Question: BOA boots: anyone with personal experience?

[SnowHot]

Just quick visual.

SkiTalk on Instagram: "Have you ever wondered how the BOA system works? Instead of traditional buckles pulling across, it uses cables that wrap around your foot to create even, customized pressure. Have you tried a BOA boot yet? Do you own a pair? S

37 likes, 6 comments - skitalkdotcom on November 21, 2024: "Have you ever wondered how the BOA system works? Instead of traditional buckles pulling across, it uses cables that wrap around your foot to create even, customized pressure. Have you tried a BOA boot yet? Do you own a pair? Share your...

www.instagram.com

 

[mustski]

One of these trips to Tahoe, I need to visit @mustski and come see @SnowHot for boot fitting....

You know you are welcome anytime! But, check dates with @SnowHot. They travel a lot for business.

 

[santacruz skier]

You know you are welcome anytime! But, check dates with @SnowHot. They travel a lot for business.

Thread drift but still want to try the Fischer 84 W's... in addition to the BOA boots

 

[Trailside Trixie]

I'm not sure what @Trailside Trixie 's fitter is reffering to but there is nothing about the BOA system that is less control. Any bootfitter with bold statements like that has made up their mind that BOA is not his jam.
From my experience, the fit concerns in the forefoot of a boot are addressed s bit better beause of BOA due to the microadjustability.

Somewhere else here I explained that I've been in three different brand BOA Boots,
Atomic HAWX Ultra XTD BOA - LV
Salomon Supra 115 BOA - MV
K2 Anthem 115 BOA - MV

The Atomic Ultra BOA is a similar fit to the other boots you're asking about.

I also have the LV Lange Shadow 115 which is not a BOA Boot.
I ski a lot of different boots to get a lot of different feedback.
IMHO you shouldn't buy a boot because of BOA but you shouldn't refuse to buy a boot because of BOA

My fitter is Torin from Totem Pole in Ludlow, Vermont

Our Story | Totem Pole Ski Shop | Ludlow, VT

www.totempoleskishop.com

I'm lucky enough to have boots from him that I love so no skin of my back. This all came about when I asked him for me as I was curious.

He sells this system and doesn't recommend it when other boots are an option.

Happy to hear it works for some people. All good in my hood.

 

[Trailside Trixie]

Interesting, that's the first comment like that that I've heard about them -- most of what I've read seems to say that you can get a much better fit, because you can dial in your hold without crushing down on the instep, so better hold, less pain.

Would love to hear from @SnowHot on this.

Some interesting cond

Cons:
Potential for mechanical failure, especially in extreme conditions
Added cost compared to traditional lacing
Dial can be vulnerable to damage from impacts
Some users may find the single dial adjustment less customizable than multiple buckles

Other articles

Potential downsides:
Cost: BOA boots often cost slightly more than comparable boots with traditional buckles.
Durability concerns: While modern BOA systems are designed to be ski-ready, some users may worry about potential damage from impacts.
Not for every skier: Some skiers may prefer the familiar feel of traditional buckles.

It's Tomato/tomaaaato to me.

I've also known someone who's broke at a mountain and she couldn't ski since where she wasn't didn't sell them so no immediate parts available

If they work for someone then FAB@

 

[tika55]

I like my Salomon S/Pro Supra 105 with BOA. I have skied 15+ days in them over last season and this one. The hold feels firm but not tight to me.

 

[pinto]

I skied the Atomic Hawx Ultra XTD 120 for about three seasons, and mostly loved them. Entry and egress became more and more difficult (not sure why), and last year I decided to try the same boot with the BOA. The 130 was too much boot, but the 115 seemed to fit quite well, so away we went. Damn if everything wasn't so much easier to deal with. I too have a narrow heel and high instep, and was always messing with my buckles to get things tighter, looser, less painful, more comfortable ... but last year was so much better. No one recognized me because usually I am bent over at the waist fiddling away, and my ass was in far fewer faces. (If I'm not mistaken, Atomic changed the plastic too, so that is another variable, but I think the basic last remained the same.)

 

[teppaz]

One of these trips to Tahoe, I need to visit @mustski and come see @SnowHot for boot fitting....

Highly recommend.

 

[teppaz]

Some interesting cond

Cons:
Potential for mechanical failure, especially in extreme conditions
Added cost compared to traditional lacing
Dial can be vulnerable to damage from impacts
Some users may find the single dial adjustment less customizable than multiple buckles

Other articles

Potential downsides:
Cost: BOA boots often cost slightly more than comparable boots with traditional buckles.
Durability concerns: While modern BOA systems are designed to be ski-ready, some users may worry about potential damage from impacts.
Not for every skier: Some skiers may prefer the familiar feel of traditional buckles.

It's Tomato/tomaaaato to me.

I've also known someone who's broke at a mountain and she couldn't ski since where she wasn't didn't sell them so no immediate parts available

If they work for someone then FAB@

Hasn’t BOA been used on snowboarding and mountain biking footwear for years? These sports are high impact and I assume we would have heard about a high rate of mechanical failures by now.

