Broken Boa - retailer, boot manufacturer or Boa?

A snowHead

TLDR - Boa goes in boot (but not the cable) after about ten days of boarding, but just over a year after buying it from retailer in Whistler. Who would your first point of contact be?!

Retailer, Vans (North America or Europe), Boa... or insurance? Puzzled

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Just after lunch in Cervino today, I made the mistake of thinking how my Vans Aura Pro snowboard boots were feeling nicely broken in after just over ten days use. Seconds later, one of them was just broken Sad

For the Boa on the side, apparently there's a piddly little plastic housing that should hold the screw which keeps the disc in place, but that snapped.

Managed to get back to Zermatt (with the disc held in place with a load of gaffer tape), but having taken it to the one decent snowboard place in Zermatt ( Julen Sport ) who handily stock Vans, they unfortunately confirmed that the side Boa is crap because it's not a complete housing (for want of a better word) like the one on the front.

Apparently, as a rule, you want the Boa to be the beefier self-contained unit like the one on the front of the boot (as these can be replaced), whereas the bit of plastic that should hold the screw cannot.

Something for others to bear in mind when considering Dual Boa boots. Apparently, not all Boas are created equal.

A snowHead

Maybe helpful, I've had to get replacements for my kids a few years ago when they were younger, and just went straight to boa who were super helpful and sent replacement parts free, internationally.

I won't ride boa boots. Have seen them break so many times - last year someone I was touring with fell through rocks way out in the middle of nowhere, ripped a boa clean out of the boot, had to ride back with ski straps and duck tape holding it all together in some really consequential terrain. laces every time for me. Also think laces are just a lot more comfortable.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

It's the dogshit reputation that Boa have got in snowboard boots that'll hopefully make skiers wary of going all in on the latest ski boot hype.

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Hmm. Well good luck with Vans.
Vans stopped designing their own snowboard boots after their "break" back in 2015 and subcontract it all out.
I offloaded my Auras sharpish as I found that they leaked because of the was the tongue was designed.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Thanks all. I guess I'll start with retailer, then Vans, then Boa, then credit-card and finally insurance. At least, they're less than two years old so the latter should be some help *fingers crossed*

@hang11 - if it was the "shin" Boa, that could be replaced as it's a complete unit. The side one is a poor man's alternative and this issue can't be fixed, so just wanted to draw this to others' attention... although clearly there are others who already shy away from any Boa for the various reasons mentioned.

I'm not a massive fan of laces as I struggle to get the boot tight enough, and would have preferred Speed Lace of some sort, although ironically I've previously also had one of those break on me too... so maybe I need to stop judging laces on the rentals I had a long time ago and give those a go next.

I guess at least a replacement for those would be easy enough to carry with me on a daily basis and any wear / tear should be much more visible!

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Lifetime warranty with BOA
order replacement for free on their website - absolutely no quibble or them challenging my request.
I got 2x for my boots after one started to lose tightness & they sent me a black one - so I asked for a 2nd so both boots match (originals are blue)
Took a few weeks to arrive
https://www.boafit.com/en-gb/support/warranty

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

If you delve into their Lifetime Warranty though, it's not entirely as it seems (appears to be for laces and discs, and not for small plastic housing that the smaller Boas screw into in my case)

I'll try to upload picture at some point so others can see what I mean, but the part that has broken cannot be replaced as it is integrated into the side of the boot. Hence why I'm expecting "Vans" to blame Boa and vice-versa.

After all it is free

Yeah, exactly that.

I definitely paid by credit-card, but in the age of paper-free statements, it's been interesting how hard it is to go back more than 6 months with some providers.

Looking like another glorious day in Zermatt, so looking forward to seeing how these rental speedlace Nitro boots hold up... hoping the cable ties I now take out with me won't be required today!

