Dahu: The Tesla of Ski Boots
Dahu boots are a game changer.
Isn’t it remarkable how electric vehicles are taking over the automotive industry? By 2035, virtually all General Motors vehicles will be battery powered. Our grandkids will look back and tell their kids about a time when combustion engines ruled.
I think a similar new frontier is being established with the Dahu ski boot. The company has parted ways with traditional boot makers and come up with materials and design that make it as different from the others as Tesla is to Dodge.
It’s a game changer.
Dahu boots were conceived and developed to be fitted more easily, minimize ski boot discomfort, and maximize performance.
The shell has a dozen strategically located holes that eliminate foot hotspots most skiers – especially older skiers – experience. Think about this feature: it gets rid of the need for bootfitters to manipulate the plastic to relieve pressure points. The car equivalent? No more engine tune-ups!
Made of a Swiss polyamide composite, the shell combines lightness and durability and consistent flex, regardless of temperature. It has a hinged tongue with two micro-adjustable buckles and a hinged, releasable rear with a patented aluminum spine which helps transfer body energy to the ski. Interestingly, the spine contributes to each skier’s ideal stance.
A comfy, insulated leather inner boot has a grooved rubber sole which provides traction when the inner is worn separately from the shell. Those grooves interlock with ridges and grooves in the shell, the net erect being greater torsional stiffness and more efficient energy transfer from body to ski.
I understand this is a lot to absorb. But I know that many of you have had it with your conventional boots. Our August reader survey asked, among other things, what items you intended to purchase in the next two years. Of the 3000+ responses, about one-third indicated ski boots. And from comments made during past reader surveys, sent to the site and to me personally, I know that finding a better boot is top-of-mind for many older skiers.
If you’ve had it with conventionally designed boots and are looking for a pair that can be fit more easily (including using one-on-one zoom sessions), will keep your feet warm and comfortable and, most importantly, perform for any level of skiing, click on the Dahu advertisement on the right side of the page.
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Looks like a Swiss imitation of the Apex boot that I have been enjoying the last 4 years.
The Dahu is a Cabrio/3 piece ski boot.
The Apex is a snowboard boot, where you attach an exo-skeleton frame using webbing.
The Dahu is a very accurate, precise ski boot. If you have ever skied in a Raichle, Dalbello, Full Tilt or Roxa, you will feel at home!
Really interested in your reply. I’ve skied in Raichles and currently I have Dalbello Krypton Pro 130. I’m pretty devoted to the cabrio design for smooth flex. I also have very low volume narrow feet, so there are very few boots that work for me. I am keen to try the Ecorce 01, but don’t want to lose performance
What makes this boot better than my Apex?? I’m pretty happy with the Apex and hope to ski them again this year, as I enter eighty…..
Who makes Apex please ?
Bob from Down Under
I bought a pair of apex boots for this season. like them alot though in spring skiing with slushy snow the liners can get wet.
Why would you want a leather boot exposed to the elements, back to the 50’s?! External supported boots have always been failures polyamide = NYLON. tHIS LOOKS LIKE AN ADVERTISEMENT TO ME.
Gotta test them first before you make assumptions.
We are skiers, most important is ski ability, accuracy of the the foot, boot and ski to snow interface is critical. But warm and comfortable sure is nice. Enjoy the snow
Agree with Charles, looks like Apex concept. Last winter I demoed the Apex for a day, did not like them at all. Major dislike was after each run here at Killington, I had to re-tighten the double stack Boa system. What a nuisance! Went back to my favorite ski shop and after trying on all the brands they carried – about 7 – bought a pair of Salomon S/PRO 120.
Absolutely love the Salomon boots, easy on /off, great control of my skis. The S/PRO 120 replaced my 8 year old Solomon boots which had become too much of a pain to get in and off.
Early last season the shells of my 20+ year old Lange boots cracked/broke. It was always a struggle to get into and out of these boots.
Picked up a pair of Salomon S/PRO boots. Amazed at how easily they slipped on and off.
Jon, How many ski boot customers have to custom-fitted their ski boots? Have you skied the Dahu?
