BLandzWhats the pros/cons list of a boa boot
Who are the BOA boots good for? Like are they so dope that they’re going to change ski boots forever or is it more along the lines of like a full tilt cable system where its not game breaking, just a different approach
The biggest advances are a better fit and better ski performance. The only real disadvantages are they are slightly slower to close and they cost slightly more than buckles.
The better fit is achieved from the ability for brands to design boots which better wrap the foot. One of the big disadvantages of buckles is most of the force is applied directly under the buckle which especially for people with high insteps can be a real problem. The two buckle design also makes it hard for the boot to close evenly around the foot.
In comparison BOA allows us to build a boot which better wraps the whole foot. Through our testing we found a BOA shell can reduce in volume 14% compared to only 5% on a buckle boot. This additional volume reduction also allows for a far greater range of feet to fit in one shell. BOA wont make a bad boot fit but it will make an ok fitting boot fit better for a lot more people than if it had buckles.
In testing it has been found that peak pressure (hotspots) on the foot is reduced by 13% and the overall foot wrap is improved by 10%. This testing was done with an identical shell and liner and the only change was using BOA or buckles.
It is this improvement of how well the lower shell fits that allows the boots to also perform better. To get the optimal performance out of a ski boot the lower shell needs to match the foot as closely as possible. Any space between the shell and foot will result in the lower shell collapsing or deforming more than intended. So by having a better fit and wrap we can ensure the boots perform as we design them too.
In testing it has been found that a BOA boot allowed skiers to put an additional 4-6% force through the ski. This could be pushing through a carved turn or pushing off the lip of a jump or wall of the pipe. BOA also allowed skiers to initiate force 10% quicker. Again this could mean a 10% improvement in popping off a jump. As above the testing was done in identical shell and liner and the only change was the BOA system.
So a BOA boot compared to the same boot with buckles will fit better and ski better which is pretty much going to mean its better for anyone. For this reason I really don't see a scenario where BOA will not replace buckles. Now something else may be found to work even better than BOA but at this time we have not found or seen anything. All of our athletes are changing to BOA boots unless they wear FL3X boots as currently there is not a 3 piece boot solution.
