Vans Contra

Review Date
March 8, 2003

Overall Rating
 3 of 5

Value Rating
 4 of 5

Used product for
2-5

Visitors rate this review
4.40 of 5, 5 votes

Reviewed by: oxide (Unregistered User) ,  Advanced , from San Francisco,CA

Price Paid:  $125.00 at Ebay

Summary:
Boots were very light and has a great design- I was impressed! I was wearing them for hours riding in a train then in a car to get to the ski resort. Very comfortable loose but once after tightening the BOA laces it will cramp up your foot.(maybe because it was new)

Similar Products Used:
( inside the store) I tried on the Vans Fargo 03 which felt about the same as Contra. I hate the bulky and heavy BOA DC stratus...same thing with the NORTHWAVE and the K2. Vans was the best.

Review Date
February 18, 2003

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 3 of 5

Used product for
6-15

Reviewed by: aaron12345(Unregistered User) ,  Advanced , from Washington

Price Paid:  $0.00

Summary:
Great boot. I have worn DC, Northwave, Burton and Airwalk. Absolutely no heel rise in these Vans. Warm too
I bought them for the fit, the BOA laces were just a nice extra luxury. I have not had any problems with them so far (knock on wood). The laces are the wound steel cable type. I heard that older model BOA's had just steel wire that tended to break. I am not some sissy beginner either. These boots have been ridden hard, in deep snow, chop and off big kickers in the park and there has been no trouble with the BOA laces. If they fit your feet and bindings then you are in for a treat.

Similar Products Used:
DC (with the Reebok-like pump)
Airwalk
Burton Freestyle
Northwave

Review Date
December 26, 2002

Overall Rating
 1 of 5

Value Rating
 1 of 5

Used product for
2-5

Visitors rate this review
1.00 of 5, 1 votes

Reviewed by: King(Unregistered User) ,  Advanced

Price Paid:  $250.00 at Any Mountain

Summary:
Perhaps the most painful pair of boots ever! I don't have an exceptionally wide foot, but these boots killed my feet and had some horrible pressure points which I didn't feel until I was on the slopes. Never had a problem with the lacing system snappingm, but I only rode them 3 times. I'm going to try the newer, less stiff, version this year (Vans Fargos). The Fargos also have the Boa system and felt much more spacious when I tried them on in the store. We'll see. I love the Boa idea, but can't find a boot that uses it that's comfortable enough.

Similar Products Used:
Burton Rulers, Burton Motos

Review Date
December 5, 2002

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
6-15

Visitors rate this review
5.00 of 5, 2 votes

Reviewed by: brandon burns(Unregistered User) ,  Intermediate , from San Diego

Price Paid:  $235.00

Summary:
Great boots. Light, durable, and most of all comfortable.I have absolutely nothing but positive reinforcement for these boots. I am buying a pair of these for my girlfriend so I don't have to tighten her laces all of the time.

Review Date
December 5, 2002

Overall Rating
 1 of 5

Value Rating
 1 of 5

Used product for
Countless

Visitors rate this review
1.00 of 5, 2 votes

Reviewed by: mcandrewb(Unregistered User) ,  HardCore , from Switzerland

Price Paid:  $299.00

Summary:
Suckered in by this cool concept, this boot is the biggest piece of $hit that I have ever bought.
I first had the steel laces with this system. If you are a hard rider, often in the pipe, or dropping off cliffs, I guarantee this steel lace will break sooner or later. If it does, and you are on the mountain, or even worse backcountry, you are screwed.
So, after I broke my first steel lace, I went to the shop where they told me of the new titanium laces for the system. Not wanting to waste my 400chf, I opted for the titanium laces. My second day out with them, these laces pulled out of the tightening knob while on the hill. Luckily, I had the tiny allen wrench necessary to stick the wire back in, (takes 15 minutes, longer in the freezing cold of the mountain), but the $hitty things never managed to stay in, no matter how hard I tightened the locking screw. Eventually, the locking screws stripped the threads and became useless. These boots are a complete waste of money, if you plan on putting pressure on them. (pipe, backcountry)
Mine ended up smashed against a concrete wall when they broke for the 20th time.