I was just thinking of that... My mother think it's difficult to tie her shoe laces, much because she's now almost blind. Maybe this BOA-thing should be good for her... I have to see if I can find any suitable shoe for her that she can try.
@@WahidahCherazade BOA's website has a list of the products their lacing system is used on; all sport shoes or work boots though. Could also look at spring laces if her dexterity is still good and she doesn't need the shoes to be super tightly fastened. You just give the ends a pull and it tightens all of the shoe (though not with as much strength as the BOAs)
I’ve worn several motorcycle boots over the years with the BOA system. No laces to hang up on the pegs and being able to snug them up with gloves on are huge benefits.
I have a BOA system on my infantry boots. The BOA system has a separate warranty - it will last the lifetime of the boot. And it seems to be true. The boots are slowly disintegrating from heavy use, but the BOA is good as new. No issues in mud, sand, ice. A great benefit for military use is that you can tie your boots one-handed, in the dark, really quickly. Never going back from this system.
@@ezra9265 yeah I'd like to know as well. My command would have shit if walked up to formation with this shit. I'm not saying it doesn't work, but the Army is afraid of new things
As a central maintenance worker for a steel mill these are a game changer. Those steel laces are way more fire resistant than the leather ones they issue us now, and the carbon toes are great to keep the heat out! Definitely bringing these up in our next saftey meeting.
What steel mill do you work at? At my mill, we use 3 different types of footwear. Light safety shoes, heavy safety shoes (similar to the light ones but with a heat resistant sole and thicker leather) and (for some workplaces like the blast furnaces, the continuous casters or the foundry) very tough heat resitant jackboots that are covered with aluminium and some other heat resistant material. I don't have to wear them at my workplace, but I still got a pair from the time when I worked at the blast furnace and I still wear them, mostly because they don't have laces.
I have Boa lacing on my road cycling shoes (Specialized). The lace cable broke on one of the shoe after 12+ years of use. Got in touch with Boa and they sent out replacement laces. Replacing the lace on the shoe was incredibly easy. Don't downplay the reliability and longevity of the lacing system until you've had first hand long term experience.
For Enduro MTB it isnt a good system. It doesn't really lend itself to universal application. We could cut off our shoelaces and stick them in the holes of the tire when it's damaged to seal it, as an example. There is more we could do, ofc. The system is mostly fragile because of the placement of the boa. If the boa is on the outside of your shoe it is common to rip it off.
I have been wearing a pair of Redwing work boots with the BOA system for about 2 years now every day for about 11 hours a day and I love them. The BOA has been great, no failures at all. The only negative I've had is occasionally over tightening them, and that's on me.
That's the only downside I've see with them. because that coiler is so easy to turn you just wanna keep cranking and then it makes your boots way too tight. Always gotta be conscious of not overtightening in the morning. But, like you said its user error, so its hard to fault the BOA for that. It would be nice if you could set your max tightness. Set and forget kinda deal. Like being able crank them to the same tightness every time.
I also have a pair, and the only time it failed is when the cable got caught up and snapped the connection bead. But my new pair of redwings with the same system is flawless. Note that if you get concrete dust in the ratcheting gear, then spray some pb blast or wd-40 cleans that dust right out.
I worked in a snowboarding shop for five years. I've dealt with literally thousands of BOA boots, replaced probably close to a hundred. Most common fail point in my experience is something sharp hits the tensed wire when the boot is laced up. We'd commonly see a snowboard edge hit the boot and snap the cable. Replacement would take between 15-minutes to an hour, but was for sure more of a pain in the ass than simply re-lacing traditional laces and would be almost impossible in back country. Basically in my experience BOA is amazing and generally warrantied for a very long time with quick replacements, but you give up some ease of maintenance for the convenience.
Nice to hear a perspective from someone with a lot of hands-on experience. Do you think that thicker cables would mitigate the problem, or would that make the overall mechanism unreasonably bulky?