 

[marzNC]

Hasn’t BOA been used on snowboarding and mountain biking footwear for years? These sports are high impact and I assume we would have heard about a high rate of mechanical failures by now.

For snowboard boots, the BOA is on the liner so the mechanics are inside the boot. Same for telemark boots. That's different from ski boots with the BOA replacing the two lower buckles.

I used my daughter's tele gear a few times to see what free heel was all about. Dealing with the BOA on the liner was different.

That said, I doubt there's really been much of an issue after the first season. I tried on a pair of BOA ski boots at Snowbound Expo in Nov 2023. The rep explained that an advantage of the design is that the plastic on the lower part of the boot can be thinner and more responsive because it didn't need to be strong enough to support metal buckles. Felt fine just standing. The issue for me is that I need a short cuff, which isn't really possible with a 4-buckle or 2-buckle plus BOA design. My current boots are 3-buckle and I'll probably stick with that design for the next pair of boots.

 

[elemmac]

Hasn’t BOA been used on snowboarding and mountain biking footwear for years? These sports are high impact and I assume we would have heard about a high rate of mechanical failures by now.

Yes, they have, and quite successfully. The new ski boot BOA is different, and actually A LOT more robust than snowboard/shoe/etc BOAs. And it's more durable than people, that haven't seen and tested the system, give it credit for. I've seen video of reps slamming the BOA into chairs, tables, whatever else they have in a trade show booth. The BOA dial will pop off before it gets damaged. I think you have the same chance to damage a buckle, as you do a BOA dial.

For snowboard boots, the BOA is on the liner so the mechanics are inside the boot.

Most snowboard boots are on the outside, in lieu of laces. Some have them in the liner, or some are multiple targeted areas.

My snowboard boots actually have 3 BOAs...One for the lower part of the boot, one for the upper, and one on a harness that wraps around the liner (pulls your heel back into the heel pocket). I LOVE them and can't wait until there are more low-volume ski boots with BOAs. If ski boots have similar functionality to my snowboard boots, the quickness and ease of making micro-adjustments is unparalleled to normal buckles (IMO).

 

[marzNC]

Most snowboard boots are on the outside, in lieu of laces. Some have them in the liner, or some are multiple targeted areas.

My snowboard boots actually have 3 BOAs...One for the lower part of the boot, one for the upper, and one on a harness that wraps around the liner (pulls your heel back into the heel pocket). I LOVE them and can't wait until there are more low-volume ski boots with BOAs. If ski boots have similar functionality to my snowboard boots, the quickness and ease of making micro-adjustments is unparalleled to normal buckles (IMO).

Good to know. Haven't paid that much attention.

 

[jrrobins78]

I bought the "Atomic Hawx Ultra Xtd 115 Boa W Gw 2024 version" this fall. I am blessed with one of the smallest, low volume feet boot fitters have ever seen, with a long big toe. For this reason I sized down to the 22.5 and had the big toe of the shell blown out, as well as the liner stretched, twice. I am an expert skiier, weigh 130lb, for reference.

I have skied 4x in this boot. I like the way it performs on the DH, responsive and stiff. The Boa makes getting the forefoot tight enough attainable. The lack of cuff/walk mobility leaves some touring function to be desired but I also need to play with loosening buckles more. I hope that will improve though I don't expect it will be as good as some boots I've owned. I think it will work great and it's getting better each time I wear it. I will probably loose my left big toenail and am considering an Intuition pro tour liner for touring, since it will solve the left big toe, length issue. The boot fitter recommended the ZipFit tour liner eventually. I would like to get at least one season out of the stock liner and the ZiptFit is supposedly heavy so I'm on the fence about that currently.

Hope this helps!

 

[pinto]

Yes, they have, and quite successfully. The new ski boot BOA is different, and actually A LOT more robust than snowboard/shoe/etc BOAs. And it's more durable than people, that haven't seen and tested the system, give it credit for. I've seen video of reps slamming the BOA into chairs, tables, whatever else they have in a trade show booth. The BOA dial will pop off before it gets damaged. I think you have the same chance to damage a buckle, as you do a BOA dial.

Yes, I have talked to people who have "BOA'd out" due to the knob (a problem I will never have), but the cable itself seems to be fairly substantial. Of course they tested it heavily.

 

[HuntersEmma57]

I've heard some positive reviews on the newer BOA systems which helped alleviate the uneven tightness. I have a high arch and high instep and found the BOA system in everything from bike shoes to ski boots were simply awful for me. My son's new BOA system snowboard boots failed under stress and he had a heck of a time getting down the mountain with a floppy boot. So, there's that.

 

[HuntersEmma57]

Yes, I have talked to people who have "BOA'd out" due to the knob (a problem I will never have), but the cable itself seems to be fairly substantial. Of course they tested it heavily.

Yup. Many failures of the knobs happened to my crew.

 

[MissySki]

My boot guy said not an option for me. He said they are a great last resort boot if no other boot works. He doesn't feel you have as much control; skiing because the hold on the foot isn't as strong as other boots. To each their own and all of that. One of my friends who's a level 2 loves her BOAs so I know they work for some.

