Snowboard boots

Snowboard boots come in many shapes, types, and sizes. The perfect fit is always the key to top performance. Normally, your boot size is the same as your regular shoes. But the only way to know for sure is to try on snowboard boots! When standing upright, your big toe should touch the end of the boot. When you get into board position, your heel should be in the back and your whole foot should slide back gently. If you feel pressure anywhere, go ahead and try on a different size.

Also consider the stiffness or flex of the boot. Stiff snowboard boots are more responsive than a more flexible boot. Stiff boots are therefore more suitable for carving and freeriding, while freestylers prefer more flexible boots as they are more forgiving. And while the outside is important, we can’t forget about the inside – also called the liner. The liner ensures that your boots are comfortable and your feet stay nice and warm. Take Smartwool liners, for example. There are even thermoformable liners that change shape thanks to the heat from your feet, giving you a customised fit.

Even the smallest parts matter. For example, choose laces that you can simply tie, a speed lacing system that you can easily pull loose or tight while wearing gloves, or a BOA closure that you can tighten and loosen super quickly. Then again, Burton’s Step On system is super convenient for beginners and young boarders: with this intuitive boot-to-binding connection, you simply step into your binding and click your boots on to the board, hands-free!

Almost all snowboard boots these days feature pull strings or a BOA system to close the boot. The first system is quite simple: you pull on a lace stretched around your entire boot, and secure it in the buckle. It’s more convenient than traditional laces anyway, as you no longer have to accurately tighten each bit of the laces. Your laces don’t come loose easily with a speed lacing system either. The biggest advantage is already in the name: the speed at which you tighten the laces of your snowboard boots!

Nevertheless, the most popular choice is the relatively new BOA system. Whit this system, there is a kind of knob (sometimes several knobs) on your snowboard boots, which you simply turn to close and adjust your boots. This system does not work with (nylon) laces, but with iron wire, which makes for a (literally!) ironclad fit.

The right size is SUPER important. You’ll suffer from heel lift in a snowboard boot that’s too big: your heel isn’t held in place well enough. When you make a turn on your toes, your heel comes up ever so slightly. It’s not only annoying, but can also get painful after a day of snowboarding. So, should you opt for tight boots instead? That’s not good either. If your boots are too tight, your toes will curl up and get cold quickly, as blood circulation in your foot is cut off.

You can find the ideal size by trying on boots and moving as you would while snowboarding. Here’s what you should do:

• Wear your snowboard socks and choose boots in your normal shoe size.
• Tighten the closure of the boots so that your foot is pulled into the back of the boot.
• Stand upright, with your knees extended. If the boots are the right size, your toes are now definitely touching the front of your boot.
• Then stand as you would while snowboarding, with your knees bent. As you bend through your knees, your foot slides back slightly. Your toes are just now touching the front of your boot, or just barely. If you are touching it completely, go for a bigger boot.

Is your left foot bigger than your right foot, or vice versa? Then at least choose a mouldable liner. You can stretch these inner boots a little by warming them up (while wearing them). If this does not help, you can also try insoles.