Technology - Anti Stretch

Our proprietary Anti-Stretch material shares similar strength characteristics with Kevlar. We add this material between the outer layer and the skin, which assists prevent the boot from stretching.

To ensure the material does not move, we stitch it to the outer layer and bond it to the liner. In short, this Anti-Stretch material becomes a part of the boots’ structure. As a result, Bont boots do not stretch out as much as competitors’ boots.

 

Buy with confidence

You can always buy Bont Skates with confidence. Skaters have been buying Bont Skates since 1975 and we are the world’s largest manufacturer of inline speed skates and short track speed skates and custom skates as well as one of the largest manufacturers of roller derby skates.

We have a reputation for looking after our customers. We do everything possible to ensure that our products are made to the highest standards. As an example, all of our boots go through 16 individual stages of quality control before they are shipped out.

Our inline wheels, roller skate wheels and frames are all tested for strength and fatigue on the computer using the most advances computer-aided stress testing available. Bont bearings are produced in partnership with some of the best speciality bearing manufacturers in the world.

All Bont products go through a rigorous team testing phase before being brought to market. Team Bont skaters are the very best in the world.

When you buy Bont Skates, you get the best skates on the market. 

Technology - Carbon Fiber

Ever wondered what Carbon Fiber is? For instance, is it Carbon Fiber or Carbon Fibre? To clarify, Fibre and Fiber have the same meaning. Fibre is the British English spelling, while Fiber is the US English spelling.

Carbon Fiber is a revolutionary material. It is as strong as steel with a fraction of the weight.

Carbon Fiber consists of mainly bonded carbon atoms. For example, the fibers’ long axis consists of particles that have been bonded together and aligned. Following this, a yarn is created by twisting several thousand of the threads together. Finally, a piece of fabric is woven from the yarn.

Here at Bont, we have been producing carbon-based boots since 1989. Above all and most importantly, we source our carbon exclusively from the world’s number one carbon manufacturer, Toray of Japan.

 

INDUSTRY MISREPRESENTATION

In the old days, if you purchased a plastic or nylon based shoe, you knew what you were getting. However, nowadays, with all of the expensive modern materials, it is getting harder to identify what is in your product. As a result, you may not be getting what you thought you purchased.

Here are some handy tips on different ways manufacturers use materials. That is to say, use these points for consideration in your next purchase.

One layer of carbon
Often, manufacturers misrepresent carbon shoes. For example, the shoe base can be an injection-molded plastic, or nylon, or fiberglass base and usually covered with a single layer of carbon fiber. Unfortunately, when you buy a shoe, and you see that it has a carbon base, the chances are that only the outer layer is carbon.

Unidirectional carbon
A variety of shoes are marketed as Unidirectional carbon. However, many of these shoes use injection molded carbon in the plastic and call this Unidirectional Carbon. Consequently, we feel this is a misuse of the terminology. For example, here at Bont, Unidirectional Carbon means carbon fiber, where all of the strands travel in the same direction.

Silver fiberglass
Many shoes use a plastic injection molded base with some carbon particles in it. Also, these shoes typically have a single layer of silver fiberglass for the outer layer. As such, manufacturers advertise ‘carbon fiber’ for these shoes. They are allowed to use this term as there is carbon dust in the plastic mold under the outer fiberglass layer. However, the fiberglass woven material on the outside is not carbon. Above all, remember Carbon Fiber is always black.

100% composite
What is 100% composite? This term almost covers anything. Therefore, the question you need to ask when considering a composite boot is, A composite of what? In short, a composite boot is usually a nylon fiberglass composite.

Monocoque
A Monocoque shoe is where the carbon is directly laminated onto the liner. Unfortunately, some companies are calling a carbon shell with an integrated heel cup a Monocoque shoe; however, it isn’t.

In summary, be aware of companies jumping on the bandwagon of carbon technology and using keywords to promote their product. Above all, do your research and be mindful of what you are purchasing. We hope this helps your decision in your carbon boot purchase.

