Hello and welcome to my list of the best beginner snowboard Boots for men.
Below are what I consider to be the top 7 for the 2018/19 season.
As per tradition here at SnowboardingProfiles.com each board is rated and receives a score out of 100. This is definitely not an exact science care has been taken to give points to various areas depending on their importance for beginner riders.
Comparison Stats
Just quickly, to give you a reference for the scores below;
Out of 31 of beginner boots that I rated:
O.k. let’s get into the top 7!
BEGINNER BOOT #7
Boot: Adidas The Super Star
Price: View More Info and Current Prices Here
Lacing System: Traditional Lace with power strap
Flex: Medium-Soft (4/10)
Fit: Mid-wide to wide feet
Rating: 90.7/100
Starting off the list at #7 are the Adidas Superstar boots.
Whilst not for the budget conscious beginner, they are one of those boots that are great for riding freestyle/park, if that's something you see yourself getting into.
Adidas have the lowest profile boots going around at the moment, so if you've got bigger feet, then they can help you to get on a narrower board. They're also great boots for those with wide feet.
They can also take you well past the beginner stage and with that power strap, you can crank that down as you get more advanced for a little bit more hold and response for when you start riding faster and harder.
If that sounds like you and you have a good budget to work with, then these are a great option.
Learn more about the Super Star’s in the video below
Score Breakdown for the Superstar
FACTOR | rating (OUT OF 5) | contribution to final score |
|---|---|---|
Flex | 5.0 | 25/25 |
Comfort | 4.0 | 16/20 |
Heel Hold | 3.0 | 9/15 |
Shock Absorption | 4.0 | 8/10 |
Adjustability | 4.5 | 9/10 |
Price | 2.0 | 4/10 |
Reduced Footprint | 5.0 | 5/5 |
Entry/Exit | 2.0 | 2/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 90.7/100 |
BEGINNER BOOT #6
Boot: Thirty Two 86FT
Price: View More Info and Current Prices Here
Lacing System: Speed Lacing
Flex: Medium-Soft (3/10)
Fit: Normal width to mid-wide feet
Rating: 91.3/100
In at #6, we have the second lowest priced boots on this list , the Thirty Two 86FT.
The 86FTs are really comfortable and have (like most on this list) a nice forgiving medium-soft flex.
This flex is ideal for beginners because it offers a good amount of forgiveness and helps with control at lower speeds – but isn’t too soft – so you can progress to a more advanced level without having to buy new boots straight away.
Score Breakdown for the 86FT
FACTOR | rating (OUT OF 5) | contribution to final score |
|---|---|---|
Flex | 5.0 | 25/25 |
Comfort | 4.0 | 16/20 |
Heel Hold | 3.0 | 9/15 |
Shock Absorption | 2.5 | 5/10 |
Adjustability | 4.0 | 8/10 |
Price | 4.5 | 9/10 |
Reduced Footprint | 3.0 | 3/5 |
Entry/Exit | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 91.3/100 |
BEGINNER BOOT #5
Boot: K2 Raider
Price: View More Info and Current Prices Here
Lacing System: Single Boa
Flex: Medium-Soft (4/10)
Fit: Normal width feet
Rating: 91.3/100
The K2 Raider are a no nonsense single Boa boot that's comfortable, has good shock absorption and are easy and quick to get in and out of.
They lack adjustability, just the downside of being single Boa, but do provide really good heel hold for those that find it hard to keep their heel down in their boots.
Overall a nice boot for a beginner and something would work great as a park boot too, if you end up getting into that style of riding.
More on the K2 Raider in the video below
Score Breakdown for the Raiders
FACTOR | rating (OUT OF 5) | contribution to final score |
|---|---|---|
Flex | 5.0 | 25/25 |
Comfort | 4.0 | 16/20 |
Heel Hold | 4.0 | 12/15 |
Shock Absorption | 3.5 | 7/10 |
Adjustability | 2.0 | 4/10 |
Price | 4.0 | 8/10 |
Reduced Footprint | 2.0 | 2/5 |
Entry/Exit | 4.5 | 4.5/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 91.3/100 |
BEGINNER BOOT #4
Boot: Thirty Two Zephyr
Price: View More Info and Current Prices Here
Lacing System: Traditional Lace
Flex: Medium-Soft (4/10)
Fit: Normal width to Mid-wide feet
Rating: 91.9/100
If you're looking for one of the softest, easy going boots on the market, then the Shifty Boas are a great option. And that softness makes these boots super forgiving.
