diff --git a/es-app/src/CollectionSystemManager.cpp b/es-app/src/CollectionSystemManager.cpp
index 06a97355b..1a86eff46 100644
--- a/es-app/src/CollectionSystemManager.cpp
+++ b/es-app/src/CollectionSystemManager.cpp
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 #include "CollectionSystemManager.h"
 
 #include "guis/GuiInfoPopup.h"
+#include "utils/StringUtil.h"
 #include "views/gamelist/IGameListView.h"
 #include "views/ViewController.h"
 #include "FileData.h"
@@ -10,9 +11,7 @@
 #include "SystemData.h"
 #include "ThemeData.h"
 #include "Util.h"
-#include <boost/algorithm/string/predicate.hpp>
 #include <boost/filesystem/operations.hpp>
-#include <boost/xpressive/xpressive.hpp>
 #include <pugixml/src/pugixml.hpp>
 #include <fstream>
 #include <unordered_map>
@@ -351,26 +350,33 @@ bool CollectionSystemManager::isThemeCustomCollectionCompatible(std::vector<std:
 
 std::string CollectionSystemManager::getValidNewCollectionName(std::string inName, int index)
 {
-	// filter name - [^A-Za-z0-9\[\]\(\)\s]
-	using namespace boost::xpressive;
-	std::string name;
-	sregex regexp = sregex::compile("[^A-Za-z0-9\\-\\[\\]\\(\\)\\s']");
-	if (index == 0)
+	std::string name = inName;
+
+	if(index == 0)
 	{
-		name = regex_replace(inName, regexp, "");
-		if (name == "")
+		size_t remove = std::string::npos;
+
+		// get valid name
+		while((remove = name.find_first_not_of("ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz0123456789-[]() ")) != std::string::npos)
 		{
-			name = "New Collection";
+			name.erase(remove, 1);
 		}
 	}
 	else
 	{
-		name = inName + " (" + std::to_string(index) + ")";
+		name += " (" + std::to_string(index) + ")";
 	}
+
+	if(name == "")
+	{
+		name = "New Collection";
+	}
+
 	if(name != inName)
 	{
 		LOG(LogInfo) << "Had to change name, from: " << inName << " to: " << name;
 	}
+
 	// get used systems in es_systems.cfg
 	std::vector<std::string> systemsInUse = getSystemsFromConfig();
 	// get folders assigned to custom collections
@@ -948,7 +954,7 @@ std::vector<std::string> CollectionSystemManager::getCollectionsFromConfigFolder
 				std::string filename = file.substr(configPath.string().size());
 
 				// need to confirm filename matches config format
-				if (boost::algorithm::ends_with(filename, ".cfg") && boost::algorithm::starts_with(filename, "custom-") && filename != "custom-.cfg")
+				if (filename != "custom-.cfg" && Utils::String::startsWith(filename, "custom-") && Utils::String::endsWith(filename, ".cfg"))
 				{
 					filename = filename.substr(7, filename.size()-11);
 					systems.push_back(filename);
diff --git a/es-app/src/FileData.cpp b/es-app/src/FileData.cpp
index 7417bb7d4..9ba6c082d 100644
--- a/es-app/src/FileData.cpp
+++ b/es-app/src/FileData.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 #include "FileData.h"
 
+#include "utils/StringUtil.h"
 #include "utils/TimeUtil.h"
 #include "AudioManager.h"
 #include "CollectionSystemManager.h"
@@ -11,7 +12,6 @@
 #include "Util.h"
 #include "VolumeControl.h"
 #include "Window.h"
-#include <boost/algorithm/string/trim.hpp>
 #include <boost/filesystem/operations.hpp>
 
 namespace fs = boost::filesystem;
@@ -327,7 +327,7 @@ const std::string& CollectionFileData::getName()
 {
 	if (mDirty) {
 		mCollectionFileName = removeParenthesis(mSourceFileData->metadata.get("name"));
-		boost::trim(mCollectionFileName);
+		Utils::String::trim(mCollectionFileName);
 		mCollectionFileName += " [" + strToUpper(mSourceFileData->getSystem()->getName()) + "]";
 		mDirty = false;
 	}
diff --git a/es-app/src/FileFilterIndex.cpp b/es-app/src/FileFilterIndex.cpp
index bdef39946..1be1ca3f1 100644
--- a/es-app/src/FileFilterIndex.cpp
+++ b/es-app/src/FileFilterIndex.cpp
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
 #include "FileFilterIndex.h"
 
+#include "utils/StringUtil.h"
 #include "views/UIModeController.h"
 #include "FileData.h"
 #include "Log.h"
 #include "Settings.h"
 #include "Util.h"
-#include <boost/algorithm/string/trim.hpp>
 
