BOA, creators of high-performance dial-based fit solutions, unveiled a trail run-specific footwear study that attests to the company’s registered Fit System and trademarked PerformFit Wrap “improve athlete’s speed, stability and efficiency” on varied trail terrain.
The BOA Performance Fit Lab, established in 2018, has conducted more than 2,000 tests and has published three white papers the company claims validate the performance benefits of the BOA Fit System — specifically, the application of the BOA PerformFit Wrap.
BOA said the micro-adjustable BOA PerformFit Wrap configurations achieve athlete gains in speed, agility, and endurance by integrating the shoe upper to wrap and conform to the midfoot, delivering superior heel lock, enhanced connection to the midsole, and greater forefoot freedom.
The peer-reviewed BOA white paper published by Frontiers, titled “Evaluating footwear “in the wild”: Examining wrap and lace trail shoe closures during trail running” highlights the performance advantages of the BOA PerformFit Wrap. Athletes who participated in the study experienced “significant enhancements” in their trail running performance and confidence, including:
- Increased Speed & Endurance – Achieved up to 1.5 percent faster speed with the same level of exertion.
- Improved Stability – Experienced a reduction of up to seven percent in ankle rotation velocity, resulting in enhanced stability and consistency.
- Efficient Energy Transfer – Improved connection to the midsole and enhanced heel hold by up to three percent, leading to optimized energy utilization.
- Explosive Direction Changes – Demonstrated up to nine percent more efficient change of direction, enabling rapid acceleration and deceleration.
“Our objective is to collaborate with our brand partners and elite athletes to combine rigorous scientific testing, innovative product design, and robust development support, aiming to create highly successful, high-performance products that seamlessly integrate the BOA Fit System,” said Dan Feeney, Ph.D., BOA Senior Director of Partner Product Innovation and Development. “The findings from our most recent white paper further reinforce the significant benefits of integrating BOA, particularly the BOA PerformFit Wrap configuration, in high-performance trail shoes and translates to other performance products across a range of activities, including court sports, road running, training, hiking, snow sports, and workwear.”
Trail runners can elevate the specific benefits of the BOA PerformFit Wrap by using dual-dial BOA configurations. These configurations offer micro-adjustability to multiple zones of the shoe’s upper, providing a secure fit tailored to the unique foot shapes of each athlete and increased space in the toe box — particularly beneficial for maintaining a natural foot position during longer distances.
For more information on the BOA Performance Fit Lab and its white papers, visit BOAfit.com.
