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FOX Union Boa Li2: try the Clipless shoes

A few months of riding hard, without sparing anything on these shoes, how did these Union boas from FOX perform?


Double Boa Li2 closure, reinforced toe to withstand even the hardest impacts, Ultratac sole, upper made of monobloc, double footbed support and internal plate to increase rigidity. These, in summary, are the characteristics of this shoe designed by Fox for All Mountain and more aggressive trail biking.

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The test

A few months have passed since I started using this shoe; a long period in which I went from racing to cycle mountaineering excursions, where the portage put both my physical abilities and the materials used to the test. In all these situations I used Fox's Union Boa in order to have the most objective and truthful data possible on their quality.

It turned out to be a very good shoe, the double closure is excellent and tightens the foot well ensuring effective pedaling. It took a few releases for the shoe to 'form'; in fact, in the first few days after a couple of hours I felt some pain due to a slightly tight fit. Annoyances that disappeared after a short time. 

An endurance test that also included some serious portage

I really liked the possibility of supporting the arch of the foot by means of an internal support; choosing between two options, little yellow and red more support. This is an important element, which I will return to in a dedicated article, which can help optimize the work of the leg muscles and consequently pedaling.

The grip of the school and the absorption of the internal insole are also good, as is the distribution of the effort guaranteed by the internal plate.

The closure

The double device Li2 by Boa allows perfect tightening, having the possibility of customizing the winding in every situation. The opening and closing speed allows you to change it even during a single exit. With a simple click it is possible to open the shoe when you are on the cable car, or waiting for the departure of a stage, tightening the shoe more when you need the maximum, therefore during the stages or a particularly intense descent.

The guide

An all mountain shoe should also be judged by its sensations while riding. Modern MTBs are driven actively, thanks to the synergy between the vehicle and the biker's body. The feet, together with the hands, are the two points of connection between the parts; so the sensitivity of the shoe also plays an important role from this point of view. A sole that is able to transmit vibrations through the pedals and that allows it to move while best following the roughness, will guarantee more active handling of the vehicle.

The sensitivity of the inner sole helps to improve the driving sensation

From this point of view, this shoe gives an excellent feeling between vehicle and person. The design of the internal insole was designed with this objective and when riding downhill you have the possibility of handling the bike well. In moments when you need to absorb bumps, float on stones or put pressure on the pedals to push out of curves, the response of this Union Boa Li2 guarantees optimal response.

Uphill

All mountain, trail biking or enduro, these shoes must also be designed for pedaling. The reinforcement plate present to stiffen the structure helps to transmit the energy of the legs to the pedals. The difference compared to xc shoes or even lighter trail shoes is present, but in this case we are faced with a model designed to also be effective in portage, in which the shoe performs very well, so the compromise found satisfies fully meets expectations.

Conclusions

An effective and valid model from all points of view. It's difficult to find a flaw in this model, which manages to best combine the needs of downhill riding with those of comfort and stability of the foot when climbing.



Written by

[email protected] Mountain bike travel editor and expert. Chiropractor and personal trainer, for years following some of the strongest national interpreters of enduro mtb.

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