[Snowolf]

This was posted on another forum and I just remembered it when answering a boot question. This is some really good all around advice on getting the right boot for your feet.

Posted by Jaemankim
So recently, I bought snowboard gear for the first time, including new boots. Before buying them, I did my research (or at least I thought I had). Of course, a lot of this was looking through the forums at snowboard.com. So now that I have finished buying my stuff, I figured that I could share my experience and maybe I could write a little guide or something for people who are buying boots for the first time and have questions about it. Please remember, I am relatively new to snowboarding and I'm pretty sure there will be mistakes. If there are, please correct them and add any other information that would be helpful for people looking to buy boots for the first time.

1. One of the most important things in my opinion: try on LOTS of different boots. Try to stay away from buying them online without even trying them on. Boots fit each person differently. I myself tried on about 10 different pairs before I found the salomon dialogue boots. They fit me perfectly.

2. Don't be cheap with boots. You want to be comfortable when riding your board, so spend what you can.

3. Here I may be wrong...but here it goes. When you put on the boots, your toes should be touching the end of the boot. Of course, you don't want your toes to be curling, as this will cause pain. When you bend your knees, you should feel your toes come off of the end of the boot. This way you will know that it fits well. Also, if there are pressure points, which was a very big problem for me, don't buy them. Breaking them in might fix the problem, but it also might not.

4. Boots will pack out with time, as in get larger. I read somewhere on the forums that boots tend to pack out .5 to 1 size larger after repeated use. So, don't buy boots that are too big for you.

5. Boot sizes and your shoe size are most likely not the same. I wear a size 10-10.5 shoe and the dialogues I bought were a size 9.5. Again, try to avoid buying boots online without trying them on.

6. When you go to the store to try on your boots, take your snowboard socks with you. The cotton socks you wear with your shoes are thinner than the snowboard socks you will be wearing while on the slopes, and it WILL affect the boot size you buy.

7. Once you buy the boot, I would suggest wearing them around the house. This will help break them in. As for heat molding, I really don't know much about it. If anyone has any input for this, that would be great.

8. I realize that some people are confused about the BOA system, although I'm sure most people on the forums know what it is. However, since this is for first time buyers...The BOA system is a lace system that replaces your traditional laces. Rather than having to tie the laces, you simply turn a knob to tighten them. To release it, you pull on the knob, and the laces become loose. The laces are actually made of metal wire, and from what I know, are VERY sturdy. You shouldn't have problems with the wires breaking. Remember, this stuff is very very strong. Over time, they will become loose, but they can be easily re-tightened. For me, all the boots with BOA system I tried on caused pressure points. However, for the people who do have them, they like it because it is so easy to adjust. For example, once you get off a chair lift, you might want to tighten the boot. All you have to do is turn the knob, rather than having to undo the laces.

9. Heel Shims: Thanks to boarderholic for this one. This is originally taken from boarderaholic's post from later in this thread:
"Heel shims are a cheese wedge shaped piece of foam that is about maybe half a cm thick? You stick it in between the footbed and the sole of the shell of the boot and it raises your heels up a little bit to take some space up. I did notice however, it DOES alter the fit of the boots a little bit, but I guess that's to be expected when you start adding foreign objects into your boots eh?"

These can be used to help with heel lift.


10. Finally, and I'm only repeating this to emphasize my point, try on your boots and walk around in them before you buy! I cannot stress how important this is. Before I bought my dialogues, I purchased the DC judge after trying them on for about 10 minutes in the store. Bad mistake. When I got home, I realized there were pressure points that caused a lot of discomfort, and I returned them the next day. Remember, you're spending good money on your boots. You don't want to make a decision your going to regret.

For now, thats all I can think of. Sorry that its so long, but I just wanted to be thorough. Again, if there are any mistakes, please correct me. And if you have any extra information that I missed, please tell everyone. I really hope that this will help people buying boots for the first time. So yeahh...I guess thats it.

[CLIFTON 757]

good find!

[Incogneato]

this much more thorough, thanks BK!