Biggest downside with a Single Boa is that you don't have the ability to independently adjust the upper and lower sections of the boot - but if they fit well without that adjustability, then it's no problem.
Then you've otherwise got a very comfortable, low cost (the cheapest in this list) boot that's nice and easy to get in and out of.
Where the ThirtyTwo 86 FT (see #6) is a lot more freestyle/park focused, the Zephyr is more of an all-rounder. And it's a little more performance oriented, so if you want something that's beginner friendly but that will still give enough performance if you progress quickly, then these are a great option.
More on the Zephyr in the video below
Score Breakdown for the Zephyr
FACTOR | rating (OUT OF 5) | contribution to final score |
|---|---|---|
Flex | 5.0 | 25/25 |
Comfort | 4.5 | 18/20 |
Heel Hold | 3.0 | 9/15 |
Shock Absorption | 3.0 | 6/10 |
Adjustability | 4.5 | 9/10 |
Price | 3.5 | 7/10 |
Reduced Footprint | 3.0 | 3/5 |
Entry/Exit | 2.0 | 2/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 91.9/100 |
BEGINNER BOOT #3
Boot: Thirty Two Shifty Boa
Price: View More Info and Current Prices Here
Lacing System: Single Boa
Flex: Soft (2/10)
Fit: Normal width to Mid-wide feet
Rating: 92.4/100
If you're looking for one of the softest, easy going boots on the market, then the Shifty Boas are a great option. And that softness makes these boots super forgiving.
Biggest downside with a Single Boa is that you don't have the ability to independently adjust the upper and lower sections of the boot - but if they fit well without that adjustability, then it's no problem.
Then you've otherwise got a very comfortable, low cost (the cheapest in this list) boot that's nice and easy to get in and out of.
More on the Shifty Boas in the video below
Score Breakdown for the Shifty Boa
FACTOR | rating (OUT OF 5) | contribution to final score |
|---|---|---|
Flex | 5.0 | 25/25 |
Comfort | 4.0 | 16/20 |
Heel Hold | 4.0 | 12/15 |
Shock Absorption | 3.0 | 6/10 |
Adjustability | 2.0 | 4/10 |
Price | 4.5 | 9/10 |
Reduced Footprint | 3.0 | 3/5 |
Entry/Exit | 4.5 | 4.5/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 92.4/100 |
BEGINNER BOOT #2
Boot: Burton Moto
Price: View More Info and Current Prices Here
Lacing System: Speed Lacing
Flex: Medium-Soft (3/10)
Fit: Normal width to Mid-wide feet
Rating: 92.4/100
The Moto’s are very popular beginner boots and it’s easy to see why. They have the right flex, the right price-tag and are super easy to get in and out of (once you learn the speed lacing system).
They also have really good reduced footprint (which essentially means that the outside of the boot is smaller than what the inside of the boot is – so a boot that will fit a size 10 foot on the inside would have a size 9.5 footprint on the outside), so if you’ve got larger feet and are looking to get on a narrower width board than you otherwise could, these are also a great choice for that reason.
These also come in a Boa version, which also make good beginner boots - check out the score for both versions below.
