This top 12 has been updated for the 2022-23 season.
Depending on your foot size and your snowboard’s width (or potential snowboard’s width), the best option for snowboard boots is sometimes to go for a low profile option.
This is particularly the case for anyone wanting to fit on a narrower snowboard than they otherwise could with a normal profile snowboard boot or if those who already have a snowboard that is too narrow for their boots and they are getting toe and/or heel drag in their normal profile boots.
Check out the end of this post for an explanation of what low profile means.
My Top 12
The boots below represent my top 12 low profile boots.
In order to give options for a variety of styles this list has been broken down into 4 different flex levels. The following also applies for this list:
MEDIUM-SOFT FLEX OPTIONS
LOW PROFILE BOOT #12:
Boot: Ride Anthem
- CA
- UK/EU
Flex: Medium-Soft (4/10)
Lacing System: Single BOA
Best Uses: Beginners, Beginner Park Riders, Casual All-Mountain
Starting off the list at #12, we have Ride's Anthem boots.
The Anthem's provide a good bit of footprint reduction (with the outersole being just 2.7cm longer than the mondo on the size I measured).
They are a great options for beginners and those just starting out in the park, offering a forgiving flex that's soft but not too soft. They rated #7 in my Top 10 Beginner Boots list.
LOW PROFILE BOOT #11:
Boot: Burton Moto
- CA
- UK/EU
Flex: Medium-Soft (3/10)
Lacing System: Speed Lacing
Best Uses: Beginners, Beginner Park Riders, Low Cost Playful Park/Freestyle Riding
Next up we have Burton’s Moto. The Moto is the softest flexing boot in this list and the equal cheapest (if getting the traditional lace version). It's great as a beginner boot or for playful freestyle riding.
The Moto’s are #1 in my list of the top 10 beginner boots.
You can get the Moto in either a speed lace (shown above), traditional lace or BOA version.
LOW PROFILE BOOT #10:
Boot: Vans Hi-Standard OG
- CA
- UK/EU
Flex: Medium-soft (3.5/10)
Lacing System: Traditional Lacing
Best Uses: Beginners, Beginner Park Riders, Low Cost Playful Park/Freestyle Riding
Next we have the Vans Hi-Standard OGs.
The Hi-Standard OGs are the equal lowest priced boots in this list. If you like, or are OK with, Traditional Lacing, then the Hi-Standard OG offers a great low cost, beginner boot option or for playful freestyle riding. The Hi-Standard OG are my #2 beginner boots for 2022-23.
If you'd prefer BOA, then the Vans Aura OG, is kind of like a BOA (single BOA) version of the Hi-Standard. And the Invado OG are like a traditional lace/BOA hybrid version.
MEDIUM FLEX OPTIONS
LOW PROFILE BOOT #9:
Boot: Salomon Launch Lace BOA SJ
- CA
- UK/EU
Flex: Medium (5/10)
Lacing System: Freestyle/Park, Moderate All-Mountain, All-Mountain-Freestyle
Best Uses: Freestyle, All-Mountain-Freestyle, Moderate All-Mountain
The first of our medium-flex boots, are the Salomon Launch Lace BOA.
These boots feature a hybrid trad lace/BOA system, where you get the adjustability of the traditional lacing system for the outer boot and the convenience and heel hold ability of a BOA that works on a harness around the liner of the boot around the ankle.
The Salomon Launch Lace BOA feature at #4 in my Top Freestyle Boots List
LOW PROFILE BOOT #8:
Boot: Vans Hi-Standard Pro
- CA
- UK/EU
Flex: Medium (5/10)
Lacing System: Traditional Lace
Best Uses: Freestyle/Park, Moderate All-Mountain, All-Mountain-Freestyle
Next up we have the Vans Hi-Standard Pro.
The Hi-Standard Pro are a high-quality traditional lace boot with a medium flex. In a lot of ways a traditional lace version of the Aura Pro (see #6 below).
They came in at #2 in my Top Freestyle Boots List.
LOW PROFILE BOOT #7:
Boot: Burton Swath Boa
- CA
- UK/EU
Flex: Medium (5/10)
Lacing System: Double Boa
Best Uses: Freestyle/Park, Moderate All-Mountain, All-Mountain-Freestyle
Burton’s Swath Boa boots come in next.