 #define UNKNOWN_LABEL "UNKNOWN"
 #define INCLUDE_UNKNOWN false;
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ std::string FileFilterIndex::getIndexableKey(FileData* game, FilterIndexType typ
 		case GENRE_FILTER:
 		{
 			key = strToUpper(game->metadata.get("genre"));
-			boost::trim(key);
+			Utils::String::trim(key);
 			if (getSecondary && !key.empty()) {
 				std::istringstream f(key);
 				std::string newKey;
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ std::string FileFilterIndex::getIndexableKey(FileData* game, FilterIndexType typ
 		case PUBDEV_FILTER:
 		{
 			key = strToUpper(game->metadata.get("publisher"));
-			boost::trim(key);
+			Utils::String::trim(key);
 
 			if ((getSecondary && !key.empty()) || (!getSecondary && key.empty()))
 				key = strToUpper(game->metadata.get("developer"));
@@ -173,7 +173,7 @@ std::string FileFilterIndex::getIndexableKey(FileData* game, FilterIndexType typ
 			break;
 		}
 	}
-	boost::trim(key);
+	Utils::String::trim(key);
 	if (key.empty() || (type == RATINGS_FILTER && key == "0 STARS")) {
 		key = UNKNOWN_LABEL;
 	}
diff --git a/es-app/src/views/UIModeController.h b/es-app/src/views/UIModeController.h
index 38760cb21..e26d68c2c 100644
--- a/es-app/src/views/UIModeController.h
+++ b/es-app/src/views/UIModeController.h
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@
 #ifndef ES_APP_VIEWS_UI_MODE_CONTROLLER_H
 #define ES_APP_VIEWS_UI_MODE_CONTROLLER_H
 
-//#include "InputConfig.h"
 #include <vector>
 #include <string>
 
diff --git a/es-core/src/ThemeData.cpp b/es-core/src/ThemeData.cpp
index 625b1d8b7..6e4168497 100644
--- a/es-core/src/ThemeData.cpp
+++ b/es-core/src/ThemeData.cpp
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@
 #include "platform.h"
 #include "Settings.h"
 #include <boost/filesystem/operations.hpp>
-#include <boost/xpressive/xpressive_static.hpp>
 #include <pugixml/src/pugixml.hpp>
 
 std::vector<std::string> ThemeData::sSupportedViews { { "system" }, { "basic" }, { "detailed" }, { "video" } };
@@ -176,24 +175,24 @@ std::string resolvePath(const char* in, const fs::path& relative)
 
 std::map<std::string, std::string> mVariables;
 
-std::string &format_variables(const boost::xpressive::smatch &what)
-{
-	return mVariables[what[1].str()];
-}
-
 std::string resolvePlaceholders(const char* in)
 {
-	if(!in || in[0] == '\0')
-		return std::string(in);
-		
 	std::string inStr(in);
-	
-	using namespace boost::xpressive;
-	sregex rex = "${" >> (s1 = +('.' | _w)) >> '}';
-    
-	std::string output = regex_replace(inStr, rex, format_variables);
 
-	return output;
+	if(inStr.empty())
+		return inStr;
+
+	const size_t variableBegin = inStr.find("${");
+	const size_t variableEnd   = inStr.find("}", variableBegin);
+
+	if((variableBegin == std::string::npos) || (variableEnd == std::string::npos))
+		return inStr;
+
+	std::string prefix  = inStr.substr(0, variableBegin);
+	std::string replace = inStr.substr(variableBegin + 2, variableEnd - (variableBegin + 2));
+	std::string suffix  = inStr.substr(variableEnd + 1);
+
+	return prefix + mVariables[replace] + suffix;
 }
 
 ThemeData::ThemeData()
diff --git a/es-core/src/ThemeData.h b/es-core/src/ThemeData.h
index fb244e5ae..34e6a5c9d 100644
--- a/es-core/src/ThemeData.h
+++ b/es-core/src/ThemeData.h
@@ -4,8 +4,6 @@
 
 #include "math/Vector2f.h"
 #include <boost/filesystem/path.hpp>
-#include <boost/variant/get.hpp>
-#include <boost/variant/variant.hpp>
 #include <deque>
 #include <map>
 #include <sstream>
@@ -91,10 +89,33 @@ public:
 		bool extra;
 		std::string type;
 
