A pressure vessel for containing liquids and/or gases under pressure, said pressure vessel comprising: a polymeric liner comprising a hollow body defined by an elongated cylindrical wall having opposing inner and outer surfaces extending between a first terminal end and a second terminal end of said liner, said liner including an inlet opening near said first terminal end of said liner, said inlet opening defined by a flare edge of said liner; an outer composite shell comprising resin and fibers, said outer composite shell surrounding an outer periphery of said liner; a boss having a bore passing axially through said boss, said bore defined by a cylindrical wall having an interior surface, said bore in fluid communication with an interior of said pressure vessel; said boss having a shank with opposing inner and outer bearing surfaces (194, 198), said inner bearing surface oriented towards said outer surface of said liner, and said outer bearing surface oriented towards said outer composite shell; said shank including a plurality of spikes fixedly coupled to said shank and projecting radially away from said outer bearing surface; and said flare edge of said polymeric liner being fixedly coupled to said boss; said outer composite shell is formed by braiding a plurality of fiber strands around said liner and said shank of said boss to form a layer of braided fiber strands, each of said plurality of spikes being at least partially embedded into said outer composite shell, wherein each of said plurality of fiber strands comprises a plurality of fiber filaments, each of said plurality of fiber strands having a nominal strand width, and each pair of adjacent spikes having respective spike tips being spaced apart by at least said nominal strand width. a polymeric liner comprising a hollow body defined by an elongated cylindrical wall having opposing inner and outer surfaces extending between a first terminal end and a second terminal end of said liner, said liner including an inlet opening near said first terminal end of said liner, said inlet opening defined by a flare edge of said liner; an outer composite shell comprising resin and fibers, said outer composite shell surrounding an outer periphery of said liner; a boss having a bore passing axially through said boss, said bore defined by a cylindrical wall having an interior surface, said bore in fluid communication with an interior of said pressure vessel; said boss having a shank with opposing inner and outer bearing surfaces (194, 198), said inner bearing surface oriented towards said outer surface of said liner, and said outer bearing surface oriented towards said outer composite shell; said shank including a plurality of spikes fixedly coupled to said shank and projecting radially away from said outer bearing surface; and said flare edge of said polymeric liner being fixedly coupled to said boss; said outer composite shell is formed by braiding a plurality of fiber strands around said liner and said shank of said boss to form a layer of braided fiber strands, each of said plurality of spikes being at least partially embedded into said outer composite shell, wherein each of said plurality of fiber strands comprises a plurality of fiber filaments, each of said plurality of fiber strands having a nominal strand width, and each pair of adjacent spikes having respective spike tips being spaced apart by at least said nominal strand width.