Hello and welcome to my K2 Ender review.
In this review I will take a look at the Ender as all-mountain snowboard boots.
As per tradition here at SnowboardingProfiles.com I will give the Ender a score out of 100 (based on several factors) and see how they compare with other all-mountain boots.
NOTE: The 2023 model was the last model of the Ender.
Overall Rating
Boots: K2 Ender
Price: $359 (USD recommended retail)
Style: All-Mountain
Flex Rating: Medium-Stiff (7/10)
Flex Feel: Medium (6/10)
Rating Score: 87.0/100
Compared to other All-Mountain Boots
Out of the 30 all-mountain boots that I rated:
Overview of the Ender’s Specs
Check out the tables for the Ender's specs and available sizes.
Specs
Style: | All-Mountain |
Price: | $359 |
Ability Level: |  |
Flex: |  |
Weight: | Normal |
Lacing System: | Traditional Lacing with internal Boa |
Who are the Ender Most Suited to?
The Ender are great for anyone looking for a mid-flexing boot that's comfortable but still has really good performance.
The Ender are a good match for medium flex boards. 5/10 to 6/10 ideally, but also fine for 4/10 and 7/10 boards.
Not quite beginner suitable, but OK for a low-end intermediate.
The Ender in More Detail
O.k. let’s take a more detailed look at what the Ender are capable of.
Demo Info
Boots: K2 Ender 2020
Size: 10 (US Men's Sizing)
Date: February 5, 2020
Conditions: Light rain, sometimes transitioning into wet snow.
Snow was good. Soft packed that turned mildly slushy and got more cruddy as the day went on.
Temperatures were moderate. Very little wind.
Bindings angles: +15/-15
Board Demoed With: Rossignol One LF 2018
Bindings Demoed With: Burton Malavita 2017
Outersole Length: 31.6cm (mondo 28cm)
Difference between Mondo & Outersole: 3.6cm
Backstay Height: 30.5cm
Weight: 1080 grams*
* Average of a sample of boots I weighed was 1006 grams, so a just a little heavier than the average, but pretty close to average. Heaviest were 1320 grams and lightest were 740 grams.
Flex
The Ender are certainly a mid-flexing boot. I felt them at about a 6/10, bordering on 5.5/10.
Fit
Width: There not particularly wide nor particularly narrow. Right in the middle I would say. A good fit for my foot width-wise. Probably not suitable for wider feet though.
True to Size?: When I first tried them on, they were a perfect fit. After heat molding and riding them though, I felt they were borderline too big. Still a good fit, but just felt that maybe they would start feeling too big as I rode them. So close to true to size, but potentially run 1/2 size big. I usually ride a 10. I rode the Ender in a 10, but I would like to try a 9.5 in the future to see how that feels.
High or Low Arch: Snug on the top of my foot, but without pain or pressure. So I'd say medium bordering on medium-high arch.
Responsiveness
They feel really agile at slower speeds, but also can still hold a carve pretty well at high speeds, and can get relatively deep on that carve. About what I would expect with the level of flex.
I'd say the same as my test boots (Aura) in terms of slow speed maneuverability, and just a touch more in terms of high speed carves.
Heel Hold
When I first tried the boots on the heel hold was exceptional with virtually no heel lift. But after heat molding and riding them, there was just a little bit of lift. Not heaps, but not as exceptional as the first try on. However, I suspect in a 9.5 that same heel hold I got initially would hold.
Adjustability
You get the generally great adjuatbility of traditional lace boots with the Ender. So that gives it good adjustability from the get go.
But the thing I really like with the Ender (and other boots that have the same thing) is the internal boa harness. It allows you to adjust the tension on the liner, on the fly, without having to open up the outerboot. Opening up the outerboot with tradtional laces is quite a hassle, so having that combo of traditional lacing and internal boa harness (that's obviously controlled from the outer boot) is something I really, really like.
Comfort
I found these boots super comfortable. No pressure anywhere, not cramping or anything while riding. Liner feels really plush. Just all round really comfortable.
Shock Absorption
Decent, without being mind blowing.
Board Feel
They have decent board feel. I felt they were a little better in terms of board feel vs the Thirty Two Lashed that I also rode that day, but just a little less my test boots (Vans Aura).
Traction
Soles seem like good quality and seemed grippy enough when walking in them. It's a vibram outsole and looks and feels good quality and with decent tread depth.
