How to choose boots for snowboarding

When riding a snowboard, the rider’s footprint is the main burden. For this reason, snowboarding boots receive serious attention. The correct choice of them and the conformity of the design to the conditions of riding have a direct impact on the convenience and, most importantly, the safety of the rider. For this reason, the choice of shoes for snowboarding is given serious attention.

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Top Snowboard Shoes Manufacturers
Fundamental differences and types of snowboard boots
The main criteria for the selection of snowboard boots
How to choose the size of shoes

Top Snowboard Shoes Manufacturers

High-quality snowboarding boots are branded items produced under the name recognized by customers. It is best to give your choice in favor of well-known manufacturers of sports equipment:

Nike
Black fire
Puma
Button
Reebok

Each of these brands presents dozens of different models to customers. Which one to choose depends on the anatomical features of the rider, as well as information on the technical characteristics of a particular model, presented in the form of reviews on the Internet.

Fundamental differences and types of snowboard boots

Unlike everyday shoes, snowboard boots are designed for active riding, board stability and protection while riding. They are characterized by high strength, tightly fixed on the leg and rigidly fixed ankle - the joint, most often injured during outdoor activities and ski slopes.

Snowboard shoes are distinguished, first of all, by their rigidity.

Soft shoes

Easy-to-use models provide the ability to comfortably maneuver and get up after a fall without experiencing any discomfort. Made from synthetic materials or natural leather and securely fix the lower leg and ankle. Popular with freestylers and jibbing fans.

Virtues

Low weight;

Convenient for high-speed maneuvering;

Worthy quality of performance;

Inexpensive;

Anatomical fixation of the leg;

disadvantages

Not able to provide protection from serious injury;

Less durable compared to tough models;

Hard shoes

The exact opposite of the above option. Equipped with a power frame that fixes the lower leg and protects against mechanical damage. Most functional during high-speed descents from the mountain and when performing tricks at high speed.

Virtues

High safety;

Durable and wear resistant;

Rigid ankle fixation;

Convenience of maneuvers and professional driving techniques;

disadvantages

Expensive;

Heavy;

Not suitable for beginners;

Semi-rigid shoes are considered as a kind of compromise, providing an acceptable level of protection against mechanical impact, fixing the ankle, but differing in far greater ease of operation.They are recommended by most experienced riders for purchase, they are cheaper than their hard counterparts.

The main criteria for choosing snowboard boots?

snowboard boots selection criteria

There are a lot of criteria for choosing high-quality snowboard boots, they are all similar to those used for choosing shoes for everyday use.

Boot material

Natural is characterized by high strength, mobility and plasticity. It well maintains loadings, differences of temperatures and is suitable for driving both at positive, and at negative air temperature. The disadvantages of leather shoes emit hygroscopicity - the ability to absorb moisture, causing the weight increases, as well as whimsical care and maintenance.

Shoes made of artificial materials in this plan show themselves to be more advantageous. They are not afraid of moisture and temperature fluctuations, show themselves worthily under any operating conditions. Synthetics has excellent performance characteristics, allows you to combine different materials of inserts to achieve those or other functional characteristics. Among the shortcomings, the fact that the leg “does not breathe” in artificial shoes, as well as the mediocre workmanship of the budget models of shoes, are distinguished

Boot shape

This parameter should be selected based on the characteristics of the operating conditions and the design of the fastening assembly of your snowboard. There are both universal fastenings designed to work with all shoes, without exception, and specific types, designed for use with strictly defined models of shoes. For example, Flow type fastening implies the possibility of installing low shoes with a rounded nose, while the Step-In fastening system implies the use of one particular type of shoe.

Internal boot configuration

Or a boot, as riders otherwise call it. Currently, two main types of shoes for this criterion are on sale:

Neoprene boot can be considered universal. This material has good performance characteristics and provides anatomical placement of the feet in the shoe. Thanks to its softness, neoprene gives comfort and excellent thermal insulation. Boots with a neoprene boot can be considered versatile;
Thermofit boot - a more advanced version, characterized by maximum anatomicality. In its original form, this material has no form. In order to prepare the boot for use, it is heated and worn on the leg. Acting like thermal insulation, it cools down and repeats the individual contours of the rider's leg, providing an anatomical fit and, as a result, maximum comfort.

Separation of shoes by gender

There are men's, women's and children's shoes. The differences between the first two types lie exclusively in the boot form factor, as well as in the height of the boot - due to the anatomical features, the ankle joint in women is higher than in men. Children's shoes, however, differ not only in size, but also in rigidity - almost always such shoes are soft or semi-rigid.

Shoe lacing system

Classical lacing involves a uniform strap laces the top of the shoe and the subsequent tying of laces on the "bow";

The fast lacing system, developed by Adidas, is a special design in which two different cables tighten the boot from the top and bottom, and then fixed with special metal clips;
The BOA lacing system is very similar to the fast lacing design. Here, manufacturers also use two different cables, simultaneously tightening the top and bottom of the boot, but this is not done manually, but with the help of a special drum mechanism rotating around its axis. He also performs the role of locks, latches.

How to choose the size of shoes

choose the size of snowboard boots

You can finally decide on a specific model of shoes only after a clear selection to the size of your foot.

First of all, it is necessary to study the specified boot size and compare it with wearable shoes. This information is inscribed on the inside of the tongue and is presented in the form of a classic numbering, as well as the nearest foreign analogues.

Picking up the right size, shoes must be tried on. This is done on the sock, whose thickness is comparable to the sock, which will be used during the ride. After fixing on the foot and doing the lacing of the shoes should be firmly seated on the foot, and the foot should not break away from the sole when doing bends and squats. During the execution of these manipulations there should be no discomfort, rubbing and cramps, the leg should not hurt and flow. Fitting boots should be carried out for at least 25-30 minutes.