Sometimes the feature-fest that characterizes the freeride category boot can clutter the skiing experience. Often, in the quest for better touring range of motion the closure systems can become overly complicated and well, fiddly. Testers breathed a sigh of relief when donning the new Salomon Shift Supra BOA 130 because it maintains a simplicity that keeps the focus on the activity rather than hassles with equipment. They loved its straightforward ease-of-entry and said that every aspect of its use going forward from that point was both effective and convenient. In fact, its convenience, warmth and features score is its highest out of six parameters.
The 100mm medium-width Shift Supra follows along the design update path ushered in previously by the narrower Shift Alpha, and with its shape-expanding, heat-moldable Custom Shell feature Salomon now offers a broad spectrum of fit options for skiers looking for a capable resort-skiing boot that can pull off targeted tours with a tech binding and off-area trudge-to missions equally well. Testers felt that the Shift Supra BOA 130 maintained Salomon’s well established medium fit mapping, with appropriate room at wide and bony points but enough grip on the heel and ankle for average feet during aggressive skiing.
The lower shell BOA was unanimously praised for not getting in the way of entry and providing a cleanly-tightening wrap on the foot, as needed. Testers liked the way the top ExoBelt pulley for the BOA cable could migrate its positioning slightly, depending on the volume of the instep it was clamping down on (in a comfortable way, they said). The upper cuff offers two traditional buckles for a common closure around the calf and the sideways-flipping Twin Lock cuff release mechanism that’s unique to the Shift boots and one of the easiest to manage in the freeride category, according to our test team.
Some testers commented that the liner tongue had a somewhat bulky feel that seemed to lack anatomical shape to match the shin, initially, but found that it improved with time. They suggested that a liner heat molding from go, with a firm buckle-up, would help to properly imprint the tongue on its new owner. They liked the broad power strap with its crank-locking cam buckle for snugging the cuff around the lower leg, locking it in for accurate fore-aft positioning as well as precise edging moves.
Skiing down and hiking up were similarly characterized as trouble-free, just like the other features that got them there. No distractions from the act of skiing, in either direction, they said—which is kind of the point, we think.
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