UPDATE (Feb 2026): I finally fixed the sliding tongue issue! If you own these boots (or are thinking of buying them), scroll to the bottom to see the €3 DIY “Velcro Mod” that saved my shins (and saved me a lot more, because I now do not have to buy new boots, as I thought I would have at the beginning of this season).
The “Perfect” Store Experience
I really wanted to love these boots. I bought my ThirtyTwo Shifty BOA boots at a local board shop here in Riga. The price was around €230 ($270 / £200). They looked sick (I have the Camo/Black colorway), they were incredibly lightweight, and the price was right for a soft, beginner-friendly boot.
I didn’t just buy them online and guess the size. I did everything “by the book.”
- The Heat Mold: The shop guy put the boots on a specialized heater to soften the liners, and I stood in them for 15 minutes in the store to mold them to my feet.
- The Socks: I even bought a pair of premium Rossignol snowboard socks for around €30 (which, honestly, are amazing – super warm and comfortable).
Walking out of the shop, I thought I had the perfect setup. The heat mold felt custom, the socks were plush, and the single BOA dial made them incredibly easy to get on and off.
The Reality Check: 3 Runs Later
The honeymoon phase lasted exactly one trip to the local hill.
The Shifty BOA is marketed as a “comfort” boot with a soft flex. It has a single BOA dial on the front and an internal lacing harness that is supposed to pull the tongue down and lock your heel in place.
But on the slopes, that system failed me.
Why Does the Tongue Slide on ThirtyTwo Shifty BOAs?
The biggest issue with the Shifty BOA isn’t the comfort – it’s the structure.
The boot relies on an internal lacing system to hold the liner and tongue in place. In theory, you pull the inner cord, lock it, and the tongue stays centered on your shin. In reality, after just one or two aggressive turns, the tongue starts to drift.
It always slides to the outside of my leg. Because the boot is so soft (it’s built for “tweakability”), there is very little structure to stop this rotation.
The Consequence: Once the tongue slides, the hard edge of the boot shell and the Boa cables are pressing directly against my shin bone. The Result: After a couple of days of riding, I have a distinct bruise/red mark on my shin where the boot digs in. No amount of “premium socks” can fix a piece of plastic digging into your leg bone.
Did I Heat Mold My Boots Wrong? (User Error)
Looking back, I realized something critical. When I was standing in the shop with the boots hot from the heater, I might have been the problem.
I suspect I didn’t pull the tongue perfectly straight on my right foot before letting it cool. Because I stood there for 15 minutes with the tongue slightly twisted, I essentially “programmed” the boot to fail.
However, this highlights a weakness in the boot itself. A stiffer boot with a double-Boa system would likely force the tongue back to the center regardless of the mold. The ThirtyTwo Shifty is so soft and flexible that it just accepted my bad molding job and kept it there.
Why Do Single BOA Boots Cause Arch Pain?
he tongue issue creates a domino effect that ruins my foot comfort, too.
Because the tongue slides, the top of the boot feels “loose” or sloppy. My instinct is to crank the single BOA dial tighter to get that secure feeling back.
The Trap: Tightening the BOA doesn’t fix the tongue; it just crushes the top of my foot.
The Pain: I get a sharp, cramping pain in the middle of my front foot (the arch). It feels like my foot is being put in a vice.
It’s a frustrating cycle: If I leave it loose, the tongue slides and I get shin bang. If I tighten it, I get arch cramps. There is no middle ground.
UPDATE: How I Finally Fixed the Tongue Slide (DIY Mod)
I refused to give up on these boots (mostly because I didn’t want to spend another €300). I spent the last week testing two different fixes to see if I could stop the tongue from wandering off my shin.
Attempt #1: Can You Re-Heat Mold Boots at Home? (FAILED)
My first thought was that maybe the liner just wasn’t molded correctly. I took a hair dryer, heated up the tongue until it was soft, and strapped it tight to “train” it to stay in the center.
- The Result: It felt great in my living room. But the second I got on the snow at Riekstukalns, the force of carving broke the mold. Within 2 runs, the tongue was back on the side of my leg.
- Verdict: Don’t waste your time trying to re-mold it without a machine.
Attempt #2: The “Lazy” Velcro Hack (SUCCESS)
I realized I needed a physical anchor to stop the rotation. I wanted to add Velcro, but I don’t own a sewing machine and didn’t want to risk puncturing the waterproof liner with a needle.
The Fix: I bought a strip of a regular Velcro (nothing advanced or special) and some strong double-sided tape (the kind used for carpets).
- Prepare the Anchor: I took a strip of the soft “Loop” Velcro side. I applied double-sided tape to the entire back of it.
- Attach to Liner Tongue: I stuck this soft Velcro strip horizontally across the front of the inner liner’s tongue (the black felt part).
- Prepare the Trap: I took a matching strip of the scratchy “Hook” Velcro side and applied double-sided tape to its back.
- Attach to Shell Tongue: I stuck this scratchy strip horizontally across the inside face of the outer boot’s tongue, so it lines up perfectly with the strip on the liner.
How it Works: Now, when I put my boot on and tighten the Boa, the two Velcro strips mash together, creating a solid “sandwich.” The inner liner tongue is now physically stuck to the outer shell tongue. They move as one single unit, making it impossible for the inner tongue to slide off to the side.
The Result: It worked like magic. The Velcro creates just enough friction to catch the tongue and stop it from sliding. I rode for 3 hours yesterday, and the tongue stayed dead center. No shin bang, and because the tongue stayed straight, I didn’t have to over-tighten the Boa, so my arch pain disappeared too.
Note: Since I used tape, the moisture from snow might eventually weaken the glue. If it falls off, I’ll just tape it again. For a fix that takes 2 minutes, I’ll take it.
The Verdict: Is It The Boot or Is It Me?
I have wrestled with this question. Did I mess up the heat mold? Probably. Did I twist the tongue while standing in the shop? Likely.
But that is exactly why I am giving these boots a mixed score.
A higher-end, stiffer boot has the structural integrity to force the tongue back to the center, even if your mold wasn’t perfect. The ThirtyTwo Shifty is so soft and flexible that it is unforgiving of mistakes. If you get the setup slightly wrong, or if you have narrow shins, the boot doesn’t help you fix it.
Should You Buy The ThirtyTwo Shifty BOA?
YES, if:
- You ride Park/Jib and need maximum ankle tweaks.
- You are on a budget and willing to use the Velcro Mod if needed.
- You are extremely careful during the heat molding process to keep everything dead center.
NO, if:
- You want a “plug and play” boot with zero hassle.
- You ride aggressive all-mountain lines (get a stiffer boot).
Final Score:
With DIY Velcro Mod: 8/10 (Super comfortable, light, and pain-free).
Out of the Box: 6/10 (Requires a perfect setup to avoid shin bang).