I have been custom-fitting ski boots for 35 years.
Bernie, The Apex is designed for comfort and ease of use. Not performance.
In general, ski shops get the best pricing when they meet order minimums. I believe ski shops will be hesitant to invest the time and money to commit to a radically different ski boot.
One other thing, if you are looking to buy new equipment for this season,, don’t wait. It’s no surprise there are supply issues.
Regarding the analogy that electric cars are the Future: did you know that if only a small percentage of the US car fleet goes electric, the whole electrical street lines in every city will have to be upgraded to handle the low needed to overbite recharge them?
Did you know that the electricity to charge them comes MOSTLY from antiquated oil and natural gas generators and since losing many old Nuke plants to age/shutdown, we barely have enough electricity to handle a bad winter never mind a quintupling of demand to recharge electric cars?
Nope, as the owner of a highly efficient 4 cyl Japanese gas car and a roaring V8 1964 Pontiac Lemans convertible, I’m not worried! But if you run out of power with your electric car in 10 degree weather getting home from skiing, prepare for a Long Cold night being towed home and 12 more hours to recharge!!!
Off topic and short sighted. The future will not include manually driven gasoline powered cars. Now you know too.
dont agree. alot of problems with electric cars not being investigated at all. using coal tomake electricity is one of them. plus the batteries for electric cars use hard to find minerals and means digging up more lands to get it, or under the sea.
People have to be ignorant to thing fossil fuel is not here for the next 100-200 years minimum. You cannot generate enough electricity without it. Don’t believe all the BS you read or hear. I will buy gas powered vehicle as long as I’m alive and I’m 60.
Looks awful! Lots of goo dads to break. Too complicated. Simple overlap the best. Occam snd his Razor are right
Steve you’re way off topic and Ted yes you’re right but it will take a few years technology and time. As far as the boots go leather not the answer. I am looking forward to a boot that can keep my feet warm I have frozen them so many times over the last 55 years. That’s the technology I need warm boots or electric boots that hold a charge all day. Got my fingers crossed this will be my 56th Year of skiing and some days I do bell to bell one day last season was over 75,000 vertical feet and 77 runs
Leather is one option in the product line. I have spent hours skiing in the winter and summer on glaciers with no issues. Dahu also offers an amazing synthetic liner too. Cold feet? 200 gram Primaloft insulation.
Don’t knock it till you try it!
Pretty amazing how many experts there are here commenting about Dahu boots that have never tried Dahu boots. My wife and I (in our 60’s) just finished a ski trip with them and we think they are great. As warm as any boot I’ve tried and way more comfortable. They felt very secure and responsive on our skis. Got another week coming up in Colorado and very much looking forward to it – without boot discomfort.
I love my Dahu boots. I work as a mountain host at the Canyons side of the Park City resort. The design very much appealed to me because I spend several hours of the day standing, or walking around, talking to people. In the past, I would wear a winter boot (as do most of the other hosts) while walking around in the morning, then when it’s time to take some runs, change into ski boots. So the idea of having the inner boot already on, then simply having to put on the shell is great for what I do on the mountain. Especially since there are days when I could ski a little in the morning, then be standing around several hours after. The Dahu boots allow me to simply take that shell off and be in a comfortable, warm walking boot for those times.
I have been wearing the Dahu boots since this season started and absolutely love them. I have had them on 2-3 days a week since late November and they are easily the most comfortable, warmest boot I have ever worn. I have been skiing for 36 years and have always had pain in my regular ski boots. I’ve tried many brands and the last pair I had a custom fitting, custom insoles, modifications, etc. The Dahu is so much more comfortable that some days after I put it on I don’t even take the shell off when I’m walking around because it doesn’t bother me.
How does it ski? Wonderfully. I have had no issues with control while carving or more technical skiing on difficult runs. They do not have as many lock in points as a highly technical boot, so if I was a high level racer or needed a professional level of control, I might opt for a more technical boot. But for recreactional skiing – even on double black diamond runs – I have had no problems with control.
