Tecnica Introduces All-New Cochise Series
Tecnica proudly introduces an all-new Cochise series that remains whole heartedly true to its roots, designed for committed skiers who want muscle and power for the down with the ability to comfortably hike or skin short distances. The series is loaded with new technologies, including a new anatomically shaped last, innately designed liner, and a fully redesigned walk mechanism, all of which skiers will instantly notice. But for the Tecnica family, the third generation Cochise is about so much more than advancements in product engineering.
“It feels a little cliché to say that something like a ski boot can mean so much more than flex, weight, range of motion, last and all the standard numbers and metrics that typically identify its value,” said Frank Shine, Blizzard Tecnica North American Marketing Director. “But when it comes to the Cochise, for many of us within Tecnica, it simply does. It represents who we are, the moment when and where the rebirth of our brand comes from, and proof that we can always make the skiing experience better if we never settle on the status quo.” 
It was that drive to improve the skier experience that led to the initial development of the Cochise back in 2010, when Tecnica athlete, Arne Backstrom, came to the team with an idea. Frustrated over the limitations that came with touring/crossover equipment, he retrofitted his 150-flex race boots with Dynafit compatible tech inserts and shifted into full-send mode. Dubbed the Frankenboot, Backstrom’s MacGyvered creation allowed him to ski the way he wanted – hard and fast – and served as the inspiration for Tecnica engineers to bring his DIY creation to life.
True to Backstrom’s vision, downhill power remains the priority for the new series, combining premium, high-performance PU shell with thicker construction on the interior of the boot for lateral power transition and increased edge grip. While the weight of the boot has come down 10-15%, that is largely due to the new anatomically shaped last, that while still a 99mm last, delivers a more precise fit and requires less materials to make. The new, intricately designed C.A.S. liner is more supportive, delivering out-of-the-box comfort with the ability to target problem areas – including the tongue – through customization, and an accordion structure on the back for easier hiking.
Pulling inspiration from Tecnica’s widely acclaimed Tour Pro series, the new walk mechanism, T-Ride, is a solid cuff and shell connection that’s fully integrated into the boot design, offering a forgiving 50-degree ROM when in walk mode. Its low-profile design provides more strength and performance to the spine of the boot while being easier to use, and the optional lock-mode delivers complete confidence for remaining in ski mode on the downhill, while also removing any potential play in the boot.
Other functional updates include a new hinge point, allowing for frictionless hiking, a quick instep for improved comfort, and an easy-to-use Power Lock strap for precision and quick transitions.
While the men’s collection offers the same flex options as previous renditions – 130, 120, and 110 – the women’s collection welcomes the addition of a Pro model with a 120 flex to the series, something the brand feels will fill a hole in this category.
“Being a performance brand, we were really missing that top, 120 flex model in the Cochise collection,” said Leslie Baker-Brown, Tecnica Women 2 Women Project Lead. “We heard it from our W2W focus groups, our athletes, and ambassadors that there was a real need, so with the design changes and this additional model, we’ve got the Cochise audience covered from top to bottom.”
“Not many days go by that I don’t wonder where Arne would have taken our design team,” said Shine. “But I will never forget that this is a category he pushed Tecnica to bring to the market with a new set of rules and expectations.”
The new Cochise series will be available at retail in September 2021.
