Today it was announced that the Full Tilt name and brand will no longer be used starting next year during the 2022-2023 season, but many (potentially all) of the actual products themselves will live on under the K2 brand and name. (Full Tilt was created by Jason Levinthal under the K2 Sports umbrella back in 2006.)
Full Tilt began as a sort of reincarnation of Raichle boots, and the Full Tilt brand has gained some very loyal followers over the years. Their iconic 3-piece boots have been a big hit with a lot of freestyle and park skiers, as well as many aggressive directional skiers like Seth Morrison and Bode Miller. (And in case you missed it, you should definitely listen to our recent GEAR:30 podcast with Bode to hear his take on Full Tilt boots).
We’re curious to see how K2 moves forward with the Full Tilt products, but as of right now, it seems as though this will mostly be a sort of rebranding, rather than some major product overhaul (see Tom Wallisch’s quote below). Still, given how ubiquitous the Full Tilt brand is among certain circles, this change is notable. If we get any more information in the near future, we’ll update this post.
For reference, the full press release is below:
K2 Sports To Integrate Full Tilt Boots Into The K2 Product Collection To Further Energize The K2 Brand
Seattle, Washington, October 4, 2021– K2 Sports announces its plans to integrate the Full Tilt collection of boots into the K2 product line, to further innovate for the consumer and strengthen the K2 brand, effective for the 2022/2023 ski season. Founded in 2006 under K2 Sports, a collection of eight iconic winter sports brands, the Full Tilt brand has been known for its 3-piece ski boot technology, the choice of top pros worldwide and a major contributor to progressive skiing culture since its inception.
While the transition of the Full Tilt brand has been announced, the tried-and-true 3-piece boot and global support of athletes that have shaped the brand over the years will continue through the K2 Skis. For now, and the future, K2’s ongoing dedication will further drive boot innovation and continue to promote the progression and culture of skiing.
“Full Tilt Boots have been on my feet for 15 years, for every X-Games medal, film segment, and edit. I’ve designed 10+ years of pro model boots with Full Tilt and loved every second of creating, testing, and marketing new versions every year. I’m excited for the future of K2 boots and to bring my flavor and style to a new line of products—the same molds, tech, and design but with a new logo. The boots will continue to provide the look, comfort, and stomped landings you’ve come to expect!” –Tom Wallisch.
The 21/22 winter season will be the final ski season of Full Tilt in the market. Through Spring of 2022, Full Tilt will be continuing to push out product releases, provide customer service, dealer support, warranties/exchanges, support athletes, share unique content and run a dedicated marketing platform. For decades, the original 3-piece ski boot design has dominated competition, brought style to the ski boot game, and provided fit solutions for countless skiers. Full Tilt’s part in this storied legacy has been a fun one, embraced by the passionate community of park skiers, freestyle enthusiasts and core ski shops that live and breathe skiing every day.
About K2 Sports
A commitment to innovation has been the focus of K2 for over 60 years. What began as a garage brand has become a garage brand gone global. K2 Sports is a collection of iconic outdoor and winter sports brands with a specific focus on skiing and snowboarding. Each K2 Sports brand maintains its own individual point of view, drives its own pioneering innovation and is fueled with the collective strength of world-class development facilities, global distribution channels and committed customer service experts.
Ugh, this subsumes the boot design and engineering into a sea of other K2 boot designs. It is a unique boot deserving of the unique name. IMHO this dilutes the marketing niche Full Tilts occupy, and I hope that it does not damage the design’s position in the market.
This was originally a “Raichle” designed and mfg boot about 49 years ago !!!
Rossignol did the same with Look Bindings and renamed them Rossignol FKS. The Customers did not follow. So they changed it back to Look. Same here.
or they’ll be petty and change it all the way back to Raichle
This decision just a couple weeks after the Blister Podcast with Bode? Too much of a coincidence.
Huh?
Just suggesting your interview helped nudge K2 in a new direction.
I suppose you could call that a … conspiraski
This is a bummer to see. I hope K2 gives these boots the love the deserve. What’s more likely, unfortunately, is they section them off in a dark corner of the larger K2 line without the proper resources they need to succeed, and in a few years’ time K2 drops them because of a perceived lack of business performance.
If and likely when this happens, give me a call K2. I’d be super interested in taking those molds off your hands.
Has K2 ever had a boot as successful at the Raichle Comps/Full tilt three piece design? Simple answer, an emphatic no. Being a skier who started in the 60’s I grew up with K2. I had my Winter Heats, my 244’s etc. Great skis and innovation in the day and I like the brand, but if they are smart, they’ll dump all their other boots and take the Full Tilt line and continue the current development and just rebrand to K2 Full Tilt Boots. K2 please don’t mess with original molds, been skiing it (Raichle/Full Tilt) since the early 80’s and at 62, don’t want to change, ever! Time will tell…
Like there’s really space for another first world issue on this site
We’ve seen this play out before. Without an appreciation of and commitment to the unique qualities of the design (barely done justice by Full tilt), it gets lost within a broader product range, doesn’t get the dedicated marketing it requires, and pretty soon we’re scavenging through thrift stores and ski swaps for parts. Time to stock up, until Bode eventually acquires the molds.
Does this mean Line skis is next???
