This is the story of BOA
How it all started…
BOA was born in the Rocky Mountains in 2001. When BOA founder Gary Hammerslag, a snowboarder, surfer, entrepreneur and true pioneer moved to Steamboat, Colorado in the mid 90s and snowboarded as often as possible, he envisioned a possibility to dramatically improve the fit and performance of snowboard lacing systems.
After numerous prototypes and tests, the BOA® Fit System was born, transforming how snowboarders “dialed in” their boots. Gary’s intensity and belief in BOA attracted its first two brand partners, K2 and Vans. In 2001 the first BOA-equipped snowboard boots hit the stores.
BOA‘s BRAND PARTNERS
K2 and Vans are still on board today, and they’ve been joined by many other snowboard boot companies – including Burton, Ride, Salomon, Deeluxe and other well-known brands. What unites them all is that no matter how the BOA® Fit System is integrated into a specific boot, all BOA constructions and configurations quickly and effortlessly provide a fast, effortless, precision fit that lasts.
The snowboard category continues to be very important for BOA, but in the meantime the BOA® Fit System is also used in many other areas: skiing, cycling, outdoor, running, golf, workwear, and bracing just to name a few.
BOA IN ACTION
Of course, BOA not only collaborates with the world’s best brands, but also with the best athletes. Top boarders Sage Kotsenburg, Travis Rice, Mark Sollors, and many others are part of the BOA team and actively contribute to making the world’s best snowboard boots even better.
PRECISION FIT, WHEREVER YOUR RIDING TAKES YOU
Built on 21 years of experience, BOA’s latest advancement in snowboarding brought the next step in innovation with the introduction of H4 – a high performance, precision-built fit system for the most demanding rider. Plus a first textile lace specifically designed for Snowboard boots – the TX3. Major brand partners, including Burton, Head, K2, Nitro, Salomon, and more, have already launched with the new H4 to the market.
HOW FIT IMPACTS SNOWBOARDING?
BOA recently introduced the Performance Fit Lab and is planning on first biomechanical studies on fit to better understand snowboard boots and how fit impacts riding over the course of a long day. Former studies show, that snowboard boots shouldn’t be overly stiff, but they also can’t be pillow soft, so adding structure in the right areas is key to creating the perfect hybrid. A solid base of support helps the ankles absorb impact, while still allowing freedom in other parts of the boot to enable proper circulation. If your boots don’t fit, you are missing out on low-hanging fruit for better riding.” explains Dan Feeney, manager of biomechanics research and the Performance Fit lab of BOA.
THE BOA® FIT SYSTEM: MORE THAN JUST A DIAL
The BOA Fit System gives riders the freedom to customize fit with an exactness otherwise unattainable in a snowboard boot, so you can charge all day wherever your riding takes you. All BOA fit configurations deliver concentrated closure to different zones for customizable control. How this works depends on the configuration, but why it works is because of three integral parts: dial, lace, and guides. This Boot Guide walks through each of the BOA fit configurations to help you purchase the best boot for your riding style.
THREE COMPONENTS. ENDLESS POSSIBILITY.
DIAL
Engineered to adjust tension with gloves on, the new H4 Dial Platform is precision-built for the most demanding rider with the latest evolution in durability and performance.
LACE
Tested in the most demanding conditions, BOA lace is the workhorse of the BOA Fit System and is available in textile or stainless steel.
GUIDES
BOA lace guides replace the deficiencies of traditional eyelets, providing low friction, smooth lace path movement to seamlessly tighten boots.
BOA FIT CONFIGURATIONS
DOUBLE / TRIPLE BOA: BOOTS WITH 2 resp. 3 DIALS
Increasing response and stability, dual dial boots deliver zonal control through two separate dials. At BOA, we distinguish between the normal Dual Zone configuration and the Focus™ configuration.
Single dial boots use fast, effortless micro-adjustments to tighten the boot from top to bottom. We also offer a hybrid configuration which is a blend of single BOA dial and traditional lacing.
BOOTS IN COLLABORATION WITH PREMIUM BRANDS
We are deeply committed to our brand partners, collaborating with them to imagine and develop high performance fit solutions which are established in the market. Some of our brand partner s have customized configurations which all mostly use 2 dials and are exclusively used by the respective brand partners only.
K2 USES THE CONDA™ CONFIGURATION
RIDE TRUSTS IN THE TONGUE TIED™ CONFIGURATION
SALOMON’S BOOTS USE THE STR8JKT™ CONFIGURATION
Please find more information on the BOA buyers guide.
