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Vans Matlock Snowboard Boot Review

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Vans Matlock Snowboard Boot Review
matlock-black
$199
Intermediate to Advanced Freestyle
This is a different type of boot than most with a side BOA and then a strap on the top.  It's strange but at least its adjustible at each end. This is a good idea because Focus BOA boots have one big problem. The upper and lower still tighten around the ankle so it's hard to really get a form fitting adjustment.  The adition of a strap combined with a BOA bottom seems to fix that problem.  Van's are known for their very soft toe that lives in 2003.  This can really suck if you ride with over the toe straps because the boot just collapses, makes you crank it down more and cause presure on your toes. For 2012 the Matlock toe was reinforced to be as good or better than most boots and it will hold up well to a modern toe strap.  Van's also rates this as a 4 out of 10 in stiffness so that would be a soft rating to us.  When flexing this boot it feels stiff so we'll call it medium because Van's boots do soften up pretty quick.

How It Rides
Flex Med
Upper Adjustability
 Good
Traction Good
Comfort Excellent
Lower Adjustability
 Good
Sole Cushioning
 Average
Heel Hold
 Excellent
Response Average
Board/Binding Integration Average

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The Good Ride Take

The Good Ride Take on BOA Boots- BOA boots are increadibly easy to get on and off as well as adjust.  That being said BOA boots don't have the adjustability that Speed Lace Boots do.  If you have a Focus BOA both the upper boot and lower boot dials adjust the ankle portion in the same place so you don't have complete upper and lower zone autonomy like you do with Speed Lace and most traditional lace boots.  There have also been some complaints that BOA boots can have some pressure points where Speed Lace and Traditional Lace boots have the least complaints.  So if you want the best in adjustability then speed lace is where it's at.  If you want the easist boot to tighten and adjust then BOA Focus or BOA Coil is the way to go.  The biggest issue we have with BOA boots is with a little effort you can change out a speed lace boot.  If you break a BOA boot you will most likely have to send it back to the manufacturer and you'll need a spare pare of boots while you wait 2 weeks to 1 month for them to get back.  We are not saying don't buy BOA because they are a cool technological advancement and work well with many people.  It's all personal preference so we just want you to know what you are getting into when you buy your boots.

Company Info

Vans Matlock 2012

Strap on the Matlock and dial up the ultimate in freestyle versatility. Power Cuff closure at the top and Boa® Lacing from the instep down provide quick and easy zonal adjustability in the precise locations you need it most. Love at first turn.
- Power Cuff Boa® Closure System
- Pleasure Cuff
- Internal Web Harness and OTW Lace Lock
- Flex Rating: 4 (1: Most Flex - 10: Least Flex)
TriFit X Thermal Liner

V3 Footbed

OTW Lite Outsole

Power Cuff Boa® Closure System
Featured on the men's Matlock and women's Kira, the Power Strap controls upper closure while the remote side-mounted Boa® reel controls the instep and forefoot closure. Two easy and quick adjustments combine for the best of both worlds.
Pleasure Cuff
Is designed to allow for the cuff of the boot to adjust to all range of calf sizes providing a comfortable and forgiving fit.
Internal Web Harness and OTW Lace Lock
Attached to the inside shell of the boot the Web Harness provides liner closure for better fit and prevents liner movement inside the shell to insure secure hell hold while the OTW Lace Lock maintains the desired tension.
OTW Lite Outsole
Majority EVA construction for lightweight performance. Aggressive perimeter tacky rubber lug pattern for maximum traction in all conditions. Internal power plate for increased turning response.
BOA POWER CUFF
Featured on the men’s Matlock and women’s Kira, the Power Strap controls upper closure while the remote side-mounted Boa® reel controls the instep and forefoot closure. Two easy and quick adjustments combine for the best of both worlds.
OTW LITE Outsole
- Majority EVA construction for lightweight performance
- Aggressive perimeter tacky rubber lug pattern for maximum traction in wet and slippery conditions
- Internal power plate for increased turning response
- ImpactSorb® dampening cassette in the heel
- Skate-style silhouette for low-profile board feel
TRIFIT- X LINER
- Dual-density, heat-moldable core
- Asymmetrical X-Cage for nailed-in heel hold
- Closed seam, brushed fleece puff cuff
- Open cell foam interior cushioning layer
- Comfort Flex toe box
- Low-volume sole
V3 FOOTBED
- V-Tech high-rebound EVA foundation
- Injection-molded multi-arch support
- Overmolded arch support cradle
- Dual-density metatarsal and heel impact relief pads
- Airflow perforations
- Anti-odor treated topsheet (Outlast on Jamie Lynn)



Vans Matlock 2011

Equipped with one of our most popular lacing configurations, the Matlock offers the best of both worlds with Power Cuff closure at the top and Boa Lacing from the instep down, providing quick and easy zonal adjustability. This season the Matlock has also been outfitted with the VansLite outsole for reduced weight and sole length.

- Power Cuff Boa Lacing System
- NEW Internal Web Harness and OTW Lace Lock
- NEW TriFit X Thermal Liner
- TPR Series Footbed
- NEW VansLite Outsole with ImpactSorb dampening technology


Vans Matlock 2010

MATLOCK
For the 2010 season, the Matlock returns with countless upgrades sure to please snow-sliders around the world. The remote side-mounted Boa dial provides closure to the forefoot and critical ankle/instep area while the upper cuff power strap allows you to adjust tension and closure to the upper of your boot at will. With its unique closure configuration, the Matlock
provides quick-and-easy zonal closure with on-the-fly adjustability.
- NEW upper cuff power strap allows you to adjust tension and closure to the upper of your boot at will
- Remote mounted Vans H2 BOA system provides closure to the forefoot and critical ankle/instep area
- Vans Classic Snowaffle Sole


Pictures

Vans Matlock 2012

Vans Matlock 2011

Vans Matlock 2010



Other Reviews


Compare Laces

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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