[Closed] Buying snowboarding boots...

I should add I have quite wide feet.

Try as many on as you can, preferably in the evening when your feet will be at their "biggest".

It's tricky with boots, since you generally don't know exactly how they feel until you're out on the slopes. But if you try enough on, there will be a pair which should stick out more than the rest for comfort.

I've got top of the range, super stiff boots, which are great for me, but some people will hate. More money doesn't necessarily get you a "plusher" or more comfortable boot.

I have stiff boots, although my friends all prefer softer freestyle boots. I like to have a board do what i want immediately so prefer that level of control.

I have Vans something with the dual boa system...i prefer this to laces as the bottom half of the boot is tightened completely separately from the top half. Also, if i'm getting aching feet or cramp on lifts, i can just loosen them off while i sit on the lift.

Vans boots are quite big...i guess it's the skateboarder aspect to the brand.

I would say don't buy online (slight hypocrite since we sell loads online) but go to a shop, try loads of pairs on, take your time, and then get them heat moulded for you in your bindings.

If there's no shop locally, perhaps order 7 or 8 pairs from one online shop, and keep the one pair that stand out and return the rest.

For wide feet I'd start at Burton and 32's (and perhaps Vans). Salomon also do a wide fit in some models.

Steve

Cheers for the advice. Was going to try a store down in Bristol to see how they felt. Hadn't thought about the evening fit.

i've got pretty big feet, so i was quite restricted in choice. I ended up choosing between Burton Ions and Nike Vapens. The nikes were leagues above in terms of comfort and ease of use, so i got them. The Burtons had a really tech lace up system... but as seen as it's often -15C or so round here when boarding, i'd struggle to make adjustments off piste with my chunky gloves. The nikes had a simple lace system which is just so much easier to use.

Also, if you have big feet like me, it's worth paying a little more so that the boots aren#t so thick, and therefore long. It gives you more space to make adjustments.

My advice is to make sure your heel doesn't move in the boot when they're done up. Heel lift will ruin any chance of decent edge control and can be really uncomfortable, so this should would be top of my list. Thermo & custom liners can really help too, but only if the basic shape is right for your foot.

I wouldn't buy online either. I actually found the guys in Ellis Brigham in Manchester really helpful and spent ages with me. Very pleased with mine now - used to get pretty sore feet/legs but not any more.

I have wide feet too and got some Salomon ones (Synapse I think) that fit great - they do specific wide versions of at least some of their boots.

Don't even think about brands etc. I went in looking at some Thirty Two's after reading loads of reviews and thinking they would be the best for me. Came out with a pair of Vans, narrowly beating some Nikes. I didn't realise Vans and Nike even made snowboard boots! Whatever pair you get, just make sure your heel doesn't lift as mentioned above - absolutely critical to having any control on your toe edge and to avoid crazy pain in your calves!

+1 for Boa
I have it on my K2's. The best boot I have had in the 20 years I have been boarding. Before that I had Van's which were also good.
Take a good look around. The fit is important especially with wide feet.

Go to Noah's Ark near Stroud mate, they REALLY know their stuff when it comes to Snowboarding (or at least they used to for sure). Ed Leigh, the guy who commented on the snowboarding in the Winter Olympics, used to work there a while back!

Anyway... Brand wise? I was always a Burton whore. Boards, boots, bindings, the whole lot! Suspect just like bikes there's a lot more competitive brands these days, but Burton are/were always so damned good if slightly expensive.

32's fit my wide feet a treat, they were heat moulded at TSA ( at the top of Whiteladies Road) Good blokes know their stuff and tend to sell you what you need instead of the trendiest stuff. Oh and from personal experience I wouldn't touch Noah's with a syphilitic barge pole 🙂

Cheers all - looks like I'm going to be trying on some boots 🙂

Definitely go to the shop where you can try them. I was very satisfied about pair of boots (Head) bought years ago. I'm not sure if they are still manufacturing boots.

