English: The image shows the left boot in a pair of Lange XL-R ski boots. These are typical of the late 1980s state of the art. The XL-R was the premier downhill racing boot of the 1980s, undergoing a series of upgrades in the Z, T and follow-on series. The basic form of the XL-R has stayed the same since; the cuff around the leg rises to a point just under the calf muscles, overlapping plastic on the front locks the cuff into a cylindrical shape, and four buckles, two on the foot and two on the cuff, hold the boot closed. Almost all modern ski boots are essentially identical in design, the only addition being a velcro strap around the uppermost part of the cuff to hold the liner against the back of the cuff.