Yes he does , he just finished his first season af alpine competition.He was usually at the top of the heap as long as you had soft boots .But hard boot kids had a 4to5 second advantage . So I figure if he wants to compete he must have a hard boot set up. He is 13 and weighs about 120 lb. i'm trying to get his feet wet this spring and next year he can go for it. Thanks for the help, any advice is appreciated.