How Snowboard Boots Should Fit

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It is true that one of the most pivotal elements of your snowboard gear is your boot and it can mar or make your experience on the mountain. As far as wearing shoes and boots are concerned, the most paramount prerequisite is comfortability and that can almost never be ruled out. Snowboard boots should fit just right, comfortably, smartly, and connect well with your bindings. It must also offer a solid range of high performance features.

Finding the right fit is often very difficult and you may end up trying out a couple or tens of them before finding the right size for your leg; however, need be that you be educated beforehand as to how fitting your boots should be – loose or tight? Find out as you read on.

At this point, we may recommend that you be present at the store when making a purchase rather than depending on the sizes online. Shopping online can prove incredibly difficult as you don’t always have the chance to test the shoes on your leg before making a purchase but unfortunately, we all don’t live nearby. So, in order to help you as you shop online for a snowboard boot, we have compiled this guide to help make sure you get what’s fitting and perfect for you.

NameFeatures
ThirtyTwo STW3D Molded Heat TomguePRICING
DC ControlTemperature Regulation MechanismPRICING
Ride AnthemBOA Closure SystemPRICING
K2 MaysisBOA Conda SystemPRICING

Snowboard Boots Sizing

On a broad note, we advise that you pick a show that has the same size as your normal street boots. This due to the fact that excessively big boots can be almost as hurting as those that are very small. Often when people complain about foot hurting issues, 90% of them came as a result of the boots being too big. You might wonder how could that be. The reason is not farfetched; when your leap forward while in a big shoe, your toes easily slam into the front end of your boot which can lead to pains and swelling of your toes and toe nails.

Adult Snowboarding Boot Size Chart

Men’s US Women’s US UK adult Euro adult cm
5 6 4 36.5 23
5.5 6.5 4.5 37 23.5
6 7 5 38 24
6.5 7.5 5.5 39 24.5
7 8 6 39.5 25
7.5 8.5 6.5 40 25.5
8 9 7 40.5 26
8.5 9.5 7.5 41.5 26.5
9 10 8 42 27
9.5 10.5 8.5 42.5 27.5
10 11 9 43.5 28
10.5 9.5 44 28.5
11 10 44.5 29
11.5 10.5 45 29.5
12 11 46 30
12.5 11.5 47 30.5
13 12 48 31
14 13 49 32
15 14 50 33

Talking about the flex of a snowboard boot, it is the level of support and comfort the boot provide ranging from firm to soft.

For a boot that comes with a soft flex, it is ideal for beginners and newbies; also a recommended pick for those who are just out on the snowboard to perform a freestyle riding. This is because the board amply allows for tactical movements when breaking and landing jumps. They are also more enduring and tolerant than the firm flexed ones.

For experts and all mountain free riders, the stiff flexed boots are the perfect choice. This is because the boot will provide a lot of reinforcement in turns and will offer more power on steeper, bumpy terrains. 

Boots that feature medium flex are ideal for snowboarders that desire to ride through all the mountain areas. You could try them out if you are a bit unsure of the flex to go for.

It is important to know that flex rating come in fits and sizes and is not uniform across all brands; they vary! So, do well to be abreast of that as some of these brands will provide ratings of stiff, medium, and soft while some others provide ratings using a sliding/rating scale.

How Fitting Should My Snowboard Boots Be?

The best snowboard boots which will be just right for you will feel quite tight for the first time wearing them. Unlike the boots you rent, your foot is going to be the first to enter these pair of boots and might take a number of days of use before it eventually aligns with the shape of your boots. It is a big tradeoff when your feet feel quite uncomfortable for the first couple of days and that’s sure better off than getting wrecked for the rest of your time with the boots.

To What Extent Should Your Boots Be Tight?

When making a purchase of your boots, wear them and tighten up the lace. When you do this, your foot will find it easy to sit into the base of the shoe and into the heel of the boot. What this helps you achieve is convenience and ample room for your toes.  As soon as you do this, stand up straight and on your toes, you will feel the end tip of the boots, however, it shouldn’t be locked into the boot’s front. Just as you take the squatting position while having your knees flex as well as you push your lower legs to the front of the boot in a way that your boot stretches, your toes should flex back very conveniently in a gradual way. This position you are squatting should be the same in the similitude of how you will stay on your snowboard. If even after your toes gradually stretches back, your boots stay fitted, you should be able to sense the far end of the boot quite easily and without facing a hassle. As you ride with the boots for subsequent couple of days, more than enough room will be stretched out for your feet and provide you the snug fit that you need.

In fact, what some snowboard riders do is to go for the ones that feel tighter so that they can exert maximum control on the board. This of course is totally fine especially if your plan is to take out at least twenty-five days a year for consistent riding.

Getting the best snowboard boot which will fit your legs well and carry you through your time on the tracks isn’t supposed to be nerve wrecking; but with diverse brands out there, it gets all the more difficult. This is why we have articulated this guide so as to help you in making the perfect decision.

1. ThirtyTwo STW BOA Snowboard Boots

The ThirtyTwo STW BOA is one of the leading snowboard boots for men and over the years, it has been a great companion of many snowboard riders when out in the mountains. It comes with certain features which places the boot ahead of many other types in the market. It has been built to offer great maneuverability and outstanding comfort. The boots are claimed to be 50% textile and 50% synthetic.

