It's true that snowboarding can be a real headache if you're not a connoisseur! To help you make the right choice when buying snowboard boots, the HawaiiSurf team has decided to give you a helping hand! Even before deciding which size boot to choose, the first question to ask yourself is "what type of boot will suit you best?" and this will depend on a number of fundamental criteria, which we'll present to you below, so that you can make the best choice and find the grail of snowboard boots by finding the right shoe for you!
Tip 1: Identify my level
Identifying your level is very important! A beginner rider will have fewer requirements, and will be looking for a boot that's flexible and progressive enough to allow him or her to progress, while an intermediate to advanced freestyle rider will be looking for a high-performance boot with a well-balanced flex that will allow him or her to send big carves to the park! Piste and freeride riders, on the other hand, will need a stiffer boot that will enable them to send big carves down the piste and link up powder runs with precision. Don't panic, we'll identify the requirements of different levels and types of riding just for you!
BEGINNER LEVEL
Have you had enough of skiing, or would you like to start practicing winter sports with snowboarding? Whatever your motivation, you'll need to choose from a wide range of boots with which to progress. Beginners' boots feature simple lacing that's easy to adjust, so you don't have to sit on your ass for more than a few minutes before setting off on your next adventure. Beginner boots are softer, making it easier to bend your knees all the way down to your toes, to find the perfect movement that will enhance your progress and quickly make you forget the dead leaf technique as you link turns and start to get your first real sensations.
INTERMEDIATE TO ADVANCED
The progress is there, and above all, blatant! You pass more or less on all the resort's paths and slopes, whether on freshly groomed snow, virgin snow or off-piste tracks. New sensations drive you to go further and faster! Your new needs lead you to change your equipment, opting forstiffer, all-mountain boots that will enable you to ride the whole resort with versatility and ease ! The balanced stiffness that you'll find on All-Mountain snowboard boots will give you enough support to pick up speed while remaining supple and playful enough to ride the slopes and finish the day in the snowpark!
FREERIDE & SPLITBOARD
If you want to explore the whole resort, away from the tourist crowds and lifts, you'll need snowboard boots specially designed for Freeride ! These boots provide all the comfort and stiffness you need to ride withease and with precision in powder snow. Most of the time, these boots are equipped with waterproof gussets that won't let any moisture in, even when conditions are like Japanese days where you don't touch the bottom! You'll also find Vibram® or rubbersoleswith grip, so you'll be able to crab with peace of mind when you're looking for the perfect off-piste line. Finally, heel and toe sections addsolid protection even when hiking through snow or steep, rock-filled passages.
FREESTYLE & JIB
Are you a fan of heads down, rotations, kicker lines, pipes and rails? The choice of boots should follow your style, so that you can ride serenely with a boot that's more supple, playful and comfortable ! Indeed, the flex souple will enable you to achieve a certain tolerance which will absorb shocks and landings de demanière fluide and this thanks to reinforcements located in the heel, the insole or the outsole. The soft boots will also allow you to send more force across the whole board to play big presses on the rails, tweaks out grabs or nose and tail butters !
Tip 2: Choose your Flex carefully
The way your boots bend says a lot about the way you ride! Some prefer soft flex, others opt for balanced flex and All-Mountain, while some appreciate the stiffness of a snowboard boot. Stiffness therefore determines resistance to speed, carving, shocks and/or landings. Most manufacturers rank the flexibility of their boots on a scale from 1 to 10 starting with the softest (1) to the stiffest (10)!
FLEXIBLE FLEX (1-4)
Ideal for beginner to intermediate riders or freestyle riders, the soft flex will need less energy to make turns fluid and comfortable. Well-known among beginner riders, they will see it as a way to make rapid progress with a less demanding boot ! Freestyle riders, meanwhile, will appreciate the support of the boots when landing kickers, rail or pipe with a flex that will improve your landings to make them ever cleaner!
FLEX MEDIUM OR BALANCED (4-7)
Ideal for all-mountain use, flex medium to balanced snowboard boots provide excellent control , on piste, in park, or in powder ! Don't think about it any longer, and vary your sensations!