Line was dead to me the day they made a directional ski, anyway ;)
Drop Kick + stiff tongue + Bodacious = love.
If you’re reading this, K2, please keep pumping plastic through the original molds.
Hey All – Jed from K2 here. Reading through these comments, it looks like there is some confusion about what’s actually happening with the boots. You’re going to see the same boots you’ve come to know and love, just with a K2 logo on them. This change is going to enable us to put MORE resources into three piece boot development and marketing. I appreciate and understand some of the concerns mentioned above; I look forward to putting them to rest as we implement this change.
Flex on,
-j
Good to hear. Thanks, Jed.
Re-branding Full Tilt as K2, to reclaim its made-in-a-garage roots, is like Amazon repositioning itself as a bookstore. If cabrio is too narrow a USP to warrant its own brand at K2 Sports, then Line, their new school brand, would be a better fit for the core Full Tilt cohort. If growing the category is the goal, then release cabrio boots under all three brands, as Solomon does with the Shift. This would to keep Full Tilt iconoclasts in the tent, give Line a boot that fits its brand and skier, and fill out K2’s incumbent boot line; all made in one factory using the tried and true Raichle mould. I am not giving up my Krypton 130’s any time soon, just saying.
Jed, I’ll send you a bottle of brandy and a handwritten apology if this change means you make an AT 3-piece (Ascendant) on the original narrower last.
I’ll second that. It’s the only reason I’m back on Dalbello after falling madly in love with my Full Tilts.
I guess I am the only person happy about this. I hated the park trash marketing behind full tilt. Bought my first pair of full tilts in 08 and it felt good knowing seth, shane, glen, and every bumper ever all have skied the boot design. Then jlev borrowed the design and made them look like a basketball shoe screwed an aggressive rollerblade. Thank you fulltilt for bringing the flexon back to market but now maybe i can get a new pair without people thinking that i ski backseat and jib trashcans in my backyard
I’d been looking for a proper way to describe a pair of yellow and green Drop Kicks that I love to ski, but can only wear because I’m already married and am not looking for a date. Thank you.
That’s some funny stuff there! Backseat trash can jibbing FT’ers! Mostly what I see is the kids on J Skis also have to rock the Full Tilts. Even if the boots are the same, the K2 logo will alienate that segment of the market (which I think is how FT made such a comeback). Yes, the boots are great and they have been since the Raichelle days, but it’s the Levinthalness that is the draw…. Like Armada was 10 years ago. The LOOK Pivot vs. Rossignol FKS point hits the nail on the head. Same product with different logo/marketing will not keep the same customer.
Back again. I was pondering the subject of automotive names recently. Specifically how the names Integra and Legend just so much easily defined those two Acura models to my mind, as well as a personality that would define the model lines, and how Acura moved to nothing but letter combo names, and how those things lack creating a certain personality in my mind. (they are bringing back the Integra name actually). And then it dawned on me, the name Full Tilt mentally conjures up a very unique ski boot. If you say to me K2 ski boots, all that calls up in my mind is a generic “what???” in my mind. (or worse the original early seventies K2 boots whose shells were apparently designed to tear and fracture their plastic. ) Come on K2 you smothering a unique boot with a generic name that generates mental no images of the specific boot that is the Flexon/Full Tilt design. Not a wise marketing move.
If K2 is truly just acquiring Full Tilts without changes per se, asides from a logo change, then K2 should just stay true to the boot/design and call the boot models the “K2 Full Tilt – Descendant, “K2 Full Tilt Tom Wallish Pro”, etc.
Been skiing FTs since they were first available. Dalbello before that. I’m buying 4 new pair of FT’s today. Hope that will last me until I am gone. Figure 3-4 years per pair, that gives me up to 16 years! I’m 73 now and hope I’m still on the snow at 90!
How long do people here ski their Full Tilts? I have a first-year pair/#12 tongue with about 150 days on them and contemplating another pair, but it seems like the older plastic is more rigid than what I see on ski shop walls.
I have a pair of the original black First Chair 700 boots that have over 450 days on them and are still working! Gone through three pairs of heels even though I used “Walk-Eze” for treks to the bus or from the parking lot. The toes are worn and allow some wiggle. They do fit my skinny feet better than the newer First Chairs.
I have a pair of 08 Konflicts, the ones on the far left of the catalog graphic above. Been ripping them almost my whole ski career 20+ days a season. The heel and toe plate are just ow wearing out but other than that 0 issues. Incredible boot.
Hope Jed sees this reply, but any thoughts for K2 making an even lower volume Classic like a 96/97mm boot? This boot can be a good directional skier option…look at the success of Tecnica with the Mach 1 LV.
Question for Jed if he is still watching these comments: Would you please consider making a 50/50 boot with replaceable GripWalk or Vibram and certified tech fittings, with the Classic shell?
As many have already written here, the fit on the Classic shell is much preferred to any of the more recent iterations such as the Soul/First Chair or Ascendent/SC which are much too roomy for those with narrow feet.
Seconded the comment above. The Sammy boot at 104 or whatever is a joke. Never really understood this, if you have wide feet you can always punch out, can’t go the other way around. Seems like boots should always be made at least the 98 width or narrower.
What a misstake. I guess there’ll be a custom Full Tilt pimp service on the rise. Boot re-branding can make them even more cult.