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Hey all...

 

I'm wondering how many of you have heard/seen the new vans boots...

Product_103662.jpg

http://www.vanssnow.com/boots.html

They have a dial on them that contracts wire around the boot to tight your "laces - the wire"

they a very comfortable i was pretty impressed.

has anyone tryed them out? boardered with them?

 

Whats the pro's and con's spill ur guts kids!

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Pro 1 - You can adjust the tightness at any time really easily

 

Con 1 - You can only adjust the tightness over the whole system, not in specific places as you can with other systems.

 

Con 2 - I'm told that if you pull the tongue too far forward when you're putting them on that the wire can come off the spool and is a bitch to get back on. (This can be avoided by always clicking the spool down before you get in or out).

 

But I think they're probably the only way to go for a Mac user who has Flows. (I'd like to try them too.)

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mmmmmmm, those look tasty! \:D

 

Actually I tried out this years version and was very impressed. I am sold on the boa system. The thing that is so cool about it is that you can crank it all the way down and take your run, then when you get to the bottom just open and close it really quick to get rid of that extra pressure for the chair.

 

How do you get tightness in specific places with normal lace boots Ocean?

 

Those boots are on the top of my list for boots to check out for next year.

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Well, it's possible to pull the laces really tight over the lower half of the boot where you might get some heel lift, and then leave the top bit looser. You might get some slippage over time, but generally it will stay that way. Or you could leave the lower bit looser and really tighten the top.

 

This is possible with normal lacing systems, but especially so with the Salomon lace grips. How important it is is open to question, but I like to have that flexibility.

 

As I can get my boots on and off now within about a minute and a half, I don't think the BOA deal would make that much difference. But I'd like to try it out all the same.

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We're talking a few seconds with the BOA. Just clamp down the liner and turn the knob on the BOA. I even played with rethreading the device, which wasn't as difficult as you may think (just really tiny tools).

 

Ask me again this time next year (assuming I get a pair with BOAs) but I will predict that it becomes the defacto boot tightening mechanism in only a few years. You'll always have laces but more and more they will be on the budget boot.

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re: Mac user with flows. I had a giggle at that, then remembered i am one myself.

 

The thing that pisses me most about laces is always tightening a little as the day goes on. Boa would be good for these on the run adjustments.

 

Ender - when are you going to eat your boots?

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Yes - I'm back, from my surgery on Okinawa, and recuperating quite well. So well that I think I'm ready to get on to my jet skiing season (especially since its so warm out) but Momo, and more importantly the doc (or vice versa?), say nothing physical until July, and no running or anything like that such as mountain biking, jet skiing, wake boarding, snowboarding etc for at least 5 months to give the bone graft and titanium plate/screws in my neck to become one...but enough about me, thats not what this thread is about...

 

Momo used a pair of Vans Boa lacing boots all Winter and loved them. I liked her boots too cause I didn't have to lace her boots up for her anymore. Made it real easy for her to loosen/retighten her boots herself anytime she wanted.

 

After my high tech top o the line Burton PSI step ins broke in January, I switched to Flow Pro-C bindings and ordered a pair of Vans Contras from the states. Very good looking boots but they run a half size too small and I couldn't use them. Still have them if anyone wants them - new in the box still...

 

So anyways, I wanted the Boas and couldn't find another pair of Contras anywhere in Japan or in the states in my size, and settled for a pair of K2 Boa Rivals. Although the foot size was fine, and the fit around the ankle is great, I have big calve muscles and that caused me some problems when tightening the boots.

 

The Boa knob makes tightening them a snap but, too tight, and my calves hurt. Too loose, and I had too much heel rise/foot movement within the boot. I was constantly having to adjust them to get them just right. I never have to do that with my Burton ION HD regular laced boots. Tighten them up once in the morning, and I was good to go all day.

 

Another issue with the Boas is they loosen up on their own so you have to reach down and tighten them up occasionally. Easy for Momo cause her Flow tops didn't bind on her pants bottoms but my tops did so it wasn't so easy to just reach down and tighten mine.

 

She is sold on her Boas and will stay with them. As for me, I'm not so sure - I'd like to try a correct size pair of Vans Contras, but I dont' think I'm gonna use these K2s next year. Winter is 8 months off so we'll have to see...

 

see ya...

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Good to hear from you again Ray! Looks like you've got neck bindings to worry about too now, eh?

 

The trousers business is another interesting point to note about Boas. Indeed, having your gaiters pulled down over your laces is necessary for keeping the snow out, and if the wires get lose gradually, that might get to be a pain. What you say about the painful calves seems to support my main concern about Boas too.

 

Whatever, o-daiji ni...

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Hi Ocean - domo! domo! The loosening of the Boa happened on both my K2 and Momo's Vans, but the calve hurting was only with my K2s. A combo of calve size, and the really thick, high back liners of the K2s. The Contras dont have a thick liner but then again, it might come back down to the even tightening of the boas, i.e., I can tighten regular laces tigher around the foot and leave the top portion "just right" so my calves don't hurt...I'd like to try a new pair of Contras but they cost a lot to find out there is not difference between them and the K2 Rivals...

 

take care,

 

Ray

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 Quote:
You got them SFG, or just tried them on?
I have just tried them on, i didnt even try the right size at the time... i was just wondering so i shoved a 9 on and im only a 6 or a 7! but im putting them on my bday wish list! \:\)
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