If you need something low profile that will be great in the park but will also handle the rest of the mountain, then the Swath Boa are a great option.
They made the #3 spot in my top 5 freestyle boots list.
LOW PROFILE BOOT #6:
Boot: Vans Aura Pro
- CA
- UK/EU
Flex: Medium (5/10)
Lacing System: Double Boa
Best Uses: Freestyle/Park, Moderate All-Mountain, All-Mountain-Freestyle
Next up we have the Vans Aura Pro.
The Aura Pro's are great all-round boots, particularly good for riding freestyle and for anyone who needs a boot that’s a little more high performance than a beginner boot, but still forgiving enough.
The Aura Pro’s are my number 1 rated freestyle boot for 2022-23
MEDIUM-STIFF FLEX OPTIONS
LOW PROFILE BOOT #5:
Boot: Burton Photon
- CA
- UK/EU
Flex: Medium-Stiff (6.5/10)
Lacing System: Speed Lace
Best Uses: All-Mountain, All-Mountain Freestyle
The first of our medium-stiff options is the Burton Photon.
They Photon, like any boot that makes this list, have a nice low profile outer boot, allowing you to potentially fit on a narrower board.
They are just a great all-round boot that works great as a do-it-all boot. They made the #9 spot in my Top 10 All-Mountain Boots.
LOW PROFILE BOOT #4:
Boot: Vans Infuse
- CA
- UK/EU
Flex: Medium Stiff (7/10)
Lacing System: Traditional Lacing with Boa
Best Uses: All-Mountain, Aggressive-All-Mountain, Freeride, More Aggressive Park/Freestyle
The Vans Infuse are unique boots in that they have removable tongue stiffeners. So whilst I’ve rated them as a 7/10 in flex here – in reality you can have them as stiff as 8/10 or as soft as 6/10, depending on whether you leave both tongue stiffeners out, have one in and one out or have both in.
That makes these boots incredibly versatile – they also get the best of both worlds from Boa and traditional lace – great adjustability and great heel hold. That plus being super comfortable (if they fit your foot well) and really responsive, makes these one of the best low profile boots going around – especially if you have multiple boards but just want one pair of boots.
They were my #2 all-mountain boots for 2022-23.
LOW PROFILE BOOT #3:
Boot: Burton Ion Boa
- CA
- UK/EU
Flex: Medium-Stiff (7.5/10)
Lacing System: Double Boa
Best Uses: All-Mountain, Aggressive-All-Mountain, Freeride
Taking a step up in flex again, we next have the Burton Ion Boa.
The Ion’s are super responsive. A great all-mountain or aggressive all-mountain option or for freeriding if you prefer something that’s not mega-stiff – there’s a bit of forgiveness.
The Ion come in both a speed lace option and a BOA option.
The Ion Boas rated #1 on my top 10 all mountain boots list for 2022-23!
STIFF FLEX OPTIONS
LOW PROFILE BOOT #2:
Boot: Thirty Two TM-TWO XLT
- CA
- UK/EU
Flex: Stiff (9/10)
Lacing System: Traditional Lace with velcro cuff
Best Uses: Aggressive-All-Mountain, Freeride
The first of our stiff boots (only 2 stiff boots here instead of 3 this year - there are 4 medium flex options earlier in this list this year).
The Thirty Two TM-TWO XLTs are the tougher, more intense older brother of the TM-TWOs.
They also feature a more rugged sole for better traction when hiking, making these great options for freeriding or bombing the groomers hard.
And, importantly to make this list, they are quite low profile too - more so than the average Thirty Two boot. They made #5 in my Top 5 Freeride Boots list this year.
LOW PROFILE BOOT #1:
Boot: Burton Driver X
- CA
- UK/EU
Flex: Stiff (9.5/10)
Lacing System: Speed Lace
Best Uses: Aggressive-All-Mountain, Freeride
Finally we have Burton’s Driver X boots. Super stiff, super responsive and with awesome reduced footprint tech.
These are my #2 freeride boots and the stiffest of the low profile boots in this list. If you like your boots stiff, and need that reduced outer-sole, then the Driver X are an awesome choice.
What Does Low Profile Mean?
Low profile (aka reduced footprint or boot shrinkage) essentially means that the outer-sole of the boot is reduced for the same equivalent inner.
