The Stunner, like the Burton Boots has softened up some but still makes for a decent all mountain boot. It has sufficient sole cushioning and a good forward lean. It's like Forum combined the stiffiness of the Burton Driver X and the shape of the Burton Ion to make a pretty stiff all mountain boot.
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 Speed Lace Boots Vs. Traditional Lace Boots - Some people, especially the 100 day + riders aren't 100% sold on the speed lacing system. If the laces break out on the hill it will be a lot more difficult to fix than traditional laces. You will most likely have to call the company to get a new set of laces so you might think about doing that before you think it could happen. If it happens on a powder day you may never forgive these boots for breaking. That being said the speed lacing system is quite amazing compared to the traditional lace. It takes 3 times more effort to tighten up a traditional lace boot and 3 times more effort to lace up in the morning. So it is a give an take kind of thing with speed lace vs. traditional. We mainly ride speedlace boots but we aren't that high on ourselves to say that's the way it should be.
$289.99
The stamina of the Stunner is the number-one reason this boot hangs with rulers who log 50-plus days a season. But the response from trizone lacing, a Level 3 liner and a molded footbed comes in a close second. Top tech—such as an FGel heel, and a grippy Earl outsole—solidifies its spot in skilled circles. Bamboo charcoal insulation keeps feet warm miles from the nearest lodge and an Aegis antimicrobial treatment cuts funk at the end of a long day.
Boots Tech
- LACING SYSTEM:
- TRIZONE
- SOLE:
- EARL
- LINER:
- LEVEL 3 / INSLICK TECHNOLOGY
- CUFF LINKS:
- GOLD
- FOOTBEDS:
- LEVEL 2
- RIDDEN BY:
- JOHN JACKSON / JAKE BLAUVELT / NIC SAUVE / DANIEL EK
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.