The ThirtyTwo 32 STW BOA comes with a Double Density Foam serving as a fit liner and allows you to enjoy a soft flex and an incredible level of support. It has been designed with micro fleece which builds up a supply of quality warmth and comfort around your feet.

This pair of boot doesn’t only look stylish but has also been built to promote your responsiveness even on the board. It’s designed is also geared towards allowing for rapid connections and transfer of energy from your legs, the bindings and to the board. It features a heel lock system which helps clamp down your feet and thus restrict any movement of your feet within the confines of the boot. This is important as it eliminates or reduces any tendency of falling off or getting unstable on the board.

Its 3D molded tongue improves the support on your legs and its Boa closure system allows for a rapid entry into the boot. Also, the comfort footbed and the STI Evolution Foam Outsole the boots come with are great at providing superior cushioning to your underfoot while staying lightweight so they wouldn’t weigh you down. All in all, the BOA will be there with you and will help you derive the most out of any of your rides on the mountain.

Pros

  • Very comfortable and responsive
  • Superior inner lining and foam density
  • Soft flex
  • Boa coiler lacing system
  • 3D molded heat tomgue

Cons

  • Price a bit on the high end

2. DC Control BOA Snowboard Boots

Talking about brands that put the fit of a snowboard boot first, we had like to rate the DC somewhere around the top. The DC Control BOA distinct itself from other boots out there with a number of functionalities that are not common to others, one of which is that it comes with a total lower and upper separation. What is common to most other boots out there is an unusual overlapping around the ankle. So, if you had really love to go for any BOA boot and also like to enjoy the adjustability of its speed lace, this should be a good option for you.

Talking about the Flex of the DC Men’s Control, it holds pretty fine as the boot is reinforced by an articulated construction which really does help the flex. The DC control is also a great boot when it comes to shock absorption, thanks to its UniLite sole which performs very well in dampening vibrations on the underlay of the boot.

The DC has a temperature management feature and handles moisture quite well.  Its white lining is very incredible and the boot also feature a BOA coiler closure mechanism with dual reels and regional controls for best fit. It also comes with a multiple high density EVA sole which adds to its durability and promise of long lasting use.

Pros

  • Temperature regulation mechanism
  • Has a great flex
  • Very adjustable speed lace
  • EVA sole construction
  • Dampens vibration superiorly

Cons

  • Limited size options

3. Ride Anthem Snowboard Boots

Wearing this pair of boots is sure going to give you a sweet sensation of the oldies, but you would definitely not be embarrassed. Instead, you will be fired up to head straight to the mountains. The incredible Ride Anthem has been in production for many years and will sure make a good boost in your mountain experience. And if you want a simplistic kind of boot, you should go for this.

As the manufacturers of the Anthem have recognized the coldness of the mountains and the icy regions, an intuition plush foam liner has been designed with the boots so that it offers a mix of comfort and enough insulation to keep your feet warm irrespective of how low the temperature drops. The Anthem also comes with a Grip Light sole which is essential for providing legendary traction and with it, you can stay as ever firm just as your board stays to the ice.

The Anthem is such a medium flex boot with a BOA closure system, centrally aligned tongue liner, as well as an articulated construction. One of its major selling point of which people loved it for is the easy of slipping this boot on and off your feet. The sole is EVA made and provides solid grip so it provides comfort, support and a firm grip to your board.

Pros

  • BOA closure system
  • Central tongue liner
  • Simplistic design

Cons

  • Made only for men

4. K2 Maysis Snowboard Boots

Advance unto the mountains with the K2 Maysis boots which is a popular boot in the snowboard world. This obviously, for a good reason as it has been a top choice for many riders over the years. It is the ideal boot to use if you are already an experienced snowboarder who is looking to hit the trails and get some steam off. It is incredibly lightweight and offers a lot of traction while maintaining comfort.

The insole of the K2 Maysis is made of an Intuition Control Foam which is heat moldable and provides a cushioned fit to the legs. This coupled with its dual BOA closure presents the K2 as the one to go for when it comes to safety, control and versatility on a wide range of terrains. It is built with Endo 2.0 for the flex which of course allows you to make even sharp turns especially when things go rough and sketchy.

The Maysis comes with the BOA Conda system, a liner tightening that allows you to dial in the heel and fit hold. As to how dependable of a closure system of the Maysis, its BOA coiler lacing mechanism is one of the most dependable and it is easy to use. The boot also has a Vibram Pro-Lite outsole which allows for superior grip and outstanding durability.

Pros

  • Dependable flex
  • Well cushioned for superior comfort
  • BOA Conda system
  • Very lightweight
  • Great traction

Cons

  • Isn’t really good on adjustability

Conclusion

With any of these snowboard boot, you have certainly got the snow well-handled and you can trust your snowboard to be brimming with a lot of energy. They are certainly going to do you well on the mountains.  Be sure to read our introductory part to this guide so as to have it right when choosing size as we don’t want you to have any regrets whatsoever. We are confident that these boots are capable enough to carry you through. Hurry now and get one!

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