Reduced Footprint
One of the longer outersoles going around. So not great in that department, if you're looking for a low profile boot.
Entry/Exit
Traditional lace takes a little bit of time/effort vs other lacing systems, but it's not too bad. The liner is easy to work with velcro on either side at the top with that boa to tighten the harness around the ankle.
And it's easy enough to get the foot in and out of.
Score Breakdown and Final Verdict
Check out the breakdown of the score in the table below.
RATING | SCORE WEIGHTING | |
|---|---|---|
RESPONSE | 3.5 | 17.5/25 |
HEEL HOLD | 4.5 | 13.5/15 |
ADJUSTABILITY | 4.5 | 13.5/15 |
COMFORT | 4.5 | 13.5/15 |
SHOCK ABSORPTION | 4.0 | 12/15 |
TRACTION | 4.0 | 8/10 |
REDUCED FOOTPRINT | 2.0 | 2/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 87.0/100 |
The Ender are a nice pair of mid-flexing boots that stike a good balance between being comfortable and forgiving enough, without being ultra soft. And a good balance between their aility for carving at speed and their agility at slower speeds.
I'm a fan of the traditional lace, with internal boa, so that gets a big tick from me for sure.
Potentially run half a size large - so I would try on a boot half a size down from what you normally would to see if it works for you.
More Info, Current Prices and Where to Buy Online
If you’re interested in learning more about the Ender, are ready to buy or want to research current prices and sizing availability, check out the links below.
If you want to see how the Ender compared to other all-mountain boots, or want to check out some other options, check out the link below.
I’ve been riding size 10.5 K2 Darkos for about 6 years now, and just got these Enders. The Enders fit very similar to my 10.5 Darkos which is a relief as one never knows how sizing changes over the years – K2 is accordingly very consistent size wise. I love the ankle boa and laces as you can get your boot feel tensioned loose and firm all at the same time – can’t do that with any other system. Feel about the same toe area width, and the ankle is a bit noticeably narrower than the darkos, but not annoyingly so – I’d say once I heat up the liner and heat fit it to my foot (has the Intuition moldable Pro liners stock) the ankle should fit like a glove (as my darkos did post ‘heat treating’). Lookin forward to giving these a thrashing for a couple years!
Hey Scott
Thanks for your insights.
Per this lovely review, I picked up the 2022 version and have five days on them. Not a lifetime, but enough for some feedback someone may find useful.
For context: I normally wear a Men’s 9.5 in Vans, Burton, etc.
I happen to live within a few blocks of EVO Denver and noticed that they just got some in stock. I walked over and they had ONE pair left, size 9. I figured, based on Nate’s review, that this might be the correct size. After heat molding and swapping the insoles (I have lower arches, not flat, but also further back so stock insoles often cause painful foot cramps), my toes were touching the ends, just the right amount.
After about 3 days, they started to pack in (as I expected) and I lost a little bit of that “iron heel hold” I had when they were new, but they are leaps and bounds better at heel hold than any other boot I’ve ridden in the last 25 years. I have fairly average feet, but very narrow heels and have a need for a big ol’ toebox (I have thick toes haha). I can honestly say, as far as fit goes, they are fantastic.
An additional feature, not mentioned in the review: the lower laces have a “lock” at the ankle (little cams that pop into place and can be pulled up via their own nylon pull). This adds to the heel hold capabilities. You can lock the lowers, and then tie the speed hooks a little looser, without losing that firm lockdown. It all just adds to the cleverness of the K2 heel hold Boa. I have never found dual Boa boots from other brands to be nearly as good at heel hold and adjustability as the lace/Boa combo on the Enders. Maybe my feet are weird, but I get hotspots… oddly enough I have lots of dual Boa bike shoes that don’t have these issues, but that’s a different sport haha.
I really like the Enders for all types of riding: bigger, steeper shenanigans on my “all mountain board” and groomer and park ripping on my jib board. For me they have the right amount of stiffness to drive a bigger, stiffer board through ice, etc AND enough flex to still be tweakable/chill for jibbing (from jibbing around on side hits and trees off of groomers to small-medium park features).
Still not perfect, and perhaps it’s just a bad habit of mine, but I still find myself cranking my straps a little when dropping into something. I can’t say it’s necessary, per se. I did find myself doing this on a really weird day at Breck: fresh, but heavy wet snow over ice that had me really working my board. I was getting a little bit of heel lift, but I was really driving my toes.
