MadJacks: Affordable Comfort for a Ski Enthusiast
ABOUT PAUL STOLTZ
Dr. Paul Stoltz is the CEO of Peak Learning, a global research and consulting firm aimed at understanding, assessing, and strengthening the way people perform under demanding circumstances. An avid skier and overall outdoorsman, Paul loves to spend his downtime on ski slopes around the world. A Minnesota native, Paul grew up skiing and enjoys embarking on ski trips with his buddies. But nearly every trip is hampered by aching feet — a pain so intense that he often has to sit out and head back to the lodge after a single morning of skiing.
“I have always struggled with finding ski boots that work for me; I’ve purchased or rented every kind of boot available. I even tried custom fitted and formed boots, the most expensive ski boot money can buy. I tried literally everything and nothing solved my foot pain after a day on the slopes.”
THE CHALLENGE
“I truly reached the breaking point on this outing. The time spent with my friend was shot because I literally couldn’t ski. I thought I would never ski again ... but then I ran across MadJacks.”
Paul's feet hurt — no matter what boot he tried, he failed to find comfort and pleasure in his favorite outdoor activity. When even the most expensive custom-fitted boots didn't solve his problems, Paul was stumped. One day, while skiing with his friend Erik Weihenmayer (the world's leading blind athlete and the first blind person to summit Mount Everest) at Beaver Creek, Paul was so excited to spend time with his good friend who also happens to be an incredible athlete. As he struggled to keep up with his friend, Paul ended each run down the slope by laying on his back and putting his legs in the air because of intense foot pain. Unfortunately, he had to go back to the lodge by lunchtime, which devastated him as he missed out on valuable friendship time. The boots he were wearing were the best on the market and specifically designed to ease foot pain, and he couldn't even stand, let alone ski.
THE MADJACKS SOLUTION
“Let’s be honest, skiing without comfort sucks. Instead, MadJacks allows you to bind snowboard boots to your skis, making every run down the slopes easier and more enjoyable.”
MadJacks is a simple idea; it's an simple device that adheres the user's snowboard boots to both their ski bindings, in the same way a traditional alpine ski boot works . For exclusive skiers, MadJacks provides the ultimate level of comfort to help prevent aching feet and blisters. Most ski boots aren't designed with the skier in mind; with MadJacks, comfort is a priority while never compromising performance.
MadJacks is absolutely universal; it fits every snowboard boot on the market. It is designed to all ISO and ASTM standards related to alpine ski boot geometry (ISO 5355). Skiers experience support from the MadJacks to ensure the back support does not rotate backward, giving the skier leverage for performance. The ankle and calf strap create a cinching mechanism around the snowboard boot; when combined with a snowboard boot, there is an appropriate level of stiffness to protect the ankles.
“For anybody who wants to have all the advantages of control and performance with a ton more comfort and freedom — both on the mountain and walking around the ski lodge — for a fraction of the price, there’s no other way to go. MadJacks are the answer.”
RESULTS
Paul contacted MadJacks and told them his story. He was apprehensive at first — the MadJacks design seemed so simple, and here he was using the Apex system that was expensive and specifically designed to provide comfort to the skier. Paul decided to give MadJacks a try since he wasn't ready to hang up his skis forever. He headed to the slopes with MadJacks mounted onto his skis; whether he skied or not that day depended on how comfortable the boots would be.
“I was absolutely giddy going down the mountain with MadJacks. I laughed the entire way down the hill and I actually skied better than I have in years. I had more fun and got in more runs in a single morning than I had in a year. MadJacks are an absolute revelation. I’m re-enthused about skiing thanks to this invention.”
As the moment of truth arrived, Paul could not believe what he experienced. On his first pass down the mountain, he had the best run in 20 years. He shot down the mountain 20 times before lunch and was able to go full steam ahead each time. He finally took a break because his legs were sore — not because his feet hurt — and he wanted to pace himself for another three days on the mountain. For his entire four-day trip, Paul was able to hit the slopes with a vigor that he hadn't experienced in years. He admits that he got some funny looks on the lift; everyone had questions about the MadJacks system. But once others heard about Paul's experience, everyone on the mountain wanted a pair! Paul says that he will never ski with anything else.