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2017 Burton SLX/Imperial/Ion flex

20K views 27 replies 9 participants last post by  BigmountainVMD 
#1 ·
Are the SLX and the Imperial the same stiffness rating? I know the Ion is one step up in stiffness from the Imperial, but not sure about the SLX.
 
#3 ·
I guess that because of this year new Burton Liner, all those boots feel very similar on your feet in terms of stiffness.
If you compare any of those boots with for example a DC Travis Rice, then you see an effective stiffness rating change.
The difference between the ION, Imperial and SLX is related with their durability and shock absorbance.

-The Ion is a good compromise in comfort, shock absorbance and flex retention. These are my boots for this year.
-The Imperial are not so good in the shock absorbance and flex retention department but are one of the few Burton boots in the lineup to have Vibram soles, witch means that they are adequate for hiking if needed.
-The SLX are the top of the top. They will last forever, super comfortable but with Vibram soles which means shitty shock absorbance. You can minimize this by replacing the foot-bed.
 
#6 ·
-The Ion is a good compromise in comfort, shock absorbance and flex retention. These are my boots for this year.
-The Imperial are not so good in the shock absorbance and flex retention department but are one of the few Burton boots in the lineup to have Vibram soles, witch means that they are adequate for hiking if needed.
-The SLX are the top of the top. They will last forever, super comfortable but with Vibram soles which means shitty shock absorbance. You can minimize this by replacing the foot-bed.
This is completely wrong.
- Ion is designed for maximum board feel and has (by far) the least amount of shock absorption. You feel every bump (and it is intended that way).
- SLX is the most cush boot with lots of padding/shock absorption.
- Imperial is between.

Vibram soles have little/no effect on shock absorption. Other things like mid-soles, foam layers etc are much more important
 
#4 ·
Gotcha.

The Ions were what I was after, but couldn't find any around so I picked up some SLX's. Havn't used them yet or even heat molded, still deciding on some aftermarket insoles.

Burton confirmed what I had assumed, on a sliding scale they go Imperial - SLX - Ion, but like mentioned above the new life liners in the Ion and SLX kinda make them all similar.

Imperials are great boots, but after 100 days they are pretty much done. Still comfy, but breaking down in spots and flex has fallen significantly. Hence why the SLX's appeal to me.

Jonny C, how have your Ions held up this year?
 
#5 ·
Where I live we got a pretty shitty year in terms of snow so the ions don't have a lot of usage. I noticed that I have a lot of space for my toes in these boots and I have a better support in the foot are with a pair of imperial boots. But I will also try to buy some insoles to make it a bit better.
My previous boots were a pair of Burton Ruler and I was really happy with them. I spent $100 on them.
 
#11 ·
The sole, the insole and the base of the boot contribute for the cushion. It seems that the cushion is something magical but it's pretty straight forward. Both boots have cushion technologies, the Imperial has gel and the Ion also has cushion. It makes no sense to say that the ion don't provide any cushion support being the second more expensive boot from burton...
 
#22 ·
So just a bit of a follow up on the SLX. Got them heat molded and have four days on them now. Stock insoles

Coming from size 9.5 imperials with 100 days on them, I got these in a size 9 and they have the same or more room in them than the imperials, especially in the toe width area. The only pressure areas I'm getting are on the top of each foot, hoping that they disappear in time as they have already gotten better.

As far as performance, the Burton catalogue seems bang on, good response and tons of cushion, in fact these are the cushiest I've ever ridden. I got these because I needed better response to maximize the performance on my capita mercury, the old imperials just didn't cut it.

Overall the boots are amazing quality and if they get more comfy I'm sure they'll last 100+ days. However, if the pressure points don't subside, or if the boots packs out more, I'll probably end up getting another pair of imperials and just replace them more often.
 
#28 ·
So I am going through a similar decision making process right now. I want a mid-stiff boot, with good cushioning and a Vibram sole would be great. My 1 complaint with My current 2012 ions is that they are notoriously slippery while hiking or in an icy parking lot. I'm trying to decide between picking up another set of Ions (3rd set in the last 10 years) vs. the Tourist or Imperial due to the Vibram soles they have. I haven't opted to compare the SLX because I've read they are more flexible than the former 3 I've mentioned. I've also tried the Driver Xs before and found them too stiff.

I spoke to a rep briefly who noted that people have been riding the Tourist as an aggressive all mountain freestyle boot, similar to the ion, but there is more flex in the upper of the tourist to facilitate heightened mobility. I tried both on and found this to be true. There is a little elastic strip diagonally across the ankle of the Tourist that increased mobility I would suppose. I did not note this "increased negative flex" noted on the website.

I'm considering knocking the Imperial off the list, due to the lack of the Rebounce dampening pad and I've been reading that they break down faster than the Ions. To be honest, my current Ions are not complete mush yet (250 ish days), but as I just moved to Bend and will ride non-stop this season, I don't want to deal with a mid-season bootsplosion.

So any input on Ions vs. Tourist for central Oregon resort pow with some hiking? I know nothing of the new Life liners and Im not sure how quickly they will impact my happiness with the flex. If these liners and the design of the boot make the Ion more flexible than past years (2012 or so) than I may opt for the Ion still, as this will be my sweet spot. If the liner and boot flexes similarly to past years, the Tourist may be the boot for me. I'm also wondering if the Tourist has more cushioning, at the Ion has max board feel and the Tourist has minimum board feel. Does that equate with the amount of cushioning underfoot?
 
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