First, forget the BOA business for a bit. Testers say the new S/Pro Supra 120 (see, no BOA) is a fantastic boot, period. They loved the classic, soft and anatomically shaped Salomon liner feel and called it a perfect medium width fit. One tester said it was the best Salomon fit since the X-Wave (that's dating our test team, huh?). Another tester said: Great overall fit. Fits great, skis even better. What about BOA? I forgot this had one. That's a compliment, I think.
The point is the BOA part of the S/Pro Supra 120 experience was an enhancement of an already great boot, not the headlining feature or raison d'etre. Did the test team like the BOA? Hell yes, they did--they had nothing (pretty much) bad to say about it, and thought that it added a cool new closure element to the mix. Testers think that the BOA lower boot closure functions as billed to incrementally wrap the foot in a snug boot burrito, one click at a time. They think that BOA will be a hit with skiers of all sorts--with the exception of those skiers who are categorically opposed to knobs or twisty things and the generally close-minded folks who wish to live in the past (not that there's anything wrong with that). Testers didn't find that the BOA cabling posed any impediment to entry, except for two guys but they were both Vermonters, so we kinda ignored 'em. Testers suggest that folks don't worry about how many clicks is just right and instead go by feel (though there is a visual tightness indicator at the shell overlap for those who just can't let go and feel it). Testers suggest folks don't over do it because the cranking power is substantial if you really go after some ski town wrist twisting. Reducing cable tension is best done by just backing off the reel a bit, clickety click, rather than pull-popping the reel into full release mode and having to re-spool the slack when it's time to lock 'er down again.
Ski performance was on par with Salomon's best medium width models, or perhaps better, as testers mentioned there was less lag from turn to turn and the response to quick steering movements was nearly immediate. Testers were surprised at the agility of what they thought might be just a comfy cruiser--it's got game for a skier who's able to wring it out of it, they said. However, testers say the comfortable fit is world class. It's Anatomical Fit score was a 4.80 and it's Convenience, Warmth & Features score was a perfect 5.00 after 15 separate tests. The huge number of tests performed on this boot is a testament to what will probably be its shelf appeal this season--testers suggest that good skiers with average foot and leg shapes put this on the short list and say don't wait too long to find one for try-on.
Kudos
Caveats