Choosing a Boot
Evaluate Yourself
a. How often do I ride? Once in a while? Weekend Warrior? or Every F***in' day? If you're not going that often, you don't need to spend a lot, unless you're a doctor, lawyer, or drug dealer who wants to look like you belong in a boot ad. If you're riding a lot, you'll definitely appreciate a better boot with nicer features.
b. What type of riding will I be doing? Bunny hill technician, eurocarver, pow slasher, park rat, etc. Depending on different types of riding you may want a boot with a specific flex. One you pin this down, this will help narrow the field.
c. Is it true what they say about having big feet? Yes, there are plenty of boots out there that have a reduced footprint. Wide boards suck, so if you can get into a boot that has a reduced footprint, you may be able to avoid strapping into a door.
d. So easy a caveman can do it. Lacing your boots is now easier than ever. Every company has some sort of speed lacing system. Is it something you want or can do without? No matter what type of lace you break, (standard, boa cable, speed zone, etc.) if you don't have a replacement you're out of luck, so stop being skeptical.

Sizing
Just because your girl likes it big, doesn't mean your feet will
a. Sneaker size != Boot size. The majority of people out there wear their kicks larger than their actual foot size, so don't base your boot size on what size sneakers you wear. Get sized up at a shop or shoe store. Dress shoe sizing will be much more accurate than sneaker sizing. For the love of god, don't get sized right after soccer practice, karate, or anything else that will make your sh** smell worse than the inside of an assh***. Shop kids will appreciate it.
b. Mondo what? Mondopoint is a centimeter measurement of your foot. If you passed first grade math, you can figure out how to convert from US to MP. i.e. 29.0 MP = 2 + 9 = 11 US Conversions tend to skew at the higher end of the range because both measure differently. You really don't need to know this unless you're shopping for a Salomon boot or ski boot.
c. Arch Length. In terms of length, there are two measurements for your feet. Overall length and Arch Length. If one is longer than the other start with the size inbetween and go from there.
d. Barney Rubble feet? Certain boots run wider than others. That's why it's important to find a boot that accomodates the width of your feet.

Fit
Don't be a boot pus**
a. Length. Standing straight you want your toes to be right at the end of the boot. You don't want your toes crammed or curled. Just there. You'll know what feels right. All boots have some sort of foward lean built in. Standing straight your foot is getting pushed foward. Boots are meant to fit correctly in the athletic position (knees slightly bent). As you flex foward in the boot you should feel your toes back off from the end of the boot.
b. Width. Generally you want it to fit snug all over. Pressure points are bad.
c. Support. You want to make sure that your ankle is properly support. You want minimal to zero heel lift as your flexing the boot. Keep in mind, your binding is another source for ankle support.
d. Break In. Keep in mind that you're buying your boots for the fit you're going to get AFTER the boot has broken in completely. If your boots fit like you're throwing a hot dog down a hallway, you're going to have problems down the line. Make sure they're snug now because they only get looser... like your first girlfriend.

Heat Molding
Set it and forget it
a. Like warm apple pie. It'll feel great granted your boots are heat moldable in the first place. Make sure your liners are heatable before you do it.
b. It works on my hair, will it work on my boots? If you heat too low, it won't do anything. If you heat too high, the foam will harden. Use the machine that was intended to heat mold your boots and not the sh** you find in your sister's bedroom. Certain liners require specific temperatures in order to mold.
c. Caps. If it's still tight in the toe box, use toecaps when you're getting your boots heated. Put them on your bare feet then put your sock over it. This will take up extra volume around your toes and as the boot cools, you'll have that much extra space in the toe box.
d. Ding Fries are Done! Once it's done, you're not out of the woods yet. Your boot will still break in a little bit more. Heating your boots definitely helps give you more of a custom fit. It will also help alleviate pressure points, if any.