@@mattrobson3603 thicker cables would probably help but the whole system has to coil to tighten so I understand why they're as thin as they are. Failures weren't ultra common and I'd say effected like 2% of all boots I sold so I'm not sure of its even an issue the makers were interested in correcting. Buuuut BOA retailers were all sent repair kits and expected to fix failed products for free as apart of product warranty so it isn't like consumers were being asked to foot that bill.
so, i've contemplated BOAs one board boots for quite some time, but always hesitant because you can't get different tightness for zones, like the foot vs upper leg part. thoughts?
I've had Boa boots in the past and I can say with absolute certainly it will outlast almost any boot out there. I have a pair of boots in my closet that the leather and stitches are absolutely done after years of hard use as a mechanic, yet the Boa system still operates and feels like it did day 1. I can't say every experience will be like that, but after a couple of Boa boots, I can say that it is an absolutely excellent system.
Boa is great for working in environments where it might be hazardous to wear shoelaces. I moored ships this summer and getting laces stuck in the heaving line can be fatal, hence Boa was very neat. It's also nice to come home after a long day of work and just take my shoes off in one second :)
These have laces, just not a knot. Tied laces can be tucked in and are more streamlined than an exposed capstan and clutch mechanism. Tied laces can be quickly cut with a knife to get feet out, but if mechanism jams, feet are stuck in boot.
I have BOA on my work boots, I would never go back to laces. It’s so nice to just air out your feet on break. I would have never done that with laces. But most importantly, not having laces that can geht caught on things or get loose is just such an improvement to work safety!
I agree with everything you said. I’ve also worked in industrial applications where for safety your required to wear boots with ankle support. Having had a hot piece of steel get into your boot with laces is a pain because you have to cut the laces to get them off quickly, boa you just have to pop the catch and pull them off.
as a snowboarder for years when I lived in Washington I had two pairs of snow boots get busted and both the boa systems were still working just fine. and that was 12 years ago. The other part is the simplicity of sitting down and knowing I can just let the pressure off and crank it back down whenever i wanted in seconds. I also still have a pair of whites
I've been using redwings with BOA for 6+ years and the soles fail before the BOA. Redwings didn't want to sell them out of the stores at first because they were worried about repair but now you can find the BOA boots in most redwing stores. They even added BOA to more styles of boots now.
Learned something new today, thanks to this video. I’ve never heard of BOA system before, it looks so easy and comfortable, laces could get in a way sometimes. I’d love to see this system to be used on rental ice skates
I'm from Colorado myself and I would like to say: the Benefits of this system is to release pressure on the foot throughout the work day getting better blood flow and oxygen with a simple fast adjustment what a brilliant system..
Bought some red wing boots with the boa system two years ago. Aside from the boot not being the most comfy, the boa system is top notch and I want it on any work boot going forward for life. It's so easy and quick as well. Complements are non stop even two years later and people actually want it when they see it. It's pretty dope.
I've had my Redwing boots with the BOA system for over a year and I wear them for work and most daily use. I love em. Not had a single hiccup. Only complaint that I can think of is that sometimes my feet seem to swell after walking about 15 miles during work and these puppies have zero give, but it so easy to pop that knob loose and give yourself a little breathing room that it's not an issue at all. BOA system gets a 10/10 from me.
I actually helped run a field testing team in Canadian commercial construction. This was a long time ago, but it was such a pleasure working with Boa. We tested all kinds of different systems they were developing. Very few failures. Great quality. Can't recommend them enough.
I had redwings with the boa system and I loved them, went to buy a second pair two years later, but only needed a new pair because the cables snapped. I liked my boots tight I suppose.
You can definitely repair them. You can replace the cable, the dial, and I think boa themselves will do repairs if it's not possible with off the shelf parts for some reason. The cable replacement kits are usually only $10-$15, too.