For example: A low profile boot might be the same length on the outside of the boot as a regular profile boot that's half a size or even a whole size smaller. E.g. if you ride a size 11 low profile boot, it might have the length on the outside the same as a regular profile 10.5 or even 10, depending on how low profile it is.
This can allow you to ride a narrower width board than you otherwise could have in a regular length boot.
I measure all boots I test and compare the outside length of the boot to the mondoprint of the boot. I find the average difference is around 3cm, so anything under that is low profile and anything above that is bulkier than average. The smallest difference I've measured was a mere 1.5cm longer than mondo. The largest I've measured was 4.5cm over mondo. Most boots have between 2cm and 4cm difference.
Thanks for Reading
I hope this post has helped to narrow down some low profile snowboard boot options for you. Check out the links under each boot above for more info on each boot and where to buy.
For 2022-2023 there's been quite a lot of changes to this list due to Adidas bowing out of the snowboard boot game. Adidas were the lowest profile boots I had measured and for 2021-2022 had 4 options in this list. So we had to replace those with no 2023 Adidas models being available.
As mentioned earlier, if you want more options and have a particular flex or style in mind and you’re looking for a low profile boot and want more options - or if you have a boot in mind and want my opinion as to whether it’s a good option for you, just leave a comment below.
Hi Nate, thanks for this helpful post !
I currently have ID6.3 DEELUXE boots in 12 but i find it very too big. Do you think VANS Invado Og would be smaller than my DEELUXE (for the same size 12) ?
Hi Julien
Thanks for your message.
I haven’t tested or measured any Deeluze boots, so I couldn’t say for sure. But my instinct, from what I hear, is that the Invado OG would likely have a shorter length. Don’t know that it would necessarily be less bulky around the ankle area, but in terms of length of boot, I would say it’s likely to be shorter in the Vans 12 vs the Deeluxe 12. But again, having not tested or measured anything Deeluxe, I couldn’t say for sure.
Just to let you know guys cause I am looking for the new boots:
Thirty Two TM-2 XLT (Michelin sole)
Size 45.5 / US 12 / Mondo 30 / Real 33.0mm / difference 3.0cm
BURTON ION BOA 2023
Size 45 / US 12 / Mondo 30 / Real 32.4mm / difference 2.4cm
and in addition to this TM-2 felta little bit too small in comparison to ION. But You can feel TM-2 is a stiffer boot. Looks like I will choose ION for the next season.
Any ideas when Burton, Thirty Two and other brands fills their stocks, releases new collection? Because right now, most stores are out of stock and out of sizes – at least in Europe.
Hi Peter
Thanks for your message and those measurements.
Typically next season’s stock will come out some time in August or September.
And also a little update as I tried few different models:
Thirty Two TM-3XD Grenier (michelin sole)
Size 45.5 / US 12 / Mondo 30 / Real 33.0cm / difference 3.0cm
Thirty Two TM-2 Double Boa (2023)
Size 45.5 / US 12 / Mondo 30 / Real 32.5cm / difference 2.5cm
Is this moderated? I think I posted a long post, and before I make it again, I want to see if it was my connection or if this comment doesnt pop up (feel free to delete this when u moderate this)
Hi Rowan
Thanks for your message. The other one had been sent to spam for some reason, so thanks for the follow up, so I could locate it in there.
The NX2-GTs are quite stiff, so I wouldn’t say it’s the ideal combo with the Aura Pro. However, the Aura Pro are a good match to the Custom Flying V, IMO. And they are a very similar flex to the Launch, in my experience (if you’ve been riding the Launch for a while now, the new Aura Pros will likely feel a bit stiffer to start with). But yeah, given they’re a match to your board, I think they would work with the overall setup. I’m 180lbs, so you would likely feel them a little softer flexing than I did, but as I said, should feel similar flex-wise to your Launch.
Hope this helps
Hey Nate,
Just my 2c for 2022. Bought size 11us adidas tactical adv 2022. Very small footprint and still fits in the medium bindings well. Still having issue with the stitching where bottom of tongue meets boots coming away. Love those boots but wasting a lot of money on them to ride like 10times.
Tried on a heap of boots and compare sizes side by side.