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i buyed a pair of Vans Aura i think at 2009? or 2010? i use them till today. They are totall crap, i put some reinforcementes from Deeluxe with tape, to be a little more stiff , but the only things that works 100% perfect are the boas

On the other hand, i read so many complains the last year about BOAs.
In the US snowboardingforum you could find many stories about BOA problem, and mainly with vans.
In the German SNB forum, also .... someone had twice a refund for Vans Verse because of BOA Problems.

I bought also in November a pair of Salomon Malamute. After 3 days of boarding in Flaine, the side boas stucked...I couldnt open the boa to take them out. I managed the left one boot, but not the right. After much pain and effort i managed to take out the right also, i went home and i take the boa out.
I have replacement kit with me, but it was impossible to put the new cable in the cable channe. Something was blocked the cable channel.
I contact BOA , they send me replacement kits (without charge) but they said the problem is someting in the boots

Salomon accepted to send a refund (they were one month old, they couldnt denied it) but i didnt buy boots with boa again.
I wanted Burton with speed laces but they do not pass to my feet, and after many trials, now i have the Adidas Tactical.

I HATE the trad. laces.....But i also hate to take the risk with BOA again.
Nowadays is not only the boa which could lead to a problem, but the combination Boots-BOA

Send pics to BOAcom. If they said that the problem is the boot, send the pics + answer from BOA to Vans.

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

Cross the laces over twice so you can really crank them tight, by pulling hard on one side. Probably plenty of YouTube vids showing how to do it - not easy to explain.

Speed laces are fine, pretty easy to bodge them up if they break and easy to replace.

Laces are just so much easier to get a good fit with imo, takes a couple of minutes longer to get boots on compared to boa, so not really a biggie.

snow reports

Do people still buy BOA? Don't know anyone that didn't have problems with them and got rid...sharpish!

You know it makes sense.

I'm getting towards the end of my third pair of double boa boots, something over 300 days in all, without issue. Love 'em.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

I would love to have BOA but I have a very specific requirement regarding tightness of boots in different places hence I bought trad laces and I also want reliability. However, my issue with laces is that i keep adjusting them couple times a day and the winter temperatures meant I came home with cut fingers. For the next trip I'll try to buy some gloves just for lacing but if it causes too much issue I will convert myself to BOA.

A snowHead

I usually did so many times per day with the vans aura and a couple of days with the malamute.
I realised after buying the adidas the the boots were minimal big and wide for my feet.
With the adidas last saturday didnt adjust the laces at All. Onmy once in Lunch break

However i have to mentioned that i use these Power Stripes which Keep the boot round the calves tight and the adidas have super heel jbarrs. Heel lift is at 0% so no need für adjustment.

As mentionened...nothing against Boa...the Boa is reliable. The boots are not any more

A snowHead

When I first started boarding I used to obsess about tight boots and no heel lift. Used to crank up the laces so tight my feet would go numb.
These days I do them up once in the morning and that's it for the day.
I'm still wearing some old Salomon Tenth boots from 2007, no Boas, just some quick lacing things in the liners and laces with various catch type things in a couple of places on the outer.
I've been looking for potential new boots but there aren't too many out there without Boas.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

@Jagerbull, I wear Salomon F22s, I'm guessing they're 10yrs old now and pretty much on their last legs, the 'faux leather' material is deteriorating and delaminating in a couple of places. They've got Salomons speedlace system - continuous loop of lace with a cleat at the ankle, then two or three up the boot from there. It's great. Tighten over front foot to desired amount and set with the cleat, then flick up through the other cleats and tighten as you go. I hardly ever have to adjust during the day.

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@rogg, sounds the same. You described it way better than I did. I'm not sure what my next boot choice will be to avoid the Boas. Have you looked for replacements for the F22s?

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Not yet. I really like them, and seem to have fallen into the 'I can just get one more trip out of them' loop.

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the malamute have something similar . With the laces, not the boa

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

Thanks @turms2,

I did try the Malamutes in a shop years ago (2002 i think) but they didn't feel too comfortable. Ski boot-esque!

Will give them another go.

The only problem with my current boots is that they aren't very waterproof. I'm so reluctant to bin them though.

