This invention in the broadest sense comprises a ski boot, freely pivoting at the ankle, in combination with an adjustable suspension shock absorber to control and optimize compression and rebound damping characteristics. In the preferred embodiment, the ski boot would comprise a rigid, pivoting exoskeleton (providing the lateral stiffness and torsional control), a sub-boot (providing padding, thermal insulation, and water-proofing), and a fully adjustable pneumatic/hydraulic/spring suspension system (providing adjustable fore-aft stiffness, shock absorption, and rebound damping). The object of the invention is to optimize ski boot performance by separating the necessary boot components, allowing them to be designed to optimize different performance characteristics.