Burton Ion Step On Snowboard Boot Review

Hello and welcome to my Burton Ion Step On snowboard boot review. 

In this review I will take a look at the Ion Step On as freeride snowboard boots.

As per tradition here at SnowboardingProfiles.com I will give the Ion Step On a score out of 100 (based on several factors) and see how they compare with other freeride boots.

NOTE: Since I had to test these with Step On bindings, the ratings scores aren't as accurate as they would be, as I didn't have my normal control bindings to test with (so any comparisons to my control boots are tainted because of having to ride these with different bindings). So this review is a rougher indication than the other reviews, because some of what I felt could have been influenced by the differences provided by the step on bindings I tested the boots with. 

Overall Rating

Boots: Burton Ion Step On

Price: $619 (USD recommended retail)

Style: Freeride 

Flex Rating: Medium-Stiff (6-9)

Flex Feel: Stiff (9.5/10)

Rating Score: 85.1/100

Compared to other Freeride Boots

Overview of the Ion Step On’ Specs

Check out the tables for the Ion Step On' specs.

Specs

Sizes

Who are the Ion Step On Most Suited to?

The Ion Step On's are best suited to those looking for really stiff boots that they can push to the limits and need lots of support from their boots for leaning deep into carves and bombing at high speeds. And, of course, particularly good for those needing the above and wanting a quick entry system like Step On. 

Also particularly well suited to bigger riders who need more stiffness/support from their boots and like to carve and bomb.

Definitely not for beginners, and I would even suggest they would be too stiff for intermediate riders, unless you're particularly strong/athletic and a bigger rider. 

Best matched to boards in the 7/10 to 10/10 flex range and particularly well suited to those in that 8/10 to 9/10 flex range, IMO. 

The Ion Step On in More Detail

O.k. let’s take a more detailed look at what the Ion Step On are capable of.

Demo Info

Boots: Burton Ion Step On 2025

Size: 10 (US Men's Sizing)

Date: February 7, 2024

Foot to Boot Fit

Length Fit: I couldn't notice any difference in how these fit compared to Burton's non-step-on snowboard boots. They fit me well length-wise in the 10, and that is typical of Burton boots for me. My toes were just brushing the ends when standing up straight and pulled away from the end a little when bending my knees and leaning forward. 

Enough room to wiggle the tops of my toes. Not excessively, but enough to make it comfortable. 

Width: Not super wider, but wider than the typical boot. So I'd say mid-wide. I had just enough room to move the widest part of my forefoot, if I really tried, but not so much that it felt sloppy in there. Plenty of room for my toes without them having to be squished at all. 

Top of Foot (Instep):  There was a little pressure there to start with, particularly on my right foot, but it wasn't anything painful, just a little uncomfortable. This eased the more I rode in them.

Around Ankles: Some very minor pressure, but nothing that I noticed unless I was purposefully focusing on it.

True to Size?: For me, yes. I'm most often a US10 and these were the right fit in a US10. After riding in them, I believe a 10.5 would be too big, but would likely not fit into a 9.5 either, so I feel the 10 was just right.

Boot to Binding Fit

Boots fit the bindings really well - but that was to be expected, given these are made for Burton Step-On bindings. 

Carving and Slow Speed Response

I found I could really lean deep into carves and these things would hold up no matter how hard I leant or how fast I was going when I was carving. I found them really stiff, so this was no surprise. Especially in tandem with the EST Step On Genesis, these made for an exceptional carving experience, once you put the energy and force required into them. 

Not great for slow speed response though. All that stiffness that helps them in a big carve made them a bit of a chore for slow speed turns. 

Heel Hold

Really good, without being top tier. But enough heel hold that it wouldn't ever bother me. It's a pretty important thing for Step-On boots to be good at, IMO, as you can't rely on binding straps to help with your heel hold. 

Adjustability

Unlike the Photon BOA Step On, you do get some upper and lower adjustability, with the dual speed lace. I still find speed lace a little cumbersome, so while the separation is there, I don't find I can fine tune it as well as I can with traditional laces or BOAs. 

Then there's the BOA that tightens the "ankle strap" on the boot. This helps a little with heel hold and gives a bit more of a strap feel. 

The liner has a standard lacing harness which can only be accessed by opening out the outer boot. 

While the boot itself isn't bad in terms of adjustability, these have to be ridden with Step On bindings, which aren't super adjustable (you could argue they don't need to be), so the score here is based on overall adjustability between boots and bindings, as you can't separate them. 

Comfort

These boots were seriously stiff and lacked articulation, in my experience. This not only affected their board feel, but also their comfort. I experienced both calf bite and shin bite in these boots. They were otherwise fairly comfortable, with no major pressure points otherwise, but the calf bite and shin bite were hard to ignore (not this was a lot better when I tested with my liner in them - more on that below).

Shock Absorption

Nothing amazing, but nothing too bad either. I would say middle of the road. This of course is dependent on the bindings in this case, so is more a reflection of the combination of this with the Step On EST Genesis bindings. 

Traction/Sole Quality

Really really good as you'd expect with a boot at this price point. 

Board Feel

I found that these boots really reduced my board feel compared to my control boots. Again, this can be hard to tell when you also change the bindings, but the EST Step On bindings are supposed to have really good board feel and these boots were so stiff and rigid, I just found I couldn't feel much at all beyond the boot. The other reason, I say that lack of board feel was coming from the boots and not bindings is because when I tested with my liner in the boots, the board feel was considerably better. 

Reduced Footprint

As typical of Burton boots, the Ion Step On had a nicely reduced sole. I measured them at just 2cm above their mondopoint and with decent bevel on both toe and heel. 

Entry/Exit

I found it pretty easy to open them up enough to get my foot in. Required a little bit of force to push my feet into them, but nothing more than the ordinary. 

The liner is a pretty standard lacing harness, so that was fairly easy. Then you've got the speed laces to deal with, which I've never been a big fan of, but they do the job. 

Finally you've just got to dial up the BOA on the "ankle strap" - which is an extra step that takes a little bit of time, but nothing difficult or too time consuming or anything. 

Overall not too bad and fairly quick to get in and out of them. 

Re-Test with my liner

The Burton rep who I borrowed these boots from suggested that I test these boots once with the Ion liner, then again with my own liner as he said a lot of their stiffness comes from the liner. 

And he wasn't wrong, that's for sure!

I was literally a little stunned at the difference it actually made. Don't get me wrong they were still stiffer than my control boots (Adidas Response ADV), so the shell does certainly play a part in their stiffness, but they were considerably more forgiving, more comfortable, easier to ride slower in and way better board feel. 

They weren't as supportive for big high angle carves, but for everything else, I preferred them with my liner. And the support for carves was still good and still better than with my liners in my boots. 

Score Breakdown and Final Verdict

Check out the breakdown of the score in the table below.

I found the Ion Step On boots to be really stiff and were at their best and really showed their value when really ripping it hard and leaning low and deep into carves. 

I did find however that they reduced board feel and weren't great for riding more casually, at slower speeds. This was much better when I swapped out for my liner, which was a really interesting experiment and showed just how much of the stiffness of these boots comes from their liner.