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Vans Contra Snowboard boots

  • 10-12-2008 11:07am
    #1
    the-wasp
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4 ✭


    Hi All,

    Thinking of buying a pair of Vans Contras. Anyone any experience/advice with these?

    I've been on 3 boarding trips, can carve, catch air and have only started to go off piste. Wondering if they'll be too stiff or is it a bad thing for someone not so advanced like me to have a very stiff boot? I come from a mountain bike background so am used to stiff footwear, although in a different use.

    Thanks a mil ;)


Comments

  • #2
    paulharte
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 203 ✭✭paulharte


    vans = good, just make sure you get them nice and tight and they will last you years

    Had my last pair of fargoes for 5 years, inc a season in whistler


  • #3
    RATM
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,591 ✭✭✭RATM


    I'll just let you know my experience with a pair of Vans Encore. Brand new, went to Borovets in Bulgaria two years back and after 3 days the knob to tighten the Boa coil popped right off and got buried in snow somewhere. Had to hire a pair for the rest of the week as I couldn't tighten one of the boots without the knob.
    Contacted them when I got home , they duly sent out a replacement knob and I fixed it on.
    Then last year was in Jasna, Slovakia and after 4 days of going hard one of the leather grips that holds the wire in place on the tongue started to rip off. I could still board with them but by the last day it had completely ripped off and was making the boot get quite loose.
    Anyway this time I rang up their London office and the manager there said to post 'em over for inspection. I did and she rang back and promised me a new pair. Good service all in all but the boots so far have cost me €100 to buy, €25 to rent replacements in Bulgaria and €30 to post to London. I'm looking at the shiny '09 Encores I have sitting in the room here and if this pair gives me any trouble I'm going to go mad:eek:


  • #4
    paulharte
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 203 ✭✭paulharte


    yeh, i should have put a disclaimer on my post! I've always opted for the lace-up vans instead of the boas, never been a fan.

    In my opinion, laces win over boa, that extra 20 seconds tieing your laces in the morning is worth it for the extra durability


  • #5
    Static M.e.
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,093 ✭✭✭Static M.e.


    Im kinda the opposite, I love the BOA system

    Ive had a pair of DC judges for the last 4 years (Replacing this Weekend) and they have served me very well. Like RATM above I lost the BOA dial in Bulgaria and had to rent for a week which just made me love the BOA even more!

    Rang up DC when I got back and they sent me out a new dial in two or three days time, the customer support was fantastic.

    As paulharte said, VANS are a solid brand.

    Go with what ever boots feels the best for you, tight and comfortable, the laces shouldn't really come into play


  • #6
    RATM
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,591 ✭✭✭RATM


    Static M.e. wrote: »
    Im kinda the opposite, I love the BOA system

    Ive had a pair of DC judges for the last 4 years (Replacing this Weekend) and they have served me very well. Like RATM above I lost the BOA dial in Bulgaria and had to rent for a week which just made me love the BOA even more!

    Rang up DC when I got back and they sent me out a new dial in two or three days time, the customer support was fantastic.

    As paulharte said, VANS are a solid brand.

    Go with what ever boots feels the best for you, tight and comfortable, the laces shouldn't really come into play

    Bummer losing a coil off them for sure, I was raging so much that evening about it that I had to have a Tequila with my starter:D

    But one thing I find with the Boa system Vs. Laces is that when I'm sitting on the white stuff before setting off I always give the knob a quick twist to get the boot really tight for the run. I've always found that with any laced up boot it tends to become looser by the run- after all you are leaning your full body weight against the friction of the lace knot every time you go onto your toe edge. With a long run you might be on your toe edge well over 200 times so every bit of pressure put on the laces tends to loosen them. For me, theres nothing worse than having to take your gloves off at the bottom of an exhilarating run to re-tie the laces.



    I must admit I'm a Boa system convert and would never go back, all I need now is for nothing to go wrong with this new pair of Vans and I'm sliding happy:cool:


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  • #7
    the-wasp
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4 ✭the-wasp


    Cheers for the advice guys. Looks like there are still mixed reviews for the BOA system, perhaps a few more years of R&D to increase the durability.

    In the end I went for a pair of Burton IONs. I tried a few boots inc. the Contras and they were by far the most suitable to my hoofs. Fit like a glove!

    Kieran in Great Outdoors hooked me up. Top bloke!


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