WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE YOU BUY SNOWBOARD BOOTS

Are you planning to buy new snowboard boots and you don’t know what to look out for, then I would be happy to help you on your way. It can be very confusing if you walk into a winter sports shop or board shop and see the large numbers of various snowboard boots on the shelf. Which one is best suited for you, there are so many.

First of all it is important to go to a good shop where they have a lot of knowledge. My tip is to go to a specialist and not to an average winter sports store, the big chains, such as Intersport for example. The knowledge at the specialist board shop is much greater and the collections are generally better too. One of the best known is Burnside in Deventer or Baumsport in Hengelo, there you are perfectly advised by experienced sellers who themselves have a lot of boarder experience. But there will probably also be good shops in your area where you can go. By asking the right questions to you and properly assessing and measuring your feet (very important), a good seller will know which boots are best for you, so you will see that of that entire shelf with various boots in total only 2 or 3 pairs are suitable for you. Never fit more than 3 pairs of boots, because otherwise it will be far too confusing to find the right one.

It is nice to be read about what you can get and what you should pay attention to, so the following things are useful to know.

Why shop with a specialist?

Like I said, a specialist has a lot of knowledge and knows how to fit a boat, which is very important. There are many factors important when choosing the right boots, how experienced are you, your preferences such as the park, the powder or slope, your weight. The bootfitter will properly assess and measure your feet and discuss your requirements to find the right fit, flex and performance boots that best suit your skills and driving style.

Let the liner heat mold

You can heat the liner of most boots, which improves the fit and removes any pressure points. I would therefore always choose boots where that is possible. Another advantage is that the adjustment of the liner to your feet is accelerated. Adjusting the fit also happens during boarding, but if you want to get it right right away, heating the liner is a good idea.

Specialized insoles

The insoles are adjustable with some boots, but not with many. Special insoles are a solution, since there are no supporting insoles in a boat as standard. Supporting insoles are a must especially for hollow feet, flat feet and sagged feet. It does entail extra costs, but it will bring you a lot of pleasure. After all, you don’t want to have sore feet during your vacation.

Boa, Speed ​​lacing lacing systems and normal laces

Boa and speed lacing lacing systems have the advantage that you can put on your boots faster than with normal laces. With regular laces you can put on your boots a little more precisely, but in general they all do the same. The most important thing is that the boat fits well with your feet and if it then becomes an ordinary lace-up boat and you prefer a boa or speed lacing, then it is best to put your preference aside and opt for the regular lacing system. Fit is paramount!

The difference between the various boots

Boots are available in many different types and prices. There is mainly a difference in the stiffness of the boots. A freestyle boat is a bit softer in the flex, easier for tricks. For freeriding and on the slopes there are some stiffer boots for sportier and more aggressive boarding. As a rule, the stiffer the boat becomes, the higher the price. The difference in the quality of the liners is also large, the better the liner, the more expensive the boat.

Buying tips for snowboard boots

Trust the seller

Ga naar een goede speciaalzaak en laat de verkoper je begeleiden naar het beste model en formaat. Probeer 2 a 3 paar boots en luister goed naar het advies van de verkoper.

Be honest

Overdrijf je niveau niet, maar onderschat jezelf ook niet. Anders krijg je de verkeerde boots aangereikt en dat wil je niet.

Forget the fashion

Do not put on skinny jeans, because that only gets in the way of fitting the boots. Make sure you have pants that you can roll up to your knees.

Be open to the seller

The seller depends on your feedback, so be honest about what you do not like about the adjustment process, pressure points, etc.

Don’t focus on the design

Do not stand blind to the design of the boat. There are many cool boots on the market with cool designs, but the fit is paramount. Nice to have cool boots, but if they are not comfortable then you have a problem.

Explanation snowboard jargon

Boa

With the boa system, the laces have been replaced by a cable attached to a rotary knob. There are boots with 1 boa system, but also boots with multiple, with multiple you can adjust your boots better. Boa works quickly and effectively.

Speed ​​lacing system

With a speed lacing system you often have 2 laces with a handle at the end. one lace for the lower half and one for the upper. By pulling on the handle you can put on your boots and you fasten the laces in a frog. Works quickly and effectively.

Liner

This is the inner shoe of the boat, these are removable and also provided with a lace to better attract the boat.

Flexing

Flex says something about the flexibility of the boat. The stiffer or harder the flex, the less the boat bends. The flexing of the shoe is called flexing.

Shell

This is the outer shoe, the shell is made in various stiffnesses and the material also differs a lot. From leather to plastic boots.

Damping

Soles are designed to absorb impact (tempering). Some have added air units and gel pads in important places such as the heel and forefoot.