Intro
This past week, there was a big shakeup in the ski world — BOA Fit System dials were being put on ski boots. And not just lightweight touring boots, but full-on, fixed-cuff, alpine boots.
The public response seems to have spanned from “hooray!” to “this is the end of skiing as we know it.”
Whatever your take, it’s a big deal when something as longstanding as a ski boot’s lower buckles is fundamentally changed, especially when that change doesn’t come from just one brand trying to be different. In this case, the launch occurred across four different brands, and it’s clear that they won’t be the last.
Blister Happy Hour (Please Watch / Listen to This)
For all the Blister Members out there, we had an excellent Happy Hour conversation with Atomic’s Matt Manser, Fischer’s Christoph Lentz, and K2’s Tom Pietrowski about this very topic, where they answered lots of questions and provided more background info about their respective brands’ use of BOA on some of their 23/24 ski boots. Our founder, Jonathan Ellsworth, said “what resulted was one of the most important conversations about ski boots that will happen in 2023. So become a Blister member and don’t miss this one. And don’t miss our Blister Summit, because our panel session there on Ski Boot Design might be the only conversation about boots that will top yesterday’s.”
You’ll also hear Jonathan Ellsworth and Dylan Wood talk about their experience with the Atomic Hawx Ultra XTD BOA, and Jonathan compares the boot vs. the non-BOA’d / traditional-buckles-equipped Hawx Ultra XTD.
And if you did miss the live stream, be sure to check out the replay in the Blister Member Clubhouse (where you can join all future Happy Hour sessions, and catch all the previous ones). Not a Blister Member? Become a Blister Member today to join our Happy Hour live streams, get discounts on gear from tons of great brands, get personalized gear recommendations from us, and a whole lot more.
GEAR:30 Episode: “Year of the BOA?” (Please Also Listen to This)
But here, we wanted to provide a brief overview of all the new BOA-equipped ski boots that will be hitting the shelves for the 2023-2024 season. Again, you can find more details from the designers themselves in our Happy Hour conversation, and we’ll be spending time in several of them (and have actually), after which we’ll be able to chime in with our own thoughts on their performance, so stay tuned for more on our site.
Background: BOA Fit Alpine System
All of the ski boots discussed here use a brand-new BOA system that, while similar in functionality to the brand’s previous dial-style tensioners, features a few key differences to make it better suited to the specific demands of 2-piece, overlap ski boots.
Dubbed “BOA H+i1,” the system employed on these boots consists of (1) a dial tensioner that’s far burlier than any other BOA dial we’ve seen, (2) a 1.7mm-thick metal cable (dubbed “SS3”), and (3) a series of plastic pulleys through which the cable routes, zig-zagging across the two pieces of the lower shell of the boot. The H+i1 system is reportedly the stiffest of those that BOA produces, as well as the one that’s capable of producing the most tension. The dial can be micro-adjusted to both tighten and loosen the tension of the cable, or simply popped out to fully loosen the cable.
Across the board, we’re told that the main upside of the BOA system is that it more uniformly adjusts tension through the lower shell, relative to traditional buckles. The end result is supposed to be a more consistent fit across a range of tensions, and our own initial impressions of this are very much in line with what the brands are claiming (see our initial Flash Review of the Atomic Hawx Ultra XTD 130 BOA). Compared to the traditional two lower buckles, the BOA system allows for more consistent “wrapping” of the two pieces of the lower shell, whereas tightening traditional lower buckles will eventually “fold” or … “buckle” the two pieces. This reportedly allows for greater fit versatility with the BOA boots, and should be especially noteworthy for folks with high insteps.
We obviously can’t yet say anything conclusive about long-term durability ourselves, but these brands reportedly started working with BOA over three years ago (FWIW, K2’s Tom Pietrowski said he’s still skiing his original 3-year-old prototype). The system is designed to be replaceable, with the dial tensioner not being directly molded to the boot shell, though all BOA boot molds need to be designed specifically for the BOA system (a big reason why we’re not seeing BOA models across all boot and width ranges). In short, the dial tensioner attaches to a piece on the molded portion of the shell, but can feasibly break away in the event of a serious impact, in an attempt to reduce the potential for damage to the shell itself, and to make potential repairs / replacements easier. All removable parts are also attached via screws / bolts, not rivets. Replacement parts will be available through BOA and the respective boot brands, with BOA offering a lifetime warranty on the BOA system.
