Choosing a snowboard boot is one of the most important decisions you will make when it comes to buying your snowboard gear. This is why it is very important to take your time, and make sure you go through all the necessary steps to get the boot made for you! Here are 3 categories that we flet are the most important when choosing the boot for you.
Fit
Knowing how a snowboard boot should fit is very important, and it will give you insight on what to expect when trying them on.
- How tight should a snowboard boot be?
- A snowboard boot should feel like a firm handshake around your foot. Snug enough that your foot is not moving around in the boot, but not bone crushing tight.
- Note that snowboard boots should fit tighter than your street shoes.
- Your toes should be able to touch or brush the front when standing up straight.
- When you flex forward in the boot, or get into a riding stance (knees and ankles bent), the pressure on your toe should be relieved.
- Your heel should be locked in. There should be little to no heel movement inside the boot. We want the heel to stay planted down inside of the boot.
- For the best advice on how tight a snowboard boot should be it is always best to go to a local shop and work with a bootfitter.
Flex
This is a great piece of information that will give you lots of insight in to the level of performance that the boot offers. Snowboard boots are usually rated on a scale 1-10, with 1 being the softest and 10 being the stiffest.
- Stiff Boots
- Stiff snowboard boots offer a more responsive feel for the rider. Meaning what you do inside the boot is transmitted to the board faster.
- Usually favored by aggressive/fast riders who like to ride All Mountain.
- Soft Boots
- Soft snowboard boots offer a playful feeling. Soft snowboard boots are great for those just getting started because it encourages more movement.
- Park riders also prefer soft snowboard boots as it is easier to tweak trick and grabs with them.
Lacing
When it comes down to lacing there is no lacing system that is better than the other. It really comes down to personal preference. We have broken down the 3 main categories of lacing below.
- Traditional
- Traditional lacing is the most customizable, easiest to fix, and least costly. However, they can be hard to use with gloves on.
- Speed Lace
- Speed Lace, sometimes referred to as Quick Pull, is very easy to use with gloves on but can be a pain to fix in a bind.
- BOA
- BOA or other dial closures are the easiest to use with a glove, and offer the most convenience.
- Multi zone BOA closure boots are becoming more popular, and offer more customization to the fit of the boot.
Other Talking Points
Socks
- It is very important to have a proper snowboard sock. A proper snowboard sock is a sock that comes up and out of the boot, made of a moisture wicking material, and is not too thick. Popular snowboard socks are made with merino wool and are medium to thin in thickness. If you find yourself wearing a thicker sock to keep your boot tight, your boot is probably too big. It is recommended to buy a pair of thin to medium snowboard socks to wear while you are trying on new snowboard boots.
Bootfitters
- Bootfitters are not only a great resource because of their experience, but they can give you insights on insoles and other boot modifications that can be done to your boots to enhance the fit even more!
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