Cheers

Very definitely try on as many pairs as you can, it really is the first rule of buying boots that the fit is everything, all other factors come after that and don't be tempted by price. You may pat yourself on the back at the time for saving a few quid but you won't when out on the mountain with feet that are killing you!

I speak from personal experience on this and the odd lost toenail, not a nice experience. Also, just because some boots feel like they fit ok in the shop doesn't necessarily mean they'll be fine after 6 hours riding. I would recommend going to a shop that has very experienced boot fitters and can do you a custom moulded footbed.

I've got pretty wide feet and found Vans to be good but now have some K2's with a Vans liner inside, just because it was shaped better for my toes. All my boots have had the boa lacing system which I wouldn't go without. Lastly, boots are the absolute first bit of kit you should buy anyway.

Cheers

I went into Ellis Brighams for a fitting this time due to painful feet.

After choosing which size I then kept the comfiest boot on my problem foot. As soon as I slipped my foot into every other boot it was obvious which boot fitted best.
Burton Hail as it turned out.

Then again I was still in agony next time I rode the Snowdome so I'm trying the heat moulding thing next followed by taking my old Flows and newer Cartels to compare.

Good luck.

My 2p worth.

Don't get hung up on what the boot looks like. Fit is the only thing you should worry about.

Keep them on for 10-15 minutes in the shop so you give your feet a chance to get use to them and notice any pressure points.

Boots with independent lower and upper lacing help a lot with getting the boot done up properly as you tighten the right bit of the boot without putting excess pressure on the wrong bit.

You will nearly always be able to lift your heels if you try too, but they shouldn't lift when you're in a proper riding position, ie feet flat, knees bent, slight pressure on the shin/front of the boot.

I always try on new boots with a thin pair of socks to compensate for the boot packing out during use.

Stiff v soft flex is personal preference – stiff boots do not necessarily offer more control, just different control, and soft boots aren't the only boots suitable for freestyle. Buy the flex that suits you and what you like to ride.

Finally, it's a good idea to take your bindings with you so you know the boots fit them.

It's just like bike stuff isn't it - go into the shop, try them on, waste an hour of the sales assistants time then come home and buy them online 😛

The point about the inner boot "packing down" is very valid even with thin socks they need to be snug when you buy them (although you can pad them out with an insole later if required).

Wear baggy trousers or ever shorts - you won't get normal jeans inside of or over the top of the boots.

I'm not convinced heat moulding in store is a great idea - you want the boots to mould to your feet in your riding position not when you're standing like a plum in the middle of the shop.

Lots of boots will feel fine for walking around - this is no indicator of how comfortable they will be on the mountain.

Also the lifts at the snowdomes are designed to make your feet hurt in bad and unusual ways, this is not the fault of the boots.

I gambled and boughts some 32's online and they've been great (aside from the inner packing down). I'd quite happily gamble again, the fit isn't nearly a crucial as a ski boot
A good fitter will do a "shell-fit" with the inner boot removed you should have a 2-3mm gap between your foot and the shell all the way around. much more that this and you'll have a sloppy fit.

Boa's are a bit marmite, a common complaint is that they're easy to overtighten and that the adjustment clicks can be a bit coarse. With a bit of thought you can adjust the tension across your foot and around your ankle seperatelly with conventional laces.

Don't even think about buying boots online, even exactly the same type can vary. Go into the shop try them on, keep them on as long as you can, I used to make folk stay in their boots for half an hour and we kept the shop as cold as possible. Bear in mind the moment you hit the snow, everything gets smaller, things shrink so even if they are fine instore, the boot shrinks, then you get pressure points.

There is a trick they use when making boots if you're lucky, they generally only make lasts in whole sizes, then they vary the size of the boot by the sole insert which raises the foot higher in the boot, so if it is a bit tight you can often get away with removing the sole insert, your foot is in the liner anyway so it shouldn't effect the comfort factor.

