Patent ID: 7231729

Claim:
A ski boot comprising: an essentially stiff outer boot and a soft inner boot or inner lining for receiving the foot of a skier, the outer boot including a sole, a rear shell portion fixed to the sole and configured to receive the rear part of the foot and at least a front shell portion fixed to the sole and configured to receive the front part of the foot, the rear shell portion comprising a heel portion and a shaft extending upwards from the sole and configured to extend alongside and at least behind the lower leg shaft of a skier, attaching or fastening means for attaching or fixing the heel and lower leg of a skier received by the inner boot or lining with respect to the outer boot, characterized in that the sole of the outer boot is made of an essentially rigid material, and includes an elastic zone in the metatarsal region of the sole dividing the sole into front and rear sole portions; and an intermediate upper shell portion provided between the front and rear shell portions of the outer boot, such that the front and rear shell portions are bendable with respect to each other; wherein the heel portion, shaft and rear sole portion are designed to be in an essentially rigid relationship; wherein the attaching means includes at least an ankle fixing and attaching means for extending around the ankle region and fixing the ankle and heel in the rear heel portion, and at least first lower leg fixing and attaching means for extending around the shinbone or inner boot shaft and attaching the lower leg to the shaft preferably with little or no play, wherein the intermediate shell portion having one or more transverse cuts for causing a torsion of the front and rear boot portions about the longitudinal boot axis when they are bent with respect to each other.