More on the Moto’s in the video below
Score Breakdown for the Moto Speed Zone
FACTOR | rating (OUT OF 5) | contribution to final score |
|---|---|---|
Flex | 5.0 | 25/25 |
Comfort | 4.0 | 16/20 |
Heel Hold | 3.0 | 9/15 |
Shock Absorption | 3.0 | 6/10 |
Adjustability | 4.0 | 8/10 |
Price | 4.0 | 8/10 |
Reduced Footprint | 4.0 | 4/5 |
Entry/Exit | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 92.4/100 |
Score Breakdown for the Moto Boa
FACTOR | rating (OUT OF 5) | contribution to final score |
|---|---|---|
Flex | 5.0 | 25/25 |
Comfort | 4.0 | 16/20 |
Heel Hold | 4.0 | 12/15 |
Shock Absorption | 3.0 | 6/10 |
Adjustability | 2.0 | 4/10 |
Price | 3.0 | 6/10 |
Reduced Footprint | 4.0 | 4/5 |
Entry/Exit | 4.5 | 4.5/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 90.1/100 |
BEGINNER BOOT #1
Boot: Vans Hi Standard OG
Price: View More Info and Current Prices Here
Lacing System: Traditional Lacing
Flex: Medium-Soft (4/10)
Fit: Normal width feet (note also that those with high arches may not fit well)
Rating: 93.6/100
And coming in at #1 we have the Vans Hi Standard OG.
For 2019, Vans have made a Hi-Standard OG and a Hi-Standard Pro (and done the same with the Aura). The Pro version is a little stiff to make this list, but the OG is just the right mix of a softer flexing binding, still with plenty of comfort.
And if your looking to get something at a great price, then the Hi Standard are a great option and are $23 lower than the average beginner boot price (of those that I rated) and the 3rd lowest on this list.
Vans boots are also one of the most low profile in the industry nowadays - second only to Adidas of the boots that I've measured.
Check out more about the Hi-Standard OG in the Video Below
Score Breakdown for the Hi-Standard OG
FACTOR | rating (OUT OF 5) | contribution to final score |
|---|---|---|
Flex | 5.0 | 25/25 |
Comfort | 4.0 | 16/20 |
Heel Hold | 3.0 | 9/15 |
Shock Absorption | 3.5 | 7/10 |
Adjustability | 4.5 | 9/10 |
Price | 4.0 | 8/10 |
Reduced Footprint | 4.5 | 4.5/5 |
Entry/Exit | 2.0 | 2/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 93.6/100 |
Thanks for Reading
Thanks for reading and I hope this list has helped give you some options for beginner snowboard boots.
Check out the links for each boot above for more info and for current prices and availability.
Notes
Often models don't change that much from year to year so if you can find a 2018 model, it will likely be close enough to the 2019 model (but double check to make sure) but you can get it cheaper, if available in your size. For the latest model check out the links above for each boot. For past year's models check out the links below to see if they still have any left in your size.
Thanks for another helpful review article Nate!
As I’ve said on other pages, I bought the Burton Moto even before I bought a board or bindings. I’m glad to see it made your list. I tried on some beginner boots from Thirty-Two and DC, but nothing was as comfortable for me as the Moto. I have two questions:
1. Do you know what sort of ankle/feet shapes are the most problematic when it comes to heel hold? If I find this is a problem with the Moto, how do I resolve it?
2. The last time I checked, Vans didn’t have any new snowboard boots for sale until 9/1/15. Are these Vans models something you’ve reviewed from past model years, or did you get some advance demo items? I’ve heard other people tell me they loved Vans boots, but technically nothing is “available” from Vans at the moment.
Thanks,
John
Hey John
Sorry for late reply – have been on vacation.
1. Usually heel hold in snowboard boots is an issue for people with thinner ankles or thinner heels. You could try getting j-bars – these guys do j-bars – Shred Sole J Bars – they basically fill out the heels to help reduce heel lift. You should try to reduce heel lift to a maximum of around 1cm (0.4 inches). J bars are pretty easy to install (check out the video below.
2. The Vans boots reviewed here are 2015 models. The boots available for sale September 2015 will be their 2016 models. As far as I know all snowboading gear is released in the 1st half of the season but they label it for the second half. E.g. something released before the 2015/2016 season will always be labelled the 2016 model. I guess it just makes them sound more recent.
Hope this answers your questions. Thanks again for stopping by.
Hi Nate! Again thanks for all your help so far on board and bindings. I’ve now moved to boots.. Since the finickiness of boots and fitting I definitely am going through a store with good return policies so I’m doing it at REI! I tried on all sorts of boots today, and I found that the Burton Moto fit me the best. It just snugged my ankle and felt very comfortable. The one thing I did find that it was just super duper flexible, almost a bit too flexible.