All that said, these brands are still making non-BOA versions of nearly all their boots (i.e., it’s not “BOA or nothing”). The BOA versions cost more (reportedly 10-20%) and are typically a touch heavier than traditional buckles. For reference, Atomic’s Hawx Ultra XTD 130 BOA’s stated weight is 1831 g per boot, whereas the non-BOA version’s is 1825 g. K2’s Recon 120 BOA retails for $699, while the non-BOA, 23/24 version will go for $599.
So, with that basic background info out of the way, here’s the rundown on the new BOA boots being offered for the 2023-2024 season:
Atomic
Atomic has already employed BOA’s lighter, more minimal dial systems on their lightweight-touring Backland series, but for 23/24, they’ve employed the burlier H+i1 system on the Hawx Ultra XTD 130 BOA and Hawx Ultra XTD 115 BOA W models. These are boots with walk mechanisms that are designed for a mix of lift-accessed and human-powered skiing. Learn more in our First Look of the Hawx Ultra XTD 130 BOA.
Fischer
Like Atomic, Fischer has used different BOA dials on their touring boots in the past, but they’re adding BOA H+i1 versions of a few of the “MV” versions of their (overhauled) fixed-cuff RC4 and RC4 Pro models for 23/24. These will include the Fischer RC4 MV 130 BOA, Fischer RC4 MV 120 BOA, Fischer RC4 MV 105 BOA, and Fischer RC4 Pro MV 130 BOA. The Pro versions of the RC4 boots feature several upgrades, including ZipFit stock liners, race-boot plastic, and a carbon-fused cuff.
K2
K2 has used BOA dials in their snowboard boots and ski boot liners, but for 23/24, they’re offering several fixed-cuff (Recon & Anthem) and walk-mode (Mindbender) boots with the new H+i1 system. This reportedly includes the Recon 130 BOA, Recon 120 BOA, Recon 110 BOA, Anthem 115 BOA, Anthem 105 BOA, Anthem 95 BOA, Mindbender 130 BOA, Mindbender 120 BOA, Mindbender 115 W BOA, and Mindbender 95 W BOA.
Salomon
Salomon’s new 23/24 fixed-cuff S/PRO Supra BOA boots will feature the BOA H+i1 system. The S/PRO Supra BOA boots feature a 100 mm last and will be available in 130, 120, and 110 flexes on the men’s side, and 105 and 95 on the women’s side. In addition to the BOA system itself, Salomon describes the entire fit system, from shell to liner, as the “EXOWRAP Fit Ecosystem.” This includes a new latex-foam liner, their 3D Instep Shell, Custom Tongue, and 3D Custom Shell HD heat molding.
So it is heavier and more expensive and more likely to break…
Yes on the heavier, yes on the more expensive, and no on the more likely to break. Aside from the fit improvements, we (and the other brands too) were very clear with BOA that this system needs to over deliver on the durability topic. There are far too many people who have had bad experiences with lighter weight BOA systems not holding up to the stresses they put them through. We all know this. While this new system is incredibly over-built, nothing is indestructible. So should you break something on the new BOA system, we made sure it is easily reparable- it’s an external system, attached to the boot with screwed hardware, and replacing the cable is as easy as replacing a derailleur cable on a bike. It’s honestly easier to repair/replace this system than it is to replace a riveted-on buckle (which 99% of ski boots use). -Matt
More expenses, what a surprise.
Do real skiers even buckle the lower s? Marketing junko to sell more boa reels.
This, completely. With a properly fit boot/liner holding your ankle and lower leg correctly your forefoot can be loose and the bottom buckle is superfluous.
