Review:Flow “The One” Lace… Initial Impressions

Flow is well known for their bindings, but perhaps not as well known for their boots.  I picked up a pair of "The One" boots in black/purple in size 12 to give em a spin, and here are some initial impressions.

I have a mid-wide foot, and can wear either a size 12, or 13 US boot depending on the manufacturer.  I've ridden the Flow boots in multiple conditions, including powder, groomers, and icy conditions.  As far as a boot that functions, I have no real complaints about the Flow One boots. They grip well on all conditions, and provide great support.    There are however, some quirks, that I can honestly say I'm not a huge fan of.   The boot is pretty stiff, oddly so in the toebox area.  It takes a while for the toebox to really "break-in" on these boots, so you may have a love hate relationship with them during the break-in period.

There is no articulating cuff on this boot, and honestly I didn't see that as an issue, due to Flows awesome internal lacing system.  The real support of the boot is in the comfort, and design of the inner liner, and lacing systems.   I didn't really experience any heel lift from the boots during riding.

Another complimentary feature,the O2 outsole,  provides some super comfy support on landings, and is quite cushy.

As far as build quality,  the boots appear really well put together, with one exception.  I ended up tearing out the loops and the top stitching on one of the upper cuffs of a boot.  While a bit disappointing,  Flow had the boots replaced incredibly quick and with no questions asked.  The second pair has faired much better, and I haven't had another incident of seams tearing out.

So some things to remember about these boots:

• The fit appears to be a true up of standard sizing.  Your experience may differ though, so try them on!
• They are definitely a stiffer boot, so if you're looking for mega flex, these aren't the boots for you.
• They are incredibly comfortable once you break them in.

In closing, so far the boots live up to their reputation of being nice quality, supportive, comfortable boots.  I called this post, "Initial Impressions" because I plan on writing a follow-up after the season to see how the boots hold up through-out the season.

** Disclaimer: These boots were purchased at a retail location with my own funds**