This is not the messaging I understood when I discussed BOA with Torin when I got my new boots in October…

The conversation we had was that there were not yet any high performance (like race) options with BOA in a true low volume option in the brands he carries. He works with a lot of racers as you know, so there just isn’t a solid option for this application yet in the type of boot. He did have a low volume Solomon hybrid BOA boot he had me try on but it was way too soft for me. He wanted to get a sense of how it fit me though and I can say it was the best fit (like an actual glove) I have ever felt around my low instep… like the most amazing full contact on my lower foot that no other boot has ever provided to me. I would have bought it in a heartbeat if The flex wasn’t so very soft for me. He though BOA like this would be a great option for my foot once a true low volume version is available in a stiffer high performance boot.

So I was just a little surprised by this messaging. I’ve always found Torin to be extremely open minded with new technology and thinking outside the box in bootfitting. So I wouldn’t expect him to take this stand on BOA overall really. At least this is not the conversation we had outside of there just not being super high performance low volume options available to us yet and being interested in seeing what comes from it. So it just wasn’t an option for me yet, but he thought from a fit standpoint it could be a great option for me in the future… and he does put me in the highest flex/performance low volume boot in a line based on my anatomy and skiing needs. What I heard was that the jury is still out a bit given what is and isn’t available right now but that there will surely be more to come. He also doesn’t carry every brand, like Atomic sticks out in my mind as a major brand he doesn’t have. I’m not sure what boot models might be available with BOA that he doesn’t carry.

 

[MissySki]

I bought the "Atomic Hawx Ultra Xtd 115 Boa W Gw 2024 version" this fall. I am blessed with one of the smallest, low volume feet boot fitters have ever seen, with a long big toe. For this reason I sized down to the 22.5 and had the big toe of the shell blown out, as well as the liner stretched, twice. I am an expert skiier, weigh 130lb, for reference.

I have skied 4x in this boot. I like the way it performs on the DH, responsive and stiff. The Boa makes getting the forefoot tight enough attainable. The lack of cuff/walk mobility leaves some touring function to be desired but I also need to play with loosening buckles more. I hope that will improve though I don't expect it will be as good as some boots I've owned. I think it will work great and it's getting better each time I wear it. I will probably loose my left big toenail and am considering an Intuition pro tour liner for touring, since it will solve the left big toe, length issue. The boot fitter recommended the ZipFit tour liner eventually. I would like to get at least one season out of the stock liner and the ZiptFit is supposedly heavy so I'm on the fence about that currently.

Hope this helps!

Hmmmm I am curious about this boot hearing you talk about your foot! I have a very low volume foot as well. My fitter doesn’t carry Atomic. I tried on a low volume Solomon boot that had walk mode and BOA but it was way too soft for me. However the fit over my lower foot with the BOA was the best wrap I have ever felt, it was like molded to my foot. Usually my low instep is the issue with my being unable to get truly desired contact/pressure there without adding padding to that part of the tongue in any boot I get. I am going to need to find this Atomic to try on because my curiosity is now piqued! How is the width? Despite my whole foot being low volume elsewhere, my forefoot is wider and is where i always need to be blown out in a low volume boot to get a the fit I need everywhere else.

 

[contesstant]

I bought the "Atomic Hawx Ultra Xtd 115 Boa W Gw 2024 version" this fall. I am blessed with one of the smallest, low volume feet boot fitters have ever seen, with a long big toe. For this reason I sized down to the 22.5 and had the big toe of the shell blown out, as well as the liner stretched, twice. I am an expert skiier, weigh 130lb, for reference.

I have skied 4x in this boot. I like the way it performs on the DH, responsive and stiff. The Boa makes getting the forefoot tight enough attainable. The lack of cuff/walk mobility leaves some touring function to be desired but I also need to play with loosening buckles more. I hope that will improve though I don't expect it will be as good as some boots I've owned. I think it will work great and it's getting better each time I wear it. I will probably loose my left big toenail and am considering an Intuition pro tour liner for touring, since it will solve the left big toe, length issue. The boot fitter recommended the ZipFit tour liner eventually. I would like to get at least one season out of the stock liner and the ZiptFit is supposedly heavy so I'm on the fence about that currently.

Hope this helps!

Just curious what your measured size is and the width of your foot at its widest part? My feet are 83mm wide and are bony little sticks with an itty bitty ankle to add to the fun. If the Atomic in a "mid" volume works for you, then there is hope that I can eventually get into a BOA boot because I do have issues with getting the forefoot dialed in on my stick feet.

 

[elemmac]

Yes, I have talked to people who have "BOA'd out" due to the knob (a problem I will never have), but the cable itself seems to be fairly substantial. Of course they tested it heavily.

I'm curious, you mean "BOA'd out" in the same way people talk about "booting out", as in, the boot hits the snow when they're getting huge edge angles? And in this case, the BOA hits the ground first when the people you've talked to are arcing really low turns?

Looking at the front profile of a boot...I'm not sure I'm buying it. I think the boot will hit before the BOA, just as it would with buckles.



Here's a screenshot from Reddit of a [future] double BOA, definitely looks like the boot will hit before the knob for a World Cup racer (it's close though...):