Hi JD & RC – Before trying on this new BOA system, I was 100% in the “shell buckles should be loose” camp. As a boot-fitter, we always tell skiers that in a properly fitting boot, your shell buckles should be loose/barely tight – and this will remain true for buckle boots. This is because buckles fail to wrap the shell properly and they create more downward pressure, which creates pressure spots. This new BOA system actually wraps the shell and in doing so simply creates a better fit in the lower shell. It’s not about creating a tighter fit as it is creating a better fit. If you read Jonathan’s Flash Review or listen to the Happy Hour discussion we had, he’s already skied both the BOA and buckle versions of the Hawx Ultra XTD and he says the BOA version is hands down the better fitting boot. -Matt
Please define “better fit”. If you’ve got a properly fit and correct volume liner (I wear ZipFit though it’s hardly the only choice) you are properly engaged with the boot from the shin all the way down through the ankle and into the back of the foot. There’s no need to “fit” anything beyond there as you’ve already got control of what you need. The forefoot and toe box can be left open for greater comfort, blood-flow, and subsequent warmth. This might be a good way to accommodate for the weaknesses a mediocre stock liner but I scarcely think it’s a replacement for a more direct solution to the fit problem.
I’m happy to go on record saying pick your favorite boot set up, add BOA to it, and the boot will fit better. Before the Hawx Ultra XTD with BOA materialized, we had two years of testing the BOA system on our existing boots. For me & my size 27.5-ish foot, that meant using my personal size 26.5 Redster CS 130 (1cm shell fit) with a Mimic Professional liner in it; left boot with buckles, right boot with BOA. The BOA boot wrapped my foot better than the buckle version, without causing any pain or discomfort or lack of blood flow. The wrapping sensation that is created by BOA is something that normal buckles can’t achieve. It’s never meant to be a replacement for a so-so fitting boot – it just makes the same boot fit more consistently on your foot. -Matt
I have a wait and see approach with this. Personally I need to have more pinpoint of buckles, rather than just tightening the whole lower boot without regard to the shape of the foot. This will just tighten to the shape of the boot. Second, my snowboard friends have these failing in large numbers. I am a very aggressive skier and my boots take a lot of punishment. I can imagine this system breaking down. Good luck, it may be great for some, just not sure its what’s right for me.
Grrrrr! This all your fault Matt/Jonathan. I took your advice through all the late night whiskey fueled boot deep dives and bought the Hawx Prime 130 Pros last year and now this update is happening? Dangit! It’s not like you can trade in/upgrade your ski boots. lol
My boots are fantastic… but these seem…fastastic’er …
Keep up the good work!
Your Prime Professionals are still ahead of the curve in a few other ways, enjoy them! -Matt
The only thing I haven’t seen addressed, is why 4 major boot brands all at the same time? Did a patent system expire that made BOA that much cheaper this year compared to last?
Hi Adam, we actually talked about it in the podcast at some point – Starting back in 2018, BOA approached alpine boot brands that are currently BOA partners (brands using BOA somewhere in their current products). These are brands that BOA chose to work with. It was not offered to other brands for the first year (23/24 launch year). -Matt
I think it looks great.
Will wait for the Hawx Ultra 130 S with BOA in 24/25, when it has proven itself on the XTD version.
Current boots will get me through until then.
Is it possible to get a zipfit into them?
4 Buckles allow more for a uneven closure tension which is crucial on cold days imao, loose at the toe for bloodflow and ski-feel but good midfoot wrap and heel retention…4 buckles allow for a entire Buckle remove of one that is temporarily/regularly not needed…this boa crash plate thing is not very travel friendly imao…imagine hittn a Rock or a root or a tree/trunk while loosin parts of ya boot in freakin’ high caucasus in full pow …no Fancy atomic flagship stores no Fancy Boulevards…good luck breaux…but gonna buy their new boot 4 buckle Version anyway so good for us buckle nazis
Glad you asked , I am wondering the same ,,, already have a struggle getting into my zipfits with my Lange XT3 , LOVE the zipfit hold so dont want to give them up to easily.
Yes of course, they uses a normal liner, so Zipfit liners will also work.
I’m excited about the idea of better instep fit! I have major issues with this (very pronounced instep…)and often have to size up a boot to get the right fit! … also to everyone mentioning that they ski aggressively and are worried, don’t forget that the power in driving turns comes from your flexion above the ankle pivot, the forefoot is more about control and turning precision.
I bought Atomic Redster CS130 Pros this fall and love them. Looks like I just missed out on this new tech, but oh well. I have a very close fit so I actually don’t need to buckle my two lowest buckles AT ALL. I guess even for folks who don’t need to tighten the lower half of the boot, the BOA is a bit more tidy compared to buckles flapping in the breeze. Ben Zuber’s comment is interesting (and made me laugh). It’s nice to tighten the instep differently from the forefoot. You can’t do that with the single BOA. Some cycling shoes have dual BOAs to allow this. Maybe that will be offered one day?
