Good news for gear freaks who care about the environment: Atomic has made the world’s first carbon-negative, planet-positive ski boot.  The model is called Renu and is made from castor plants, which form an organic bio plastic exterior.  This plastic, known as Pebax Renew, makes up the cuff and shell.  The lining is constructed of bamboo and the footbed is made out of cork.

Even better, it’s completely and easily recyclable.  The color of the boot is all natural, meaning no pigmentation was used, thus making it reusable for any other colors.  And the plastic shell is recyclable too.  All of those features add up to less landfill space and a smaller carbon footprint.

Ok great, it’s eco-friendly and it looks rad too (IMHO).  But how does it perfom?  Atomic classifies it as a high performance alpine boot, and according to our seasoned gear experts, that’s pretty accurate.  After taking the Renu boots for a spin at Keystone, CO, tester Doug Sabanosh described it as aggressive on groomed runs and perfect for intermediate to expert skiers.  Tester Ben Rifkin’s impressions were similar, noting the high responsiveness and sensitivity of the boot: “You could actually feel the ripples of corduroy under the bottom of your feet…Most delightful sensation I have ever had in a ski boot.”  The Renu boot comes in a 110 (size 25.0 – 29.5) and a 90 (23.0 – 27.5).

Looks like Atomic has added a fourth “R” to the three Rs:  Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, and Rip. 

Speaking of things made completely out of recyclables, has anyone heard about David de Rothschild’s boat made almost completely out of empty plastic bottles that he intends to sail from California to Australia??