The North Face Plasma XCR Boa Shoe - Men's - 2006

I have now had these for a year and I wanted to test them out before I put in my two cents...First of all I have put these through all conditions from snowshoeing in the Adirondacks to backpacking around death valley and the grand canyon.. The BOA lacing is great, easy on and off .The only problem is that the rubber around the tightening knob wore down quickly which makes it a little tough on my hand.. I gave these a three because I have had blister problems a couple of times.. I will still recommend these if you are a day hiker or light backpacker but not if your if going to do some serious backpacking or long trips..They have been great as far as waterproof go's and hold up very well for comfort and warmth in snow and ice..Also if you have a wide foot as I do these are a good choice..After a year the still look good and have not broken down yet...

I have had 2 pairs of boa lace shoes, the first being a approach trainer type low cut shoe, the second being the boot, M Plasma XCR Boa. both are exceptional shoes the first pair lasted me about 15 months and only started to fade as I used them in my work environment. The second I have had for 18 months and are the best shoe I have had bar non!

I’ve owned these shoes for a month or so now, and overall I’m very happy with them.

The upside =

Though skeptical at first, I am so far a big fan of the BOA lacing system. I like the custom fit, and I rarely have to adjust the tension once I have started moving around in them. I still have concerns about longevity, but time will tell.

I was also pleasantly surprised at how warm these shoes keep my feet. I wear a thin pair of full-length athletic sox when I go out for walks/jogs/runs, and my feet have been comfortably warm in temps as low as 0 degrees Fahrenheit.

I have also worn these shoes in rain, sleet, and snow (deep enough to submerge them to the top), and they keep my feet dry.

The downsides = the cost, and a lack of confidence in the long-term resilience of the BOA system.

Have had the shoe about 2 months. They fit great, and feel very comfortable. The lace system works fine, easy to get on and off. Sometimes hard to get real tight, but after getting the worn, it's much easier.

Took these boots pheasant and grouse hunting in S.Dakota 10/07 (early warm season)...read: humpin' hilly grasslands over many miles each day. Extrememly comfortable...broke them in first day. No blisters or rubs with light socks. Very light...practically like a running shoe. Boa functioned well, although if you like a tighter midfoot or forefoot, there is no way to differentially adjust.

Attention hunters: if you don't like the way typical hunting boots fit, and you don't need camo or scent-lock, and if you plan on walking miles upon miles each day, don't buy anything until you have tried these out!

First of all the service was wonderful. I have a friend who had a pair of these North Face Plasma XCR Boa Shoe and he told me the benefits of the shoe. I went home and found this web-site and ordered the shoes. They are unique, no laces (there is a dial in the back to tighten and loosen the strings through the shoe), waterproof, lots of support and very light. They are a hiking boot, and cross trainer athletic shoe all rolled into one phenomenal shoe. You won't be disappointed with these shoes!!

These shoes are awesome....had them over a year, wear them almost everday, incredibly comfortable, durable and supportive for a 6'6" 200 lb guy who pounds the heck out of them. The lacing system is so quick and easy and has held up great. My feet do not sweat inthese and they are definitely the best hikers I have owned. Make some more with this lacing system

This is a real good alternative from the heavy hikers of the old days I would not go as far as calling it a 12 month boot but it will get you pretty well through the spring, summer, fall, early winter not suited for heavy snow or extreme cold. I have 3 pairs of shoes with the Boa system I have never had a problem with any of them, I think maybe people try and really crank them as tight as they will go and that is the cause for most of the Boa issues. The object is not to cut the circulation of blood off to your feet just to snug them up based on the sock you chose to prevent slippage and blisters. On long hikes I have used a small patch of duct tape over the knobs to prevent any movement of the knob or bumping once I get the boot where I want it, this is not big deal I used to do the same things with the long laces on the old style boots to prevent them from snagging on sticks and grass and pulling loose. Great boot I do however like the older styles like this one from North Face and less some of the new ones for some reason every 5 years or so every shoe maker seems to lose their minds and start making shoes and boots ridicules "trendy" colors more fit for clubbing than hiking and it seems North Face is currently in this cycle. Just make them functional, Gore-Tex, affordable and not in clown like colors.

I work as a contrator in Iraq and these shoes are perfect. Breathable,light,and fast.

Well, it looks as though my concerns about the durability of the BOA lacing system were just. The lace on the right shoe snapped like a strand of fishing line. And all I was doing was taking a step in my living room. I hadn't even began to beat these shoes up. I'm just glad I wasnt out in the cold running a trail, or doing anything else these shoes were made to do...... As with the Met 5 jacket, I dont appreciate paying $$$ to be The North Face's lab rat. These shoes will be returned, not exchanged.

like walking on air. awesome work shoe for on the roof and fast to put on and take off. the only shoes i'll ever buy.

Loved the Boa feature but the footbed is not as comfortable as other people described in reviews. Easy to wear and take off. Original concerns were the boa cables/laces snapping but I've had it for months and it's holding up pretty well.