I've used the boa system in ski boots before and I absolutely love it. I'm basically to a point where I refuse to buy a pair of ski boots if they aren't using a system comparable to boa. It's just so much easier to put on and off when you're wearing thick winterproof gloves and I'm excited to see how it does in a proper work boot situation For failure, I can't say I've ever had the boa system fail on me at least in my ski boots, but then again, you're not really walking distances in ski boots. And even when stuff goes horribly wrong and you crash the boot to ski connector is designed to fail before any significant force is put on the boots in such a way that the boa system might fail
I live in ND and I remember how happy my friend was with his new boots. It was -50 that day and the laces froze and he broke the mechanism trying to get them off haha
Ive had a pair of blauer law enforcement boots for about 4 years and used them daily for 3 of those years and I've never had 1 issue with my boa system on those. I still where them probably 3 times a week now and I still love them and the boa system
Have usedsafetyshoes with boa for several years now. Love how easy it is to adjust or take completely off on a break. A few coworkers have had the boa system fail before the shoes themelves but for most its the shoes themselves that wear out.
Our Steitz Secura boots have BOA on them, we put them through their paces (see what I did there?) on the railway and they have been great so far. Love how fast they are to get on and off, also I have one foot that swells up if I'm stood a long time due to a smash at the TT years ago and they're really easy to adjust when they get tight. They are the business.
I’ve had these boots for over a year now and I’ve used them consistently since then. They’ve been through Michigan mud, snow and ice. And Las Vegas dessert heat and sand. They’ve been quite resilient and comfortable I love when during my lunch breaks or when I hop in and out of my work truck I can cinch and uncinch them in a moments notice and it feels great when I let my feet breath especially on hot days. So I cycle that system quite a bit. I could definitely see these on a less disposable set of boots. Especially if the tech improves.
I have used and loved my Redwing BOA boots since 2008 and have never had one fail on me. Red Wings Work - Style 2298 The only time I've replaced them was when the soles were worn out. The BOA system itself only showed signs of wear on the plastic coating of the cable everything else on the BOA system was good.
I had redwings with boa. I loved them overall. Operating a pay loader I liked that I could open up the boot while driving to keep my feet cool. One issue I had was with the laces. They were very noisy while walking.
I have a few pairs of snowshoes with BOA bindings and just love them. They’re adjustable with gloves on, melting and refreezing snow doesn’t lock the mechanism up, and the best part is how evenly the cable pulls. I’ve had branches jam under the bindings and right into the dials with no problems. I love them.
Been using my redwing boas for the past 6 years and ive only had to change the lace on them one time. Ive had zero issues with the plastic lace holders. Coming from a heavy diesel tech who welds daily and is always on my feet.
Dude no worries about the durability of the boa lace system, I have been wearing Redwings with boa laces for nearly 10 years, I have broken 2 laces in that time everything else holds up great.
I have a pair of red wings with the BOA system only because at that time Ariat didn’t have one yet and I wanted to try them out. I am going to get the boot with the concealed BOA system on the back from Ariat. A huge benefit here is that as slip on boots wear in to your foot so these little adjustments you make overtime allow for more longevity. I’m a project manager not an installer but I’m still in the field 80% of my week so I’m still walking through mud, dirt and everything else. When my previous slip ons would get loose they can be dangerous in the elements but with these you can just twist them tighter and they don’t loosen ever.
Had a BOA dial on my cycling shoes break after about 6 years of use. Went online and filed a LIFETIME warranty claim, and all I had to provide were just some details and a photo (brand, type of product, style of BOA connector) and had a FREE replacement in 2-3 days. I would love to have these BOA laces on a pair of boots, whether hiking, snowboarding, or whatever because they are GREAT.
Would love to see a video on moto boots, specifically the 'on-off bike' boot styles from TCX, Alpinestars or Stylmartin! Curious whether their prices are justified and whether their materials/construction are any better for a crash than a workwear/heritage boot at comparable price.
