Dalbello

Dalbello was founded in 1974 in Asolo, near the Dolomites in Italy's Treviso province, by Alessandro Dal Bello. He and his wife Giovanna had spent years in Switzerland learning ski-boot construction as artisans at the Henke boot factory before returning to Italy to start their own line under the Dalbello name. The company's early years coincided with the ski industry's shift from traditional leather boots to injected plastic shells, a transition Dalbello was directly involved in developing rather than adopting late. Through the 1980s the brand built a reputation for precise fit, which helped it expand into international markets beyond Italy. Its current lineup centers on cabrio-shell construction — a two-piece shell design distinct from the more common overlap shell — used across boot lines including the Panterra, for alpine skiers seeking a stiffer, performance fit, and the Lupo, aimed at backcountry and touring skiers who need a boot that walks as well as it skis.