Ended up with 2022 burton slx. Smaller than tm2 2022 and just a tad bigger than adidas tactical. With the actual sole length the same as adidas. It’s just how the heel bump above sole makes it a tiny bit longer side by side. Still fit my medium bindings but because of that bump in heel not quite as good as adidas in the mediums.
Apart from the foot print I’m gonna miss the shock absorption and the fit!
I’m gonna miss adidas from the snowboarding game but I’m keeping a eye out for 2019 adidas tactical because I never had a problem with them.
Let’s hope slx work well!
Cheers Nate
Tim
Cheers Tim
Always good to get your 2c – hope the SLX work out well for you. I still have my 2018 Tactical ADVs still going strong, no issues so far. They’re quality may have dropped in more recent years – or you may have gotten a dud pair. Hard to say. Will be a shame to see them drop out. They were rumored to last year as well and kept going, so hopefully just a rumor, but might be for real this time.
Unfortunately my 2020 lexicons, 2021 lexicons, and 2022 tactical advs all did it. Hopefully they sell there shrinkage tech and boost sole to another company like vibram or something.
That would be awesome, fingers crossed. Although I think they use boost in their running shoes, but maybe they can sell the rights to use it.
Hi Nate, congratulations for your reviews,nice work! I know could sound weird,but i have the opposite problem: i usually wear a size US 8 and i don’t always fit right in the bindings, or the waist widht of the board is too wide for my feet. Which brand or model is on the bulkier side? I usually wear the burton imperial,so i’m looking for a mid-stiff all mountain boots.
Hi pier
Thanks for your message.
In terms of boot to board width, going bulkier won’t help – but it could help to fit you better in bindings, like you say.
The bulkier boots (and I only measure for length – so only talking bulky in terms of length here) I’ve measured tend to be K2 and Salomon (though some of there’s now are lower profile but still not what I would call low profile).
The K2 Maysis or Ender would be good bets. Or the Salomon Dialogue (though it’s not as bulky as it used to be, but still more bulky than Burton). The last time I measured those particular boots, they were:
– Maysis: 3.2cm longer than mondo on outersole
– Ender: 3.6cm longer than mondo on outersole
– Dialogue: 3.1cm longer than mondo on outersole
Hope this helps
Yea,thank you Nate,it helps very much! Take care
You’re very welcome Pier. Happy riding!
Hi Nate!
I wanted to add a few of my thoughts as I’m pretty obsessed with footprint reduction. I wear size 13 boots with most brands so I’m always looking for the smallest footprint I can find. I also commented under your Adidas Response review but I’ll share a few more details here also.
I tried/owned and measured a few boots and below are my findings:
– Burton Ruler Boa (2021), 31 mondo, 33.6cm outersole, 2.6cm difference
– Burton SLX (2021), 31 mondo, 33.6cm outersole, 2.6cm difference
– Salomon Dialogue Dual Boa (2022), 30.5 mondo, 33.8cm outersole, 3.3cm difference
– Ride Lasso (2021), 31 mondo, 34cm outersole, 3cm difference
– Adidas Response 3MC (2022), 31 mondo, 32.9cm outersole, 1.9cm difference
– Adidas Tactical Lexicon ADV (2022), 30 mondo, 31.6cm outersole, 1.6cm difference
– Thirtytwo TM-2 (2021), 31 mondo, 32.8cm outersole, 1.8cm difference
– Thirtytwo tm-2 XLT (2022), 31 mondo, 33cm outersole, 2cm difference
The way I measure all the boots is I put them against a straight wall and put a white paper underneath. I then press a straight ruler against the front of the boot and make a mark on paper. Then I measure the length. So I get the total length from back to front. Most boots have beveled edges so if I were to measure just the part that is actually touching the ground I would get even smaller measurements.
My mind is a bit boggled about Thirtytwo TM-2 which you measured at 2.6cm difference between mondo and outersole. I measured it a lot shorter and totally comparable to Adidas which blew my mind. Also the XLT is a tad longer compared to TM-2 and I think that is mostly due to it having a vibram sole with more rubber material. Perhaps you can measure the new models again if you can get your hands on them?