I have a pair of Red Wings with the BOA system on them. I've had them for close to 3 years now. The problem I'm facing now is they don't stay as tight as I'd like and I find myself 'ratcheting' them up more often than I'd like. I should note as an electrician that's done everything under the sun with them they have taken a beating and I'm impressed they've (and the BOA by poxy) lasted this long.
I had BOA on my steel toe redwings for 3 years and I have full confidence that it will last the life of the boot. Its so convenient for me because I dont have to worry about tying my shoe throughout the day.
My snowboard boots have a boa. I've had them for about 5 years. The only problem I have, is that the boa string is wearing through the tongue of the snowboard boot otherwise the boa is still completely intact. When I replace the boots, I am going to look for a boa system again for sure.
I have used the boa system on my redwing work boots for years and I will never go back to laces again, the best thing about the boa system isn’t just that taking them on and off is fast and easy but through out the work day your boots will naturally stretch out and will feel like they have gotten lose, it’s awesome that through out the day I can just reach down and give the boa a crank or 2 and I’m good, the stainless steel cables are also great if you do a lot of welding.
These remind me of the most comfortable sneakers ive ever owned - a pair of black on black low cut Pumas circa 1994/5 - wore them regularly so I no longer have them although I would rock them again in an instant. Cool thing about them was that there were no laces to speak of only a round dial that after you slipped one on could be dialed up to tighten the fit or pressed in once and the tension released. There was no backwards dialing to loosen them- either perfect or start over- these Pumas were gorgeous looking and my feet were snug as a bug - until this video I never saw another shoe w similiar tek which was odd -i felt the system would be ubiquitous in dozens of styles but as far as far as I ould tell that was never the case. Thanks for the cool, edutaining content
I remember trying out the adidas leistung weightlifting shoes for a while that had a boa lacing system and was not a fan as constantly needed retightening after a couple of sets so was more faff than what it was worth, hopefully it's better on boots
I have a pair of the rio ones with just the boa and those you put them on, set the boa, walk a bit do a few warm up sets where your foot beds in, click each side a couple of times and then they don't budge. It's more the foot seating itself into the shoe than the boa moving.
I've been using the boa system on my mountain bike shoes and snowboard boots since I first discovered it in the late 90s, for 2 reasons, you need a firm connection with no slop in both applications, for bike shoes you "cycle", you are pulling up, pushing forward and pulling back as much as you are pushing down. And for the snow boots, you bever have to worry about your laces freezing over. I've never had a boa failure on my bike shoes, but I have had a lace break on my snow boots, there is a lot of force placed on the laces/eyelets and the cable is the weakest point. Like you said it's an easy repair (with the right tools) most ski shops have the equipment, and in this application so does my local Redwing store.
I don't think BOA is in any way inferior to regular laces, it's quite the opposite. Regular laces are dangling, quite often self-untying and can easily get dirty, and you have to then dirty both of your hands on them to tie or untie. sure you can get quick tightening thing on them, but that's just never as convenient as this system. Ever since getting first boots with BOA, I'm only getting shoes with this system now.
I've had Boas on my mountain bike shoes and despite how dirty and muddy they get they seem to hold up. They don't work as smooth and feel gritty all the time now but surprisingly still works. The bike shop I go to did say there have been some customers needing a replacement Boa. They seem easy to replace so I carry a spare set in my gear bag just in case. What seems to fail is the dial, not the cable.
It's a rather simple ratchet system so not a whole lot to fail, eventually the internals will wear down, but your boots will likely need fixing up or replacement before that happens. Also, love the carbon fiber "steel toe" since it is more likely to bend and disperse the energy of something falling on it and spring back instead of the normal thin steel sheet which would just deform and cut into your feet.
Yep. I use these for working in livestock agriculture because the laces get quickly destroyed, and Ariat is known for excellent equestrian products. Their composite toe covers have saved my feet from being stepped on by horses and cattle dozens of times. To get rid of the laces in earlier Ariat models they used zippers, but those were fallible in certain conditions. This is a much better solution. I really want them to come out with the BOA system on their riding boots.
