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Vans Encore Snowboard Boot Review

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Vans Encore Snowboard Boot Review

encore
$179
Beginner to Advanced All Mountain Freestyle
The Vans Encore is very comfortable for a BOA and almost no pressure points.  We don't know why the higher end BOA boots have a different harnessing system for the BOA Coil that you cant crank down as tight as this one but we love the Encore's ability to crank without pressure.  The other ones when cranked down dig through the padding and cause pressure points.  The biggest issue is the very soft toe that lives in the pre over the toe era of 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 pressure on your toes.  That being said the Encore is a soft comfortable BOA boot that might work for some riders. 

How It Rides

Flex Soft
Upper Adjustability
Average

Traction Good
Comfort Good

Lower Adjustability
Average

Sole Cushioning
Good
Heel Hold
Excellent

Response Average

Board/Binding Integration Good

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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 Encore 2012

Great fit, forgiving flex, quick and easy closure. These are just a few of the things that have made the Encore the best-selling Boa® boot of all time. Like a good friend you can rely on run after run, season after season, the Encore never disappoints.

- Vans Boa® Coiler Closure System
- Pleasure Cuff
- Full Instep Articulation
- Internal Web Harness and OTW Lace Lock
- Flex Rating: 3 (1: Most Flex - 10: Least Flex)

TriFit X Thermal Liner

V2 Footbed

VansLite Outsole

Vans Boa® Coiler Closure System
Featured on the men's and women's Encore, this tongue-mounted single reel system utilizes a springloaded lace spool to automatically retract the lace cable slack for quick and efficient closure. Different lace guide radiuses are used to optimize closure force in specific areas of the boot.
BOA COILER
Featured on the men’s and women’s Encore, this tongue-mounted single reel system utilizes a springloaded lace spool to automatically retract the lace cable slack for quick and efficient closure. Different lace guide radiuses are used to optimize closure force in specific areas of the boot.
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.
Full Instep Articulation
Allows for the upper and lower zones of the boot to flex independently creating a fluid forward motion and minimizing shell distortion.
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.
VANSLITE Outsole
- One-piece, injection-molded EVA sole unit for featherlight feel with Vans rubber compound positioned in strategic high-wear traction areas for added grip and durability
- Inverted waffle tread pattern
- ¾-wrap heelclip increases torsional rigidity for added stability and turning response
- ImpactSorb® dampening technology in the heel found on the men’s Aura and Matlock and the women’s Aura and Kira
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
V2 FOOTBED
- V-Tech high-rebound EVA foundation
- Injection-molded multi-arch support
- Dual-density metatarsal and heel impact relief pads
- Airflow perforations
- Anti-odor treated topsheet

Vans Encore 2011

There is a reason the Encore continues to be the best-selling Boa boot of all time. There is simply no other boot in its class that offers the performance for value ratio that the Encore serves up. Affordable and forgiving for the newbie, yet feature-rich enough to not leave the seasoned rider wishing for more, the Encore delivers season after season.

- Vans BOA Coiler Lacing System
- NEW Internal Web Harness and OTW Lace Lock
- NEW TriFit X Thermal Liner
- EVA Series Footbed
- VansLite Outsole

 

Vans Encore 2010

ENCORE
Six seasons later and still setting the bar! The new Encore returns with sick style and a feature set worthy of a curtain call. The all-new Vanslite Snowaffle Sole offers comfort, dampening, and increased board feel with that classic Vans skate styling that everyone loves. Working in unison with the new Vans BOA H2 Coiler system, the Encore is a great choice for the snowboarder looking for fit, comfort, and convenience.
- NEW Vanslite Snowaffle Sole with one-piece injection-molded
EVA midsole/bottom unit and Vans secret recipe rubber
compound in strategic high-wear areas reduces weight while enhancing board feel and maximizing response
- Trifit Asym-X Thermal Liner
- Vans BOA H2 Coiler closure system
- 3D molded tongue
- EVA footbed
- Internal web harness


Pictures

Vans Encore 2012

Vans Encore 2011

Vans Encore 2010



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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