After all it is free

Malamute are one of the stiffest in Market
Something like the Salomon speedlace has nitro i think

Just for balance on the "never Boa" posts above. I've just had a problem with one of mine. First time in 7 years of riding Boa boots. 130+ days per season, boots usually last 2 seasons!

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@stevomcd, good to get some balance.
Which brand of boots do you have? Double or single Boa?

I'd say that my Vans Auras Boa never gave me any problems either... but... the quality of Vans boots IMV really went down hill after they stopped doing the design in house and farmed it out. They really just give their name to the product now since the 2015/16 gap year. The Vans I bought to replace the Auras leaked like seives because of the tongue design.

You know it makes sense.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

Sorry - I was misremembering - I bought Auras to replace my old Encores back in around 2015/6. The problem I worked out was that there was a gaiter between the tongue and the boot but it was really short so when you did the boot up it acted like a channel down into the boot so any snow or water that got onto the top of the boot would get down inside.

They subbed out the design - manufacture has always been outsourced for snowboard boots.

A snowHead

strange....during the last couple of years i noticed also that my feet in the Aura were wet. I thought it was from warm weather, sweating etc
maybe have the same problem

A snowHead

Mate had auras, deelites, and one other and all had problems with boa. I tried malumites and they were awful fitting and uncomfortable. Northwave legends we're a nice boot but they had this lump underfoot just off my arch so had to send them back. Adidas we're just huge in footprint so sent them too. I found another pair of Burton imperials on eBay back then and never looked back since. Speed lace is a perfect in between trad lace and boa imv. Didn't like 32 boots I tried either. The one Rome boot I tried was excellent but a half size too small so yep you guess it, they got sent too. Nitro boots seemed ok a bit chunky but not that many to choose from here in UK. I tried a few on in Italy at the time. Good luck anyway.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

Same Story also here
Since Januar 2021 fast everything in the market amd finally gut a pair of adidas tactical adv.
I think the best jbars für the heels in the market

Burton speed lace are super ...maybe the best...bit the boots are not for my feet

However adidas has the smallest footprint in the Market

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So, quick update:

Contacted retailer who would really want / need the boot in their possession in order to process a warranty claim. And then, all they'd do is contact the manufacturer or BOA, so advised that I just do that.

Went to Boa first, who confirmed that the part concerned IS considered a Boa part, but that as it is sewn into the boot, it is not covered by their warranty and they are only allowed to share it with "brand partners".

So, I contacted Vans in UK over the phone, was sent an email requesting certain specific photos (of the boot and the receipt of my purchase) and within a few working hours, had confirmation that it would be considered a warranty claim by them.

However, they're planning on giving me a discount code for the sterling equivalent to what I paid in Whistler to use on their website to buy a replacement.

Two problems with this: it will be about £100 less than the same pair would cost from them and there's currently no option to purchase from them as the "season has ended".

So, now that Vans have admitted responsibility, I'm thinking of going back to retailer and seeing what they say. Not ideal as they're in Whistler, but there's the slim possibility I might be going there later in the year.

Failing that, I reckon I'm in a better position now to request a refund from the credit-card provider, which would allow me to buy whatever I choose as a replacement, rather than just get the same boot that is at risk of experiencing the same issue.

Glad I kept the receipt for them either way!

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

These are 2 year old boots right?

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13 months old, were on their 14th day of use

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

13 months old or you bought them 13 months ago?
Ill be honest much as I understand your pain on this, it seems a bit OTT given they are old boots. Boa systems have always suffered problems, which is why most people stick to laces.

After all it is free

I bought them from new 13 months before they broke, so that made them 13 months old

The day they broke were their 14th day of use

If that's what you consider old, fair enough, but I don't

Presumably neither do Boa as they offer a lifetime warranty on their replaceable parts, but not the sewn-in ones. Hence me having to go to Vans

But presumably neither do Vans as they have accepted my warranty claim

Thanks anyway Smile

Help!!

Broken Boa - retailer, boot manufacturer or Boa?

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