BOA ski boots: Are they worth the hype?
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- Опубликовано: 9 июл 2024
- The BOA system is one of the biggest innovations to ski boot technology in the last couple of years. This review covers the first 9 days skiing with Fischer RC4 120 MV BOA ski boots. We broke this review in to three categories: Comfort and Fit, Performance, and Durability. We also offer our recommendation as to whether or not YOU should give BOA a try in your next pair of ski boots.
The BOA system in currently available in a variety of ski boot models from top brands, including Salomon, K2, Atomic, and Fischer. Keep an eye out for new releases for 24/25 and end of season deals as we wind down this 23/24 ski season.
00:00 - INTRODUCTION
00:43 - COMFORT & FIT
03:04 - PERFORMANCE
04:38 - DURABILITY
05:52 - FINAL THOUGHTS + RECOMMENDATION
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Have you made the switch over to a ski boot with the BOA system? Our team tested a wide range of ski boots that incorporate the BOA system - check out the links below to read more!
K2 Mindbender 120: gearjunkie.com/footwear/k2-mindbender-120-boa-review
Salomon S Pro Supra: gearjunkie.com/winter/skiing/salomon-s-pro-supra-boa-ski-boot-review
Thank you! Very useful review.
Something else I noticed, the top part is still traditional buckles. So I am not sure what is gained by having two different methods of tightening up the boots. If the whole thing was BOA (one knob tightens up both top and bottom) I could see the convenience. But you need to be able to completely pull open the top shell on a ski boot, so they couldn't make BOA for the top as well. Wouldn't that be like having half the length of your shoe laces as traditional shoe laces and the other half velcro, and then saying it's easier because it is *half* velcro?
I don’t like the big button dial sticking out of the side. The aggressive way that I ski and knock around the boots, that thing is going to get broken off the first week.
@ddbear8786 we had our initial concerns but after skiing on them for about 20 days now, I'd recommend you give them a try if you're interested. A lot of great skiers were heavily involved with the design process of both the Fischer RC4 120 MV and the BOA system.
For skiing the resort, we couldn't find many scenarios where you'd run into issues with the dial. Most likely scenario would probably be a powder day if you hit a stump or rock, but the argument could be made that a buckle could blow if you hit that with enough force, as well.
If you're more of a park skier, there's a world where you could bang these on a rail or feature... but these boots really aren't built with park skiing top of mind.
Stay shreddy out there!
You’re welcome skiers.
Random snowboard guy
Ha! It's not the only thing skiers have adopted from y'all. The skiers of GearJunkie are certainly happy about BOA being integrated into a number of ski boots as of 23/24.
@@Gearjunkie I like to tease them. They’re pretty much snowboarding now just with two skinny snowboards 😂. Got the shape years ago then came rocker camber and now BOA. Welcome to the club guys. We’re not so different after all.
2 of those 3 are Fischer not BOA
The BOA system is currently incorporated in to ski boots from 4 different brands: Fischer, Atomic, Salomon, and K2.
For this video, our reviewer skied the Fischer RC4 120 MV. Instead of reviewing the boots we wanted to focus on the experience with the BOA system.
Having said that, his experience with the Fischer RC4 120 MV was positive!
What would have been interesting is to test the same model of boot Boa version and buckle version.
No.
I was an early adopter of speed lace technology. First Burton and later BOA. I've had 3 different BOA enabled boots from top snowboard brands. I can confidently say this. DO NOT BUY THESE! BOA is/has ruined snowboard boots. Every pair I've ever owned I will, at some point in the day, pop the BOAs out while riding and since it doesn't loosen right away your boots just looser and looser run after run. So unless you like tightening them every single time you get on/off the chair this is hard pass. Further, when they do break the repair can be a bit of pain on the first 2 or 3 times you do it. It does get easier. Lets just hope it happens near a lodge, at home, or somewhere similar. Repairing on the mountain (likely) in a storm is horrible and almost not worth it since you'll need to take your foot and liner out of the boot.
Thanks for sharing, @CharlesChristolini. Sounds like you've had some troubling experiences.
Our team has tested a number of recently released ski boots that incorporate the BOA system, and we haven't had any experiences that suggest that there will be durability issues. All of us have thoroughly enjoyed skiing boots with the BOA system incorporated.
The wire laces of the BOA system are made of 19 strands of stainless steel which are then wrapped in an additional 90 strands and the tensile strength is greater that 559 pounds, which should be more than enough to stand up to downhill skiing pressures.
The dial is designed to pop off in the event of a significant impact (very significant), which helps prevent it from breaking. Once the dial pops off, you can simply pop it right back into the boot and keep skiing.
If you have a more serious issue / accident, you may need to order replacement parts, which will likely be under warranty by BOA.
@@Gearjunkie This isn't something you'll generally notice in a week or two. This is a problem I've noticed around day 30 or so in any given season. If you're more casual with the number of days you get out on hill maybe this wont be an issue until your second or third season. Or, perhaps ski boots being a hard plastic shell won't place the same forces on the BOA system and my experience doesn't translate. For what it's worth; Typically the upper section gives me the most trouble in a snowboard boot.
This is not the same Boa as the one on boards. Cable and whole mechanism is much more durable.
Umm. You have 4 points of contact on a traditional boot as well. Each buckle attaches on two sides. Obviously.
Touche! What we're pointing out is that BOA system allows the pressure to be more evenly distributed on the dorsal of your foot. The laces of the BOA system criss cross up the boot because of the 4 unique contact points.
Buckles, on the other hand, distribute the pressure in two main areas, one at the top of your toes, and one as you get closer to your ankle... now, if you look at some three buckle boots, this changes slightly, but our feeling about the pressure distribution remains the same!