If you’re plugged in to the ski industry and new ski product, you’ve certainly heard of this little thing called BOA. It’s one of the biggest leaps in ski boot innovation in recent history. Starting with just four brands a couple seasons ago, there’s a whole host of new BOA boots this season. But, ski boot designers aren’t letting us get comfortable. This year, several boot manufactures are launching an all new design: dual BOA ski boots.
Keeping the lower BOA on the shell as a fit solution, these new boots also offer a BOA dial on the upper cuff to help increase performance, ease of use, and improve fit. We’ll break down why these boots are special, who they’re best for, and all the new models coming out next season (including a few already available).
Dual BOA Ski Boots — The Tech
The BOA engineers will tell you that this is the better application of BOA technology on ski boots, while others might wonder how you can get as snug of a fit compared to buckles. Here’s the rundown of how the design works.
The major perk boot engineers are excited about is the smoother and more progressive flex compared to buckles. Buckles are metal, and thus rigid, without any give. The BOA system allows the BOA dial to hold the cable tight where you’ve dialed it, but the cable is free to move between the upper and lower connection point. When you flex into the boot, the upper connection gives some, while the lower attachment tightens. That gives you better heel hold, and a softer top end of the shell to flex into. That equals a more progressive flex.
On the fit side, the BOA upper cuff also delivers some improvements. Since the cable system is one continuous cable between the two attachments, the upper cuff can “auto-adjust” to different calf sizes. Say your calf is wider, the upper attachment will stop taking in as much slack as the lower attachment once it hits enough tension. That allows the upper cuff to be snug to the shin, but tighten where you need it to. This is a huge improvement over buckles, as tightening the upper buckle too much can often cause numbness and cramping.
How does it feel on snow?
We’ve gotten the chance to ski these boots a bit already, and the feedback is rock solid. Here’s some words from our head boot nerd, Chad:
They’re probably the best boots I’ve ever skied, which is a lot of boots. I can really feel the full contact from the instep up through the cuff from the upper BOA and it is super easy to adjust on the fly, even in gloves and deep snow. It is nice having a true LV fit from K2 , but the lower BOA system still allows comfort for my higher instep.
Chad, boot buyer
What about any drawbacks? As someone who normally runs buckled boots, my normal process is to unclip the buckles without releasing them from their ladder. That allows for a quick “clip-clip” to buckle them. If you completely undo your BOA dial, it will definitely take more time to redial that upper dial than quickly resnapping buckles. But! Don’t forget you can “back out” the BOA dial to get a looser fit without fully releasing the BOA dial.
So far, we haven’t had any issues with the upper BOA dial getting caught up on anything or interfering with skiing. It tucks nicely into your ski pant gaiter. And like the lower shell BOA, after a few seasons on snow, we haven’t seen tremendous durability issues, and have only had to service a handful of dials.
What new dual BOA ski boots are hitting the market?
Sound cool? Well, there’s quite a few boots available this coming season, with six new models from six different brands. We’ve got the all-new K2 Cortex, a low-volume fit option already on our shelves and online.
K2 Cortex – LV fit at 97mm; Available Flexes: 140, 130, 120, 125 W, 105 W
Dalbello Veloce Space – roomy MV fit at 101mm; Available Flexes: 130, 120, 105 W
Head Kaliber – average MV fit at 100mm; Available Flexes: 130, 110, 105 W
Nordica Speedmachine – average MV fit at 100mm; Available Flexes: 130 (Dual and Upper Only), 120, 115 W, 105 W
Salomon S Pro Supra – same mold as existing Supra at 100mm; Available Flexes: 130, 120, 115 W, 105 W
Atomic Hawx Ultra (non-XTD) – similar LV fit as existing Ultras at 98mm; Available Flexes: 130, 100 (sorry ladies)
That’s not all the new boots hitting the market next year. There are plenty of non-BOA ski boots to be excited about. Check our new boot preview in mid-February for the full rundown of new gear.
