Let’s see what “sticks” 1986 – 1989

As the “Z” series got introduced to the market, significantly new products failed to materialize and a changing market forced Lange to hunt for new ideas. The Boulder R&D operations was shut down and Ed Chalmers went on develop the “Osprey,” a conventional boot that integrated a cable closure system in lieu of lower buckles. While this happened, the main challenges facing the product remained the same: Improved ease of entry, need for a more universal fit and leakage in the toe area.

As Cesare Caglari took over the development responsibilities in Italy, these problems went largely ignored in favor of embarking on a “me-too” rear-entry design that only marginal boot companies would consider. In Switzerland, Herbert Marxer, taking some clues from Chalmers’ Osprey started proposing a “mid-entry” design with partial cable closure, while the US sales and marketing pushed gimmicks like built-in heat system. Lanvers revisited Aspen's "Boot Warmer" to incorporate the function inside the ski boot as a built in feature; the heat was in fact introduced with the rechristened "T" series, that was plagued with a number of technical issues due to lack of testing and and poor manufacturing quality.

Paint jobs also became another marketing tool in Lange's quiver. The yellow treatment of the top of the line boot was a resurrected Nordica "yellow banana" from the seventies and lasted for a while. Soon, as buyers and consumers became tired of it, pink became the "color du jour," along with the complete Pink Panther theme and paraphernalia licensed for the occasion...

Liners quality and consistency was also a major problem evidenced with the integration of third-party functionality like Thermofit and a heating system. More reliable production methods like Salomon's injection molded liners appeared suddenly more attractive than Lange's cottage industry manufacturing process used for the assembly of these critical components. As they searched for sources in that domain, Lanvers and Quigley traveled to Japan and had discussion with Growhill, a ski boot manufacturer located in Nara. Lanvers also approached Baudou, a French supplier of injected molded liner to Raichle...

The worst in product development was exemplified by the Lange CFX, a lackluster rear-entry boot design, produced in a vacuum in some back-street shop near Montebelluna, and that would stand as the "spaghetti-western" of ski-boot, marrying an American icon with some amateurish Italian concoction.

At about the same time, Pat Quigley spearheaded another “mid-entry” design that aimed at creating a brand new segment between rear- and front-entry boots. All hopes rested on that "Mid" as it was called, and a visit was even made to Zell am See in Austria to consult with Porsche Design in order to give the product the best styling possible. Eventually, the end-product would be sold under both the Rossignol and Lange names...

When Jean-Pierre Kratzer left the helm of Lange in Crissier, Switzerland, he was first replaced by Roger Pirot, who had been the marketing man associated with Salomon's early commercial success. That appointment didn't last too long and soon Pirot was replaced by Philippe Guérin who claimed some business experience in Italy...

During all that time, Lange USA was distributing Authier skis, a subsidiary of Skis Rossignol. With Boix-Vives' blessing, the struggling brand with its hard-to-pronounce name in America was re-branded Lange and a small line of high-performance products was created to give it a new lease on life. "Schmello," a colorful ski instructor / artist from Chamonix, designed the top-skins and Jean-Claude Killy returned on the scene to provide his endorsement and some advice through Michel Arpin, his legendary guru-technician. Even though Killy had entries with Roger Abondance, Rossignol's race room director, politics poisoned the process and Rossi's decision-makers made certain Lange wouldn't access its top ski technology...

In those days ideas were so scarce that Marco Ottieri, an Italian-American architect and self-proclaimed designer, offered to jointly develop an exo-skeletal boot design, with composite front shock absorber and “automatic” step-in entry. A small R&D unit was formed in Salt Lake City late 1985 to incubate that project.

When Lanvers left the company at the end of 1986 to handle the distribution of Koflach for the United States, the project was abandoned and only the “Mid” would see the light of the day.
In the meantime, the Rossignol group just acquired the Caber factory in Montebelluna and began production of its own boot, along with Lange that was now deserting the ancient Mollaro facilities.

As Boix-Vives sold Lange to Rossignol in 1989, it became clear that the boot line would be paired up with Dynastar. The brand new Lange headquarters in Oakland, New Jersey, would be vacated and what was left of Lange USA would move to Burlington, Vermont. The Lange ski line was jettisoned as it conflicted with Dynastar and Marc Lumet left the US division to become the president of SMH, the American holding company distributing Swatch watches, among other brands.