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How to Choose the Right Snowboard Boots

Introduction

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Whattup Shredder?

In this video we go over how to choose the right snowboard boots so you are prepared to hit the mountain and the mountain not hit you back.

Proper equipment is important for safety and not having the right boots is asking for a broken ankle.

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How to Choose the Right Snowboard Boot Stiffness

Christian: (00:00)

What up shredder last year I bought a new pair of boots and I got to the mountain and my feet

hurt so much. I turned around and I went home after one run. That’s how important choosing the right boot is. So today we’re going to break down a couple of different types of boots and letting you know, what is the right move for you before we do that, go ahead and subscribe to the channel, hit notifications right now. It’s going to make sure you never miss a video. Let’s get into it,

Ben: (00:31)
Hold up, shatter. Like Christian said, we’re going to talk to you about how to find the right snowboard boot for you. You know, you can buy a lot of things online. This is definitely one that you, you know, once you do your research, you got to go into the store and try this on. Um, I can’t tell you how many people hit me up. Like, Hey, I got a boot that’s half a size, too big, half size, too small, et cetera, et cetera. Uh, trying these boots on in store is huge. We’re going to give you the ammunition to go into the store and be ready to know what you’re looking for.

Christian: (00:56)
Yeah. So what are we going to know before we get to the storage? So we are not overwhelmed by our choices and we know like what matches up with their writing style and then also our personal preference as far as like ease of use goes and everything,

Ben: (01:08)
The lower price point boots are generally going to be more softer, more beginner. Um, so if you are, if you know your style and or you’re just getting into it, softer boots can be just fine. Um, but that’s going to be usually on the lower side of the price point. And as you go up in price, you get more tech, more stiffness, more responsiveness in that booth. Once you’ve established your riding style, if you know you like going, going fast, um, making deep trenches on your turns, a stiffer more responsive food is going to be what you want. Because if you think about it, as you’re turning over on the board, it’s kind of all going through your boot and then delivering that energy to the board itself. You know, you’re gonna want to be comfortable before you’re getting like the functionality out of the product. If, if your feet aren’t happy, you’re not really going to like snowboarding and probably going to quit after a couple of times. And we don’t want that. How about those real runners out there? Railroaders, you’ll see them Brock a softer, a softer boot, you know, something that they can really lay into and get that extra press out of without the food kind of kicking back on it.

Christian: (02:06)
Yeah. I always see that I wanted to get that skate style so that you want to be able to maneuver however they want. It’s going to be pretty hard if you’re riding like these high-tech boots that are mentored boosting off an 80 foot kicker. So we’re looking at three boots in front of us. What have we got here? Yeah.

Ben: (02:19)
So these are just some examples of, uh, different boots out on the market. Right here. We have the Masis, uh, this is a dual boa system, uh, right next to it. We actually have a helpful tool with the, this is the rent, and now this is a premium, softer flexing boot, and we actually have it all cut away. So I can show you some of the tech in there. And then we have a traditional day service from 30 to leave as a team to do do. Um, so yeah, you can see right off the bat major differences between these two and the lack of like lack of places for slave auction. A lot of that comes down to preference. You know, what, whatever you like, uh, the Bose system is tried and true. They’ve been, they’ve been using technology on foods for over 15 years now, so they’ve got it down to a pretty good science.

Christian: (03:05)
All right. So we’re trying to choose between the three. How do we know how stiff each one is? Uh, in which one we might like and how do we test them out?

Ben: (03:13)
Yeah. So every company kind of does their own flex rating. Uh, it’s pretty cool that K2 is kind of doing it on the chart here. Uh, every brand kind of has a different approach with the same idea, but they’ll give you their stiffness rating and the moose being and their number one, selling food. It’s going to fall a little bit on the stiffer side, but still in the middle of the road at a seven out of 10. So that’s a helpful tool that you can use when you’re looking at the boot. If you can’t actually put it on your foot.

Christian: (03:39)
All right. So we, we have, we can look at the manufacturers for how stiff they are before we try them on, but probably the best thing to do is put it on your foot and start flexing it, right? Yeah.

Ben: (03:47)
Yeah. Once you kind of flex that over kind of simulate some of those tow side hillside turns, you’ll feel that boot it’s giving you too much resistance that might be too stiff of boot for you. But if you feel like you’re in that happy flex, where you’re still comfortable, and you can still get everything you want out of the booth, that’s just the right move.

How to Choose the Right Snowboard Boot Tightness

Christian: (04:04)
And then how far, you know, a lot of people don’t know should we were still, were boots a little bit bigger than our shoes smaller. Where’s the to-go to the near how tight.

Ben: (04:12)
That’s a great question. So this is a really, really important thing to remember when you’re buying boots is they’re only going to get bigger. There’s no phenomenon that can occur. That is going to make that boot and shrink on your foot. A lot of these will have some kind of a key mobile liner, um, and that is designed to kind of pack out. And if you do have targeted pain spots on a foot, those are gonna be the first areas to really keep mold out and give you some more comfort in those areas that you feel this.