Having long legs and getting older and stiffer I really like these boots. Morning boot install is fast and easy. Now my boys all wear Boa. Youngest melted the knob by the campfire and Redwing was able to total repair at a really good price. Also very light boot. These boots and the redwing insert I am good for a 12hr day. Definitely buy again.
This was a super interesting video, i had never seen this system before. This video brought another thing to my attention though. It seems like we really need a video of some of the best waterproof work boots available
I've had this system in my Adidas Terrex and I found it easily one of the most functional improvements shoes could have. Great idea, I wish all shoes had something like this.
Having used the BOA system for almost 20 years in various applications including off road motorcycle boots, I have never had a failure or any issues with about a dozen different BOA systems used - hiking boots, cycling shoes, ski and snowboard boots, they are the best closure system extant. I look for products with BOA attachment and prefer to use them.
I've got these on a pair of Haix work trainers. I like them a lot, it's early days, but they seem good so far. You can get free replacements from Boa if you break yours👍
Snowboard instructor here. Boa is by far the best system for boots for me. Never broke a cable even though I got extra cables with every pair I bought, Super reliable. I love to open the system before I go on lifts to make my boots slack and then run them super tight on the way down. So mulyple times a day for years at this point for tousends of cycles, never broke on me. I broke laces multiple times but never a cable on Boa. They are easy to tighten in gloves and mittens. They make my job easier because I can check the tightnes of the boots on the people im working with and make adjustments on the fly. Beginners don't generally know how tight they should make them. I had it on Vans, Burton, and Flow boots, all of them had different quality issues but Boa was never one of them.
Make sure you have plenty of toe room with Boa boots. *If you can, check the fit while on a downward incline before buying. I had a pair of fly fishing boots with the Boa system. The Boa system itself is bulletproof. The problem for me (and a friend) was the fit. There was plenty of room in the toe box on level ground but I could not get the Boa system to keep my foot from sliding forward into the front of the boot on uneven ground such as walking on streamside cobble or downhill. It made my feet (toes) hurt after a few hours of fishing. I would even kick my heel down onto the ground while tightening the Boa laces two or three times until it was uncomfortably tight on the shin but that didn't help the sore toes. It eventually damaged a big toenail so badly I lost it. I went back to boots with regular laces so I could pull the laces good and snug over the instep through the eyelets, then tie a double overhand knot at the top of the instep to keep my heel locked into heel counter. Then I lace a bit looser through the speed hooks like I did with mountaineering boots. When the boot has ample toe room (fits), lacing up like that gives me stability, support, flexibility, and is way more comfortable. Interestingly, a long-time fishing buddy watched me do that little heel kick-tightening routine a few times. He thought it was odd but didn't say anything or ask why. He later bought a pair of the same boots because the Boa looked convenient and commented some time after that he was having the same problem with sore feet and now understood about the heel kick. He never mentioned it resulting toenail damage and I don't know if he still uses them.
Recalling my VFD “awake, dressed & out the door in one minute” days, I can see the BOA as replacement for side zip boots when time matters. I like leather laces in PNW boots for their higher coefficient of friction. I can lace one zone a bit tighter than another part of the boot, and it will take time to equalize, unlike nylon speed laces.
I have a set of Zamberlan hiking boots with the boa system. At first I liked it and for short day hikes it was great then I did a 6 day hike and I severely missed being able to do different lacing patterns as my feet swoll and got beat up. Other than that they are nice, but I've gone back to traditional laces for long hikes.
Interesting, I haven't done a week-long hike with my Zamberlan BOAs ... I can see how you might want to vary tightness in different areas with traditional laces.