Anyhow I went through 5 pairs of boots in the last year and I still haven’t found the right pair (yet). A few weeks ago I thought Adidas Response was the right boot for me but it quickly turned out to be a dissapointment. It turned out to be to wide for my feet and also became to soft and flimsy very quick. Then I found out some stitching on the inside came loose so I returned them. I also didn’t like the boa lacing and I think I’ll never buy a boa boot ever again. Then I got the Adidas Tactical Lexicon which at first seemed like a great idea but it gave me horrible toe pain on the slopes because it was just to small (only boot I rode in 30 mondo). Front of the boot is rock hard and it doesn’t want to pack out even with heat molding.
So today I bought a pair of Thirtytwo TM-2 and I’ll try wearing them for a few days and then I’ll decide if I’ll keep them or return them for the XLT. TM-2 feels great but I do feel some pressure on my pinky toes which I’m hoping will go away with packing out. The XLT felt like it had a wider toe box but that can also mean it could get to loose with packing out.
Out of all the boots I’ve tried Thirtytwo feel the most premium to me. They seem to be really well built and all the details and materials are just top notch compared to other brands I’ve tried. I have yet to try Vans boots which are also very well built as I’ve read.
Last thing I would like to mention are my overall findings with footprint reduction. I’ve read online that Burton is the leader in this category. It is not. Adidas and Thirtytwo are clearly the winners here with Thirtytwo being a much better quality IMO. I’d like to measure Vans boots also as they might be close. Ride, Salomon and Nitro (I tried and measured a pair in store) are out of the question for me as they are all just to bulky for my liking.
So these are my thoughts and I wanted to share as it may be helpfull to some. Thank you for everything you do Nate! Its very usefull to get information like this online.
Take care man!
Hi Mat
Thanks for the details. Really appreciated and super helpful to anyone looking for a reduced footprint boot.
I have found sometimes that the amount of footprint reduction can differ between sizes, so that might be part of the reason we got different numbers for the TM-2. Also, the last ones I measured were the 2020 model and looks like you measured the 2021 model. Also to note that the TM-2 were the lowest profile Thirty Two’s I’ve measured. But they do typically tend to be more low profile than average.
Hi Nate!
I agree and believe this can really be helpful and even more so for the big booted guys like myself. I think everyone can benefit from a smaller footprint but the bigfoots especially.
I also agree with you that footprint reduction can and probably does vary between sizes. It might also have something to do with outer shells of the boots. Perhaps Thirtytwo uses the same shell for mondos 30 and 31 and perhaps its the same with smaller mondos. I’d be happy if companies gave us more info on that. Would be super helpful if one could get more info before deciding to buy. In my case I have disregarded the Thirtytwo boots before just because I haven’t read anywhere online that they can be pretty reduced in footprint also. If I knew I’d try them on far sooner. Thats why I believe your work here is so precious. Perhaps you can make a mark in your reviews that footprints can vary with mondo sizes so people are more aware of it. Just a suggestion 🙂
I’m getting my TM-2s professionally molded tomorrow and also getting some custom insoles. I really and strongly hope that they’ll turn out to be the perfect fit for me so I can finally focus on riding and just enjoying the slopes without worrying about my feet problems.
If I get any more useful info I’ll def let you know 🙂
Take care!
Hey Mat
Yeah if you have anything more to add at any point, definitely add it in. Really appreciate any insights that can help people get into the right gear for them, with the least possible hassle.
And that’s a really good suggestion about adding in that reduced footprint can very by size. I’ll keep that in mind for sure.
Let us know how the TM-2s treat you! I’m in the same boat. I wear size 12-13 depending on the brand and have narrowish feet. I’m a true 12.5 but of course companies stop making half sizes after 12. I bought the Adidas Acerras in size 12, but not in love with the fit. My big toe is just a smidge too pressed against the end of the boot, and it feels just a little wide and spacy. If I were to size up to a 13, I’m sure that would relieve the pressure against the big toe but the rest of my toes would be swimming. I’m curious how your TM-2s fit compared to the Adidas?
Hi Whit!
So sorry I haven’t seen your reply earlier. Unfortunately there are no notifications for replies.
Looks like we have somewhat of the same problem except your feet are a bit on the narrow side and mine a bit on the wider.
