Boa Debuts H2 Coiler Reel to Compliment Focus System on 09/10 Partner Snowboard Boots

Adding to the arsenal of Boa options available to the snowboard world for Winter 2009, Boa® Technology, makers of the award-winning patented Boa® Lacing System, introduces the new H2 Coiler Reel. Featured on some of the most innovative boots this season produced by DC, Vans, K2, Ride, Flow and others, Boa is once again taking performance fit and zonal closure to the next level for elite riders.

2009 Ride Insano featuring the Boa H2 Coiler

Living and breathing lacing technology 24/7, the design crew at Boa created the new H2 Coiler to complement the already radical Boa Focus system launched last season. “We are always looking to innovate and improve the performance of our products,” says Boa Director of Product Design, Brett Vladika. “And we designed the H2 Coiler to be our most secure, low-profile, high-power reel yet.”

Meeting the sport’s highest-performance standards by delivering the perfect combination of on-the-fly micro-adjustability, bombproof construction and all-day secure closure, the H2 Coiler, combined with Boa’s revolutionary Focus System, offers snowboarders ultimate reliability to ride first chair-to-last call every day. Automatically winding in slack lace when tightening the reel, the Boa H2 Coiler boasts a stronger, lower profile push/pull mechanism to counter unintentional reel pop-outs on big landings, simple lace replacement and more custom colors options for product designers.

“The H2 Coiler was a big favorite among athletes and product designers during development and testing over the last two winters,” says Boa Sales Manager Ilya Minkin. “The Boa Focus Lacing System, featuring the H2 Coiler, delivers multi-zonal adjustability in all conditions, anywhere on the mountain.”

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After spending 6 days in Yellow at the 2009 Tour de France and boasting the title as the lightest (225g’s) production cycling shoe on the market with a mechanical closure, the 2010 Specialized S-Works is a pure performance machine featuring the new Boa S1 Lacing System. The new Boa S1 represents the smallest, lightest, lowest profile reel in the arsenal of Boa Lacing System products. While still delivering on the durability, uniform closure, on-the-fly adjustability, and secure fit provided by other Boa products, the S1 brings multi-adjustability to a completely new level. Put simply, it allows a “righty-tighty, lefty-loosey” approach to achieving the exactly precise fit in a matter of split seconds.

On the scale, the 2010 S-Works is the lightest production cycling shoe on the market with a mechanical closure...The Boa S1 Lacing System. 225 g's! Almost 100 grams lighter than the comp.

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Today we took a quick stroll through the Lake Cycling booth to check out 2010 product with marketing and events coordinator Desi Velcheva. She immediately pointed us to the 2010 CX236 road show featuring the Boa Lacing System…Carlos gives a thumbs up!

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Adrian Montgomery of Scott shows off the new Road Ltd featuring the Boa Lacing System

The Scott Road LTD
The super lightweight Road LTD featuring the Boa Lacing System is designed for the demanding cyclist, who doesn’t want to accept any compromise, power or speed. The mission is very clear: The top place on the podium, whether if it’s a pro-tour event or a national race.

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How many field testers does Boa have? How did you choose them?
We have tester numbers varying anywhere from 120 up to 180 depending on the number of tests going at that point. We started with mostly local testers, since Colorado is such a hotbed for hardcore athletes. That obviously made it easy to get quick and direct feedback. Then, because of the number of tests and the timing of these tests, we broadened our team and we now have testers from all over the country. A lot of them have been testing for us for a while and it takes a person who can wear the product the required number of hours, be able to put the product through its paces, and be able to give us quality and timely feedback.

Boa's Rob Peterson. There’s no substitute for evaluating footwear out in the field. Photo By CJ Berg

How much do field testers usually wear footwear with Boa?
Depending on the test our testers can wear our product anywhere from 6months up to a year and sometimes even longer. Some guys testing workboots with the Boa Lacing System have logged over 2200 hours. One of our snow testers averages over 600 hours on snow every winter. A pro cycling tester of ours competed in five 100 miles bike races in his Boa test shoes.

What sort of comments do you get from them? What sort of wear-and-tear are you looking for?
I’m not just saying this because I work here, but we get a lot of positive comments like “this is the best lacing system shoe combination I have ever worn”, “I wish I had boa on all my shoes”, “let me know if I can test anything else for you.” Some of our testers love the system so much they test for us in multiple categories such as running and biking at the same time. There are many more comments along these lines and then some.

We are really looking for testers to beat up the product we like them to get them wet, dirty, sandy, muddy, snowy, and whatever else they are able to do. Along with testing for environmental conditions we also like for the system to come in contact with any kind of surface that will help check the durability of the system as well as the function. What I mean is it’s ok to hit the system on something or for it to get knocked by something such as a tree branches, rocks, rungs of ladders. Sure, a lot of comments are very positive, but we also keep our ears out for comments that could point at a way to improve the Lacing System.

Why do you have a field test program?
We do a lot of laboratory testing at Boa, but there’s no substitute for evaluating footwear out in the field. Simply put, we have a field test program because it is the best way to see what our system can take in real-world conditions. What I mean is we are able to see our system go through multiple conditions and scenarios, and see how long the Boa Lace, Reel, and components can take abuse. Our tests are set up so that the testers are able to log as many hours as possible to get us quality results we are looking for.

