The New Deeluxe Ståle Pro Boot

Q&A with Ståle Sandbech on his new signature Deeluxe boot

Throughout the years, Deeluxe has earned a reputation as one of the best boot makers in the industry. High-quality boots, constantly evolving tech, comfort and some extremely good-looking designs have kept the brand at the top of its game year after year.

This year is no different. Together with Ståle Sandbech, Deeluxe has developed a new addition to its line: the Ståle Pro. Based on the Deemon Pro, the all-terrain boot combines Deeluxe’s Rapid React Modular Technology with a Vibram Eastridge sole for hiking, a Snow Shield and a custom Rock Guard, creating a durable and responsive boot built to handle everything from park laps to long days in the backcountry.

We sat down with Ståle himself to find out how the boot came together and in what ways it reflects him as a rider.

This is your first signature boot with Deeluxe, congrats! How does it feel?
Thanks! It feels damn nice, and most importantly, the boots feel damn nice!

The Ståle Pro actually started out as a colourway for the Deemon Pro before evolving into its own model. What did you like about that boot, and what did you want to change to make this one properly yours?
I really enjoyed riding the Deemon Pro, so that was a natural start to how this boot came about. At first, we were actually just going to do a colourway for the Deemon Pro, but then after doing some sketches and talking a bit about ideas, it started evolving into its own model.

I think mostly for me it was adding the “snow stopper”, as well as making some visual changes to make it a little more my style.

Your riding has covered pretty much everything over the years – contests, filming, park, backcountry and big-mountain terrain. What does snowboarding look like for you now, and how did things like longer days, hiking and snowmobiling influence the boot?

Yeah, that is the beauty of snowboarding, so many different aspects to explore. But definitely backcountry snowboarding is where I still have the most to explore and experience. So with that, a bit more of a durable boot suited for longer days in deep snow is probably the most important evolution from the more standard boot.

We added a more durable hiking sole for the purpose of hiking and also to make the boot more durable for wear and tear while snowmobiling and other adventures.

It’s an 8/10 flex, so definitely on the stiffer side. Have you always liked a stiff boot, or is that something that came with how your riding evolved?
I have actually never been the guy to ride really stiff boots. I hated having to break in boots for weeks until they felt good. I always wanted the boot to feel good the first day. And that was something I really liked with the Deeluxe boots. They felt good the first day, but also lasted that way.

And also with this newly designed plastic “tongue”, I think you have the option to adjust the stiffness a bit to your liking. If you really tighten the BOA, the boot will feel quite stiff. But if you slightly loosen the upper BOA, you will make the boot feel a lot softer, but still with support and good heel hold. So even if it is 8/10, it is not necessarily a really stiff boot. Don’t be scared hehe.

One of the big features is Deeluxe’s Rapid React Modular Technology. What does that actually change when you’re riding, and where do you notice the difference most?
I think this allows the boot to keep its flex for the lifetime of the boot. So hopefully you will not necessarily notice it too much. But without it, you would probably notice your boot getting sloppy after a while.

How involved did you get in the development process? Were you testing different flexes, materials and prototypes, or did you already have a pretty clear idea of what you wanted?
Quite a lot actually. Deeluxe are very down with all the feedback and doing their best to make changes for the better. This process started quite late, but we still managed to make multiple samples and test different options until we landed on what we felt was the ultimate package.

Was there anything the Deeluxe designers introduced that you weren’t asking for, but ended up completely sold on once you rode it?
The new plastic “tongue”.

Do you think that shift from chasing contests, tricks and results to riding in the way you want to ride now can be felt in the Ståle Pro?
I think I would have loved this boot back when I was competing slopestyle also, so no. The boot would probably be quite similar 🙂

There’s obviously your name on the boot, but there’s also your personality in there somewhere. What part of the Ståle Pro feels the most Ståle to you?
I feel like the whole boot reflects a visual design that I like, but the “lightning bolt” symbolises different things with meaning to me, so that part would be the most Ståle.

If someone steps into the Ståle Pro for the first time this winter, what do you hope they immediately notice?
I hope they will feel a comfortable boot that will allow them to enjoy lots of great days on the mountain.