I’m beginning to think I will never ever find a perfect boot for myself 🙁 So far I’m sticking with the Thirtytwos as they are the best out of all I’ve tried but not perfect. I really wish all the companies made 12.5 sizes. Of the ones that do I have tried Salomon (calf pain – hated the boa), Rome (horribly large footprint) and Nitro (liner to fluffy and boot bulky on the outside). I’ve not yet tried the Deeluxe. The main problem is in every single boot I’ve tried 31 was to large and 30 was to small. Seems like torture at this point 🙂
So going back to Thirtytwo. I really really like these boots overall. They are much better compared to Adidas in my opinion. Better liner, better lacing, better heel hold, much easier instep, better overall feel. The only area Adidas is better is the footprint reduction but even there Thirtytwo is close. I do however have one issue with TM-2. On my left foot the boot seems half a size to large and on my right foot its to narrow. I can deal with the first issue but the right foot goes numb all to often. I’m sorry I didn’t go with the XLT Helgasons because they felt a bit wider in the store. I’ll probably buy them next season as they’re sold out now.
Apart from that I’m also intrigued by trying out some Vanses (Infuse most likely) but I’m afraid they are to narrow to begin with.
Oh well at least I got a very decent 22 days on my TM-2s (along with some awesome pow days) but my boot saga continues 🙂
Hi, thanks for all the work that you put into your reviews and the lists. It’s all super helpful.
I recently bought a pair of 11.5 Vans Infuse boots. I have to say that I disagree with your review that they are “low profile”. These things are huge and bulky. They are quite a bit longer than my older 11.5 Burtons, and my ankle strap won’t even wrap around the boot without replacing it with a newer strap from Union. Not sure what’s going on, but I’m pretty disapointed.
Overall I love how stiff the Infuse is and all the adjustability, but would have to say they are super bulky and are not a boot you can use between different boards and bindings combinations without some changes.
Hi Joe
Thanks for your input. Appreciate the insight into the 11.5s you got.
This is based on the size 10 Vans Infuse – I haven’t measured any other sizes. For the 10s that I measured the outersole was only 2.3cm longer than the mondo of the boot. It sounds like there must be some variation between sizes.
Also just to note that this is only based on the length of the boot, for boot drag purposes, and not taking into account the ankle area of the boot. And I agree this boot isn’t “low profile” around the ankle.
Thanks for this and good to note, for those looking at similar sizes.
Hi! I appreciate all the work and time you’ve put into this site, it’s been super helpful. I’m upgrading my whole all mountain setup that I’ve had for years to something more park oriented. I’ve done lots of reading on your board and boot recommendations but still need a little help.
I ordered a lobster Eiki Pro 157 but am starting to think I should have gotten 156w. I ordered the 157 knowing I can fit in a vans aura pro size 11 and ride at 15/15 but am starting to think the board might be too small. I haven’t ordered the boots yet and am open to recommendations. I really like the boa/lace combinations but it’s not critical, I just want something that can be tightened a little more when I’m not in the park.
I guess my question is do you think I can fit on the board I ordered and what boots and bindings do you recommend? For boots I’ve considered the Vans Invado, High Standard, Aura and Ride Lasso. For bindings I’ve looked at the Union contact pro and Rome vice.
Thanks again please let me know what you think.
Hi Slug Life
Thanks for your message.
157 might be pushing it width-wise. I haven’t ridden or measured any Lobster boards, so I don’t know what the width at inserts would be versus the waist width. But assuming it’s around 262mm at the inserts, then you’re looking at a total of 5.1cm overhang (roughly 2.6cm on heel and 2.5cm on toe), with an assumption of around 31.3cm for a Vans Aura 11. With +15/-15 that gives you a little more leeway, but still borderline too narrow. If you’re not going to be doing any really big, deep carves, then you might get away with it, but if you plan on carving a bit, there’s some risk there for boot drag.
If you like that Lace/Boa combo then the Invado Pro are probably a good bet and same profile to the Aura (from the last time I measured them). The Aura too, if you were happy to go double boa. The Hi-Standard is also low-profile but from the ones I measured a little bulkier than the others (measured Aura and Invado at 2.3cm longer than mondo and Hi-Standard 2.7cm longer). The Lasso are a little stiffer. I would say Aura/Invado/Hi-Standard (all in pro models) around 5/10 flex, bordering on 5.5. The Lasso more like 6.5 bordering on 7, so for your style, I think the others would be better bets. And the Lasso I most recently measured (2021 model) was 3cm longer than mondo. Previously I had measured the 2018 model, which was only 2.3cm longer than mondo.
