Think you’re tough on your gear? Do your outdoor pursuits lead you down unmarked paths, through waist-deep powder, straight into muddy puddles and occasionally up the proverbial creek without a paddle? If this sounds like you, then you know only the best product has survived throughout your adventures, with the rest tattered by the wayside. And this makes you the right person to join Boa B Company.
Boa B Companytroops love active challenges and help make a tough product even tougher for the next generation. Click here to apply for the chance to join Boa B Company, a new field testing program that puts you in the driver’s seat to try new, unreleased products and help us develop and evolve the same world-class performance technology we’ve been delivering since 2001.
How it Works:
1. Experience the Fit. Try on a Boa-powered product for work, play or leisure and experience the benefits of the Boa Closure System (you can view a selection of Boa-powered footwear and equipment at www.boatechnology.com).
2. Upgrade Your Gear. Purchase a Boa-powered pair of cycling shoes, golf shoes, outdoor shoes, utility, hunting and fish boots or medical products.
3. Tell us what you think. Apply to become a Boa field tester here and tell us what you think.
4. Get Rewarded for participating. B Company members receive access to special offers and promotions, receive membership discounts, access to new and unreleased products, and may apply for ‘Epic to Me” Adventure Grants.
At this month’s Winter Outdoor Retailer Market in Salt Lake City, Utah, several media outlets presented “Best In Show” awards to Boa partner brand Louis Garneau.
Louis Garneau’s Yeti snowshoe, featuring the Boa-powered Contact Pro Harness System, was received the “Best In Show” award from leading outdoor gear-review website, The Gear Institute. Say the website’s editors: “Louis Garneau’s Yeti Snowshoe is the first we’ve seen to use a Boa System instead of straps and buckles, and the system is much lighter than most.” Read the full story here: http://www.gearinstitute.com/best-in-class/item/best-of-outdoor-retailer-awards.
The Boa Closure System found on the Yeti high-performance backcountry snowshoe (pictured here) applies even, secure adjustment to the super-light weight binding, while also allowing maximum adjustability in order to accommodate most footwear types–from running shoes to winter boots.
The Course (below) features Louis Garneau’s Contact Lite Harness with two Boa dials–one to adjust forefoot fit, and a second to secure the heel. This dual-adjustment design ensures natural foot positioning and running stride.
Wednesday January 16th 2013, 3:19 pm
Filed under: Running
Topo Athletic, a new footwear company, today unveiled its line of incredibly light weight athletic footwear designed to “innately amplify” the way people run, walk and train.
“We don’t try to change or correct or fix the way you run or train,” said Topo Athletic founder (and former Vibram USA CEO) Tony Post in a recent interview with the Boston Business Journal. “We try to do things in footwear that leverage the natural biomechanics in your body to amplify your training or workout — allow you to get more out of it.”
The run-specific models (called W-RR for women and M-RR for men) feature the Boa Closure System and the Japanese Tobi-inspired split-toe design. The separate big toe design increases stability, power and agility.
The heat-welded upper seams reduce risk of blisters and chafing and save weight. The M-RR weighs just 5.4 ounces and the W-RR is a mere 4.6 ounces.
They sell for $130 and will be available starting May 2013. Visit www.topoathletic.com for more information.
Every year at this time, we at Boa Technology like get into the holiday spirit by giving away some great gear from our partner brands. This year we’re giving away amazing prizes from Footjoy, Gaerne, Korkers, P3 Pillows, Red Wing Shoes, Ride Snowboards, Smith, Specialized, Vans, Viking and Zoot.
Visit the Boa Closure System Facebook page to enter today. Simply enter your name and zip code and hit “Submit” to become eligible to win one of 12 daily prizes to be awarded between December 12 and 23.
PRESS RELEASE: Boa Technology Inc., the Colorado-based creator of the revolutionary Boa® Closure System featured in performance footwear, action sports, outdoor and medical products worldwide, has received funding from Glenbrook Consumer Partners, a San Francisco-based investment firm that finances innovative, high-growth consumer brands. The agreement, finalized May 18, includes a strategic majority investment to accelerate Boa’s brand growth.
“Boa exemplifies all of the elements we seek in a partner,” says Peter Breck, a managing director at Glenbrook Consumer Partners. “It has a highly differentiated product offering, attractive and scalable business model, a large market opportunity and, most importantly, an extremely talented, passionate and high-integrity team.”
Boa Technology began in 1998 as the brainchild of entrepreneur Gary Hammerslag. After recognizing the limitations of traditional shoelaces and other closure systems, he crafted a dial-based prototype that became the Boa Closure System. Now the gold standard of closure, it appears in numerous footwear categories including cycling, golf, outdoor, snowboarding, utility as well as helmets and medical bracing. Boa partners with over 100 premium brands, among them: K2 Snowboarding, Vans, Footjoy, Specialized, Red Wing, Bata Industrials, TrekSta, Smith, Exos Medical and DeRoyal Medical.
