SCARPA, maker of mountain sports footwear, recently inked a deal with Chris Davenport that secures him as both an athlete ambassador for the brand, and also a product development team member.

Davenport has already been busy working with SCARPA on the development of a new line of freeride category boots; Dav tested and provided feedback on the prototypes during an extended trip to Chile in July. The boots are slated to debut at the OR and SIA trade shows in January, and will be available to consumers in the fall of 2013.

Photo courtesy SCARPA. Shot by Adam Clark.

“I’m a product guy, a gear geek if you will. I love equipment, I love tweaking it, and I believe that you can always make a better product,” notes Davenport. “SCARPA is super well respected in the world of skiing, so for me, this a chance to work with an already great line of products, but also a chance to help create something innovative and new.”

Davenport explains, “There’s very definitely an opportunity in the freeride category–a product for a specific set of needs that doesn’t yet exist in the marketplace,” he said. “I’m not just joining SCARPA, I’m joining SCARPA to be involved in the development of the strongest boot line yet specifically built for the needs of freeride and sidecountry skiers.”

Being a man who is constantly in search of the next grand adventure—most recently climbing and skiing 15 volcanoes in the PNW in a span of 14 days—Davenport’s expertise and knowledge will certainly be of great benefit to SCARPA as it looks to change the landscape of the boot market.