For bindings, I think the Contact Pro would be a really good match to the board, based on flex of the board and for your riding style. I don’t test Rome bindings, so I’m not sure about Vice.
Hope this helps
Hi Nate,
I’m a size 14 boot currently riding Burton Imperials (2018?). I love how stiff those boots are, but it’s time to replace them and I’m hoping to get something lower profile (really as low as possible). Do you think all of the boots on this list will have a lower profile than the Imperials and do you have a recommendation for the absolute lowest profile option?
Thank You,
Jake
Hi Jake
Thanks for your message.
The Imperials (at least in the 2019 and 2020 models) are quite low profile, so a lot on this list will be a similar level of low profile. The 2019 model I measured was 2.8cm longer on the outsole versus Mondo (which is below average – average is around 3cm) and the 2020 model I measured was 2.6cm more than Mondo. That’s lower than average, but not the lowest at all – however Burton do have more boot bevel than the average boot, so that makes them more low profile than their overall length suggests.
The lowest profile I’ve measured is the Adidas Acerra, which was just 1.5cm longer on the outersole versus mondo! However, unfortunately I don’t think Adidas do anything higher than a size 12.
If you wanted to go stiffer than the Imperial, then the Driver X I most recently measured was 2.2cm above mondo – and with that extra toe bevel versus the average boot, they are very low profile overall. A good bit stiffer than the Imperial though. The Vans Infuse I last measured was 2.3cm above mondo, so that would be an option – as would the Burton Ion (last I measured was 2.7cm above mondo, but with that extra toe bevel).
Hope this helps
Hello Nate!
Thank you for all your hard work you are putting in the sport we all love. I would love to know what is the difference (length wise) between the boots you are riding (Vans Aura) and some Burtons one (I have Photon)
Kind regards,
Jaka.
Hi Jaka
Thanks for you’re message.
The Photon Boa that I last measured was 2.8cm longer than the mondoprint of the boot. The Aura’s that I used to ride as my test boots (had to retire them, they had over 100 days on them!) were 2.3cm longer than their mondoprint. So the Auras a little shorter on the outersole for the same size boot. However, Burton boots do have more toe bevel on their boots, which allows a larger angle before any boot drag, so that factors into how reduced their footprint is too, so I’d say they’re probably pretty even, in terms of overall “reduced risk of toe drag”.
Hope this helps
Thanks mate!
Nate,
First, just want to say thank you for doing this research! It’s a big pain point for me in trying to get deeper and deeper turns and nipping toes and heels. I haven’t found a more comprehensive list online than the one you have compiled here. Sales reps in the shops tell me I’m crazy when I talk about the toe drag I get with size 11 boots and a wide board.
In shopping for some boots, I’m eagerly awaiting your 2020 list! Any recommendations for low profile freestyle/all-mountain stompers?
Based on your findings, I’m leaning towards some adidas. Have you found that there is a binding that fits adidas boots better than others?
Happy shredding and let it dump!
Hi Brett
Thanks for your message.
I think because you like to get really deep on your carves that a boot that’s relatively stiff is a good idea – but since you also like to ride freestyle, then not too stiff. So, I think something around 6/10, 7/10 in terms of flex. Adidas are certainly the lowest profile that I’ve measured, so if you’re really looking to reduce that footprint as much as possible, they’re a good bet. In that flex range, the Response ADV (6/10 flex) or Tactical ADV (6/10 flex as well) would be great options (depending on the lacing system you would prefer). If you wanted even more response/stiffer then the Acerra (8/10 flex) would be an option.
Outside of Adidas, the Vans Infuse (7/10 flex), Burton Ion (7.5/10 flex) or Ride Deadbolt (7/10 flex) would all work well too. Not quite as low profile as the Adidas but still some good footprint reduction.
In terms of bindings to go with Adidas boots, I’ve only ever had them in Burton bindings (my control test bindings) but i’d say any quality binding with good adjustability and they should fit fine, so long as you get the binding size right. Getting the flex close is always a good idea. So in a similar way, bindings with a 6/10 or 7/10 flex would be a good way to go. Maybe, since you like to get deep on carves, looking more at 7/10 is a good idea. Check out the following for some great options:
>>Top 5 All Mountain Bindings
>>Top 5 All-Mountain-Freeride Bindings
Hope this helps
Very helpful! Thanks Nate!