RIGID FLEX (7-10)
Do you like speed, carving, freeride, splitboard and riding mine bars that destroy everything in their path? To accompany your board, the addition of rigid snowboard boots will considerably increase your control, whether climbing or descending! The stiffness enhances control, swallows the gradient more comfortably and improves your powder landings during big backcountry sessions jumping off spoons several meters high!
Tip 3: Adjust your boots
The fit of snowboard boots is unique and ultra-customized according to your preferences! To this end, size, fit, wear and purchase socksto ensure optimum fit and comfort of your boots. The wrong choice and the wrong fit can completely ruin a day at altitude.
DEPENDING ON SIZE:
The Mondopoint systemhas been created to standardize shoe sizes for board sports. Create the Mondopoint standardization system to match your shoe size, so you can buy boots even on the other side of the globe. To find your size at Mondopoint, simply measure your feet (the Mondopoint corresponds to the length of your foot in centimetres) using a pedometer. To measure correctly, it's important to place your strongest foot on the ground and bend one leg slightly forward to reproduce the posture you'd have with a board on your feet.
ADJUSTMENT:
Knowing whether a bootfits perfectly can be difficult on the first few outings. The first important point is that your toes should barely touch the toe of your boots. It's when you tighten the inner liner that your heels are brought into the heel space, relieving the pressure on your toes, and it's at this point that the inner laces of the liner help to adjust your feet as closely as possible, without lifting the heel or creating pressure points.
Tip 4: Choose the right lacing system
CLASSIC LACING :
Introducing the classic snowboard boot ! With the help of a set ofsturdy laces, specially designed and treated for snow, you can optimize the tightening of your boots to suit your needs. Nowadays, most of the brands offering this tightening system are run by sneaker or skateshoe brands. The main plus point of these brands with regard to the classic clamping system is the precision and the know-how of these companies as designers and manufacturers of shoes specially designed for skateboarding and other sports that put feet to the test. When it comes to tightening, nothing could be simpler! Just tighten the laces from the bottom, as you would with your everyday shoes.
SPEED LACE:
The Speed Lace tightening system is the best known in the snowboots industry! The world's leading snowboard brands such as Burton Snowboard and Nitro offer a wide range of products with this type of clamping. This concept is based on the concept of the double BOA , with optimal heel and arch tightening to ensure that your foot is securely wedged in the boot. The addition of a second tightening allows to tighten and block the flex of the shoe when you lean forward(kick). This clamp is perfect for riders who want to play the versatility card, with the option of clamping both cords for rigid, precise clamping, but also keeping the clamp deliberately soft for excellent flexibility of movement !
BOA® :
The BOA® system is the latest technology in snowboard boot tightening. This clamping system achieves a certain hold that will stand up to any test thanks to a quick and easy adjustment. The BOA® system can be double or triple with adjustment cables located on the upper or lower lining. It is therefore important to turn the clamping disc clockwise to tighten the wire and counter-clockwise to pull the disc outwards to release the wire for fast and efficient foot entry and exit.
Tip 5: Snowboard boot features
AMORTI :
The cushioning of a boot is not the same depending on its intended use! For example, for the freestyle and jib practice, boots will have anadditional cushioning to absorb the various shocks and landings! Jumping the biggest kickers in the park will subject your body to extra force during landings. That's why the addition of heel cushioning will make your landings more comfortable and therefore cleaner. Depending on the brand, the cushioning is not the same: it can be a mix of soft EVA foam, a air cushion or a combination of different materials.
DOUBLINGS :
What is the lining of a snowboard boot? The lining is the padding between the hard outer boot and your feet. Firstly, it will keep your feet warm, and secondly, it will add extra cushioning for added comfort and a slipper-like feel. The foam will lock in air and insulate your feet perfectly, keeping them warm and dry for days to come! Finally, this foam can be heat-molded to fit the shape of your foot perfectly.
COMPATIBILITY :
snowboard bindings and boots go hand in hand ! That's why it's important to use the size chart to find the binding size that's right for your boot! It's essential to measure the length of your boots and compare it to a width indicated on each productdescription. So, if the length is the same as or greater than the width of the snowboard, you'll need to switch to a widerversion, and for big feet, the versions Wide!