Footbeds
Cradle your feet, not your balls
a. 10 out of 10 pros should agree! They're worth it. Ask anybody. Period. Less fatigue, less cramping, more support. What's not to like?
b. Pronation... is that the position I put my girl in last night? It's when you put pressure on your foot and your ankle rolls inward causing your forefoot to spread. Supporting your heel with a better footbed will help alleviate this. Supporting your foot more will usually help lessen pressure on your larger toes and sixth toe area (side of pinky toe).
c. Sizing? Stand on them and match the arch of your foot to the arch of the footbed. If the footbed is larger than the stock, trim it to fit.
d. Work the system. Getting an orthotic made by a podiatrist is definitely the best thing you can get. If you're lucky, you can get your insurance to pay for it. Otherwise, check out your local shred shop or ski shop. You'll usually be able to find them there for a little over a hundred. If you're going to a place that specializes in boot fitting (surefoot, etc.) they'll charge you a couple hundred. If you just spent all your cash buying your new shred setup, even a cheaper $30+ footbed will be better than a stock insole.

The 2007/2008 Edition. Now you guys don't have to link an outdated topic. Enjoy!

[boarderaholic]

Wide boards suck, so if you can get into a boot that has a reduced footprint, you may be able to avoid strapping into a door.

I'm going to disagree with this...wide boards would feel like doors if your feet are too small for the waiste width of the board. Otherwise, awsome!

[megladan]

Originally Posted by boarderaholic

I'm going to disagree with this...wide boards would feel like doors if your feet are too small for the waiste width of the board. Otherwise, awsome!

wide boards are where its at

[Slappy Abbot]

I have a pair of Burton Rulers that I thought fit me well at first. I could feel the tip of my toes touching the end of the boot. Now after a year or two (only a couple dozen actual days on the snow) these boots kill my feet. After an hour or so of riding it feels like a vise is crushing my toes. Is there is a difference between feeling the end of the liner and feeling the end of the boot? I don't think that the hard boot structure "packs out" very much vs. the soft liner. So I'm not sure which "end of the boot " you are referring to.

[Emma03]

Before you buy your boots, make sure to see reviews on the boots: Snowboard Boots Reviews - Buzzillions.com

The Men's Burton Moto Boot got the top reviews (4.3 out of 5 stars), and 100% of people said that the width and sizing feels true to size:

Pros:
Comfortable, Quality construction, Warm, Adjustability

Best Uses:
Downhill (5), Park (5), Half pipe (4)

Sizing/Fit:
100% agreed the width feels true to width
100% agreed the sizing feels true to size

[berg]

Originally Posted by Emma03

Before you buy your boots, make sure to see reviews on the boots: Snowboard Boots Reviews - Buzzillions.com

The Men's Burton Moto Boot got the top reviews (4.3 out of 5 stars), and 100% of people said that the width and sizing feels true to size:

Pros:
Comfortable, Quality construction, Warm, Adjustability

Best Uses:
Downhill (5), Park (5), Half pipe (4)

Sizing/Fit:
100% agreed the width feels true to width
100% agreed the sizing feels true to size

emma needs to be warned/kicked. enough with these f'ing buzillions ads.

[Nivek]

its possible to find boots as comfortable as your everyday shoes, so don't settle. when your standing strait up, your toes should be grazing the end of the boot. DO NOT SETTLE JUST CAUSE THEY'RE LESS EXPENIVE, IT WONT BE WORTH IT IN THE END. boa=pressure points or perfection. TRY EVERYTHING YOU CAN GET YOUR FEET INTO.

[duckie]

Originally Posted by berg

emma needs to be warned/kicked. enough with these f'ing buzillions ads.

agree. those freak'n ads need to be taken off the threads!

Originally Posted by Nivek

its possible to find boots as comfortable as your everyday shoes, so don't settle. when your standing strait up, your toes should be grazing the end of the boot. DO NOT SETTLE JUST CAUSE THEY'RE LESS EXPENIVE, IT WONT BE WORTH IT IN THE END. boa=pressure points or perfection. TRY EVERYTHING YOU CAN GET YOUR FEET INTO.

so completely true. if you haven't tried on at least 20 different pairs of boots from the numerous numbers of brands out there, you are not ready to buy. boots are one of those priceless items when you are in them for prolong periods of time on the slopes. you want the most comfortable pair you can find that will suit all of your boarding needs! plan to spend a minimum of 200 on them. (not that those less then 200 aren't as good, as long as you feel comfy in them)