The Fischer Travers. This BOA system is somewhat easy to replace/service.
The BOA lacing system went commercial in 2001, the brainchild of Gary Hammerslag, an engineer/inventor/snowboarder based in Steamboat. The first BOAs were integrated into snowboard boot designs produced by K2 and Vans. (FWIW, Jeff Spicoli, and his Vans came before the BOA.) I’m certain alternatives are out there, but regarding snowboard boots and tensioning systems, BOAs and multiple-BOA snowboard boots look pretty ubiquitous in the marketplace.
Twenty-four years later, BOAs on steroids came for the alpine boot sector. I don’t own alpine boots, but the thought of putting on my long-gone pair of Lange XLRs gives me phantom bone aches. Along the way to these mega-BOAs I just spoke of, the dial-it-up lacing system was somewhat common on ski touring boots. 2016, maybe 2017, when exactly did a BOA grace the ski touring scene? Was it skimo first with an Alien? Someone set us straight. But note, I used the word grace a few sentences back.
Synonyms for grace are elegance, stylishness, poise, finesse, and charm. On the surface, these are not such bad words. However, if you mine the forums, or the infrequent but contentious social media posts saying the same thing, that BOAs on ski touring boots are weak sauce, you probably wouldn’t write that BOAs graced the ski touring scene.
We won’t address all the reasons people think BOAs are poorly suited for ski tourists, but here’s a major one…
Remoteness: If a BOA breaks way back in the wilderness, that is pure FUBAR. It is. No doubt. But, in a pinch, a Voile strap tensioned over the forefoot can work. I done-did-seen-it-myself last weekend: My touring partner for the day, Laura, had previously blown out the plate securing the BOA to her Atomic Backland. I’m about 100% certain I heard these words when I asked about a reduction in performance with the Voile-strap fix compared to the BOA. “Honestly, I don’t seem to feel a difference,” she said. “It still skis great.” Laura is a ripping skier.
Sure, no one wants an equipment failure way back yonder. Bring multiple Voile straps.
Readers, please hold forth in the comments, but repair and potential fixing is one thing to consider, as is also considering which lower-foot securing system works best for you: BOA or a buckle over the forefoot. Remember, buckles break, too. (Bring a Voile strap.) Buyer preferences pivot and sway. For now, you have some options for boot-lower closure systems. Yet, since Fischer is releasing a new Travers—which I’m hoping arrives here soon—that employs a BOA, all this BOA and potential breakage buzz has been on my mind.
I’ll try not to fall into the trap of false equivalencies—as in a BOA (or Twistfit for Dynafit) is just as bombproof as a buckle because I’ve never personally had a BOA or Twistfit fail on me. I’ve never had a buckle fail on me either. My experience is only mine, and it’s a very minute sample size.
I’ve spent countless days in a Dynafit TLT X, Blacklight, Salomon MTN Summit S/Lab, and Fischer Travers (add to that a Scarpa Alien 1.1), and been good to go. No breaks. All these boots use the BOA or similar Twistfit system. I’ve replaced the cables on the Travers, otherwise, I periodically check for wear. However, the truth on a BOA/Twistfit repair, besides swapping out the BOA housing or cable on the Fischers, looks daunting as the tensioning cable is threaded and routed internally on seemingly every other BOA/Twistfit boot.
Consider what follows as a THR resource for those seeking replacement BOA and/or Twistfit parts or DIY repairs/replacements. I like my Blacklights a whole bunch, and yup, Dynafit is moving away from Twistfit in next season’s Blacklight iteration. After three seasons, it’s probably time for me to replace the Twistfit parts and prep them for a few more years of spring use.
Please let us know if you have experience with a BOA field repair or a full-on replacement that we have not covered, as we’ll all be better prepared when the inevitable goes down. To keep this balanced, any FUBAR experiences with buckle replacements or failures are appreciated, too.
Scarpa boot (BOA) parts from Skimo.Co.
Dynafit boot parts from Skimo.Co.
Fischer Travers BOA parts from White Mountain Ski Co.
BOA parts on the BOA site.
BOA repair guides on the BOA site.