@@kaizen5023 Yeah, and it's something that not everyone will need to do. For me it usually stems from my feet are wide and blister easy. This last summer I did another 6 day 83km hike through the Dolomites, I wore a set of Danners without goretex and with merino wool socks. My feet faired much better this time. Keeping my feet breathing helped a ton. I did replace them though, I skipped the first eyelets to let my feet expand a bit then laced the next 3, then skipped 2 more and put a surgeons knot and continued up from there. This let my toes have room and solved the sore spot on the top of my foot while keeping my heel from slipping. I still use the Zamberlans in the spring and fall for short hikes.
I like when you talk about specific trade offs or Industry’s that wear boots. Please keep bringing up which industry could use which boot. Its very i time with your audience. Its good knowing a fire fighter wouldn’t benefit from boa but that water proof lining means it would be great for people that do utility construction like me
I have two wrist strap bow releases with this boa closure thing. I was kinda skeptical at first but I ended up really liking it, that's why I have two.
The BOA is great - first encountered it on UA "fat tire" shoes (super comfortable, so no longer made!), the shoes are now worn out, but the BOA system still works!!!
I have a pair of Spectusshoeco. Dress shoes. Model: Wing tip Balmoral with BOA lacing system that I bought here in Italy about 5 or 6 years ago, and I have never had a problem with the BOA system. The differences between the boots and my shoes is that the mechanism to adjust them is on the back of the heel and it is smaller and more refined and when I adjust them it also tightens the ankle area and gives more ankle support, it also makes them look very unique. I always get compliments and questions about the shoes. Cheers! Best Regards.
@@joeybaseball7352 I think he just meant as an 'in general', since this channel cuts apart a lot of different kinds of shoes. And I'm guessing that they'd be like a lot of the cheaper footwear - cemented construction, voids in the soles, lots of synthetic compounds that are supposed to look like better materials, minimal stitching and bargain-basement leather.
I got Red Wings with the Boa's. And I'll never go back to laces. Perfectly comfortable all the time, reliable and durable, and I don't have to worry about them coming undone. I work in a chemical plant which is a harsh environment. Various chemicals including acids and bases, gravel, snow, salt, mud, metal grating, and concrete. Both the Red Wings and the Boa holds up fine after a year and 3 months of use.
About 4 years ago I got some redwing tradesman’s with BOA laces and I loved them. I snapped a cable and redwing sent me replacements. I since got a pair of Nicks boots and am never going back.
It's still a piece of wire so if it's stuck you can cut the wire to get out of the boot. And then have the lacing system repaired (or take it apart and repair it yourself), which you'd need to do anyway for a jammed mechanism.
I had a pair of Boa work boots and the surprising place it failed was where the laces rubbed on the leather tongue! It eventually made a slice through it! I had a pair of 2016 Wolverine Riggers... they also didn't have the heal protection and failed there too but overall I was VERY pleased with the Boa system! Fast on, fast off and could even walk around with the system not tight if I needed some extra breathability and then tighten them when I needed to get to work in just a few seconds. I want to try a pair of the boots in the review next though!!! Seems like a much superior design! And only about $80 more expensive so that's not too bad either. Thanks for the review!!
I agree that they are probably nice, buuuuuuuut, with laces you can get a very custom fit if needed. I.e. tighter only at the ankle, or only at the collar. Or whatever. With this system, they have 1 method, which im sure works, its just not for everyone.
New Balance used the Boa system on the Vazee Sigma sprint spikes and they were easily the most comfortable and tightest fitting when I ran track. Unlike regular laces, the Boa is able to cable around the whole track spike and give a more full lace-up when you tighten them, whereas regular laces just tighten over the top of your foot
BOA in Motorcycle Boots and Cycling Shoes is game changing for me, especially in motorcycling. In cycling shoes its legitimately the best way to fasten them, laces can get caught in pedals, normal clasps put pressure in specific places, and velcro..........well it doesnt last, BOA has the benefits of clasps and laces. I still have some BOA cycling shoes from MANY years ago and they still work fantastically.