WARRANTY:
WHAT IF THE BOA DIAL OR LACE IS BROKEN?
The BOA Fit System dials and laces are guaranteed for the lifetime of the product on which they are integrated. As a consumer you can request a free repair kit on the BOA warranty page and repair your boots comfortably at home.
DOUBLE / TRIPLE BOA
FOCUS™ CONFIGURATION:
It doesn’t get any better than this. The Focus™ configuration is BOA’s best-in-class, performancedriven design found in the highest end boots on the market. Here you’ll get customized fit in two distinct zones — the upper and lower zones overlap to create the Focus™ zone to target the instep. The Focus™ zone provides maximum heel hold by anchoring the heel in the back pocket of the boot, allowing riders to charge harder and perform at their peak. Ideal for advanced all-mountain and backcountry riding and riders looking for a premium, stiffer boot.
FIT ZONE INFORMATION
1. UPPER
Tongue dial controls lace that tightens the upper zone to provide flex and stability.
2. LOWER
Remote dial adjusts tension in the lace that locks in the forefoot for greater response and control of the lower zone.
3. INSTEP
Lace paths come together to create the Focus™ zone for maximum heel hold.
DUAL ZONE CONFIGURATION:
The Dual Zone configuration puts you in the driver’s seat. Two separate dials and lace paths work with the boot’s cuff to isolate fit into two distinct zones. All-mountain ready, Dual Zone lends itself to freeride and freestyle riders looking for a premium, soft to medium-flexing boot.
FIT ZONE INFORMATION
1. UPPER
Tongue dial controls lace that tightens the upper zone to provide flex and stability.
2. LOWER
Remote dial adjusts lace tension and locks in the forefoot for greater response and control in the lower zone
SINGLE BOA
SINGLE DIAL CONFIGURATION:
Tried and true. The Single Dial configuration is the original BOA Fit System that revolutionized snowboarding. A single dial uses quick and effortless micro-adjustments to tighten the boot from top to bottom. Tension redistributes evenly, shifting with the rider’s movement for all-day performance.
FIT ZONE INFORMATION
1. UPPER & LOWER
Tongue dial controls lace that tightens the upper zone to provide flex and stability.
HYBRID CONFIGURATION
Old-school look meets innovative, performance-driven fit: The Hybrid configuration is designed to transition riders from old-school laces to the BOA Fit System by providing all the benefits of BOA but with the look of traditional laces. A remote dial locks in the most critical part of the boot, the instep, to provide ultimate heel hold and precision fit hidden within the shell of the boot.
FIT ZONE INFORMATION
1. INSTEP
Remote dial controls the lace that routes over the instep and locks in heel hold.
K2 CONDA™ CONFIGURATION
The K2 BOA® Conda™ System allows riders to tighten or loosen the liner from the outside of the boot. BOA® Conda™ uses an internal harness over the instep to hug the ankle for maximum heel hold control. The dial adjusts fit at the liner level, giving riders maximal micro-adjustment for a targeted fit from the inside out.
FIT ZONE INFORMATION
1. UPPER & LOWER
Tongue dial controls lace that tightens the boot from top to bottom for even tension distribution of the upper and lower zones.
2. INSTEP
Remote dial controls the lace that connects to the BOA® Conda™ harness to adjust the fit of the liner at the instep from the outside of the boot.
RIDE USES THE TONGUE TIED™ CONFIGURATION
What’s that you say - cat got your tongue? Found in RIDE Snowboard Boots, the Tongue Tied™ configuration has BOA guides stitched into the tongue of the boot for customized instep control. The dial pulls back the tongue of the boot, adjusting fit for superior ankle support while reducing pressure points.
FIT ZONE INFORMATION
1. UPPER
Tongue dial tightens the lace of the upper zone delivering stability and simultaneously providing ankle support at the instep.
2. LOWER
Remote dial adjusts tension in the lace that locks in the forefoot for greater response and control of the lower zone.
SALOMON USES THE STR8JKT™ CONFIGURATION
As secure as the name implies, the Salomon STR8JKT™ configuration locks you in and keeps you from moving no matter how hard you charge. A three-point internal harness at the instep provides maximum hold control so you can say goodbye to heel lift for good.
FIT ZONE INFORMATION
1. UPPER & LOWER FIT ZONE
Tongue dial controls lace that tightens the boot from top to bottom for even tension distribution of the upper and lower zones.
2. INSTEP
Internal harness over the instep eliminates heel lift for a secure, supportive, and fully enveloped fit.
More information at the BOA boot buyers guide.
