Prostar Roller Derby Skates Package

Carbon fiber (or carbon fibre, depending on US or UK spelling) is an advanced composite material known for its exceptional strength-to-weight ratio. It is as strong as steel while weighing only a fraction as much.

Carbon fiber is made from bonded carbon atoms aligned along the length of each fiber. Thousands of these fibers are twisted into a yarn, which is then woven into fabric. This fabric forms the carbon sheets used in high-performance products.

Bont has been producing carbon-based boots since 1989. We source our carbon exclusively from Toray in Japan, the world leader in carbon fiber manufacturing.

Types of Carbon We Use

3K PLAIN

A tightly woven carbon commonly used in the aircraft industry and throughout Bont boots. Strong, reliable, and ideal for structural applications.

UNIDIRECTIONAL

Extremely stiff, lightweight carbon with fibers running in a single direction. This lets us place the carbon exactly where strength and support are needed. Used in our highest-performance boots, such as the Vaypor.

12K PLAIN

A larger weave that is more economical but not as strong as 3K. It reduces cost while maintaining adequate performance in less demanding applications.

INDUSTRY MISREPRESENTATION

Modern composites can be confusing, and not every product marketed as “carbon” contains true carbon fiber construction. Here are common examples of misleading terminology in the industry:

Single-Layer Carbon
Some boots have a plastic, nylon or fiberglass base covered with only one cosmetic layer of carbon. Although they can legally say “carbon base,” the structure underneath is not full carbon.

Unidirectional Carbon (Misused)
Some brands add carbon particles into plastic and call it “unidirectional carbon.” True UD carbon refers to continuous fibers all running in the same direction, not carbon-filled plastic.

Silver Fiberglass
A plastic base with carbon particles is often wrapped with silver fiberglass, then marketed as “carbon fiber.” Real carbon fiber fabric is always black.

100% Composite
A vague term that can mean almost anything. In most cases, it refers to a nylon–fiberglass composite, not a full carbon construction.

Monocoque (Misused)
A true monocoque boot has carbon laminated directly onto the liner, forming a one-piece shell. Some brands use the term incorrectly for shells with an integrated heel cup.

In Summary

Carbon terminology can be misused, so it helps to understand what you are buying. Bont uses genuine carbon fiber from Toray and builds boots with transparent, proven construction methods. Knowing the differences ensures you get the performance, strength, and value you expect from a true carbon boot.

Bont is one of the few skate brands that still handcrafts boots using an inside-out manufacturing method. This approach is far more skill-intensive and time-consuming than mainstream production, but it allows us to create boots with the performance, strength and responsiveness skaters expect. While it increases production costs, it delivers a lighter and more precise final product.

We continually refine our processes to maintain the highest quality. For example, traditional vacuum curing for carbon has been replaced with pressure wrapping, which applies four atmospheres of pressure instead of one. This produces a more consistent and durable carbon layup.

Inze Bont’s engineering innovations have helped optimize our production line so we can build handmade monocoque boots efficiently without compromising craftsmanship.

Our manufacturing methods reflect our performance philosophy: lighter, stronger and faster.

For more detail on individual components of our construction, explore the technical dropdowns on this page, including Last Design, Footbed, Liner, Anti-Stretch, Carbon Fiber, Upper and more.