Technology - Consistency Consistency has been the focus when creating our ice speed skating blades. Machining time is expensive and blade manufacturers grind the steel in batches at high speeds to reduce costs. This results in the steel warping due to the high temperature of the grinding stone grinding the steel. Our aim for the GT3 and the Platinum was to make every blade the same so we purchased the best grinding stones from Germany and we slowly grind one set of steel blades at a time. This is an extremely slow process with higher costs but the result is steel that has no warping. All skaters, not just Olympians, should enjoy perfect blades. However, we didn't stop with the grinding. We looked at the other aspects of making the blade even more perfect. We developed a new stronger glue that allowed us to reduce the tube slot width by 0.1mm. The tube slot needs a certain amount of room for the glue on either side of the blade. The greater the gap, the more chance the steel has to warp while the glue sets. By reducing this gap, we improved the consistency of the straightness of the blade after gluing. Lastly, we invested heavily in jigs. Each blade is clamped in 9 locations while it sets and we let the blades set for 14 hours until the glue has fully cured. This means that we can only make a few sets of blades per day, but each set is perfect.

Technology - Attention to detail Generally, to keep costs down, short track ice blade manufacturers batch grind the steel quickly. The heat from this process warps the steel and makes bending the blades a difficult process. The Ultrasprint is ground slowly with highly specialized grinding wheels to avoid excess heat. This slow process creates a perfectly straight piece of steel without warping.

After grinding, a normal short track blade is inserted into the tube for gluing. Before gluing the Ultrasprint undergoes a specialized polishing process called 'brilliance polishing'. This gives the steel a very highly polished finish for better glide.

When the steel is glued into the slot in the tube, there is a gap between the steel and the tube to allow room for the glue. This gap allows the steel to warp. The Ultrasprint is glued in a jig that holds the blade in the tube while the glue dries. Each blade takes 8 hours for the glue to set so it is an extremely slow process but the end result is a perfect blade.

Technology - Heat Molding Quadstar

Bont manufactures the most heat moldable boots available in the market. Improved continuously for over 45 years, Bont proprietary resin is extremely stiff that becomes pliable at relatively low temperatures.

 

 

Bont boots are moldable over the entire base, unlike other skates that are moldable only in select locations. Importantly, this provides skaters with the most anatomically designed boot on the market today. Additionally, skaters with Bont boots can fine-tune the fit of the whole boot to get that customized fit.

 

 

Technology - Last Design

Technology - Manufacturing

Manufacturing skates by hand, inside out, is a method Bont retains and is exceptionally proud of. The manufacturing process is far more skill-intensive and time-consuming than other manufacturing processes. Perhaps, most importantly, this enables Bont skates to lead the industry in performance. It does, however, result in a higher production cost than mainstream skate construction methods.

We continue to develop and refine our manufacturing process to maintain the best delivery of our high-quality products. For example, processes such as the use of generic vacuum boxes for the curing of carbon have been replaced. Today, for carbon curing, we use methods such as pressure wrapping. Pressure wrapping provides four atmospheres of pressure rather than one atmosphere you find in traditional vacuum forming.

Inze Bont’s, the renowned skate designer, engineering, has allowed our production line to optimize the manufacturing of our handmade monocoque skates in the most time-efficient manner possible.

Our innovative manufacturing processes match our drive for design innovation. Lighter, Stronger, Faster.

Read our process for Last Design, Footbed, Liner, Anti-Stretch, Carbon Fiber, Upper, and more in the self-titled sections below.

Technology - Manufacturing

Manufacturing skates by hand, inside out, is a method Bont retains and is exceptionally proud of. The manufacturing process is far more skill-intensive and time-consuming than other manufacturing processes. Perhaps, most importantly, this enables Bont skates to lead the industry in performance. It does, however, result in a higher production cost than mainstream skate construction methods.

We continue to develop and refine our manufacturing process to maintain the best delivery of our high-quality products. For example, processes such as the use of generic vacuum boxes for the curing of carbon have been replaced. Today, for carbon curing, we use methods such as pressure wrapping. Pressure wrapping provides four atmospheres of pressure rather than one atmosphere you find in traditional vacuum forming.

Inze Bont’s, the renowned skate designer, engineering, has allowed our production line to optimize the manufacturing of our handmade monocoque skates in the most time-efficient manner possible.

Our innovative manufacturing processes match our drive for design innovation. Lighter, Stronger, Faster.

Read our process for Last Design, Footbed, Liner, Anti-Stretch, Carbon Fiber, Upper, and more in the self-titled sections below.

Technology - Team Testing Quads

Our Bont Quadstar team are some of the best skaters in the World. They love to give us feedback! From the little things like the placement of the buckle to trialing the latest materials, they help Bont create products that not only look good but perform at the elite international level.

Technology - Vegan

This boot has a vegan option.

That is to say, this boot does not contain any animal ingredients or animal-derived byproducts. Our vegan materials include Durolite, microfiber, and suede-L (fake suede).