Um there’s been variations of this since the advent of plastic boots , Molitor , Henke , Rosemount boots dabbled with this in the sixties .
Someone asked about getting a zipfit Into the boa boots, I skied the Salomon version last week, stock liners rarely work for me, yes it is possible but if you have a higher volume foot it is a bit of a push, if you are in a smaller size then you could replace the cable with the next size up which would give plenty of space to easily slide in with liner on your foot
The wrap really does feel more even than buckles.
Seems to me that using a BOA on a foot with a high instep would snug the instep nicely, but be loose over the forefoot. Snug on forefoot , would be torture on instep.
I was excited about this when I first saw pics, but now I’m wondering about durability in impact situations because these look like they stick quite far out from the boot; imagine skiing glades and nicking a branch, or wiping out and impacting a rock. Buckles are low profile, and easily replaced. This looks brittle.
Also… I’d rather have a BOA up at the top of the boot to replace or augment power traps or upper buckles. Tightening the mid/bottom part of the boot, I’m not sure of the value of
In the podcast Matt mentioned that the dial will pop off in an impact, dangles form a cable, and can be pushed back on if it’s not broken.
Old news for owner’s of Scarpa F1.
After having most of these MV boots on my feet (too roomy for me), the LV Ultra was a great fit! Waiting for more LV options but the fit was promising!
I don’t get the point since that part of the boot doesn’t really do anything for fit or performance. If you are using it for fit and performance, you need a better fitting boot.
Hi Steve – as someone who is fully in the “shell buckles should be loose” camp, I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised by how the BOA improves the fit in the shell. We often tell people that in a properly fit boot, your shell buckles should be on a loose setting and this (in my opinion) will always be true. But this is because buckles produce a downward pressure into the top of the foot, which is not awesome. This new BOA system will properly wrap the shell around your foot, which is a feeling that just doesn’t happen with a buckle boot. I think once you’re able to put one on, you’ll feel exactly what I’m talking about. -Matt
God bless you for kindly and consistently answering all the nay sayers. I wear my lower buckles “flap in the wind” loose and I’m excited to try out the next evolution of boa boots based on your replies.
Initially I was thinking, wow, BOA fitment like a snowboard boot, but then looking at them, you only have the boa section on the bottom of the boot, rather than throughout?
I’ve gone from a definite, cant wait to get these to, I’d rather stay with buckles and pay extra for a better fitting process….
Disappointed….
Skier’s welcome to the world of BOA from all us snowboarders, just remember they do loosen up so you might have to crank them on the hill .
This one won’t. I have not had a single instance of that happen in 2 years of use.
I’m all for ANYTHING that helps us all HAVE A GREAT TIME SKIING ! I wish it success and that it’s not just a gimmick ! Personally.. I hate bending over to tighten and fight with the lower buckles !!
@onenerdykid When / will BOA be used on the upper 2 cuff buckles? If it helps achieve a better wrap around the foot will it also achieve a better wrap around the leg/calf?
Having a pair of the K2 130 boa boots, I can say that along with other commenters, they wrap the foot in a different way, it’s not better than two buckles or how Dalbello boots close over the forefoot, it’s different, for a lot of skiers this is going to be a better fit for them, there’s less pressure over the instep and a more even overall fit. For those worried about wear and tear, you’re more likely to rip off a buckle than the boa mechanism, it’s also been tested for over two years now and is nothing like the boa found on snowboard boots, which is much more prone to cable problems, usually because riders rest their board edge on the boot whilst on the lift which frays or cuts it. The new Recon is a different fit from the current model, a little more snug through the ankle, plus I really like the honeycomb boot board with interchangeable inserts. The new Atomic Hawx Ultra Xtd is nothing like the current model, it’s a much better boot, pu instead of pa plastic, laterally more stiff and more like the Ultra downhill boot, plus a number of other improvements. The Salomon is also exciting as it’s a complete redesign from the current s/pro, uaing a similar shell to the Salomon Alpha but in wider last. Lastly snowboarders had all the same things to about boa when it was first introduced.
Looking forward to trying this system. I leave the last two buckles just barely closed but would like to close them tighter if given the option because I hate having any play at all inside my boots, but tightening them now will just put too much pressure on the top of my foot so It’s a no go.
