Snowboard Boots Buying Guide

The liner sits inside the outer shell keeping your foot in place. You want to make sure the liner fits your foot correctly to allow for all-day comfort and to get the most response out of your boot. 

This is the spine of the boot; it prevents the back of the boot from collapsing and increases responsiveness. A stiffer backstay allows you to generate more power in your turns, and a softer one is more playful and forgiving. 

A lace-up harness stitched to the outside of the liner. This keeps the liner close to your foot and prevents movement.

Sits against your shin driving power into the binding and snowboard and providing some padding for comfort. 

Allows the upper and lower sections of the boot to be laced independently for the optimum fit.

Allows the upper and lower zones of the boot to flex independently. It supports a smooth forward motion, minimises shell distortion, and improves heel hold/response.

The outer layer in direct contact with the board.

A rubber foam-like material that improves shock absorption and dampening. 

Less experienced riders will generally opt for a softer boot, these have a bigger range of tolerance in which a movement will result in the board turning without catching an edge. This leeway lets novices learn to control their board without being punished for every slight mistake.

A soft board that’s made to butter and flex will ride better if it’s ridden with soft boots, this way the boot can bend in sync with the board for a consistent smooth feel. You get a bigger movement range in the ankle, letting you tweak grabs and presses for a playful, surfy ride. When landing jumps the boot gives you a slight degree of leniency as the foot moves a little bit before the binding does. Boots designed for freestyle riding will often have impact-dampening soles or other underfoot cushioning to take some of the slap out of big landings.

A mid-flexing boot is the most versatile for those looking to ride all over the mountain. They’re stiff enough to react at high speeds on the piste without being too hard not to flex on the odd park run. This best-of-both-worlds boot is a popular choice for intermediates and those who want one boot to do it all. 

Deep snow and technical lines warrant control and instant response, so a stiff boot is best suited. The rigid materials and advanced makeup of these boots let you transfer weight and power accurately and quickly providing precise control in demanding situations.

Simple and a classic for a reason, everyone knows how to tie shoelaces and how to customise them to your foot. They’re a cheaper option than other lacing systems and are easy to replace, but they can become loose over a day's riding. 

This lacing system is quick, convenient, and easy to use. Glove-friendly pulleys are attached to a nylon cord which pulls the boot together. One pulley tightens the forefront area whilst the other secures the shin zone.

Simple to use, you pop out, then twist a circular dial to contract steel cables. The cables follow a traditional shoelace pattern closing the boot. High-end boots have two BOA® dials with one in control of the bottom cables and the other looking after the top – customising the fit to your boot. This lacing system is good at staying secure all day long, though it can add to the cost of the boot.

Step On™ boots are only compatible with Step On™ bindings and for them to fit properly the binding size must match up with the boot size. The Step On™ system doesn’t use binding straps or boot laces, thanks to Boa®—the world’s fastest and most adjustable closure system.