$299 Intermediate to Expert All Mountain This is a very light and slightly softer version of the TM 2. Despite it's light weight it should hold it's form for a while due to the articulating cuff. The Ultralight is also increadibly comfortable as well. It just feels so weird on your feet because it's soo light. If you have bad knees that hurt from the weight of your gear on the chairlift then these are a great choice. You also don't pay a premium for the ultralight boot which is nice. 32 also makes some of the wider snowboard boots out there so if you have wide feet they are worth considering. If you have more narrow feet then you might want to consider another company. For 2012 the Ultralight changed the upper lacing system to make it much easier to adjust the top seperately from the bottom so the 2012 might be the call over the 2011 if adjustability is important to you. Still both boots are pretty responsive and do a good job for those that like a boot closer to the stiff side of medium.
The Good Ride Take on Articulating Cuffs- If you don't know what an articulating cuff is the upper and lower panels of the boot are separate. The top cuff is only attached at the back and then wraps around the front. When you flex forward it doesn't stretch out the boot and over time it stays closer to its original shape and stiffness. It also creates a more natural and comfortable forward flex when riding. It can be made to be stiff or very soft and is generally more comfortable than a standard boot. We love this tech!
The Good Ride Take On Thirty Two Thirty Two makes really good boots and clothing. We are especially big fans of their boots. They have a wide range of riding styles and fit incredibly well. However Thirty Two has one huge flaw in their customer service that makes us weary of purchasing unproven gear. If you go to the 32 site you will not see a single phone number on their contact page. You cannot get a human voice unless you call their parent company (sole) and get transferred to 32. You can email them but the response is not timely and their ability to fix issues is limited. We thought that maybe 32 just doesn’t like us but when we talked to many other retail stores about 32 we heard the same thing. So here is the skinny. If you like 32 and want to buy their products they are average in terms of quality. They just have a buy it only customer service policy. If you have an issue it will take a lot of time and pressure to get them to fix a boot.
A lighter kit enables you to be quick on your feet, and eliminates the disconnect between what your brain wants to do and what your body ends up doing. The Ultralight benefits from a tough new series of welds that add structure and protection. We also eliminated unnecessary materials and beefed up the tongue and backstay to provide a surprisingly supportive ride. Together, these improvements enable the Ultralight to age with grace, and add valuable life to the lightest boot on the market.
Lightweight Minimalist Shell
STI Evolution Foam™
Designed in our STI Lab, this foam provides better cushioning than traditional foam materials and dramatically reduces the weight by eliminating the need for a heavy rubber outsole. ThirtyTwo boots with STI Evolution Foam™ are 15% to 40% lighter than previous seasons and remain the lightest in the industry.
This advanced shell construction creates high-performing, smooth-flexing boots that are easier to lace and more durable. There is also less shell distortion, resulting in consistent heel hold through the full flex range.
Our 3-D Molded Tongues wrap your foot for easier lacing, improved fit and heel hold. This design also gives us the ability to control the stiffness of each model for customized flex and improved response.
Inner Cuff Lacing System
Updated for 2010, our new Inner Cuff Lacing System can easily be tightened with a single pull. The lace lock will keep the laces secure, the orange pull strap helps keep the laces straight, and the anatomical shape will keep your heel down.
A standard feature on our premium boots, these kits are also available separately to improve heel hold in any boot. The pad system in stackable to provide enough heel hold for any rider and couldn't be any easier to use, just peel and stick!
Item Code: 8105000120/510
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32 Ultralight 2010
The lightest boot ever just got lighter, stronger and more powerful. Don't let the lightness fool you. The Ultralight is full of features that perform all day. Satisfaction and durability guaranteed.
Features
Lightweight minimalist shell design
Fast Track Lacing System
STI Evolution Foam™ midsole
Outsole with System G2™ cushioning
Articulating Cuff for improved fit, heel hold and smooth flex
3-D Molded Tongue wraps your foot for easy lacing and improved fit
BOA vs. Speed Lace vs. Traditional Lace A Snowboard Boot Lacing System Comparison by The Good Ride.
The Good Ride Take on BOA Boots- A BOA Boot has a steel cable attached to some sort of plastic Coiler mechanism that tightens the boot instead of laces. There are 2 main types of BOA boots. 1. Single BOA- This uses just one BOA Coiler to adjust the entire boot. 2. Double BOA - This uses 2 BOA Coilers for upper and lower adjusting. Some have 1 for the outside and 1 for the inside but most are for upper and lower. BOA boots are the easiest to get on, get off and adjust out of any boot. Single BOA boots have the least upper/lower adjustability of any boot because the bottom and top is tightened by one coil. If you have a Double BOA (2 Dials for upper and lower) they are closer to other lacing systems but still not as good. Both the upper and lower dials adjust the ankle in the same place. This means you don't have complete separation like you do with Speed Lace and most Traditional Lace Boots. The biggest issue with BOA boots is if they break it requires a shop or the manufacturer to fix them. It’s usually not the cable that breaks but the dials. Out of all the boots you can crank a BOA tighter than any other boot which can be a good or bad thing. There have been some complaints that BOA boots can have some pressure points from the cable system when tightened too tight. The bottom line is BOA tech is a cool technological advancement that will work well with many riders and is super easy to adjust. In the end it comes down to personal preference and BOA could be right for you.
The Good Ride Take on Traditional Lace- Traditional Lace is what most people know. It’s reliable and easy to repair. Lace boots take a lot more effort than BOA or Speed Lace. Also many riders complain about blisters in attempts to get them tight. Some Lacing systems have handles at the top that connect to the laces and we love this. Another thing we like is when the upper lace hooks hold the lace in place so each section can tighten independently. When you have this along with a handle connected to the end of the laces it’s more adjustable than BOA and Speed lace. We really like this but it’s almost not a traditional lace boot. It’s more a hybrid but whatever you call it we like it! However it’s not great in terms of the time it takes to get things dialed out or make minor adjustments on the hill.
The Good Ride Take on Speed Lace- Speed lace is a perfect compromise between BOA and Traditional lace. It’s almost as fast as BOA and more adjustable. Some Traditional Lace is just as adjustable but speed lace is easier to do so. We really like how the upper and lower laces are 100% separate. This is a huge advantage over BOA Boots and some traditional laces that don’t lock at each hook. Speed Lace is super easy to tighten up and dial out. It’s also pretty easy to make small adjustments throughout the course of the day. If the laces break out on the hill it will be a lot more difficult to fix than traditional laces but it can be done without help from a shop or sending it back. If you are a 100 day a year rider then plan on changing out your laces half way through the season. We have been lucky so far and never had one break on the hill because any time they start to get frayed they break. We mainly ride speed lace boots but we aren't that high on ourselves to say that's the way it should be. Everyone is different.
All lacing systems have strengths and weaknesses. It’s up to you to figure out what will work the best.
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