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Snowboarding Boots Buying Guide

So the powder's fresh and you want to shred with the best of them?  You can't hit the slopes without a good pair of snowboarding  boots to keep your feet and ankles supported, your toes protected and your board  under control.  Check out some of these boot  basics before you shell out any of your hard-earned cash.

Soft Versus Hard Boots 

You guessed it.  Snowboarding boots come in two main varieties:  the soft and squishy kind, or the hard and rigid type.  Soft boots  are best for:

  • Technical freestyle, freestyle, and freeride boarders since they are more comfortable and can enhance mobility and performance. 
  • Supporting and cushioning your foot against the stiff bindings that strap you and your boot to the board.

Hard boots  are best for:

  • Carving and/or alpine boarders because they provide increased ankle support and added control.
  • Those who don't mind trading comfort for extra support.
  • Those who prefer the look of traditional ski  boots.

Snowboard Boot Styles

Technical Freestyle Boot 

Best used on:

  • Lower elevations.
  • Halfpipes.
  • Snowboard Parks.

Characteristics:

  • Lightest boots out of the four types.
  • Often very expensive.
  • Stiff forward flex.
  • Moderate lateral support.
  • Come in traditional strap and step-in designs.

Salomon F20 Snowboard Boots 

Freeride Boot 

Best used on:

  • The whole mountain.
  • Carving.
  • Jumps.
  • Slopes.
  • Half-pipes.

Characteristics:

  • Can be tailored to the type of riding done most often, whether it's powder, park or groomed terrain.
  • Mostly available in step-in models.

DC Park Snowboard Boots 

Alpine/Race Boot 

Best used on:

  • Groomed trails.
  • Terrain that requires the use of powerful body movements along with gravity. 

Characteristics:

  • Hard boots usually made of a mix of polyurethane, polyethylene and space age materials.
  • May be passed up for traditional hard-shell ski boots. 

K2 T1 Snowboard Boots 

Freecarve Boot 

Best used on: 

  • The whole mountain, where smooth transitioning from one turn to the next is crucial.  

Characteristics:

  • Added comfort and flexibility for quick turns.
  • Allow for added board feel.
  • Limited in selection because may freecarvers are newly "crossed-over" from skiing. 

ThirtyTwo Lashed Snowboard Boots 

Major Manufacturers

Related Guides 

More Fun with Snow

Ski Boots

Snowboards

Snowboarding Bindings

Ski Bindings

Snowshoeing

External Links