Snowboard boots are the primary interface between your body and the board—where muscle movement begins to transfer into board movement. To optimize control and comfort, you’ll want a boot that fits correctly, so it would be an understatement to say boots are an important piece of equipment. The right pair of snowboard boots could make the difference between an awesome day on the mountain and an afternoon spent whimpering in the lodge.  

Look at the big picture when finding the right boot—consider your riding style, ability level, foot size and shape, and how you’d like to progress. Choosing a boot based on just one factor, feature, style, or price point can lead to sore feet and frustrating days on the mountain. Below is the full range of considerations when choosing new snowboard boots. 

Keep in mind that boots are versatile, and the “best” flex and features for a particular type of riding are often a matter of personal preference. You don’t have to buy the most expensive pair to be comfortable on the mountain if the boots you choose serve your needs and fit well. 

Before Selecting A Snowboard Boot 

• Know Your Feet: Find out whether you have wide or narrow feet. Discover if your foot is high-volume, low-volume, if you have high arches, or if you’re flat-footed. Knowing your foot will make all the difference in choosing a well-fitting snowboard boot. 

• Know Your Shoe Size: Because snowboard boots fit a little differently than most shoes in your gear closet, you should not simply purchase your typical size. Instead, try the boots on. Lifestyle or running shoes are meant to fit correctly with about a thumb-width of space between the tip of your big toe and the end of the shoe. Because snowboard boots need to fit snugly for performance, it’s ideal if your toe is just barely touching the end when you put weight on that leg. Also, keep in mind that one of your feet is probably bigger than the other. Size for the bigger foot, or you could be riding in pain.

• Take Friends’ Advice With A Grain Of Salt: Resist the urge to snatch up that hot pair of snowboard boots that your buddy keeps raving about. What works for them may or may not work for you. It’s better to pay attention to the needs of your own feet. 

• Get Proper Socks: Those dinky cotton socks have got to go. Snowboarding socks are made of warm, wicking materials such as merino wool and polyester to keep your feet happy all day. They’re also tall and cushioned to protect your shins from the repeated beatings of stiff boot cuffs. 

• Know How Snowboard Boots Are Supposed To Fit: Snowboard boots should feel snug everywhere: at the heel, instep, and toebox, and your toes should barely touch the ends. Don’t freak if the boots feel a little tight at first because if they fit “just right” straight outta the box, they could become sloppy within a week. It usually takes between one to two weeks of riding to break in your boots if you don’t have the liners heat-molded at a shop. After about 10 days, unmolded boots will pack out just enough to fit like a glove. 

Lacing systems, above: Boa, speed lace, traditional lace, and a Boa-lace hybrid

Snowboard Boot Construction & Technology 

Snowboard boot construction and features differ according to a boot’s price point or its intended riding style. Most boot manufacturers offer many options to fit a variety of budgets and riding styles, so consider your price range and what you want to accomplish on the mountain. Park and freestyle riders may want maximum shock absorption, while powder junkies who regularly hike for fresh lines might be more concerned with a supportive liner and a grippy, durable outsole. 

Liners: Liners are the part of the boot that holds your foot and ankle in place within the boot shell and are one of the biggest determining factors in how a boot feels. Some liners are non-moldable foam while liners in higher-end boots will often be made of heat-moldable foam for a snug and precise fit. These fancier liners may also have a more secure closure system, ankle harnesses, or removable ankle supports that can help hold your ankle in place. 

Sole materials: A boot’s intended riding style usually determines its sole’s material and attributes. Freestyle and terrain park riders want soft cushioning for stomping huge landings, so their boots tend to have thick EVA soles and minimal traction. If you know that bootpacking to find fresh lines is the thing for you, look for a boot with a durable, grippy, and lugged (often Vibram) sole. 

Upper materials: Most snowboard boots are made of durable synthetic materials, but as you get into the more expensive boots, you might find some leather options. It’s not all just about looking classy—with proper care, leather will last longer and will eventually offer a more custom-feeling fit. 

