Skip to main content

Asics Gel FujiRado shoe loses the laces, adopts the Boa System instead

BOA How It Works Turn Tighten
Outdoor enthusiasts are likely already familiar with the Boa System, that clever laceless process that allows you to tighten your
Recommended Videos
snowboard boots, hiking boots, and other such gear that you want to keep snug, without any need to fiddle with knots and tangles. But now, the twist-to-tighten mechanism behind Boa is coming to another kind of footwear — your running shoes. Meet the new Gel FujiRado, the latest trail running shoe from Asics that trades laces for Boa’s new TX4 closure system, so you never have to be slowed down by the need to tie your shoes.

The Boa System is comprised of three parts: an instant release dial, which allows for a precise fit; lightweight yet strong laces; and low friction guides that help create a smooth closure. When you want to tighten your laces, just push down on the Boa button to engage the system and turn to tighten. When you need to get out of the shoe, just pull the button up for quick release.

The Gel FujiRado also comes with a so-called “mono-sock,” described as an “elastic internal sleeve which replaces a traditional tongue providing a ‘sock-like’ fit.” It’s also meant to keep out debris while you’re running on trails, and hold your foot to the platform, allowing you to leap and bound over any terrain. Weighing in at just 10.6 ounces, the shoe also features SpEVA midsole material and a higher-density AHAR outsole.

While Asics may be the first shoe company to take advantage of the Boa system, it will by no means be the last. In fact, Boa is also collaborating with New Balance to make a shoe for sprinters. And while it’s been a time-consuming process (over 80 iterations spanning five years), it looks like such a shoe will soon be coming to fruition. Boa is also collaborating with Under Armour for a shoe unique to that brand.

But for the time being, if you’re interested in checking out what Boa has already accomplished by way of its partnership with Asics, you can grab a pair of the Gel Fujirados yourself for $130. After all, there’s nothing like a new pair of shoes to motivate you to hit the trails.

Lulu Chang
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Fascinated by the effects of technology on human interaction, Lulu believes that if her parents can use your new app…
The best hurricane trackers for Android and iOS in 2024
Best hurricane tracking apps.

The hurricane season instills fear in those who find themselves in the paths of these storms, and in their loved ones who are concerned for their safety. A hurricane app is essential if you’ve stayed up all night worrying about a family member who's alone during a destructive storm.

Many hurricane trackers are available to help you prepare for these dangerous events, monitor their progress, and assist in recovery. We’ve compiled a list of the best apps for tracking storms, predicting their paths, and providing on-the-ground suggetsions for shelters and emergency services. Most of these apps are free to download and supported by ads. Premium versions are available to remove ads and add extra features.

Read more
Best lawn mower deals: Cordless, gas, electric and robotic
A robot lawn mower in a backyard while a family relaxes.

Mowing a lawn can be very therapeutic unless you have an older lawnmower, which makes life difficult and constantly causes you frustration. Luckily, you can snag a new lawnmower for a pretty good price, and even the more budget-oriented options have a lot of quality-of-life features that you wouldn't find on lawnmowers ten or even five years ago. To that end, we've gone about and collected some of our favorite lawnmower deals across the board, including some great robot lawn mowers that are worth checking out.
Litheli Cordless Lawn Mower U20 Handy+ -- $120, was $140

If you want a solid lawn mower, this offering from Litheli has a 13-inch cutting width, which is pretty good for the deal that you're getting. Even better, you get a 30L grass bag so you're not having to clean up after yourself, and you can mow for longer without having to stop. You also get 5 height adjustments so you can hone in the length of your grass to the perfect height, plus you get a 4.0Ah portable battery included.

Read more
Juiced Bikes offers 20% off on all e-bikes amid signs of bankruptcy
Juiced Bikes Scrambler ebike

A “20% off sitewide” banner on top of a company’s website should normally be cause for glee among customers. Except if you’re a fan of that company’s products and its executives remain silent amid mounting signs that said company might be on the brink of bankruptcy.That’s what’s happening with Juiced Bikes, the San Diego-based maker of e-bikes.According to numerous customer reports, Juiced Bikes has completely stopped responding to customer inquiries for some time, while its website is out of stock on all products. There are also numerous testimonies of layoffs at the company.Even more worrying signs are also piling up: The company’s assets, including its existing inventory of products, is appearing as listed for sale on an auction website used by companies that go out of business.In addition, a court case has been filed in New York against parent company Juiced Inc. and Juiced Bike founder Tora Harris, according to Trellis, a state trial court legal research platform.Founded in 2009 by Harris, a U.S. high-jump Olympian, Juiced Bikes was one of the early pioneers of the direct-to-consumer e-bike brands in the U.S. market.The company’s e-bikes developed a loyal fandom through the years. Last year, Digital Trends named the Juiced Bikes Scorpion X2 as the best moped-style e-bike for 2023, citing its versatility, rich feature set, and performance.The company has so far stayed silent amid all the reports. But should its bankruptcy be confirmed, it could legitimately be attributed to the post-pandemic whiplash experienced by the e-bike industry over the past few years. The Covid-19 pandemic had led to a huge spike in demand for e-bikes just as supply chains became heavily constrained. This led to a ramp-up of e-bike production to match the high demand. But when consumer demand dropped after the pandemic, e-bike makers were left with large stock surpluses.The good news is that the downturn phase might soon be over just as the industry is experiencing a wave of mergers and acquisitions, according to a report by Houlihan Lokey.This may mean that even if Juiced Bikes is indeed going under, the brand and its products might find a buyer and show up again on streets and trails.

Read more