Having used BOA equipped boots for several years, I find them finicky, unreliable, impossible to fix in the field, sometimes uncomfortable and all in all a solution to a problem that laces and strong fingers have fixed for many centuries at a lower more sustainable cost. They have their use in specific applications, but there is no reason to adopt them if you can lace up your boot properly.
I have boa on my combat helmet and my cycling shoes . Amazing technology . We went nuts when it hit the cycling shoes . Good stuff . This looks like an awesome boot . FWiW I’ve never had a boa failure on any of my mountain bike shoes , five at last count . Mud , ice , water , smashed on rocks , totally submerged , sand . Never any grit or failure in the system hose it off and you are good , the rest of the shoe goes long before the boa system. . I have high arches and boa is a god send in cycling shoes .
I had a ski helmet with a boa closure and it lasted as long as I wore the helmet. That time was almost a decade. It never had any issues. The helmet had taken hits and thus was no longer safe, so I had to get a new one. My new helmet also has boa. At this point boa systems seem like a safe bet irrespective of the product. Edit: it’s great to see how many people here rave about boa. Even the people have seen the worst of boa don’t have many bad things to say. Really speaks volumes. Sign of an excellent product. And yeah I do agree boost does feel like walking in cement and does tire your feet. I seriously thought I was the only one. I have no clue how people wear them day in and day out.
My compound bow release uses BOA it’s nice one because it’s very quick to put on. Second reason I like it is because you’re able to make micro adjustments so you could then perfect fit around your wrist as opposed to normal buckles, where there’s a fourth of an inch in between each hole.
Have a set of Red Wings with BOA and love them!! Mid wear lite boot, but have been very durable in the oilfield! Broke the “lace” in one boot 1 1/2 years in and was replaced for free. Three years in and the soles are wearing smooth, but everything else works great!
I love the BOA system on my boots and it has a lifetime warranty. I am a welder and I broke a cable so I emailed BOA and filled out their form and they sent a full rebuild kit with reels and all for no charge that got to me in New Zealand in two days.
I worked at Red Wing for a couple of years and I have got to say really enjoyed repairing the Boa system, the parts were always available from Boa and the procedure for replacement of lace cables and winding mechanism was satisfying. I really enjoyed the tightening test in this video, when the top piece popped off , it looks like the entire winding mechanism popped off but thats supposed to happen for repairs, no harm done. I will say, their weakness is probably concrete though, it will jam up the cables real bad.
I have a pair of Underarmor boots that have the BOA thing. I was a mailman back in 2016-2018 and I needed a boot that was comfy and was waterproof. I started out with a pair of North Face goretex boots and they wore out quickly. I needed a lot of support around my ankles because I would walk over peoples lawns and there might be a ditch or unflat surface so I needed something that was supportive but also waterproof since I was out in the elements all day every day. The boots are still in good shape and I haven't worn them much since I stopped being a mailman but when I was wearing those daily it was a boot that was worth the money. I think I paid something like $300 for the boots because of the boa and the gortex. The boa system is still working out well for me and the boots are still in good shape. Thanks in advance!
What I like about the Boa system is how evenly it distributes the tension around the cord. When you quickly retie your normal laces you only tension the upper most part of the lacing, with boa the distribution is relatively even.
I use Steitz Secura BOA boots which work gave me 3 years ago, apart from the leather coming a part near the toe cap which is about a (little) finger nail thick which means their no longer water sealed, they’re still as comfortable as they day I got them! The boa system has held out pretty well, we were all skeptical of them at first but everyone changed their tune pretty quick!
Imagine living in an era when on every topic there is a channel that does good reviews and gives you an objective info about what is The best! This channels is all you will ever need if you are shopping for boots. Let's do the same for everything else.