What is the toughest part of managing the field test program?
I think the hardest part of managing the field testing program is the timing of it all. What I mean is from beginning to end there are a lot of factors that go into testing and putting it all together timing wise can be difficult at times. Though at the same time I am able to learn from each test and we are then I able to take what I have learned from previous tests and apply it to new ones which help each test to become more efficient as we move forward.

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Winter is coming! For all the female freeheelin’ tele-junkies, check out the Black Diamond Stiletto tele boot for 09 featuring the BD Power Fit Light Liner with Boa Lacing System. Black Diamond’s top-of-the-line women’s freeheel boot, the Stiletto craves big skis and fluid lines—be it waist-deep pow in the British Columbia backcountry or off-piste action at La Grave.

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Stage win and Series title cap off an epic season

After a summer-long circuit of mountain bike races that took him from high desert singletrack to alpine vistas, Boa President Mark Soderberg faced one more difficult test: the Fall Classic. The eighth and final stop on the Mountain States Cup tour, the Fall Classic would not coddle mountain bike riders. On the contrary, this ultimate weekend would test them unlike any of the previous tour stops; for this weekend would include not one gut-churning race, not two quad-melting contests, but three separate races that would have exhausted riders shuttling from one starting line to the next around Breckenridge, Colorado — no doubt applying muscle balm while in the car in between. The fastest cumulative time would win the weekend.

Boa Prez Mark Soderberg leading the pack and taking the crown at the 2009 Mountain States Cup

And Soderberg loved every punishing second of it.

“It was SO spectacular,” says Soderberg. “It snowed overnight, so we were staring up at white-capped mountains all day.”

The Fall Classic began on Saturday with a circuit race at the Breckenridge Nordic Center on Saturday. Here, Soderberg outpaced his closest competition, Dawes Wilson from Pedal Power Vail, by 3:29:32. But there was little time to celebrate, as he had to quickly get to the starting line of the Hill Climb Time Trial at Carter Park. “This was a killer cllimb,” says Soderberg, who still managed to win the race, putting another 2 1/2 minutes on Wilson.

With a nearly six-minute lead heading into the weekend’s final race the next day, it would have seemed Soderberg could cruise to victory, much like Tour de France riders take a more leisurely pace on the Tour’s final stage on the Champs Elysees. But that was not to be.

Mountain biking rarely allows riders to shift into cruise control. And, during the race—a beastly course that was the longest one of the year—Soderberg was rudely reminded of that very fact. “I was taking a gel and missed a turn,” says Soderberg, who was leading his competitor. He headed downhill with a head of steam, slowly beginning to wonder why he wasn’t seeing any markings or other riders.

A dismount and backtrack returned him to the course, but not without some concern over whether his main competition had passed him by.

“The other guy got lost … twice,” says Soderberg, laughing only in retrospect.

Soderberg’s cumulative time placed him atop the weekend’s standings for the 50+ Cat I grouping, besting Wilson’s overall time by 30:08. Best yet, it garnered him enough points to clinch the Mountain States Cup.

A few days later, in the calm of a Monday morning, Soderberg savored a cup of Joe and waxed nostalgic about a memorable season — one that also saw him win the National Championship. “I definitely had a lot of fun this year,” he says. “And that was the goal.”

For complete results from the Fall Classic and Mountain States Cup, visit www.racemsc.com.

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The new Ride Insano features a perfect combination of proven performance features and the latest in lightweight madness. This
new freestyle attack boot dominates, featuring the convenience of
the H2 Boa Coiler and the even lacing of The Closer lace guide.
Add our Intuition™ Liner to dial in the perfect fit and the new Blown
Light Meta sole made of 100% Phylon for a barefoot-light feel.
*Disclaimer: Ride Snowboards is not responsible for loss of sanity
due to the elated feelings that could be brought on by using this
product.

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From MSNBC.com

New ski boot to be comfy but pricey at $1,295
By Catherine Tsai

BOULDER, Colo. (AP) -Skiing, fun. Walking in ski boots back to the lodge, not so much.

In mid-September, a company in Boulder will start selling a ski boot it says is so comfortable that skiers accustomed to having their feet clamped into rigid plastic shells will be able to walk around in their boots like snowboarders and maybe even drive.

Comfort and convenience come at a price: $1,295. That’s at least a few hundred dollars more than a pair of high-end ski boots.

“We’ll be the most expensive boot on the market,” said Jim Malmgren, director of operations for Apex Sports Group.

The company hopes to sell 1,200 pairs this season.

For years snowboarders have enjoyed softer boots whose main focus is keeping them centered on their boards, but skiers have to be able to apply pressure through their boots to make a turn.

“It’s trying to keep the ski part of your skeleton,” said David Ingemie, president of SnowSports Industries America.

The Apex ski boot is basically a heat-moldable liner fit inside a less bulky snowboard boot, with a lacing system by Boa Technology. The “walking” boot then slides into a trim but rigid two-buckle carbon-fiber chassis that fits into a ski binding.
(more…)

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