Salomon Synapse BOA Review And Buying Advice

Salomon Synapse BOA 2015 - 2013 Review by The Good Ride

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The Salomon Synapse BOA is the Synapse with a different lacing system for those that must have BOA

The 2015 Salomon Synapse BOA boot has a more reduced footprint that isn’t amazing but it’s much better than past years and closer to the Salomon F-Series.

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Days: 2
Riders: James, Mary
Bindings:  Burton Cartel
Boards:  Jones Mountain Twin

Size 9 

Fit: Felt like it was really close to fit true to size and I felt in between a size 9 and a size 8.5.  I think both could work and as the 9 packs out I’d just add a little boot fitting foam in the toe and/or heel.

Flex:  Same med/stiff flex that borders on stiff when it’s out of the box.

Turn Initiation:  Nice quick edge to edge transitioning that makes for a good boot for those that want a lot of response but want to stay a shade away from the ultra-stiff ultra responsive boots that can get a bit twitchy if you ride an easier turning board.

Comfort:  Mary loves this comfort and I felt it was pretty good but a little behind the F-Series in terms of feel.

Heel Hold:  I have felt some boots like K2 lock in the heel a little better but this is really good. Salomon boots have a unique contour inside that really focuses on keeping your heel in place and the Focus BOA locks it in.

Adjustability: The Synapse Focus BOA is not the most adjustable boot. The upper and lower share almost the same area in the center so it’s more about “focusing” the grip around your heel/ankle.  So if you are freaky about heel lift this is a good boot to try.

Flex Retention:  Not bad but it slowly breaks down over time.  It doesn’t pack out a lot of noodles out quickly so this is more than fine for the 100 day a year rider.  It will just be softer at the end of the year than when it started. I actually like the Powerlock lace Synapse for flex retention over the Focus BOA because it has some articulation at the ankle where the BOA doesn’t.

Shock Absorption:  Very solid shock absorption.  The EVA foam on the Synapse BOA seems like it’s more firm than the F-Series boot.  It feels like it’s more for better response edge to edge, a more damp ride, and bigger landings.

Traction:  It’s always good to have an all rubber sole instead of many boots going to single mold EVA foam but it doesn’t have very diverse tread.  It’s good in most conditions though.

Footprint: Much better improvement.  Before it looked like the Salomon boots were full size or bigger than the Salomon F-Series boots like the F 3.0 and 4.0.  Now it looks more like 1/2 size bigger than the F-Series boots.  The really good improvement this year.  Also, you still can take your liner out where you can’t with the F-Series boot.

On & Off Ease:  Mary loves BOA and many riders do as well but I found BOA to take a lot longer to get on than the F-Series Lacing and even longer than Speed Lacing systems like Burton has.  It just takes a long time to twist that dial until it’s snug (not tight but snug). Getting BOA off is really fast though.