“As demand for our system grows, so does our need to expand our resources and capabilities,” says Mark Soderberg, Boa’s CEO. “The Glenbrook team’s long history and proven track record of supporting great management teams to build world-class consumer brands, coupled with their financial commitment, puts Boa in a stronger position to act on opportunities that will help us achieve our goal of placing a Boa-powered product in every life.”
“We look forward to working with Boa’s management to build the Boa brand, introduce more users to the Boa Closure System and help deepen its relationships with both brand partners and end users,” says Glenbrook principal Trevor Ashley.
In conjunction with this transaction, long-time Boa President Mark Soderberg assumes the additional role of CEO. Founder Gary Hammerslag will remain company chairman and lead Boa’s new European office opening later this year.
Middle-market investment banking firm Integris Partners and the law firm Patton Boggs, LLP advised Boa Technology. Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP provided legal counsel to Glenbrook.
Wednesday July 13th 2011, 11:49 am
Filed under: Running
Mud. Rocks. Scree. Talus. Snow. Creek crossings. And even lightning. The Boa Closure System saw it all as Boa Marketing Director Garett Graubins tackled the fabled Hardrock 100 Endurance Run last weekend. Running in prototyped Hoka Bondi B’s, Graubins successfully completed the course, which climbs a total of 33,000 feet and crosses 13 high-altitude mountain passes, in 37 hours. “This was the ultimate field testing ground for Boa on trail running shoes,” says Graubins. “It was sort of like when Samsonite tested their suitcases by throwing them into the gorilla cage at the zoo. The Hardrock course is relentless and it beats you up like nothing else. If you have one weak chink in your armor, Hardrock will expose it.” Graubins also points out that the Boa Closure System let him “Set it and Forget It” for virtually the entire race — he didn’t need to adjust the system once — and the system was lighter weight than traditional shoelaces, since the Boa lace does not absorb water and sheds mud.
The Boa Closure System currently is available at retail on trail running shoes from The North Face (Sentinel Boa), Scarpa (Blitz & Corsa) and TrekSta (Kobra). It also appears on several light hikers.
Graubins enjoyed the company of a pacer over the race’s final 26+ miles: prolific running blogger Sarah Lavender Smith. You can read her account of the final quarter of the race here: http://www.therunnerstrip.com
Wednesday May 25th 2011, 8:03 am
Filed under: Running
Ultramarathon Man Dean Karnazes and family took a little timeout from their busy schedule a few weeks ago (running across the United States) to drop in on First Lady Michelle Obama. We need to get her in North Face Sentinel Boa Reel PInk running shoes just like Dean!
“This is without a doubt the most intense endeavor I’ve ever undertaken,” said the 48-year-old Karnazes, whose list of endurance derring-do includes this breathtaking achievement: 50 marathons in 50 days in all 50 states. (Whereupon, after completing the last one, the New York City Marathon, he headed back toward his San Francisco home, running 1,300 miles until, feeling homesick for his wife and two children, he hopped a flight from Missouri.)
Karnazes will leave Disneyland during Friday’s “Live!” telecast (check local listings for this syndicated show), with Ripa and some 200 other well-wishers seeing him off from the Magic Kingdom.
On Saturday, January 8, Boa Marketing Director Graubins headed to Colorado’s Indian Peaks to tackle what has quickly become known as one of the toughest snowshoe races around: the Hardwater 30K. The 18.6-mile snowshoe romp takes place at altitudes entirely above 10,000 feet. In all, it climbs a total of 2,500 feet and provides the ultimate proving grounds for the features and benefits of the Boa Closure System.
“We’re always looking for new ways to apply and test the Boa Closure System in grueling conditions,” says Graubins. “This snowshoe race seemed like a good opportunity. It’s gnarly out there, and we know from our experience in snowboarding and skiing that Boa can handle the worst winter weather that Mother Nature dishes out.”
Graubins Looking Strong at Mile 13
Graubins ran the race in a pair of Pearl Izumi running shoes prototyped with the Boa Closure System (the shoes were bolted to a pair of Atlas snowshoes). “I dialed into the exact fit at the start and never had to readjust or re-tie,” says Graubins. “Further, the system locked in my foot the entire time and didn’t collect snow, slush, and ice like standard lace-up shoes are prone to doing during these events. This kept them more lightweight, too.”
Against a field of roughly 35 hearty racers, Graubins won in a time of four hours and five minutes.
At this month’s Winter Outdoor Retailer Market in Salt Lake City, Utah, several media outlets presented “Best In Show” awards to Boa partner brand 
“This is without a doubt the most intense endeavor I’ve ever undertaken,” said the 48-year-old Karnazes, whose list of endurance derring-do includes this breathtaking achievement: 50 marathons in 50 days in all 50 states. (Whereupon, after completing the last one, the New York City Marathon, he headed back toward his San Francisco home, running 1,300 miles until, feeling homesick for his wife and two children, he hopped a flight from Missouri.) 