$270 Advanced to Expert Mostly Mountainto All Mountain Freestyle The Synapse has been around for a while and has a great reputation for a reliable medium flexing all mountain boot. It's very warm and used all over the mountain. Alot of boots have been reducing their overall footprint but unlike the F-Series they haven't taken any steps to do so. Depending on what you are looking for this boot will be good or bad. If you want a smaller boot then try the F-22 or F-24. Salomon makes some of the best boots on the market and........yeah......just try it out. Most people we know who have this boot never buy another. For 2012 Salomon added a little bit of articulation in the ankle as well as a few lesser refinements to make this boot the call over the 2011 model. Still both years are great and the Salomon Synapse is one of our favorite do anything boot that fits a wide range of riding styles.
The Salomon Synapse Review by The Good Ride We have a few of our riders and know many who love this boot. The Salomon Synapse is mid flexing, doesn't pack out that much and is a perfect boot for a 100 day a year all mountain rider or some one who likes a medium flexing boot. The only issue with the Salomon Speed Lace is it's not that speedy and not easy to make micro adjustments after they are laced up. They are pretty much traditional lace boots for people who know exactly how to lace up their boots once and keep em that way all day. If you constantly fiddle with your lacing you should go with Speed Lace or BOA.
The Salomon Synapse boot really helps your turn initiation and makes for a great all mountain ride. The sole cushioning is not the best but provides impact resistance for medium to large jumps. The rumor is true about Salomon boots that they are made a little more for skinnier feet than others. If you have wide feet or big calves they can bite in a bit.
Salomon Speed Lace- Salomon is a combo of traditional lace and speed lace. They have thinner lace than traditional but thicker than speed lace. They also have one big handle that attaches to both laces so you can yank this thing tight if you need to. It also has a good upper and lower adjustment setting. The boot has a lock at the ankle so you can adjust the upper and lower separately. This is not as easy to adjust as a speed lace but it’s more reliable.
The Good Ride Take on Salomon
Boards Salomon is small compared to some companies but they have the complete line up and a very strong following. You will either love or hate a Salomon board. Salomon makes a very fast and damp all mountain to freeride board that seems to feel best at high speeds. It is really scary how fast it is. They have also made a solid effort to make some pretty good park boards as well and won some Good Wood Award's in the park and pipe. If you are looking for something a bit off the beaten path Salomon might work for you. Boots It is almost undisputed amongst most knowledgeable riders that Salomon has some of the best boots out there. They have spent a lot of time making a boot that fits well and that won’t pack out much. Even though there is a semi-traditional lacing system it still has a speed lace tightening system and it can lock at each rung on the upper part of the boot. Some complain that the Salomon boot runs a bit narrow so if you have wide feet think twice. Also others complain that it can take longer than some boots to make them comfortable for your feet. Bindings Salomon’s bindings are not as popular as their boards and boots but still do a good job competing with the other big name brands. They are reliable and well made and have a more traditional old school feel compared to the leading companies. That being said the turn initiation and general feeling is good so these could work for you.
A Balance liner 3 and Full Custom Fit construction provide the perfect combination of rugged response and elegantly designed durability. The Synapse features a Mystic 3 Footbed and is finished to the exact standards of our Italian boot development crew. The Synapse is our stealth bomber boot.
Slow signs are your nemesis and ski school kids are merely moving obstacles when you’re letting loose with wide open turns. The Synapse fires away with energy flowing seamlessly through Full Custom Fit Balance Liners and the shock absorbing Spring Outsole. Dare to blend power and comfort and still keep some cash in the bank
Firepower for your feet, our superior blend of flex and feel. A versatile flex and full custom fit foam sit nicely atop the shock stopping Spring outsole.
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.