Insoles: Some insoles are simply flat strips of foam whereas others are shaped to match the bottom of the foot to be more supportive. Most riders prefer to ride with supportive insoles because they allow the muscles of the foot to transfer your turning intentions more readily into the board. Flat-insole boots can become fatiguing after a long day of riding, especially for the tendon that runs underneath the foot’s arch. If your boot doesn’t come with a supportive insole, you can always add an after-market sport insole. It should increase your boot’s comfort and riding performance.  

Lacing: The three main lacing systems are Boa, Speed, and Traditional. Different brands use their own proprietary versions of these three systems. To find one that hugs your foot in the way you prefer check out our lacing system guide below. 

Flex: The flex of a snowboard boot refers to the amount of support it provides and how quickly it transfers energy to your board. Manufacturers generally rate their boots on a scale of 1––10, with 10 being the stiffest. The fit and feel of different boots with the same rating will often vary from model to model. Choose your boot’s flex in accordance with your riding style and your level of proficiency. 

• Stiff boots are often preferred by advanced/expert riders, those riding bigger lines in the backcountry, and riders looking for optimal energy transfer from body to board. Stiffer boots offer less side-to-side flex and are super responsive to variable terrain. They’re also easier on your ankles during big landings or in choppy conditions. Typically, boots labeled as “backcountry” or “freeride/all mountain” are going to be on the stiff side. 
• Medium boots are great for intermediate/advanced riders and those who want a responsive boot, but one that’s flexible enough for occasional jibbing or laps through the park. 
• Soft boots are ideal for dedicated park/freestyle riders who want the lateral mobility needed for grabs and rail tricks. Soft boots are also great for beginning snowboarders looking for a forgiving boot in which to comfortably learn. The tradeoff is less energy transfer when you’re leaning into turns and more impact transferred to your feet and legs when you’re landing or plowing through choppy snow. 

Above: Boots made for the backcountry may feature an outer gaiter to protect against deep snow

How Should Snowboard Boots Fit? 

Snowboard boots should fit snug everywhere: at the heel, instep, and toebox, and your toes should barely touch the ends. The lightest construction or the best shock-absorbing materials in the world won’t do much good if your feet are cramped and sore from heel lift or crushed toes. While manufacturers do their best to ensure all their boots fit a variety of foot shapes, they also build them around different lasts, which means boots can fit differently from one company to another (or even within the same company). 

When you head to the shop to try on boots, make sure you wear a sock made specifically for snowboarding. It should be warm, wicking, and tall like these snowboard socks.  

First-time boot buyers sometimes make the mistake of buying boots that fit like comfortable shoes, which soon break in and end up being too big. When you’re trying on boots for the first time, make sure your foot is shoved back into the heel pocket—a firm whack on the ground ought to do it—and get the laces nice and tight before evaluating how everything feels. 

Once you’re laced up tight, bend your knees and flex the boots in different directions, just as you would while riding. You should feel firm but comfortable pressure everywhere except your toes, which should be just barely brushing the end of the boot. As you lean forward into the boots as if you’re making a toeside turn, your heels should remain firmly planted on the insole. When fitting, don’t intentionally attempt to yank your heel out of place because that is possible even with boots that are too small. Potential problem signs of an ill-fitting boot include pinching, smashed toes, a loose fit, or loss of circulation, all of which may mean it’s time to try another size or a different boot altogether. 

Foot Characteristics & Boot Solutions To Fit 

Snowboard Boots for Thin Ankles/Shins

Considerations 

• A voluminous boot cuff paired with a thin ankle could result in less responsiveness and turning power as the leg has to travel up to several inches in some cases to contact the boot liner.  

Look for boots with:

• An effective inner lacing system like Boa CBR or a quick-lace/full-lace liner. 
• An inner harness such as Ride’s Secure Fit Harness, which is essentially an ankle brace on the inside of the boot. 
• A fully heat-moldable liner such as several made by ThirtyTwo Boots or Rome Boots.  Or keep an eye out for a boot with a heat-moldable Intuition™ liner. Ride and K2 are brands that use Intuition liners. 

