I've not tried BOA ski boots but I guess my perception is a slight positive bias on functionality and a slight negative bias on durability plus a layer of generalised tightness which makes me averse to paying an extra Euro 50 if I really have the choice.
Rightly or wrongly ( ) I tend to think CH20 knows what he is talking about so I'm feeling mollified on the durability point.
On functionality - and I have heard the point that it is a completely different system - I like BOA on my current cycling shoes. It works better than the other systems I have tried (laces, velcro straps, ratchet levers). I sometimes have minor problems with getting the pressure comfortable over my instep with clip ski boots and I find micro adjustment buckles an annoying faff. I'm open minded.
On the price point, the truth is that if I'm confident that a pair of ski boots is going to work great for me then 50 euro is neither here nor there. The sad truth is that I've skied in many pairs of boots over the years and most have been meh at best (ie., not loved the performance AND/OR the comfort). Only two pairs have felt like they worked beautifully in tune with me in terms of performance and comfort and they haven't been premium products or bought via a premium fitting service. But that is just my experience and my hunch is it is very specific to my feet, etc.
Despite this I still believe in the services provided by CEM, CH20 etc! Solutions for Feet did a great job with my son's boots and suspect I'll be paying CH20 a visit for new touring boots before long...
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
On the fly adjustment is important to me, especially on touring boots when trying to keep good circulation but prevent blisters on the way up. I take it BOA is better than conventional buckles in this regard ?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Quote:
I'm confident that a pair of ski boots is going to work great for me then 50 euro is neither here nor there.
Currently inputting orders and updating the stock management, scratch 50 euros, more like 100.
I'm confident that a pair of ski boots is going to work great for me then 50 euro is neither here nor there.
Currently inputting orders and updating the stock management, scratch 50 euros, more like 100.
And therein lies the problem. For something the market wasn't asking for that's a pretty hefty bump on prices that have already grown through heavy inflation/ gripwalk etc.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
@Dave of the Marmottes, I totally agree, the price hikes are infact justified, in so much as any other thing out there, possibly more given how much of the process passes through the Ukraine. The Ukraine being key, rather than ski boots. And yes I agree, it's hefty hike for something we didn't know we needed. This is the crux of my thread, only you so far have touched on it. We have something that makes it work so damn well, but guess what, you have to pay for it. So start with something 100 euros more expensive, that doesn't really do alot, unless you spend a whole load more.We'll be fairly unique to approach it this way. So bottom line, if you spank 1400 euros on it, it's amazing, if you don't buy the optional extra i fail to see any value. 100 euros for nothing, or a whole lot more for something quite special.
@Dave of the Marmottes, I totally agree, the price hikes are infact justified, in so much as any other thing out there, possibly more given how much of the process passes through the Ukraine. The Ukraine being key, rather than ski boots. And yes I agree, it's hefty hike for something we didn't know we needed. This is the crux of my thread, only you so far have touched on it. We have something that makes it work so damn well, but guess what, you have to pay for it. So start with something 100 euros more expensive, that doesn't really do alot, unless you spend a whole load more.We'll be fairly unique to approach it this way. So bottom line, if you spank 1400 euros on it, it's amazing, if you don't buy the optional extra i fail to see any value. 100 euros for nothing, or a whole lot more for something quite special.
For 1400 I'm expecting some kind of zero gravity contraption not a clever closure!
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
For those interested, Atomic, the company that has gone the furthest with BOA so far, have 1440 different boots from an assembly perspective, in their Hawx range; various flexes, lasts, colours, coller types, gender types, and sizes. They build 1440 different boots for you to buy an exact 1. You pay for it, but it is worth paying for.
After all it is free
After all it is free
Quote:
For 1400 I'm expecting some kind of zero gravity contraption not a clever closure!
Mate, it's the average price, shell, footbed and liner in the average weight human freeride range if you really want value for money, IMO.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
CH2O wrote:
Quote:
For 1400 I'm expecting some kind of zero gravity contraption not a clever closure!
Mate, it's the average price, shell, footbed and liner in the average weight human freeride range if you really want value for money, IMO.
Ah - I thought you were comparing 1400 and 100!
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
@jedster, Nah, I don't see the value of buying BOA for an extra 100, over 2 buckles without the extra sale. The extra sale put the price of the overall product at 1400, but makes the BOA effective. Essentially you need to spend and extra 300 euros to get any benefit from BOA, which already comes with a 100 euro price tag to get there.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
So when do we get the reveal of this extra €300 gizmo that brings a point to Boa?
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
under a new name wrote:
I do miss the sound of a 2,400 baud modem connecting to AOL (sigh)
and having time to make your coffee and put the laundry on while waiting for the connection and the page to load.
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
CH2O wrote:
@jedster, Nah, I don't see the value of buying BOA for an extra 100, over 2 buckles without the extra sale. The extra sale put the price of the overall product at 1400, but makes the BOA effective. Essentially you need to spend and extra 300 euros to get any benefit from BOA, which already comes with a 100 euro price tag to get there.
€1400 for boots? Have you just bought DPS by chance?
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Not sure how you get to €1400. List price of top end Atomic boots with BOA looks to be around €850. A decent liner and footbed shouldn’t cost another €550 should it ?
Edit - but don‘t the Atomics come with high quality Mimic liners ?
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Quote:
Have you just bought DPS by chance?
Yuk, hell no.
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Dave of the Marmottes wrote:
So when do we get the reveal of this extra €300 gizmo that brings a point to Boa?
Wen it means enough to you that you sit and look me in the eyes. Until then, shop shop and shop again.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
My thoughts on this are -
Boot manufacturers use 'new' things like BOA to motivate skiers to buy new boots. Convince the customer he/she is (heaven forbid) missing out on something, so they buy it. Some boot fitters also try this by claiming they have found the holy grail of boot fitting and only they can provide the customer with right solution for the "value for money" price of €1400.
Last edited by Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person on Thu 29-08-24 14:30; edited 1 time in total
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
For those interested, Atomic, the company that has gone the furthest with BOA so far, have 1440 different boots from an assembly perspective, in their Hawx range; various flexes, lasts, colours, coller types, gender types, and sizes. They build 1440 different boots for you to buy an exact 1. You pay for it, but it is worth paying for.
All I can say is what a nightmare this has to be for the boot fitter/stockist. There's no way anybody is going to stock all those different varieties in sufficient quantities to have the exact right boot for everybody who enters their shop which suggests there'll be a lot of customers in 'not quite' the right boot and a lot of unsold inventory at the end of the year in odd sizes and combinations.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
@olderscot, I don't agree, it's a part of our jobs to anticipate and control our stocks. For sure we make mistakes, and for sure this makes it more complex, however that's the same for all businesses. Footwear/ski boot stores work generally on a stock retention of 12-15% year on year. It's a challenge for sure to try get below that, but not different than the challenge to fit your feet into smaller tighter boots client after client. For example, many and most shops follow the marketing programs and attempt to piggy back on it to help sell through. It's lazy and nonsense and will leave you exposed. We have 12 different models at Atomic for example, however we don't buy all of them in all sizes, the lower flex, softer boots in small sizes, upto the bigger in higher flexes. This is logical to us, but then we push back against the "ability" serves product choice over basic skience. So while you come to the shop and see a huge range of boots, there is very little choice for you, and that's reflected in our stockroom. Most other shops pick a model, and run all sizes, which will leave them with the 15% retention bracket.
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
) I tend to think CH20 knows what he is talking about so I'm feeling mollified on the durability point.