Christian: (04:38)
Yeah. So maybe would go a little tighter than normal, but we go in there and we heat mold our boots. And I luckily didn’t give you like tote caps. You can put on your toes, right. Kind of pack up that toe box. So if it is a little tight than the first day that you’re wearing it and the stop issue, uh, as long as it’s not too tight, but you can pack that food out and you’re going to get some more wiggle room as you break it in.

Ben: (04:57)
Yeah. I mean, my favorite people to sell snowboard boots to are rock climbers because they really get it. You know, if you can picture a rock climber shoes, they slip on, they’re extremely tight. Those guys have no problem going in tight with the boot. What I run into a lot is a parent buying a boot for a kid and they want them to get it for three, four seasons. And they’re still growing. This is a really tricky area. You know, if they got siblings younger, I’d say, go ahead and get that. They have kids starting out in the right size boot and then pass those boots down the line rather than going up in the boot and having them growing up.

How to Choose the right Snowboard Boot Adjustment

Christian: (05:31)
Yeah. Cool. And then, so I know there’s a very strong, personal preference out there. It’s kind of a battle going on between lace up boots and bow, and we can have it in the middle of these days too. So what are we looking at there? How do we know which one we should choose? Yeah.

Ben: (05:43)
I mean, it all comes down to preference. There are some hybrid boot models out there that are going to have laces and boa. If you’re not ready to go to the full boat commitment, or if you want that traditional Lisa feel that nostalgia and a lot. Um, yeah, it’s it all down to preference. I personally prefer a system that has a lace-up for the external tightening and then a boa dial to tighten up internally, as you can kind of see on this one, you’re going to see our go at shift internally here attaches to the side and anchors and really blocks that peeling place. Now, when I see him walking that healing place, if you think about when you’re snowboarding, if you’re going through it, so side turn and your heels loose back here, you’re going to get that lift. It’s going to equate to a delay in that term and you’re going to have that time. So if you can get nice and snug in the heel, really lock it in place, you’re going to have upgrades.

Christian: (06:34)
Nice. And so I think with the bow versus laces, maybe correct me if I’m wrong, like the laces are maybe a little more like skate style. You have a little more like, um, comfort in your foot. And the bow is, or just a little bit like stiffer locked up and they’re definitely responsive, but it’s a different field.

Ben: (06:52)
Yeah. Like I said, I can’t, I can’t stress it enough. And it’s one of the things I love about snowboarding so much is it all comes down to personal preference. Uh, there’s obviously a huge convenience factor with the bolus stuff. You’re, you know, going into the, go into the Hill and your laces can be dragging. Uh, you got to re-tighten up throughout the day. Whereas with the bus system, there’s nothing extra hanging off. And it really, it’s pretty simple. You get millimeter by millimeter tightening with every turn of that dial and that’s going to provide for even closure across your foot.

Christian: (07:19)
Yeah. And you can even loosen your boots on the lift with boas and then tighten them up at the top, like without missing a beat.

Ben: (07:27)
Um, you know, when you’re looking for that pollute, the most important thing is finding that food that fits your foot the best. Now, every manufacturer out there, uh, basis, their initial molding for their food off of somebody else’s foot. So you really are kind of going through a Cinderella process here of getting the right manufacturer to fit your foot.

Christian: (07:46)
You know, it’s the weirdest thing is buying a new pair of boots. Like I think I’ve been writing these for like five or six seasons, too long things. They fit my foot like a glove and they fit perfectly. And so I need to buy new boots. They’re worn out. But when I get out there, it feels so awkward. So what can people expect the first couple of days running a boot? Should they freak out? If it doesn’t feel right? And how much time should they really give themselves to break into a new boom?

Ben: (08:07)
Yeah. If you’re jumping into that new boot and you don’t want to go through the heat molding process that boot’s going to be fully broken in and probably about five to eight days of riding. Now, if you’re only getting out there five or eight days a year, it’s not a bad idea to go ahead and heat mold that food. So you can enjoy all those days rather than go out, go through the painful struggle, breaking in your boot. And then when vacation’s over, you have a comfortable boot to wear in Florida.

Christian: (08:30)
Let’s talk on keyboard where who’s the beach. So go out there and pick the right stiffness for you. Then decide between laces, boa or a hybrid. Again, if you’re a beginner, you can go with a cheaper, softer boot. If you are advanced or you ride really extreme, go for a high-tech booth, it’s going to cost a lot more. It’s going to be a lot stiffer, but provide that performance you’re looking for. And then go a little bit tighter than you think you would, because that boot is going pack out when you want it to fit. After it packs out, it’s not going to get smaller. It’s only going to get bigger. And then the last thing is, don’t freak out. If you get out there and the first day and your new boots doesn’t feel like your old boots that you love and you never want to give up. So give it a couple of days breaking that boot. And before you know it you’ll be used to it. And you’ll actually like your new,

Ben: (09:14)
And one more little tip for those of you that are struggling to get new boots like young Krishna’s here. Um, keep in mind, a lot of these foods do have moveable liners. And if you’re having a hard time just breaking in that new liner, don’t be afraid to pull your old liner out that you already know and love, and it fits your foot and put that into your new boot to help break in the exterior of the booth while you already have the confidence that you know and love,

Christian: (09:34)
Ease into it. Pro tip right there. That’s all for late peace out better.