I was wondering what you thought of the Burton Ruler? They only had it online, so I wasn’t able to try it on, but it seemed like it’s the moto with comfortability improvements and a little stiffer? Right now I have the Yes Basic with Union ST bindings.
Thanks!
Hi Victor.
If you’re worried about the flex of the Moto being too soft, then the Ruler is probably a good step up. Burton boots tend to fit fairly similarly so if the Moto fit well, then the Ruler should too. It will be more of a medium flex (Moto medium-soft). The Ruler is a better boot but also a bit stiffer. Normally I’d say medium-soft for anything beginner but the one piece of gear that I’m most willing to compromise on is boots – some people just like a slightly stiffer boot.
The other option is the Burton Highline Boa (if you were open to going Boa) – it’s medium soft but I’d say it’s more of a 4/10 whereas the Moto is more of a 3/10.
Definitely a good idea to try boots on in person so you made a good call there.
Thanks Nate! I’ll order a pair of Highline boas as well from REI to give them a try. I did like the ease of the boa system like the Binary Boa that I tried on.
Hi nate, have just found all of your reviews for beginners and have to say what a great help they are.
I am looking for a pair of boots to start out with but local stores are fairly limited so makes trying them on quite hard. I did try a couple of brands and found the ride boots to be a good fit for me, do you think the ride jackson boots are to stiff to start out with ?
Also looking at your board review i was pleasantly surprised to see your top pick the Salomon sight on clearance but unfortunately the only size left is a 159 which im thinking is abit big for me being 5″10 160-165 without gear
Thanks
Dave
Hi Dave
Thanks for your message.
The Jackson’s are a little bit stiffer than ideal for a beginner – more of an intermediate and up boot. But it’s not the worst option. It’s medium flexing (6/10 by Ride’s scale but maybe more like 5/10) rather than stiff flexing. Ideally I think something more around the 3/10 or 4/10 mark is best for a beginner. But they would do the job for a beginner – not quite ideal, but doable.
The Rook or Anthem are probably your best choices if you want to go for a Boa boot or the Triad is you want traditional lacing. Or the Orion, if you want a cheaper option. But if you only have the option of the Jackson, they would be doable for you.
But yeah, if Ride fits your feet well, probably a good idea to go with Ride boots – and they are well made boots too.
Yeah, unfortunately I think the 159 Sight is a bit long for you. I think the 156 or 155W (depending on your boot size) would be a better size for that board for you at the moment.
Hope this helps
Would the vans hi standard be good for all mountain freestyle? I’m thinking of pairing it with the doa.
Hi Brandon
I think the HI-Standard would be too soft flexing for the DOA. The DOA would work best with minimum medium flexing boots. Even medium-stiff would be a good match for the DOA. Even though it’s flex is medium (5/10), it’s quite an aggressive board so it needs a bit of oomph to run it, if that makes sense. Also, if you’re a beginner, the DOA wouldn’t be the best board, IMO – just because it’s not that forgiving a ride.
The Outerspace Living would be a better option for a beginner. The Hi-Standards would work better with the Outerspace Living too – even though the Outerspace Living is also a medium flex, it’s a more forgiving ride and doesn’t need the same oomph from a boot that the DOA does. That said, I think a slightly stiffer flexing boot would work better with the Outerspace Living too – but if you were going Hi-Standard, then the Outerspace Living would be a better match than the DOA – and a much better option if you’re a beginner.
Hope this helps
Hi Nate,
Thanks for your absolutely fantastic website! I’d like to ask you for advice too, if you have time.
I live in Poland and I’ve looked up the in my local stores but I couldn’t find any boots that you listed. I would like to buy a beginner boots that could last a while. Do you have an opinion on “Head Scout Pro Boa 2017”? I have tested them and they were very comfortable but I’m not sure If flex isn’t too soft.
Thanks in advance for your help.
Hi Jack
I don’t test Head gear unfortunately so I couldn’t say for sure, but based on the specs, it does look they are a very soft boot. That would be perfectly fine for learning on, especially if you know they fit your feet well – but you would likely want to upgrade them for something a little stiffer relatively quickly. This is of course assuming that they’re rating of 1/5 for flex is accurate. I usually like something 3/10 or 4/10 as a good beginner boot that will last a little bit into the future. In my head they’re 1/5 translates to a 2/10. This will be good for progressing quickly on but it’s likely that you’ll feel the need for something more responsive well before these boots are worn out.