Snowboard Boots for High Arches Or High Volume Feet

Considerations

• High-volume feet are sometimes difficult to squeeze into a boot. 
• A boot could fit uncomfortably tight around your instep if you have a high arch or a high-volume foot.  

Look for boots with:

• A fully heat-moldable liner. 
• A custom footbed. They are expensive and must be custom-made at a shop, but custom footbeds could make a world of difference for those who have feet with particular needs such as high arches.  

Snowboard Boots for Wide Feet 

Considerations

• A narrow boot could make a wide foot feel as if it’s being crushed.  
• Sizing up to accommodate a wide foot could leave you with a boot that’s too long. 

Look for boots with: 

• A design optimized for wide feet. 
• A fully heat-moldable liner.

Snowboard Boots for Narrow Feet

Considerations

• If a narrow heel is paired with a wide boot, the heel could lift off the footbed when making toe-side turns. This makes turning more difficult, puts strain on the plantar tendon, and is energy-draining. 
• A narrow foot could slide around in a sloppy boot, creating discomfort and reducing overall riding performance.  

Look for boots with:

• A narrow fit. Boots from Salomon, Vans, Ride Women’s, and K2 Women’s generally fit narrower feet better. 
• A fully heat-moldable liner. 
• An effective inner lacing system like Boa CBR or a quick-lace/full-lace liner. 
• Inserts within the liner or inside the boot that hug the sides of the heel to lock down your foot. Many Burton boots, ThirtyTwo, and Ride boots have these inserts, often called J-bars. 
• The option to insert a shim underneath the liner to fill excess volume inside a boot that is too cavernous for your foot. 

Lacing Systems 

There are three different types of lacing systems for snowboard boots: Boa, Speed, and Traditional. All brands use some version of these systems with proprietary names. We’ve categorized them here to make choosing simpler. 

Boa lacing systems feature a super-convenient twist-to-tighten cable reel design. You can easily release tension too, making for more comfortable lunch breaks. Boa dials are easy to operate even while you’re wearing gloves, which is nice when you’re booting up on those frigid midwinter mornings. One of the drawbacks of lower-cost Boa lacing can be uneven pressure throughout the boot due to the inability to adjust tension in specific areas. Higher-end Boa boots feature multiple reels and lacing zones to address this problem. 

Coiler Boa (One Dial) 

Brands with this tech: Ride , Thirty Two, Vans, Northwave, Roxy

Pros: 

• Very easy to use—operate with one hand 
• Lightweight and minimalist 
• No need to take off your glove to tighten

Cons: 

• Pressure points possible 
• Boot tightens everywhere the same—you cannot tighten the foot zone differently than the ankle zone, for example 
• If the coil inside the mechanism breaks, your day on the mountain is over 

Boa Focus (Dual Zone Dials) 

Brands with this tech: Ride, Vans, Rome, Thirty Two 

Pros: 

• You can tighten upper and lower zones independently for a fine-tuned fit 
• Very easy to use. Can tighten with one hand 
• Helps eliminate heel lift 
• No need to take off your glove to tweak

Cons: 

• If the coil breaks, your day on the mountain is over 
• Pressure points still possible 

Speed lacing systems feature multiple individually adjustable lacing zones for convenience and customizable tension. Most speed lacing systems tighten each zone with the yank of a handle, which then locks the lace into place. Speed laces can be tightened just as fast or faster than Boa systems but don’t release tension quite as readily when it’s time to get out of your boots. They can also be prone to loosening or slipping if the lace isn’t properly locked into place. 

