Snowboard technology is constantly evolving, leaving luddites like me ever more apprehensive to branch out from my comfort bubble. As a lifelong straight lace boot user, I tend to shy away from hybrid and BOA alternatives. The Vans Infuse Snowboard Boot drops a techno-cluster-bomb by combining traditional laces, BOA, and Speed Lace systems all in one. Talk about bursting my comfort bubble—but I’m happy I did. Here’s why:
Don’t be afraid of this boot. There are a lot of bells and whistles, but they allow for a more adaptable fit for more riders. The top of the inner boot’s tongue is lined with Velcro, which allowed me to really dig my heal in and lock it into place before tightening the Speed Lace loop. Sloppy heel fit makes my riding confidence and fun level drop, and there were no problems here. Once the inner boot is tightened to perfection, the BOA system comes into play. This is really the selling point of this boot for me. Beyond the inner Velcro system, the Infuse’s lower BOA tightening feature snugly secures the entire foot towards the heel of the boot. No matter how loose I laced up the rest of my boots, my heels felt stable.
The Infuse also includes a less important feature—tongue inserts that allow for a varying level of stiffness. If you find that you have worked in your boot a little too much, you can add these to rejuvenate the boot a bit, or just customize the feel. Personally, I like the way the boot starts to mold to foot/lower leg, but some riders may prefer a stiffer boot.
If you’d rather spend time tweeting about first chair in the lift line, this might not be your boot, but if you prefer to take your time for the perfect fit, these are for you. I found this to be a non-issue—after about 10 wears your lacing skills get pretty speedy.
PROS:
Inner Velcro tongue.
Lower BOA system for increased heel security.
Lots of bells and whistles for an extremely custom fit.
Awesome hiking boot style.
CONS:
Made for a wider foot. ( I have a narrower foot so my foot slides horizontaly a bit)
Tradiontal Lace (For those that need to get ready in 10 seconds)
Runs a tad smaller than advertised.