I have a pair of Irish Setters with the BOA and I love it! I can loosen them while driving, especially if I get an itch on my ankle, and then just snug them back up whenever. As far as I can tell, the wire is super strong and they've taken a beating
I have this on my Red Wing shoes (6614) and they have served me well for over a year. The system is well-built and reliable. If you had never tried using BOA, give it a try! There is a learning curve, as you would likely overtighten them initially. But it's so easy to release and retighten with minimal time. It is easy as pie.
Owned a pair of Ariats a few years ago that my job bought me. I think it was either this boot or a previous version because this seems like exactly what I had. Boot itself is fantastic for the price. Supportive, lasted two years of daily wear inside on concrete flooring. Composite toe is ok, doesn't take up too much space in the toebox. The main reason they were replaced is because we get to buy new boots every year, but they kept up well and were comfortable the entire time. The Boa system, I had mixed feelings about. Durability is not a problem. I think the boot would wear out before the laces did. I weld at my job, mostly tig, but a decent amount of mig as well and didn't have problems. My problems were comfort related, and it may just be my particular usage and the shape of my foot. The stainless steel wires glide very smoothly through the eyelets. Over time, bending, crouching, walking around, the wires always loosened around my ankle and tightened around the top of my foot. I had to undo and redo the laces a few times a day to adjust the fit. It's quick to do, but uncomfortable if you're in the middle of something and just have to deal with the pain while your hands are busy. I have narrow feet and high arches, so maybe it's just my feet, though, ymmv. The other issue is the rotating handle. If you have to hang your toe over the edge of something, welding on a scaffold for instance, that thing does get annoying pressing into your shin after a while. Despite that, I'd probably consider giving them another try.
I don’t know if any of you are fishermen but I have korkers wading boots with the boa system and the are a game changer. Especially if you’ve been out winter steelhead fishing in sub freezing temperatures and you are trying to get out of your waders and into a warm car in a hurry.
I've been wearing Redwing Tradesmen boot for 2 years with the BOA. My first pair had two wires fail in less than 6 months. They replaced it the first time the second time they said there was a manufacturer malfunction and replaced the boots for free completely. I've worn the replacement pair every day for 11 to 12 hours and they have been great. Tge BOA is fast and allows me to loosen or tighten my boots based on how my feet are feeling throughout the day. Love the system and will buy another pair with it.
Got the Irish setter with boa system , 3 week so far , doing good ! I was very sceptical , but since they are fully covered if they break I don’t care ! I bet it will outlast the boot itself !
I’m a seasoned MTB’er and have had my share of cycling shoes. I’m on my 5th pair of BOA style shoes. In a nutshell the system works, it will stretch over time (yes metal can stretch) and if anything needs to be replaced it is easy to do. If you want to get even micro adjustments out of your shoes BOA is it. The shoe itself will wear and fail before the BOA system will. In my experience the BOA has always worked as designed.
Brilliant device: got them on my road bike shoes; we also use them at my work as they tighten the thermoplastic splints made by Exos, for wrist/ forearm fractures. Lightweight, waterproof too.
I've been using a pair of wolverine boots with the boa system in a manufacturing situation. They're about 3 years old now and I've had zero issues with the boa, although the leather over the steel toe is basically shredded.
I have BOA on my work shoes from Sievi and they never give out. My shoes are finished usually after 2 years of every workday of use. It’s great system!
here in sweden almost every one has BOA system on their work shoes. no matter what branch of work. car mechanic, carpenter or heavy industry. and it has been so for at least 5-10 years. works really great
I had a pair of patrol boots with the boa system and they were by far the best boots I've ever had other than my heritage Red wings. The advantage of being able to effectively unlace my boots when I was having seat time to let my feet rest and then instantly tie them by just cranking down the lace. As soon as I was ready to get up was humongous for my overall stamina. On top of that it can be difficult to get your boots to remain evenly. Laced throughout the day, and the boa laces just solve that. No more of this. The bottom half loosening over the course of the day nonsense that you deal with with regular laces
