{"id":192444,"date":"2023-08-30T18:25:00","date_gmt":"2023-08-31T01:25:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/?p=192444"},"modified":"2025-02-06T11:38:01","modified_gmt":"2025-02-06T19:38:01","slug":"boa-ski-boots-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/snowsports\/boa-ski-boots-review","title":{"rendered":"First Look: BOA Ski Boots"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

It was late June, and I was still skiing. Credit a lifelong obsession with the two-planked activity, and a massive winter in California\u2019s Lake Tahoe area. More than 720 inches of winter snow had fallen, making my odd summer ski session possible. But that wasn\u2019t the only curiosity that day. On my feet: a pair of Salomon<\/a> S\/PRO SUPRA BOA\u00ae<\/sup> ski boots, a new type of ski boot design. I tested the boots while skiing at Palisades Tahoe Ski Resort toward the end of the area\u2019s legendary season. I\u2019ll get to my feedback on the SUPRA BOA boots in a moment. But first, a little backstory. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Year of BOA Ski Boots<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Ski boot technology has remained relatively unchanged for years. Why fix something that\u2019s not broken, right? But this winter, prepare to see new innovations on the boot wall of your ski shop. This has been called the year of BOA, and for good reason. Four boot brands (Salomon<\/a>, K2<\/a>, Atomic<\/a> and Fischer<\/a>) have teamed up with BOA\u2014maker of the distinctive fit system with its telltale dial that you\u2019ve seen on bike shoes, helmets or snowboard boots\u2014to debut a new, better-fitting ski boot.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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K2\u00a0Mindbender 115 BOA Ski Boots – Women’s – 2024\/2025<\/a><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The technology as applied to ski boots may be fresh to consumers but hardly untested. K2 has used BOA systems in its snowboard boots<\/a> for years and, more recently, in ski boot liners. Salomon has had BOA in other iterations like snowboard boots<\/a>. But the companies are now putting the BOA Fit system into ski boot shells. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ski boots with the new BOA tension system range from alpine touring boots<\/a> to downhill ski boots<\/a>. They suit a wide variety of foot shapes and ability levels. And they\u2019re immediately recognizable because they dispense with the traditional bottom two buckles on your boot’s lower shell. Replacing them is a round knob, the heart and control center of the BOA H+i1 system. Turn that knob and it pulls a 1.7 mm-thick metal cable through a set of plastic pulleys. As the cable tensions, it cinches the boot\u2019s two-piece overlapping shell around the bottom of the foot, for a fit that\u2019s more even and secure than buckles can deliver. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many boots can be customized or heat-molded to create a perfect custom. The idea behind this BOA technology is that it gives you a better fit right out of the box. While standard ski boot buckles tend to have a few notches that let you adjust how tight or roomy you want your boots to be, the BOA dial lets you make micro-adjustments. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Testing the Salomon S\/PRO SUPRA BOA Ski Boots<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Salomon S\/PRO SUPRA BOA 95 W GW Ski Boots – Women’s – 2023\/2024<\/a>, $599.95; Salomon S\/PRO SUPRA BOA 120 GW Ski Boots – Men’s – 2023\/2024<\/a><\/em>, $749.95<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n