All the other things hold true, make sure you don't get any heel lift, there's plenty of room to wiggle your toes, don't have your toe touching the end of the boot, I'm not a great advocate of the boa system they do have a habit of failing, I prefer laces, but each to his own, number one thing is comfort, nothing worse than having a cool looking branded boot only to be in agony riding in it.

I always went a half size over my actual size, even in soft boots, you can always sock it out, you can't make it smaller..

you can always sock it out

That's not a great bit of advice. You really want a snug (not too small) fitting boot. Packing it out with thicks socks, or worse still, 2 pairs of socks will only reduce the responsiveness of the boot. It's OK if your toes should gently brush the front of the boot. but there shouldn't be any pressure there.

Good point about the toe box though, being able to wiggle your toes with no pressure from the top of the boot is a good thing.

If anything most people can go down half a size, again to compensate for packing out. Though this will depend on boot manufacturer.

Be VERY careful and very picky about fit would be my advice. Any slight pressure, or a seam tickling that you might dismiss as OK/bearable in the shop will come back to haunt you when you get to use them properly, and tickly becomes irksome becomes effing annoying finally becomes agony on a long traverse halfway through a trip away. And how you'll rue that decision! Done that with snowboard boots once or twice. And climbing shoes.

The other one: don't forget about volume. After 15 years snowbarding and a good few pairs of boots, I found when I was fitted for some proper hiking boots that I have very low volume feet. Wideish, but flat (not flat arches, just less than average in the top to sole dimension) Tricky for a boot fitter to tell that through all the layers of a snowboard boot.

Always meant that I'd get snowboard boots the right length and width, but I'd have to crank the laces to get the right amount of hold round my foot and ankle, and that would pull the sides of the boot in at more of an angle than designed, squishing the tops of the outsides of my forefoot.

After the revelation with the hiking boots, I made some volume reducers in different thicknesses and took them along next time I bought boots. Got Salomon Malamutes with probably 4mm of paper and parcel tape under the insoles, and very happy I am with them. Love the ankle cincher.

plus what bb said about socks.

Get thee to a shop!

I have a very wide forefoot, across the toes. The best boots for me are salomons, which I found have a roomy toe box but are narrow in the heel, so they hold my foot in nicely.
Maybe try some.

Cheers

Wow - was away all day yesterday and just checked in with this. Some great advice there.

What do you mean by the liner packing down??

As stated don't buy boots online, and IMO what's even worse is trying on in a shop and then leaving and buying cheaper online. Keep doing this and there won't be a shop there next time you need anything.
1 pair of thin socks.
Your toes should touch the end of the boot, when you flex your knees and ankles (if you've been taught properly) your toes will pull back slightly.
Keep an eye on heel lift but IMO, most heel lift whilst riding is down to poor technique.
If the boots that fit best are pink with yellow spots, buy them.
Take a daytime afternoon off work so the shops aren't as busy and take your time.
Don't have a budget.
I have salomon synapse, there like a pair of slippers, I've woke up in the morning with them still on, grabbed my jacket and straight out again!

Plenty of good advice and warnings in this thread. Me? Northwave Freedom off Ebay - lovely boots 🙂

Liners have some give and some elasticity in the foam to hold your foot securely and comfortably. Over time, this elasticity deteriorates and the foam stops bouncing out to cuddle your foot as closely as it once did.

The lining packs down. Becomes thinner. "Packs out" because it's going away from your feet. You have to pull the laces tighter to keep your feet in the right place, but it's harder on your feet, because the cush has gone.

This is a common complaint of Burton boots. Great outer, great sole, comfy in the shop so you buy them, not so great after 3 weeks use.

Common to the two pairs of Burton I've had, and amongst friends and people with who've I've ridden with and spoken to, who've found similar. Not exhaustive!

Best liners I've had were Intuition in a pair of ThirtyTwos.