Apex vs Dahu? One of my mountain leads had a pair of Apex boots last season, which actually made me look into other boot options because I had never seen the soft boot design. The Apex boots are basically a soft snowboarding boot that they designed a shell to go over. The Dahu boots – inside and out – were designed specifically for skiing and they put an emphasis on making sure the boot worked on a high level for skiiers. I can attest that this is true. My co-worker, who owns the Apex boots said that they are too soft inside, don’t offer enough control and actually injured his achillies tendon so he doesn’t wear them anymore. He looked at my Dahu boots and said that they look much better made and said he would be much more interested in trying them out than using the Apex again.
So, that’s my two cents. Whenever there is a new technology that is significantly different, people are hesitant to go away from what they know. I highly recommend these boots. Especially for recreational skiiers who would benefit from being able to pull of the outer shell at the end of the day and enjoy some apres ski activites or just have a long walk to the car. I really enjoy being able to take off my skiis, sit down and pull those shells off, then have a very comfortable walk to the car instead of a painful one in my old ski boots.
Great review, Scott. Thank you. I also looked at the Apex boots but found they were difficult to get and were surprisingly heavy.
By the way, do you work as one of the Ski Patrol aids at the top of the base gondola at the Canyons (at the trail map sign)? Skied there last year and those folks were a great help to us, since it was our first time there. Terrific ski experience.
Yes Sal, we are the crew who wear all red and have a large white circle on the backs of our jackets with the letter i in the center of it. We hang at the maps to help people find their way around the mountain and answer any questions you may have. We also canvas some of the runs to help any injured skiers, help ski patrol and mountain safety with whatever they need. Thanks for the kudos, I’m glad you had a wonderful experience at the Canyons. We always love to hear the positive feedback.
I am gonna probably ski Canyons in the next few days as I am here in PC visiting my sis for a few weeks. Would LOVE to try and find you to ask you about the Dahu boots.
Sorry, Gregg. I am actually on a work trip and won’t be back at the Canyons until the first week of March. The 5th to be exact. If you would like I could email you directly and let you know when I’ll be on the mountain.
Oh my god I am so happy to find someone in Park City that has used these. I actually bought the Apex ones and they killed my feet. When I would tighten them the buckles would hit my pressure points just like my Dalbello boots and make my feet go number. been DYING to find someone to talk to that has used the Dahu boots and get their perspective. Would love to talk to you some time.
Gregg. Love to chat with you about the boots sometime. I am actually on a work trip and won’t be back at the Canyons until the first week of March. The 5th to be exact. If you would like I could email you directly and let you know when I’ll be on the mountain.
Bought the Encore DAHU last season, fabulous,!
Skiing all m life, now mostly in Europe and out West and they are everything that they’re promised to be…
Takes a bit to master getting in and out of the shell, not exactly easy but certainly superior to walking around in traditional boots…
Expensive, green lucky and got a hefty discount last years model..highly recommend
It’s not unusual that I ski 100+ days a year at Alta in Utah. I’ve used various boots over the years and various boot fitters. But boots have always been the weak link in my skiing, eventually something ends up hurting so much that I have to take a break from skiing.
I dread buying new boots or going back to the boot fitter. After seeing Dahu on Senior Skiing I was skeptical, but I was so desperate that last year I bought some mens Écorce 01X at full retail price in Park City.
Wow! What a game changer. I’ve always had to use a boot fitter and these boots just worked out of the box. They ski great and are surprisingly comfortable. Mine are getting beat up after a season of skiing but I still love them!
I’m 69 years old, still very active, running 20 miles a week, cycling, hiking and backpacking. My feet have taken a beating and have various bumps and a fused first metatarsal joint, but they fit great and are super easy to get in and out of.
Although everyone’s experience with boots vary, these are the best boots I’ve ever owned.
Also, don’t forget to buy some Lenz 6.1 compression heated socks for those super cold days.
Thanks for you write up and valued insight.
I too have even tried the Apex boots but found them far too painful.
I have not been able to get any ski boot that fits me without severe pain across the top of my high instep.
I have being fitted by several boot fitters (unable to wear the latest 2 fitted boots due to pain went back to shops – no boot fit guarantee!)
