Salomon SPro Supra Boa 120

A snowHead

Unfit level 9 on the inside out scale - bought these to replace my ageing / packed out but slipper-like pimped XPro 100s and must say I'm impressed!

Bought and fitted by Lockwoods (with a decent Ski Club GB discount), my existing custom footbeds still had some life left so no problems on that front; I also swopped out the power strap with my existing Sidas booster straps that IMO when properly cranked, allow for a much better fit at the shin (the 45mm one that comes with the boot is still decent / incorporates a section with a bit of stretch / rebound but I wasn't going to risk using them over my tried and tested)

Major positive on these boots is the 4D liner; much improved tech compared to my previous XPro 100s & 130s - a small stint in the oven and my right boot was pretty much dialled in from the outset with excellent heel lock and comfort all round. Another new feature (to me at any rate) is the Custom tongue which is fully dismantlable and can be set at differing heights - more on this later. Had some issues with my left boot due to differing calf sizing / footwidth but another stint in the oven (liner and shell) and a heel retainer / volume reducer provided an almost mirror fit to the other boot.

First test drive at the delightful MK and the boots did give me a modicum of pain but nothing specific to pinpoint (pain on the soles of the foot primarily) which is arguably to be expected when used in anger and not just clomping around in a shop. This soon subsided and I took a view that if I had any issues I'd get them sorted in resort (Tignes this week)

With the rear plate / power spine set to 'progressive' these boots performed really well from the off (for me) and provided the perfect balance of comfort and being able to drive my skis as and when needed. The 120 flex is arguably on the softer side (which again I prefer / am used to) but stiff enough to smash through chop / provide support on longer schusses / carving at speed etc. The new tech BOA system (which could be considered a bit of a gimmic) was actually pretty effective and provided a more 'locked in' sensation to the lower foot than all of my previous 4 buckle boots (with the lower two buckles being set at super loose as standard). A reversed scenario in this instance - being able to simply ignore the remaining 2x upper buckles once set and just being able to 'tweak' the BOA dial / Booster strap throughout the day (with gloves on) was a doddle and I soon found my nirvana.

I did have a slight weird performance issue with shin 'stiffness' on the LH boot on day 2 so I had a quick visit to Sebastien at Mountain Story and after checking the rest of the fit he basically 're-set' the tongue as they were at different heights (something I had no idea about until he showed me) which sorted it. Sebastien did confirm I have 'typical Salomon SPro feet' (whatever they are!) however overall very pleased and impressed with how quickly my feet have settled into these boots after very little use (An hour in a fridge and 4x full days skiing). Did have some initial concerns about BOA and getting the boots on and off however these were misplaced and like all things no problem once you've found the knack etc. Only slight irritation with BOA is when putting the boots on; when the wire is set to 'loose' it does clash with the lower cuff/buckle so you need to temporarily tighten it before setting the 2x upper buckles - hardly a chore . . .

Overall very pleased - my score - 9/10

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Salomon SPro Supra Boa 120

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