Speed Zone 

Brands with this tech: Burton 

Pros: 

• With dual zone, you can adjust upper and lower zones separately 
• Very quick tightening and loosening 
• Lightweight 
• Laces stay out of the way in their pockets 
• No need to take off gloves

Cons: 

• Because the outer shell material is often stiff, it’s difficult to adequately tighten the lower zone until the boot is broken in 
• Can loosen up during the day 
• It can be hard to get them super tight 
• Difficult system to understand initially, especially when you first take them out of the box 
• If the lacing system breaks, your day on the mountain is done. Of course, Burton will replace the lacing at any time 

Powerlace Pro & Powerlace II 

Brands with this tech: Salomon

Pros: 

• You can really crank it down for a snug fit 
• Dual zone fit: tighten top and bottom independently 
• Simple locking system keeps lacing in place all day 
• No need to take off gloves to use 

Cons: 

• Kind of complicated at first 
• Eyelets are made of fabric, so they can wear over time 
• Locking system can wear out the lace over time 

Speed Lacer 

Brands with this tech: Forum

Pros: 

• With dual zone, you can adjust upper and lower zones separately 
• Very quick tightening and loosening 
• Lightweight 
• Laces stay out of the way in their pockets 
• No need to take off gloves

Cons: 

• Because the outer shell material is often stiff, it’s difficult to adequately tighten the lower zone until the boot is broken in 
• Can loosen up during the day 
• It’s hard to get them super tight 
• Difficult system to understand initially, especially when you first take them out of the box 
• If the lacing system breaks, your day on the mountain is done. Of course, Forum will replace the lacing at any time
  

  Lock Down 

Brands with this tech: Ride

Pros: 

• Very easy to use 
• Very similar to traditional lacing in terms of fine-tuning, but won’t loosen as much—there’s a locking mechanism on the tongue to hold everything in place 
• You can really get ’em tight 
• Minimal pressure points

Cons: 

• Difficult to use with gloves 
• Eyelets are made of fabric, so they can break 
• Can loosen up throughout the day 

Fast-In 

Brands with this tech: K2

Pros: 

• Very easy to use 
• Very similar to traditional lacing in terms of fine-tuning, but with less loosening risk—there’s a locking mechanism on the tongue to hold everything in place 
• You can really get ’em tight 
• Minimal pressure points 

Cons: 

• Difficult to use with gloves 
• Eyelets are made of fabric, so they can break 
• Can loosen 

Rapid Lace 

Brands with this tech: DC

Pros: 

• Quick system 
• Quick micro-adjustability for a fine-tuned fit 

Cons: 

• Hard to dial in upper/lower fits independently 
• Lace tends to loosen up 
• Difficult to get really tight 

TLS 

Brands with this tech: Nitro

Pros: 

• You can get TLS boots ridiculously tight 
• Pushes heel into heel cup to eliminate heel lift 
• Adjusts easy on the fly 
• Dual zone lacing has different colors, so you know which zone you’re tightening 
• Gloves on? No problem 
• Few pressure points 

Cons: 

• Confusing at first 
• Locking mechanism can loosen up 
• Internal & fabric eyelets are hard to get super tight and can break 
• Not necessarily a speed system 

Super Lace 

Brands with this tech: Northwave

Pros: 

• Great upper lacing locking system 
• Smooth tightening with easy eyelet rollers 

Cons: 

• Eyelet placement can cause pressure points with your bindings 

Traditional lacing systems are old school but aren’t going anywhere. Some riders like to keep it old-school because they can fine-tune lace tension with traditional laces. While traditional laces take a little more time and effort to tighten and adjust and can be a pain in a cold, windy parking lot, it’s tough to top the customizable fit and support they can provide. Traditional laces are also a lot easier to field repair than any other lacing system. 

Traditional 

Brands with this tech: DC, K2, Ride, Thirty Two, Vans, Rome, Celcius, Northwave, Roxy, Burton, Forum, Salomon, Nitro 

Pros: 

• Custom tightening for a fine tune fit 
• Eliminate some of the pressure points you can get from equalizing tightening systems like Boa and others 
• Economical 

Cons: 

• They can sometimes become looser as the day progresses and as your feet get hotter 
• They can be hard to cinch down tight 
• You have to take off your gloves to tighten 

Go Get Fitted 

Now that you have a good idea how to identify your individual snowboard boot needs, why don’t you stop by one of our shops to get fitted! Our Gearheads really ride, so they know boots, and they’re going to be stoked to help you find the perfect ones for your feet and riding style.