An alpine ski boot has an cuff mounted on a shell base for forward and rearward pivotal movement about a transverse axis. An element is mounted on the cuff in frictional engagement with an element mounted on the shell base so that the elements move relative to each other in response to pivotal movement of the cuff relative to the shell base. Control means, in association with the elements, are responsive to relative movement between the engaged elements such that the force required to move the elements relative to each other is dependent on the direction of pivotal movement of the cuff relative to the shell base.