So, you could definitely get them, and they’d be great for learning in by the sounds of it – just know that you’d likely want to upgrade relatively soon – but this is only assuming that they’re flex rating is accurate – they might be stiffer than that in reality but without having tried them it’s hard to say.
In terms of some other boots that would work for a beginner (but brands that aren’t on this list), I would say that the following would be good. Not sure if you have any of these brands in store.
~ K2 Raider (4/10 flex)
~ Ride Anthem (4/10 flex)
~ Ride Rook (4/10 flex)
~ DC Phase (3/10 flex)
There are some others from some of the brands from this top 7 that would be suitable too – but it sounds like you don’t have these brands in store?
Hope this helps
Thank you very much for your insightful explanation. Just bought Ride Rook boots that you recommended in my local store. I can’t wait to try them instead of those rental ones!
Could I ask you my last question because I’m also planning on buying my first snowboard. Do you think that Salomon Sight 162W or Pulse 162W will be okey for me? I’m 6’0″(183 cm), 205lbs (93 kg), 30 cm boots size (12 US or 46 EU). I’m definitely between beginner to intermediate, more likely a beginner. Those are the the only boards I found above 160 cm and wide that I can easily buy and aren’t very expensive.
Hi Jack
Glad you found some boots and I hope they work well for you.
The Sight and Pulse would both be good beginner options for you. In terms of length, I’d say something around 163cm for you as an advanced rider. As a beginner, it’s usually a good idea to take off a little bit of length – just makes the learning process easier – so something around 159, 160 would be ideal. 162 would be fine, as these boards are good for beginners, but just want quite be as easy to learn on as something a little shorter.
In terms of width, with US12s, you would want to be at least 260mm at the waist, and only that if you have binding angles like +15/-15. If you have a straighter back foot, then going a little wider than that is a good idea. But as a beginner you can get away with a little bit narrower as you aren’t likely to be getting right up on your edges like a more advanced rider would.
So for the Sight, the 162W is the only size that would be appropriate width-wise.
For the Pulse, you could go shorter, down to the 158W if you wanted, especially if you have +15/-15 angles typically. You could still go 162W with that board. That size would last you longer, but it will be a slightly harder learning curve.
Hope this makes sense and helps with your decision
Hey I just picked up some vans hi standard. The store I bought them at also had burton moto but came only in a 14 the question that I have is will the high standards be good for my k2 fat bob. Its a wide board and I wear a 13 size in the high standards I like them but I haven’t riden in a couple years will they work. Or should I go back and get the moto. I am intermediate aggressive downhill rider.
Hi Ant
Vans have actually really improved their reduced footprint for their 2018 line-up. So I think they will work well in that respect. I haven’t updated the scores for reduced footprint for the Vans options in this list yet, so that’s why they haven’t scored that well (they haven’t been as good in the past).
In terms of being an intermediate aggressive downhill rider, I would say something stiffer than the Hi Standard would be a better option – something stiffer than most in this list, to be honest, (maybe apart from the Aura which could work) so I don’t think the Moto would offer much more in that respect. But you could check out something from the following list if you wanted something stiffer, which would be more suited to more aggressive riding.
>>My Top All Mountain (medium-stiff flex) Snowboard Boots
Hope this helps
Hi Nate,
Was wondering if you have any boot recommendations for those with big calves (I’m talking really big calves… like ~20cm diameter)? The equipment I’d rented included boa system boots, but it didn’t work well for me as it really hurt and was way too tight on the calves and loose at the ankle area. Any advice?
Thanks !
Hi Brian
Thanks for your message.
I have never measured my calves before but this prompted me to do so! My calves aren’t overly small or overly big I don’t think but measured 37cm circumference (14.5″). Did you mean ~20″. Or did you measure differently (when I measured i used a measuring tape wrapped around the calf).
