Boots.

"BOULDER, Colo. – In a move that complements its own mountaineering boot collection, SCARPA North America will begin distributing Koflach plastic mountaineering boots for Spring 2011, after it was announced in early May that Koflach products would again be manufactured and offered in Europe.

Koflach AG announced in May that it is re-introducing the Koflach brand to the world for Spring 2011. Originally founded by Austrian climbers in 1898, the Swiss owners at Koflach AG understand the brand equity and share the passion of Koflach users. With renewed enthusiasm and ownership, Koflach is being reborn with the market-leading products that defined comfort, fit and warmth in the category. For Spring 2011, SCARPA North America will offer both the Arctis Expe, a very warm double plastic mountaineering boot geared toward expedition use or colder-temperature ice climbing, as well as the Degre, an all-around double plastic boot."


And on a related note, here's the very first appearance of this hoary VFTT query for the 2010-11 season:

"What can I do to make my shins stop hurting?"

 

[Chip]

Excellent. I think a problem for the manufacturer/distributor with these boots is their shelf life and "used only once" availabilty.

Now somebody needs to figure out what to do with Grivel.

 

[Kevin Rooney]

...Now somebody needs to figure out what to do with Grivel.

I've started seeing their gear again on websites like REI, EMS, MG and MEC, so and thinking they figured out a North American distribution solution?

 

[peakbagger]

I expect that a big cause is that the EUOR has declined significantly so that the boots can complete. One of the reason Grivel pulled out of the market was their gear was uncompetititive pricewise.

 

[J.Dub]

I've started seeing their gear again on websites like REI, EMS, MG and MEC, so and thinking they figured out a North American distribution solution?

^^^This iz korrekt.

Liberty Mountain (out of Utah) is their new North American distributor, after GNA folded last year.

(I'll probably still get my Grivel gear and replacement partz at The Mountaineer, though...)

 

[Kevin Rooney]

...One of the reason Gribvel pulled out of the market was their gear was uncompetititive pricewise.

Not sure that was the case. Ran into a hiker on the Franconia Ridge who was in the business - he told me the reason they pulled out was due to the failure of their North American distributor. Unlike other manufacturers, they didn't handle their own distribution, so were at the mercy of their distributor.

Personally, I've always found Grivel price competitive.

 

[Chip]

Personally, I've always found Grivel price competitive.

I don't know how that works exactly, but the distributors rising cost vs what they could sell the stuff for may have been the reason they failed.

 

[una_dogger]

Ladies, before you buy, pm me.

 

[MichaelJ]

Is it just the name, or are they producing off the same molds and specs?

 

[jniehof]

Is it just the name, or are they producing off the same molds and specs?

Scuttlebutt a year or so ago was that Scarpa had bought the molds, so I'm guessing they'd be the same. This isn't a surprising announcement but it's nice to see it actually happening.