I waited to write a review on these shoes until I had taken them out on the trail a bit. Well, I've hiked over 50 miles in them and taken them to the top of 6 14,000' peaks in Colorado and will be taking them to Kilimanjaro in 5 days. They are the best hiking boots/shoes, I've put on my feet. I'm an athletic 6'0", 185 lb guy and they feel awesome on my feet. I've historically suffered from bad blisters so I was a little nervous about them, but I have essentially had no problems with blisters with these shoes. The ONLY complaint I have is that occasionally the lace system comes loose and I have to reach down to tighten the knob. However, it isn't very often that it happens and it is clearly worth the happiness of my feet. Hope everyone else enjoys them as much as I have.

These boots/shoes, whatever they are, ROCK. They are very comfortable. Although I was uncertain at first about the BOA lacing system, I'm sold now. It works great. North Face has the best all purpose footwear on the market, in my opinion.

These multi-purpose "boots" are a dream come true for your feet. They fit wonderfully right out of the box and the BOA closure system provides a customized fit every time you put them on. Just jogged through a downpour today and my feet stayed 100% dry with little to no perspiration build up.

Started falling apart after just a month of fairly light use. Soles came off, boa system fell apart (and its almost impossible to find parts for DIY repairs), the fabric ripped. At 10 months now they are completely useless. My last pair of NorthFace shoes lasted 3 years. I guess they just stopped making real shoes.

A very comfortable boot which work as advertised. I'm glad I review the reviews first, because someone called the sizing correctly. They do run smaller than your usual boot or shoe, so order the next size up. Otherwise, no surprises. I'm wearing these in an arid, dusty, very hot environment every day, and they are wearing excellently. Easy to take care of and decent support. I wish the BOA dial on the upper heel had a lower profile, which means in some spaces, if you have tight quarters for your feet, the knob will get some good knocks. But, they have borne the whacks pretty well. A good boot at a decent price. Another example of Back Country's superb product selection. I will buy more in the future, to include the running show variant.

After rteading many positive reviews, I ordered a pair of size 12's online. They felt pretty good out of the box and had enough toe room as far as the length goes, but during the first long dayhike my forefeet started feeling cramped and sore -- especially my left foot, which has a lump of arthritis on top of the big toe knuckle above the ball of the foot. These are the first shoes I ever purchased without trying them on first, and I'm afraid I may not be able to use them much. I went on several dayhikes, hoping that adjusting the tightness of the lacing system might make a difference. I also replaced the inserts with my old Superfeet, and that seemed to help a little though not enough. Right now I've got some foot-shaped forms crammed into the forefeet, hoping to stretch them out a bit.

I gave the Boa's 3 stars in this review because my problem has to do with fit and not the quality & performance of the product. Other than discomfort due to fit my overall impression is favorable, though I have not yet put them to the test of big hikes with a backpack load or repeated creek crossings.

The lacing system is very convenient to adjust, but what you can't do is adjust the tightness differently between the forefoot and instep. If you buy these shoes and they fit well, before you get past the point where you can return them you need to make sure the lacing snugs the boot to your satisfaction.

i bought these (sneakers) with high expectations, but they produced nothing but a let down. they look great great but fall short of something that can hold up to real experience. they feel great on the asphalt but once put through the paces they just aren't up to par. they don't have the ample support that someone my dimension needs ( 6'01"ft 187lbs. foot sz 10.5). the stability is hit or miss, and trying to dial in is better left to conventional laces. owned them for about a week and returned them to my retailer for the Montrail CTC mid's.

Like the fit and feel a lot. Very good if your on your feet all day. However, the dial on the rear of one of the shoes has malfunctioned and come off the shoe. Tightened it up but I'm a little wary for the future.

I just bought the North Face Boa and took them straight to Colorado to do some hiking. I went on two different hikes of approx. 6 miles each. They are lightweight and very comfortable. I did however, have to tighten the lace system a couple times per hike. Other than that, I aam very satisfied with the shoes.

Without a doubt, these shoes are the best ever. They're the best for walking. They're the best hiking. They're the best for climbing. They're the best for jogging. They're the best for running. They're the best fitting, best supporting shoes I have ever worn. I'm on my second pair after clocking over 500 miles on my first pair (they're still good!)

Oh, I almost forgot ... They're also the most comfortable shoes I've ever worn ! !

I'd had my eyes on this shoe for about a year and finally decided to buy them. I was so happy when they arrived that I slept in them the first night. Seriously, I did. They are super comfortable, offer excellent support and look fantastic. Do not hesitate to buy this shoe. All other options are inferior and a waste of time and money. The North Face rocks.

These shoes are the best for walking. These shoes are the best for hiking. These shoes are the best for jogging. These shoes are the best for running. These shoes are the best for climbing. However, these shoes are not the best for dancing. :-)

These shoes are also the most comfortable shoes I've ever worn. I love them ! !