The next issue I have is that I want to fit the Carv skiing insoles needing an additional 3mm of space. Are they able to be fitted as they need to go between liner and bottom of boots and would interfere with the groove locking system I feel.
An additional problem is that I live in Australia and I am not aware of anyone that stocks these boots.
Would it be worthwhile me looking into the Dahu boot?
Cheers,
Pat Purcell.
G’day Pat. I have done four weeks in my Dahu boots. Two in Perisher last season and two in Canada in February this year. I cant wait for this season to start. These boots are a game changer but they are better with custom foot beds. I took the ones out of my Speed Machine’s but I needed to trim a fraction off them. They go inside the inner just like a normal boot.
The best part is that my wife enjoys skiing again. She said only yesterday that she is looking forward to skiing this season. She’s 68.
The Oz distributor is David Tweedie. Google him and Dahu and you will find him on Facebook. There are a few ski shops that carry them. If that doesnt work google me. I have his number in my phone.
Cheers, Howard
I have been skiing for 55 years and boots have always been uncomfortable even with custom fitting,I have used Dahu boots for the last two seasons and they are truly a game changer.
I had them custom-fitted by a Dahu boot fitter and I can now ski for 6 straight hours with warm feet and completely without discomfort.
Are there any 2024 updates from DAHU users?
Hoping to post a new article early next month.
Follow up on My Dahu review from 2022.
I’m still very happy with these boots. This is the start of my third season in these boots. I work as a mountain host at the Canyons Village side of Vail in Park City, Utah so I am on the mountain a lot. A large part of my day when I am hosting involves standing in my boots answering guests’ questions, helping with directions, lift lines, etc. The Dahu boots are without a doubt, the most comfortable boot I have ever worn and make standing around in them all day as pleasant as you could possibly ask for in a ski boot. The added feature – being able to remove the outer shell – makes them that much more comfortable. I have had days where I’ve walked around the village in the inner boot for 3-4 hours and the are every bit as comfortable as my Salomon winter boots. They are also very warm. Definitely warmer than my old ski boots. Many of my co-workers have spent hundreds of dollars on battery boot warmers but so far I have not felt a need for that. When temps get near or below zero, I have put the foot warmer packets on my toes and that is plenty. So for comfort and warmth they are unmatched in my experience.
Ski performance. I am 56 years old, 6′ 2″ tall, 210 lbs, and have been skiing for nearly 40 years. I am an expert skier and ski every type of terrain on the mountain. Since switching to Dahu, I have experienced no drop in my ski performance at all. I purchased the Ecorce 01X, 130 flex. I went with the stiffer flex thinking that the way they were constructed, they wouldn’t be as stiff as my other boots. They actually are stiffer, good forward lean, and I have plenty of control.
The negatives.
They are expensive. I spent $989 (retail) for mine which is a pretty expensive boot compared to others out there. For my use model it was worth the money but for someone who is only using them as a ski specific tool on vacation a couple of times a year, that is a lot. They do have lesser priced versions at $749 and $889.
They break in a lot, meaning they loosen up a bit over time. When I first got them, they were much tighter on my foot than they are now. Of course this happens with any boot, but I feel like I have much more play in the foot area when I’m skiing over time. I have added an extra insole which helps with that and I still enjoy skiing with them, it’s just something you must keep in mind. I also have used them A LOT. Probably more than the average user and I’m a big guy so I’m sure that contributes.
The boot strap gets in the way of the top buckle. It isn’t an issue if you don’t undo the top buckle often, but for me it constantly slides over the back part of the latch (which doesn’t stay in place) and I have to undo the strap to get it latched again. This is not a big deal really, I just hope they are looking at this as a redesign on future boots.
Update on design? Since I purchased mine over 2 years ago I have not seen any updates on the design of the boot. They have new colors and styles but the design has not changed. I would love to see some tech updates on the boot. It still is a great boot and works well, it just seems like after a few years there should be some tech advances.
Overall I have been more than satisfied with my Dahu boots. They are by far the most comfortable I have ever owned and ski very well. My wife also has also has them and loves them. I recommend them to guests on the mountain all the time. Give them a try.