In any case, since I don’t have overly large calves I couldn’t say for sure which boots would be most suitable, but I would imagine that your best bet is to make sure you get something that has good lower and upper boot separation. There are some boots that are very independent in terms of adjusting the upper and lower parts of the boot. If you get boots like that, then you could leave your upper boot looser to accommodate your calves and tighten more around the ankles.
I don’t know for sure, but I’m guessing that the rental boots were single boa? i.e. just one boa coil that tightened the whole boot? Going with a double boa – or a speed lace boot that has upper and lower level separation or traditional laces, would be your best bet. I would avoid single boa in your case.
Hope this helps
Sorry, I had meant ~20″.
Thanks for your advice! I think I will have to stick with traditional laces to be safe…
Hi Brian
Thought that was case. Going traditional laces would be a safe call, for sure.
Hi again Nate,
I’ve narrowed down the board (Typo) and bindings (K2 Lineup or Union Contact Pro), but I have some tricky foot issues regarding boots that I’d love to get your input on.
I’ve got super narrow ankles. I thought my foot was narrow too but, I tried a couple of boots this morning and now, I’m not too sure, it might just be the ankle.
I tried a Salomon (I think it was a Dialogue) in a 9.5, which is the same size as my Salomon hiking shoes and I couldn’t even get it on. Then, I tried a 10 in the same boot and had major heel movement so, the problem wasn’t the 9.5 size, it was the fit.
I also tried a Ride Lasso, which fit nicely in a 9.5. It still had some slight heel movement but, nowhere near what the size 10 Salomons had and, I expect my narrow heels will require a jbar or heel lock anyway.
Here’s the problem though. I have a pretty nagging injury on my left instep. I broke one of the little metatarsals and it’s never fully healed, so I need to be wary of potential pressure points.
I like the idea of the Ride Triad, which has a traditional lace plus heel-locking boa. That would let me ease up on the instep area laces while still locking the heel in place so, I’ll probably try those on for size.
I just wondered if you have any thoughts on those boots or if there’s anything you’d suggest as well or instead?
Again, I’m 6’1″ and 200lbs beginner with a 9.5 boot.
Thanks again for all your help!
Hi Bruce
Yeah sounds like Ride is going to be a better fit for you. Salomon boots tend to be narrower in the toe box. Ride are medium, as are brands like Vans & K2 with the likes of Burton, Thirty Two, DC and Adidas being wider in the toe box. Though I wouldn’t look at Vans for you, just because I’ve heard they’re not great for those with high arches – which might also be an issue with your metatarsal injury. K2 might be another one to look at, as would some of the other brands. But if you’re happy with the fit of Ride boots, then that sounds like a good way to go.
The Triad is a pretty good option for beginners, and would work well with your setup, IMO. I would still try it on, if you have access to do so, as its really hard to tell what will fit well or not, without actually trying on, especially if you have particular things that you need to work for you. You could also take a look at the K2 Ender, which has a similar lacing system (though a bit pricier than the Triad).
Hope this helps
Hey Nate,
Thanks for your continued input. I had a chance to try a couple other boots on yesterday and I’m definitely leaning towards the Ride.
I tried a Thirty Two Lashed but, as you say, it was just too wide. I also tried some Vans Aura Pro’s, and I was weirdly between sizes. The 9.5 felt too big (based on heel movement), and the 9 felt too small. I could definitely feel some pressure on the instep, too but, the Boa was broken on the 9 so, I couldn’t really give it a proper test.
I also measured my foot to get the mondo size and discovered I could be closer to a 9, so I tried the Ride Lasso in a 9 and it was pretty good. My toes were just brushing the end of the liner but not the shell. For about 10 minutes, they were ok but, after about 10 minutes, I started to feel some hot spots. Maybe the Boa’s or maybe the injury, I’ll need to spend more time in them to know.
Before I commit to the Ride, I’ll see if I can track down the K2 Ender you recommended, too. I haven’t tried a K2 boot yet. I’m not overly worried about it being slightly pricier — of everything I need to buy, this is where I’d like to be certain to get it right.
Thanks again for your insights.
You’re very welcome Bruce.
Yeah toes brushing the liner is a good sign that it’s a good fit. If you’re having to bend your toes to get into them, then they’re too small, but just brushing is perfect.
Let me know what you decide on in the end.