Many of the BOA skeptics crack me up. If you want to stay with 50 y.o technology (buckles) or you are so damn cool that your buckles flap in the wind, you are stoked – you have the best gear you will ever need. I have been using BOAs on my touring boots for five years and LOVE the improved fit. Ever skeptic I know that has demoed the new BOA boots (n= 3, admittedly a small sample size) have come around and said the BOA version fits better than the buckle version.
Darnit! I bought my boots last friday and skiied on the saturday and now that I know about this I would have never bought the hawx ultra xtd 130 when I could have just bought the atomics next year!
Amazing to read all the negative comments in here without ever even trying it. Do any of you ever ride with snowboarders? Maybe snowboarders with boas on their boots? Ask them how they like it…
I was just on a cat skiing trip last week in Canada and Chris Bentchetler was there, got to watch him ski a pillow line that had never been skied before at chatter creek with next year’s atomic 130s. It was not a line anyone would take with faulty or questionable equipment on. One wrong fall and you are broken for sure. Check his ig for reference. I’m guessing most people making negative comments on here would shart themselves if I dropped them on top of it. But they would stand at the bottom and talk trash on the innovation of equipment. Anyone saying you don’t need your bottom two buckles to be tight obviously don’t ski hard enough imo. I for one can’t wait to buy a new pair next year and step into the future!
Yes, snowboarders like boa more than shoe laces….
I am a ski instructor and usually ski five days a week. I have been in Lange RX120s with Intuition Pro Wrap liners for many years. I just purchased the K2 Recon 120 BOA and had it fit. I will be doing free skiing tomorrow and trying them out for the first time. I find them lighter boots and significantly more comfortable (I didn’t think that was possible). I plan to put about 6 hours in them tomorrow and then use them to teach in this weekend—report to follow.
Just bought a pair of the Salomon S-Pro Supra based on the fit compared to many other boots I tried on. I ruled out several other boots with boa due to poor fit on my foot. I could have flipped a coin between the s-pro Supra boa and the Nordica Promachine with buckles which felt basically identical to the s-pro with boa and a lot better (for me) than many other boa boots. In other words, coming from a boa boot owner, so far I think it’s a gimmick. There is no noticeable “burrito” wrap with boa or “panini” press with buckles. They both pull across, and I say this after wearing many of both styles. The shell will either fit you or it won’t, and the latch mechanism has minimal, if any, influence over that. It seems plenty sturdy and I would not hesitate to buy a well fitting shell based on the type of closing mechanism it has.
I believe having a properly sized boot(in width, primarily) would make more difference than buckle vs. Boa.
If you have a low volume foot in a boot that’s too wide, closing the buckles tightly to hold your foot would put excess downward pressure on your foot.
A high volume foot in a boot that is too narrow could cause you to leave buckles too loose. Proper sizing would allow your buckles to close the shell around your foot without adverse effect. At the same time, if the shells are correct, it would seem that Boa would work just fine!
Are there any plans to make Boa equipped boots for low volume feet in the near future?
Totally agree re: a properly sized boot being the most important aspect.
We don’t have any specifics on future low-volume BOA boots, but right now, both Fischer and Atomic offer boots with stated last widths of 98 mm (size 26.5) that feature BOA dials, and I’ve seen some images around the internet of full-on race boot prototypes with BOA dials, so I would not be surprised to see more in the future.
I just skied my salomon 120 boas for 20 days at Mammoth and appreciate them most because the ski as well as my old salomon 120’s with buckles and are more convenient. I was always rebending my old buckles to clasp right and twisting both buckles a couple times during the day so i do not miss that either. You can easily crank them so tight so your feet go absolutely numb, lol. It is a more uniform comfortable fit in the lower shell
After normal packing out i ended up going to a slightly thicker sock versus my usual thin sock, but my orthotics are super thin i could take up the room with new top covers also.
I’m a 13ee shoe I fit well in the 29’s. I tried all the Boas from 2023-2024 season besides the Fischer. The Salomon’s run a smidge large fwiw on my foot and pinched my 5th met base the least. A simple punch in this area (others were variing intolerable) and I feel like lounging around the house in them they are so comfortable, lol. Thanks to Footloose for dialing me in.