BOA Closure System

[Jdubs]

I have only seen this in gloves, but I am curious if any of the folks making water ski bindings are using or have any plans about using the BOA Closure System. I think that this could be an improvement over the current lacing buckle and strap systems out today.

 

[RazorRoss3]

Conceptually I like it but I can't help but see a "don't over tighten BOA laces" thread within a year or two to go along with the "don't over tighten vapor bindings" thread that is sure to show up since its just an orange strada as far as I can tell. I think as much as we all want tightening our bindings to be easy and we want to have a consistent level of tightness, anything that allows over-tightening to be as easy as turning a dial may do more harm than good.

[mellig]

Used the BOA system on snowboard boots for years and very happy with their performance but would never see them cross over to water ski bindings. The risk of over tightening is far to high and liability associated would make it a very poor decision in licensing and likely end the business through litigation. I would assume the only BOA technology that will be in my boat is in gloves.

[Chef23]

I think they would be good for the Stealth boots.

[bbirlew]

They used them on byerly wake bindings for years. I used to love them.

They were rubber bindings though, so it wasn't too bad if you over-tightened a bit.

The only issue I had was that it took quite a while to tighten them up.

[allycat]

i have them on my knee-braces for moterbike riding there great but use a cable so there is no stretch in them for a release and are fast to do up on my braces anyway?

[A_B]

I have sent BOA an email asking about a tension release mechanism. This would be something that sense load and releases. Maybe a pipe dream, but I think that is where binding safety has to get to in order to advance.

[RazorRoss3]

I could see on a binding that has two set of laces like the strada with one draw string for the top of the foot and one on the ankle having the top of the foot controlled by BOA but for the ankle I'm not sure I'd be comfortable. If the ankle portion was built stiff enough that it could only be tightened to a predetermined level that wasn't a risk to the safety of the release I might consider it.

[oldjeep]

My son has a set of snowboard boots with the Boa system. My .02 - the system sucks. Cables break at inconvenient times and they are very sensitive to the condition of the pads that the cables slide around. The positive thing I can say is that BOA sent him the first 4 replacement cables for free, but he has gone through at least double than.

[Waternut]

I think the BOA system is the greatest thing to hit the market. I love it in gloves, shoes, wakeboard boots, etc. It tightens everything equally provided it's built right. However, not all BOA systems are equal and BOA has nothing to do with the way companies attach their laces. In my experience, most BOA failures are due to improper system rating for it's use or substandard construction of the lacing system which can cut or fray the stainless steel wire. I looked at a pair of mountain biking shoes not too long ago and the lacing system was so crappy that you physically had to pull each wire through like a normal pair of shoes that you loosened heavily. They just didn't slide which is pretty impressive considering it's a nylon coated wire on a nylon/plastic loop but the makers of that shoe figured out a way to make it suck...

 

Video for your info... If you can move the semi in that video by turning a 1 inch knob, you have my utmost respect...

 

 

[Waternut]

One other thing... I only see the BOA system being applicable to waterskiing boots if they have an external release. Replacing bungee corded rubber boot laces with stainless steel wire is a terrible idea in my mind. Maybe it could work for the fore foot area but that's still sketchy in my mind because it's so easy to crank on the BOA's compared to laces.

[gator1]

Anybody got a set of snowboard boas they'd sell me? I want to graft them onto my stealths.