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Forum Kicker Snowboard Boot Review

Boots - Boot Reviews

 
User rating
 
 4.7 (3)

Forum Kicker Snowboard Boot Review
kicker-black
$249
Reduced Footprint for 2012
Advanced to Expert All Mountain to All Mountain Freestyle
The Forum Kicker is a decent medium to stiff flexing all mountain boot.  Thanks to a reader who brought this to my attention the 2012 Kicker does have the same shrinkage tech that Burton has that makes a size 11 boot a size 10 on the outside.  That doesn't mean that you can buy size smaller.  It just means that it's smaller on the outside so you might be able to fit into a smaller waisted board than you normally could.  Forum is a very freestyle focused company but the Kicker fit's a wider range of riders.  Forum is owned by Burton so you can see why this boot looks like a variation of other Burton boots. This boot isn't a bad choice for the price. Forum makes ok boots but they are known for having some of the worst insoles in the industry.  It is laughable with what they consider passes for an insole in the Kicker. Most companies have something in there that will work but isn't as good.  The Kicker has a thin piece of foam that is probably bad for your feet.   Just know you will have to add at least another $30 to this purchase to get a usable insole like, ShredSole,  Sole or Montrail but you should probably do that anyway. Also we were dissapointed with the ankle hold on this high end boot.  Despite these flaws the Forum provided a decent ride. Read the detailed review below

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

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The Good Ride Take

The Forum Kicker Snowboard Boot Review by the Good Ride.


While it skimps on some features you come to expect It has other features that you will like.

The all mountain stiffness is just the right amount for park fun or hitting a steep line. It sits on the stiffer side of medium and gives you that stable feeling.  You can wear these loose or tighten these to where they feel like a 7 or 8 in stiffness. The response is good but it didn't have that smooth edge to edge response.  You just have to work a little more compared to other boots to transition from edge to edge.  We are big fans of the articulating cuff.  It makes the boot more adjustable, flexible and lasts longer.   This is also a very predictable ride that many will love.

The liner and insole were sub par in the past but each year the heel hold is getting better. Almost all insoles that come with most snowboard boots suck but Forum's are closer to the bottom when it comes to quality insoles.  There are however two easy fixes that shouldn't detract you from buying them. 1st get a good insole from Shred Sole, Sole or Montrail or some other brand and then get one of those heel patches in the drug store or wear your socks backwards.

 

The traction is very good in snow and pretty good in ice. You won't slip much and you will hold your own if you have to take a hike to get some where special.  Its also very comfortable and just like burton boots there are no pressure points. The dual zone lacing system makes adjustment and comfort easy and is just like Burton's speed lace. The Heel cushioning is great but the front foot does not perform like the heel.  Some people really like having a skate board shoe feeling in the sole so it's not necessarily a bad thing. All in all a the Kicker is a pretty good boot that many could enjoy for over 100 days.

 

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!


Company Info

Forum Kicker 2012

 

Forum Kicker 2011

Power to the people. The Kicker is for powerful freestyle riders who charge hard and need a little more support. Maximum cushioning is delivered by the FGel under your heel in the Level 3 liner and in the Good Vibes outsole. This free-flexing outsole moves naturally with the board and binding, allowing you to feel more of the Good Vibes while increasing control for precise high-speed adjustment or just locking into that down-flat-down. And, of course, Forever Fit construction keeps the Kicker’s power until closing day.

Power to the people. The Kicker is for powerful freestyle riders who charge hard and need a little more support. Maximum cushioning is delivered by the FGel under your heel in the Level 3 liner and in the Good Vibes outsole. This free-flexing outsole moves naturally with the board and binding, allowing you to feel more of the Good Vibes while increasing control for precise high-speed adjustment or just locking into that down-flat-down. And, of course, Forever Fit construction keeps the Kicker’s power until closing day.

Level 3 Liner with FGel

This comfortable and supportive liner gets the level 3 designation due to FGel in the heel. Add to this the Fleece lining and inSlick ease, and you'll be wearing these as your morning slippers.

Inslick Technology

Heel jam sucks at all times, but it's worse when the lifts are spinning and you're stuck in the parking lot doing the one-foot stomp. Forum's liner makes mornings smoother with a slippery spandex panel that allows feet to slide in on the first try. Hitting snooze too many times is another issue.


Good Vibes Outsole
with FGel Cushioning

The Good Vibes outsole enables a more natural flex due to a multi-pod construction that lets feet feel the subtle sensations underfoot. Two pockets of encapsulated FGel deaden the bad vibes and ensure that only the Good Vibes get through.


Footpillow

It's not a bed, it's a pillow. Get it? It's insanely comfy and squishy. The Footpillow features superior cushioning and dampening for heavy impacts while providing additional arch support, so you can ride hard all day.

Forever Fit Construction

Built from the inside out, Forever Fit construction ensures that your boot won't pack out. We started from scratch and re-engineered the entire boot to minimize materials and eliminate any potential slop. We took out so much unnecessary material that our 2011 boots measure one complete size smaller than year's past while retaining the perfect fit inside, from day one to day seventy-five.

Gold Cuff Links

Quick and easy internal lacing holds your foot deep in the ankle pocket for no lift and all-day comfort.

Forum Kicker 2010

$249.99

Quarterpipe, U-tube or tree jib, the Kicker is the team’s top boot for getting aerially twisted. Designed for good vibes in the Shaka, the Soul outsole flexes naturally underfoot due to a multipod construction, which also softens landings with encapsulated FGel. The big-air flex balances in-run stability with in-air sickness.

 
Boots Tech
LACING SYSTEM:
TRIZONE
SOLE:
SOUL
LINER:
LEVEL 2
CUFF LINKS:
GOLD
FOOTBEDS:
LEVEL 2
RIDDEN BY:
PAT MOORE / STEVIE BELL / JAKE WELCH / DANIEL EK


Pictures

Forum Kicker 2012

Forum Kicker 2011

Forum Kicker 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.

User reviews

Average user rating from: 3 user(s)

 
Overall Rating:
 
 4.7
 
 

One best kept secrets i n2012 boots

0 of 0 people found the following review helpful
They do have shrinkage tech man....Love these boots!
Overall Rating:
 
 5.0
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Reviewed by Tommy
December 09, 2011
 
 

Awesome Boots

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
I agree with Tommy! I can´t understand the review and the comment on the insoles! These boots are awesome and even the insoles are good like every other insoles from other brands.

I also have the Burton Hail 2012 and the Kicker 2012 is at least as good as the Hail, for me it´s even more comfortable than the Hail! But i need one stiffer boot and one which is softer, so i got both!

Also the Hail isn´t so much smaller than the Kicker, but the Hail is listed with Shrinkage and the Kicker hasn`t such a feature or at least it is not listed on the features.

So for me the Forum Kicker 2012 are insane boots, 5 Stars!
Overall Rating:
 
 5.0
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Reviewed by Stiffler
December 06, 2011
 
 

Great BOOTS

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
I disagree with alot what your review says about the comfort and insole. The B3 gel is much more cushy then alot of burton boots. I tried on over 15 boots this year when I was looking for the perfect boot. The footbeds are fine dont bite on this review besides 90% of boots have a average footbed so a insole insert is common need for most boots.
Overall Rating:
 
 4.0
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Reviewed by Tommy from Oregpn
November 15, 2011