When you’re shopping for work boots, there are plenty of things to consider: proper fit, comfort, and protection features are a good start. You may have noticed that some of your favorite brands now offer the BOA Fit System as an option on some of their most popular models. Is it worth paying more for? Or is it just a cool factor that drives up the price?
I’ll share what I’ve learned from wearing boots and shoes that include the BOA Fit System to help you decide if it’s a good fit for you or if you’re better off sticking with traditional laces.
What is the BOA Fit System?
The BOA Fit System is an alternative to traditional laces. They use a thin cable that connects to a dial, usually at the top of the tongue, but sometimes on the side of your boot.
To tighten your boot, you push the dial in and turn it. To loosen, you simply pull the dial out, which lets the cable relax.
The benefit is that you can tighten or loosen your boots much faster than you can with traditional laces. You can also micro-adjust the tension, offering a more customizable fit than you can get with laces.
It’s a technology that goes well beyond work boots. You’ll find the system on more than just work boots and shoes. They’re on shoes for cycling, skiing/snowboarding, golf, running, hiking, and more. Notice the active trend?
Because of its focus on highly active footwear, the system has been tested to ensure it can stand up to extreme environments. There’s a lifetime guarantee on components, and there’s a spare part kit available for free through BOA’s website.
Is the BOA Fit System Right for You?
Who Should Get It
At first glance, a lacing system that makes your work boots easier to put on, take off, and adjust on the fly seems like a no-brainer. For many people, it is.
I like having the system on my work boots because I tend to adjust the tightness throughout the day. Your feet naturally swell, so if you start with a tight fit in the morning, it feels tighter as the day goes on. The BOA Fit System helps me make those adjustments far faster than stopping to untie and retie.
If you work in a secure environment, like our own Tom Gaige does, or have to pass through security as part of your commute to the jobsite, the easy off and on gets you through quicker.
If your feet are particularly sensitive to tension, you’ll love the ability to make small adjustments and dial in the perfect fit.
Even if you don’t have a felt need to improve the speed of your lacing, the simple convenience is worth it for some people.
Who Should Pass
If spending the least amount of money on your work boots is a priority, you’ll probably want to skip the BOA Fit System.
Take the Red Wing Traction Tred Lite as an example. The 6-inch waterproof safety toe model is $284.99. When you add the BOA Fit System to it, you’ll pay $314.99. It’s a $30 premium for the upgrade.
Another downside is that the cabling tightens evenly, so you can’t effectively loosen just one section of the cabling. If you prefer to have the lower or middle section of your laces looser than the top, you should stick to traditional laces most of the time. We have seen a limited number of work boots, like the Timberland Pro 8-inch Boondock, that feature two dials on each boot that adjust independently.
While the risk is relatively low, it’s possible the cable could break in the field. Even if you have a repair kit on hand, it’ll take time to get you back in the game. Unfortunately, the system hardware typically isn’t lace-friendly, so simply keeping a set of just-in-case laces on hand won’t cut it.
While we have yet to experience a failure on our BOA Fit System boots, you might want to pass if that possibility is a dealbreaker for you. Of course, you could always keep the boots you’re replacing on hand if you have the storage space in your work vehicle as a backup plan.
Final Thoughts
If you’re not sure if the BOA Fit System is right for you, try on a pair at the store and walk around to get an idea of how the mechanism works and the feel around your feet. Ariat, Danner, Red Wing, and Timberland Pro have options if you’re looking for a place to start.
The system hasn’t spread to every major work boot brand, so there’s no guarantee your favorite brand or model has a BOA option. However, we have noticed a steady expansion in the last couple of years. Keep your eyes open, or better yet, reach out to your favorite boot brand and let them know you’d like to see it in the future.
