# Boa... Numb toes



## NSXRguy (Jan 17, 2011)

My fiances uses ride sash boots with a single boa. She has a problem with her toes going numb, so she tried using toe warmers. Still, toes go numb so im thinking its her boot cutting off her circulation

I use regular laces so i can loosen and tighten my boots per zone. Is there a Secret way to keep the bottom half of the boot looser while keeping the top part on the tighter?


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## Mystery2many (Aug 14, 2013)

Had the same problem. My solution was buying her a comfy traditional lace boot. Now she's super happy and has no pain after a full day of riding.


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## Donutz (May 12, 2010)

Boot comfort > Boot tech


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## jdang307 (Feb 6, 2011)

NSXRguy said:


> My fiances uses ride sash boots with a single boa. She has a problem with her toes going numb, so she tried using toe warmers. Still, toes go numb so im thinking its her boot cutting off her circulation
> 
> I use regular laces so i can loosen and tighten my boots per zone. Is there a Secret way to keep the bottom half of the boot looser while keeping the top part on the tighter?


A tip I learned from BA. To tighten the lower zone more than the calf zone with Boa, stand up, lean forward while tightening. Vice versa, sit down, boot flat, and use your foot to press the top of the boot from inside while tightening. Basically, whichever zone you want looser, artificially enlarge the zone with your leg/foot.


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## Alkasquawlik (Jul 13, 2010)

The boots probably just don't fit her foot properly. Nothing really to do with the BOA system, granted this is one of the exact reasons I never push single BOA boots to customers if I can help it.


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## Kevin137 (May 5, 2013)

I used to have this problem with single boas...

So i bought some boots with dual boas, and now i only take the slack out of the lower and tighten the top till i can no more...


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## jml22 (Apr 10, 2012)

It's a pully system you're strapping down with so you can get them a lot tighter than traditional laces
If you do a boa down as tight as it will go, YOUR FEET WILL HURT
Just like FLow bindings, you strap them as tight as they will go, you can't get your foot in.
It's not the system, you just tweak it differently.


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## EatMyTracers (Sep 26, 2012)

Single boa does this, to get the top tight you gotta have the bottom way too tight. Gotta get double boa or just normal laces.


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## NSXRguy (Jan 17, 2011)

I think that traditional laces work pretty well. I can leave the bottom a little bit loose, and crank the sht out of the top and my toes do not go numb and i do not have heel lift


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## Argo (Feb 25, 2010)

EatMyTracers said:


> Single boa does this, to get the top tight you gotta have the bottom way too tight. Gotta get double boa or just normal laces.


This is your answer.... Gotta do double boa.


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## Trey T (Oct 12, 2011)

Maybe it's the overall boot design. Several ppl I know, including myself and my SO, wear single BOA and don't have problem with it. Right now, I own a K2 Maysis with two single BOAs, one for boot and one for liner. 

I used to own a dual BOA (aka focus BOA) and the bottom one couldn't be tighten because of the design of the boots, it was too wide. If I had a single BOA on it, the top would always be tightened and the bottom would be loose.


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## neni (Dec 24, 2012)

Kevin137 said:


> I used to have this problem with single boas...
> 
> So i bought some boots with dual boas, and now i only take the slack out of the lower and tighten the top till i can no more...


+1 
Had the same experience, only thing that helped was to open the boa at the bottom of a run and tighten again at the top.


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## lab49232 (Sep 13, 2011)

Number one thing to remember when buying single Boa boots is that they tighten universally. If you have anything odd about your foot shape or even if the boot just has a wider or more narrow design in one part it will never fit right. I personally avoid them because of this but if you find one with the exact shape of your foot they do work well. NEVER buy a single Boa boot without trying it on first. They account for more misfitting boots than any other style. You just have to be super careful when picking one. Otherwise you often end up like your wife with numb toes and poor fit. 

If your toes are numb in a boot it's almost always going to be a fit problem, not a cold problem. Boots these days are warm enough you should never need much in a sock even to keep your toes warm and comfy.


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## Lamps (Sep 3, 2011)

Kevin137 said:


> I used to have this problem with single boas...
> 
> So i bought some boots with dual boas, and now i only take the slack out of the lower and tighten the top till i can no more...


I do same approach with speed lacing. Lightly snug up the bottom, and do the top up firmly. I don't max out the top however, if I do it hurts in no time.


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## TorpedoVegas (Dec 25, 2011)

jdang307 said:


> A tip I learned from BA. To tighten the lower zone more than the calf zone with Boa, stand up, lean forward while tightening. Vice versa, sit down, boot flat, and use your foot to press the top of the boot from inside while tightening. Basically, whichever zone you want looser, artificially enlarge the zone with your leg/foot.


This is exactly right, the only way to tighten a single boa system. Double boa will be the same in most cases because most double boa systems split between the outer shell and the inner liner, not the bottom half and top half of the foot. My triple boa allow for this, but not many triple boots on the market. Just lean into them when tightening and it works great. It's also super easy to overtighten a boa boot, so start off a bit loose and make micro adjustments. I keep mine super loose until I strap in at the top of the chair lift, usually by then your feet have settled into the boots better.


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## DrGwiz (Sep 23, 2013)

I have a single pair of boas and found that when I wear a pair of cheapo socks that my toes will get numb, but when I use a pair of my expensive snowboard socks without any seems I have no issue at all.


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## freshy (Nov 18, 2009)

lab49232 said:


> Otherwise you often end up like your wife with numb toes and poor fit.


LOL So true. Probably get cold hands too.


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