It's all markup. They know people will pay because they pass it off as "technology" and "innovation." The materials and workmanship ARE cheaper--the markup is huge. And no, as someone else said, your Klingbeils don't have wood soles. They are stacked leather. Same for Harlicks and SP Teri.
It is technology, and it is innovation.
It's not all mark-up.
I'd take Light Boots + Light Blades over Traditional models any day, as long as they fit well.
Lightweight boots are delivering the same stiffness and significantly lower weight over traditional boots these days. It's a huge factor and if I were a parent I personally would have my child using that setup, to protect their bodies from stress injuries/strains and allow them to get more out of their on-ice time because it has an effect on endurance as well.
The barrier at the moment is cost. It is worth the cost, but given more "traditional" equipment works well some people just don't see the point in making that extra investment.