BOA’s launch of the new H4 platform was a much needed upgrade from the previous single dial H-Series. A fan of Burton snowboard boots, I have owned H-Series Snowboarding boots for the last 5 years. I didn’t know that better performance and fit could be possible until I tested out the Burton Ion Boot with BOA’s new H4 dial platform. 

The combination of the new H4 dial platform and BOA’s first textile lace allows for a variety of fit configurations and is engineered for maximum shell adjustment and control. Featuring flexibility and style, the new lace maintains the classic designs of the snowboard industry. However, unlike standard laces or speed-lace, BOA has designed TX3 to be much smaller in diameter. This enables the laces to work within the BOA Fit System while still exceeding the necessary strength requirements for snowboard boots. 

The Burton Ion boot is one of the stiffest boots in the Burton line and as such, is not the perfect shoe for everyone. The boot transmits movement much faster than its soft counterparts, so if you are a novice rider who still has a few wobbles, then Ion will chew you up and spit you out.

With snowboard boots, it’s all about the fit. You might have the most expensive shoe in the world, but if it doesn’t fit, it just won’t work. The liner on this boot is fully heat molded with Ultralon Performance Foam, so out-of-the-box comfort increases the more you wear it. A Velcro strap on top locks the shin in the shoe, reducing chafing and  painful impacts to the shin. 

Previous snow boots never provided the fit I needed to have better performance on the mountain. The added combination of the BOA H4 Platform allowed me to lock in my heel and get a performance fit that I didn’t know I could have.  The real benefit of the H4 Dial  is the durability and fast installation, which makes getting on the mountain easier and adjusting obsolete.

H4 Benefits

Unprecedented Durability

BOA’s H4 Dial is the most durable and performance-driven dial platform to hit the mountain this season and was tested over 9,000 combined hours of  field and lab tests to get it ready for top performance. 

Performance Fit

The dual dial allows for the perfect fit in any condition, locking in your heel for top performance while snowboarding.

Fast Installation

The Breakaway design is engineered to defy force and can take a beating. The dial cartridge ejects on severe impact without damage and is easily reinserted back into the boot.

The H4 Dial Platform is a must for top performance, fit, and durability, and is my top choice for snowboarding boots. To Learn more about BOA’s H4 Dial Platform visit BOA or Burton for the ION Boot.

Smith recently sent us a pair of Squad Mag Goggles to test. They have  a large coverage lens and utilize Smith’s amazing PivLock technology. This innovative system enables  easy lens swaps. The particular lenses we used had contrast-enhancing, color-boosting ChromaPop™ technology that provided  elevated clarity and detail for alpine runs and tree stashes alike. 

A big reason why I loved these goggles was the clarity in the lens – so clear that it seemed like I wasn’t wearing goggles at all. The ChromaPop™ technology enhanced contrast and natural color to make details truly pop. Wearing these, I felt like I was seeing only through my own eyes which made my runs better, even later in the day when tree shadows appeared. 

The added AirEvac™ helmet integration along with 5X™ anti-fog inner lens helped keep them fog free through an entire day on the slopes. Before these goggles, I would use a fog free application before putting my goggles on to make sure they didn’t fog up. . Now I can hit the slopes without worrying about foggy goggles.

The fit was great and paired well with my Smith Helmet. Even though they came with a second lens to swap out for a nighttime run,  I never wanted to remove the ChromaPop Storm Rose Flash lens that came with the Goggles. 

If you do want to swap lenses, the Smith MAG™ lens change system uses magnets which makes doing so easy – even on a chair lift. 

At the end of the day, the Squad Mag Goggles with ChromaPop are amazing goggles that I can highly recommend. The fact that they come with a second lens for a broader range of light conditions helps make them a pair I’d recommend to anyone for any conditions.