New kicks on the block: Gear chat
Al Morgan chats with Daniel Tanzer, Head of Product at Full Stack Supply Co, the brand behind Faction Skis and the new boot brand, phaenom Footwear.
A roomy toebox, excellent hold around the ankle and calf, and top performance… what’s not to love?
The Journey of Daniel Tanzer
Al Morgan (AM): Hi Daniel, it’s fantastic to be able to chat with you about phaenom and the killer new boots the team has developed. Before we get into the kit, can you tell us a little about how you got involved with bringing a new ski boot brand to market?
Daniel Tanzer (DT): Thanks for having me. I began my skiing journey with alpine racing at a young age and transitioned to freeskiing in my early twenties. While pursuing my mechanical engineering degree, I dedicated a significant amount of time to ski instructing, which deepened my understanding of skiing mechanics and the impact of equipment on performance.
Around 2004, I ventured into the business world by inventing the first symmetrical twin-tip ski, which was a significant milestone in combining my engineering background with my love for skiing. Since then, my focus has remained on pushing boundaries in the freeskiing realm, which led me in 2018 to join Full Stack Supply Co., the parent of Faction Skis and phaenom Footwear. We’re a tight team, dedicated to in-house innovation, with our creativity and expertise driving cutting-edge solutions for the outdoor sports market.
The Birth of phaenom
AM: We’ve known about phaenom for a while, but this is the first time the general skiing public will see the boots. First off, where’d the name come from?
DT: There are so many brand name possibilities out there, and it took us time to nail something that really resonated with us. The brand name phaenom describes a remarkable person or act of nature. This extends to our logo, an impossible loop as a symbol of natural phenomena. It symbolises the continuous cycle of development, whether that’s in our workshops or among our on-snow community, and the lifecycle of our products.
AM: Full Stack Supply Co. is big into the freeski scene, so it’s no surprise that phaenom boots are designed for freestyle and freeride skiing. I guess the big surprise is that you’ve even tried to bring out a new boot brand, as there are so many options already available. So, why put yourselves through this?
DT: We set out to create a new ski boot brand because we saw a gap in the market for a performance freeski product that was at once circular and design-driven. The trends were going towards mass-market, overlap and super-light touring. For us, freeski is about fun, excitement and versatility. Our goal at phaenom is to pave the way for the future of product design.
Sustainability and Challenges
AM: Well, I love the passion and desire to do things differently. The boots ski impressively well, but they deliver this performance (more on that later) while being as sustainable as possible, from what I understand. What were the challenges in having sustainability as a key design criterion?
DT: One of the main challenges we’ve encountered along the way has been navigating the technical complexities of creating a ski boot that meets our high standards for performance, comfort, and sustainability. Ensuring that each component is repairable and recyclable, while maintaining the necessary durability and performance, has required extensive research and collaboration with experts from various fields.
It took us four years of intensive R&D to bring a new ski boot to life. In total we had 40 prototypes in hand, with several updates of wall thickness of the shells, mould modifications to reinforce some areas of the boot, repositioning of buckles, testing different material combinations, and, last but not least, the inner liner iterations to get the best fit in place. Instead of discarding our numerous prototypes, we recycled them and reused every component, from the shell and panels to the buckles, straps and screws.
Design Philosophy
AM: It amazes me how difficult it can be to develop products with improved sustainability, and I salute you for sticking to your guns. I got to ski the boots last winter. I admit I was nervous at first as, on paper, they’re way higher volume than I need. Why did you go for this fit, when many other brands focus firstly on lower volumes when they’re releasing a new model?
DT: Thanks, we have been humbly blown away by the early feedback. There is no better example of this than decades-long boot fitters who are doing extensive testing with field groups, and with flex-testing machinery, who are telling us that we have achieved something truly special.
We have engineered a comfortable and snug fit right out of the box. Our boot offers a blend of snug hold in the heel area and an anatomical shape with a roomier toe box, featuring a 102mm last in a size 26.5. The instep area provides ample space. This design allows for quick response to foot movements, effortless return to a balanced, centred position, precise skiing through difficult snow, and powerful transmission to the edge when needed. The pre-shaped heel, ankle and tongue include a layer of supportive, heat-mouldable material that ensures exceptional comfort.
Performance and Features
AM: I skied the FR 01 130 in a variety of locations, conditions and with an assortment of skis. The boots ski superbly well, and even though there’s a load of room for the toes, the hold around the ankle and lower leg is excellent. The stand-out feature, in both performance and looks, is the broad phaenom strap at the top. Can you tell us more about this?
DT: By addressing the specific needs of modern freeskiers, we have significantly increased performance on the downhill, while also achieving comfort, ease of use, and the repairability and recyclability of the boots. The patent-pending phaenom strap provides exceptional shock absorption and flex control. The elasticity generates tangible rebound through your turns, for increased power transmission and turn initiation precision, as well as comfort and predictability.
Future Plans
AM: You’ve spoken of the eight models for this season, so the obvious question is: are there other models in the pipeline, and what, if anything, can you tell us about phaenom’s future plans?
DT: We have a saying: the first loop starts here. The freeski 01 collection with eight boot models is only the beginning for us. We are a footwear company. Technical mountain footwear is at the heart of what we do today and what we will always work towards. In what future forms our visions will come to life, that is something you will have to just wait and see.
Read our test write-ups of the FS 01 in the Alpine ski boot section and the FR 01 in the Freeride boot section of this Gear Guide.