-		std::map< std::string, boost::variant<Vector2f, std::string, unsigned int, float, bool> > properties;
+		struct Property
+		{
+			void operator= (const Vector2f& value)     { v = value; }
+			void operator= (const std::string& value)  { s = value; }
+			void operator= (const unsigned int& value) { i = value; }
+			void operator= (const float& value)        { f = value; }
+			void operator= (const bool& value)         { b = value; }
+
+			Vector2f     v;
+			std::string  s;
+			unsigned int i;
+			float        f;
+			bool         b;
+		};
+
+		std::map< std::string, Property > properties;
 
 		template<typename T>
-		T get(const std::string& prop) const { return boost::get<T>(properties.at(prop)); }
+		const T get(const std::string& prop) const
+		{
+			if(     std::is_same<T, Vector2f>::value)     return *(const T*)&properties.at(prop).v;
+			else if(std::is_same<T, std::string>::value)  return *(const T*)&properties.at(prop).s;
+			else if(std::is_same<T, unsigned int>::value) return *(const T*)&properties.at(prop).i;
+			else if(std::is_same<T, float>::value)        return *(const T*)&properties.at(prop).f;
+			else if(std::is_same<T, bool>::value)         return *(const T*)&properties.at(prop).b;
+			return T();
+		}
 
 		inline bool has(const std::string& prop) const { return (properties.find(prop) != properties.cend()); }
 	};
diff --git a/es-core/src/Util.cpp b/es-core/src/Util.cpp
index 3a52d4843..ad2bec45f 100644
--- a/es-core/src/Util.cpp
+++ b/es-core/src/Util.cpp
@@ -1,8 +1,6 @@
 #include "Util.h"
 
 #include "platform.h"
-#include <boost/algorithm/string/classification.hpp>
-#include <boost/algorithm/string/split.hpp>
 #include <boost/filesystem/operations.hpp>
 
 namespace fs = boost::filesystem;
@@ -248,8 +246,20 @@ std::vector<std::string> commaStringToVector(std::string commaString)
 {
 	// from a comma separated string, get a vector of strings
 	std::vector<std::string> strs;
-	boost::split(strs, commaString, boost::is_any_of(","));
-	std::sort(strs.begin(), strs.end());
+	size_t start = 0;
+	size_t comma = commaString.find(",");
+	strs.push_back(commaString.substr(start, comma));
+	if(comma != std::string::npos)
+	{
+		start = comma + 1;
+		while((comma = commaString.find(",", start)) != std::string::npos)
+		{
+			strs.push_back(commaString.substr(start, comma - start));
+			start = comma + 1;
+		}
+		strs.push_back(commaString.substr(start));
+		std::sort(strs.begin(), strs.end());
+	}
 	return strs;
 }
 
diff --git a/es-core/src/components/VideoPlayerComponent.cpp b/es-core/src/components/VideoPlayerComponent.cpp
index dd2e950b6..64a67793f 100644
--- a/es-core/src/components/VideoPlayerComponent.cpp
+++ b/es-core/src/components/VideoPlayerComponent.cpp
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
 #ifdef _RPI_
 #include "components/VideoPlayerComponent.h"
 
+#include "utils/StringUtil.h"
 #include "AudioManager.h"
 #include "Settings.h"
-#include <boost/algorithm/string/predicate.hpp>
 #include <fcntl.h>
 #include <wait.h>
 
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ void VideoPlayerComponent::startVideo()
 			mPlayingVideoPath = mVideoPath;
 
 			// Disable AudioManager so video can play, in case we're requesting ALSA
-			if (boost::starts_with(Settings::getInstance()->getString("OMXAudioDev").c_str(), "alsa"))
+			if (Utils::String::startsWith(Settings::getInstance()->getString("OMXAudioDev").c_str(), "alsa"))
 			{
 				AudioManager::getInstance()->deinit();
 			}
diff --git a/es-core/src/utils/StringUtil.cpp b/es-core/src/utils/StringUtil.cpp
index 695695ab3..e1754e215 100644
--- a/es-core/src/utils/StringUtil.cpp
+++ b/es-core/src/utils/StringUtil.cpp
@@ -144,6 +144,18 @@ namespace Utils
 
 		} // trim
 
+		bool startsWith(const std::string& _string, const std::string& _test)
+		{
+			return (_string.find(_test) == 0);
+
+		} // startsWith
+
+		bool endsWith(const std::string& _string, const std::string& _test)
+		{
+			return (_string.find(_test) == (_string.size() - _test.size()));
+
+		} // endsWith
+
 	} // String::
 
 } // Utils::
diff --git a/es-core/src/utils/StringUtil.h b/es-core/src/utils/StringUtil.h
index 3649ae4d8..c745d82e4 100644
--- a/es-core/src/utils/StringUtil.h
+++ b/es-core/src/utils/StringUtil.h
@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@ namespace Utils
 		size_t       prevCursor   (const std::string& _string, const size_t _cursor);
 		size_t       moveCursor   (const std::string& _string, const size_t _cursor, const int _amount);
 		std::string  trim         (const std::string& _path);
+		bool         startsWith   (const std::string& _string, const std::string& _test);
+		bool         endsWith     (const std::string& _string, const std::string& _test);
 
 	} // Utils::String::