Sthe buckle has been standard for decades. Generations of skiers have become accustomed to closing their ski boots, which are made of hard plastic, by turning several levers, each time accompanied by the typical “click!” – a proven technique that is as simple as it is robust. Now the buckle has competition: Four manufacturers – Atomic, Fischer, K2, Salomon – want to launch the first ski boot models with Boa buckles for the 2023/24 season.
At first everything stays the same at the top of the shaft, but the Boa system replaces the buckles at the bottom of the shell. It consists of a rope that is guided through three traction points and a rotating wheel. The Boa lacing itself is not new, but is already known from running and hiking shoes, from inline skates, shoes for cyclists, boots for mountaineers and motorcyclists, also from snowboard boots as well as bandages and orthoses. Boa has even conquered skiing, but so far only the segment of light, less stiff touring boots.