Like any stiffer boot, if you go too lose on the speed hooks, you will feel a significant change in your toeside power, since the tongue will be less engaged.
Other than perhaps the slight pain of mucking with laces, the only way these could be improved would be an addition of removeable tongue inserts/stiffeners like you find on the higher end Vans like the “Hi-Country and Hell-Bound” boots. I think that’s a really sick feature I’d love to see other companies adopt.
Hi señorsmith
Thanks so much for your detailed feedback. Super helpful for anyone looking into these boots.
I thought I’d post a follow up on this subject.
Got the K2 Enders this morning and went for a short session to my local resort. The Enders are indeed a touch wider than the LoFis. Not much, but enough for me. I’d say the Enders at 26.5 mondo point are a bit smaller than the LoFis at 27.0, but it’s the boxier toe area that allows me to wear the Enders in smaller size without my big toe getting squashed. So all in all, seems the Ender simply fits my foot (wideish with big toe being the longest) better than the LoFi with its rounder and narrower toe box.
Obviously comparing the flex between a brand new boot and a well ridden one does not make much sense. Sufficient to say the first thought was “holy sh*t these are stiff” and the second one was “did not realize the LoFis have gone this soft” 🙂 . Need a few more days for the Enders to properly break in.
Overall – excluding the fit – the Ender is really similar to the LoFi, and I think I made the right choice.
Hi Sami
Thanks for the follow up. Much appreciated. And glad they’re fitting you well.
Comparing brand new, I would say the Lo-Fi is a 5/10 flex and the Ender 6/10. So, the Ender are certainly a little stiffer anyway. But yeah that difference will definitely be exacerbated when comparing brand new Enders to well used Lo-Fi’s!
Hey Nate!
I think I need to replace my Salomon LoFis and the K2 Ender looks like a good candidate. I love almost everything about my LoFis, but I guess they have always been just a little too narrow for my foot. I have 3 – occasionally painful – seasons riding them, so pretty sure they won’t get any wider.
Since you have tested and reviewed both boots, what’s your take on LoFi vs Ender? Would Ender by wider in your opinion?
Br,
Sami
Hi Sami
Thanks for your message.
I would say the Ender is subtly wider than the Lo-Fi, but there’s not much in it. They’re very close in terms of width, in my experience with them. If you’ve got an average width foot, then the Ender should be fine. But if it’s wider than average, then it might pay to go for a wider boot, particularly if you’ve found the Lo-Fi narrow. The Ender will, IMO, give you that little bit more space, but whether it’s enough it’s hard to say.
Hope this helps
It now rated as 7. Is it so a bit stiffer since when you tested?
Hi Andrea
Don’t think they’ve gotten any stiffer. K2 changed their flex ratings. Previously they had their ratings out of 5. The Ender was rated 3/5, which I translated into 6/10. When they changed their flex ratings to be out of 10 (since the 2021 models), they translated it to 7/10. They didn’t have half rating increments when they rated out of 5. E.g. didn’t rate anything 3.5/5 or 2.5/5 or anything like that. E.g. Lewiston 2020 was rated 3/5 also. And they now rate it 5/10.
So, I think it’s just a translation thing. My feel for the boot was a 6/10.
Hope this answers your question
hey Nate
if your size is 10US (other boots ) but the fit size of k2 Ender is 9.5US
so the k2 Ender footprint of 9.5US is still large ?(compare with other 10US size footprint )
Hi Rylan
Good question. I wouldn’t say I’m definitively 9.5 in K2 boots. I have recently tried a 9.5 and it was too small to start. It eased over time and I suspect after wearing it for longer it would be fine. Just would take a little longer to break in for me than other boots. I think I’m a 9.75 in K2 boots! But assuming the 9.5 is my size in K2 boots, then it’s certainly not as bulky as it would otherwise be. If I was comparing the Ender 9.5 to a 10 in other brands, then it would be more like 31.1cm – and if you compare that to a US10 mondo of 28cm, then it’s 3.1cm over the mondo, which isn’t low profile, but it’s more average profile and not bulky.
So, if you can fit in a K2 1/2 size smaller than you typically would ride, then they become average profile.
Hope that makes sense!