Also curious if you have had a chance to check out the new Super DOA? Looking at that and the traditional Burton Custom.
Hi Brett
Yeah I rode the Super DOA last winter. It’s pretty much like expected. A slightly stiffer DOA for the most part. I haven’t published my review of the Super DOA yet, but you can check out my review on the DOA here.
I would say the Super DOA and Burton Custom are similar in terms of aggressive carves, maybe the Custom Camber just ever so slightly better. They’re a pretty similar flex but I would say the Super DOA a little stiffer (7/10 vs 6.5/10 on the Custom Camber). They’re fairly similar in terms of performance, but have a different feel to each other. Overall, I slightly preferred the Custom Camber. But both would be suitable for what you’re describing.
Hello Nate,
Thanks for this great study ! I’m from France and it’s the only serious one I found…
I hope you can help me : I’m looking for a great boot… to be really comfortable for a whole day…
My level is quite good, I love freeride and back country, and I’m also a big flat foot with thick ankle…
So I’m looking for a good heel hold, comfort, small foot print and stiff flex..
Thanks for your advice !
Damien
Hi Damien
Thanks for your message.
Since you’re looking for a stiff flex, then something like the Burton Driver X, Ride Insano or Adidas Acerra would be great options, depending on how stiff you wanted to go. The Insano has the best heel hold of those 3, IMO followed by the Acerra, followed by the Driver X. The Acerra is the smallest footprint, followed by the Driver X, followed by the Insano. In fact the Insano isn’t as low profile in the 2020 model that I measured, so it may not make this list, once I update it, which will be shortly.
The Vans Verse is another option, which is good for flat feet. It’s also not as low profile as other Vans boots though (based on my measurements) but is stiff, comfortable and has great heel hold. And isn’t un-low-profile, but just not as much as the others here.
Hope this helps
Hey Nate,
I am looking for a new pair of boots and would like to know which has the smaller footprint between the Burton Imperials vs the Vans Aura Pro. I’m a size 11 and would like to be able to keep my toes and heels out of the snow as best as possible.
Hi Glenn
Thanks for your message.
The latest Vans Aura that I measured (2019 model) was 2.5cm longer than the mondo of the boot. The latest Impreial that I measured (2019 model) was 2.8cm longer than it’s mondo. So on that evidence the Aura Pro is a little lower profile. There’s not much in it – and in different sizes it can differ a bit too. But yeah, based on that the Vans Aura Pro.
Hope this helps
That helps excellently!
Thanks again!
You’re very welcome Glenn. Hope you have an awesome season!
Wow, what an incredibly comprehensive article, and I really appreciate the attention you give to the folks asking follow up questions!
I am an advanced/intermediate all-mountain rider w/ a 13 US Shoe. I rode ’19 season in the Ride Jackson which was only ok, softer than I prefer and I had some heel lift which was incredibly annoying. This season I am on a 20 Orca and a 19 Attack Banana, both with 26.7 waist, so I think I will be ok in any boot that would fit me at 15/12 angles.
-Is the Jackson a boot you’d classify as low-profile from the Ride line?
-Any other medium stiff/stiff double boa boots?
-When can we expect an update to this for 2020? 🙂
Thank you!!!
Hi David
Thanks for your message. An update will be coming for this for 2020 for sure, but probably not until later next month.
But in the meantime, here are some other medium-stiff double boa, low profile options:
– Ride Deadbolt – not one that I’ve ridden but if you liked the Ride Jackson, other than the softer flex of the Jackson, this is probably a good bet – rated 7/10 flex. Hard to say if you’d get a heel hold improvement or not, but I would say it would be better with the double boa vs the single boa on the Jackson.
– ThirtyTwo Binary Boa – if you wanted to try another brand. Again 7/10 flex. 32 not as low profile as ride but a little bit lower profile than the average.
And yeah I would classify the Jackson as low profile. The Jackson that I measured had an outersole that was only 2.3cm longer than the Mondo of the boot – which is well below the average.
Hope this helps
Helps a lot!! I may go with the Vans Infuse this year, but not a huge fan of laces.
Thank you for the recs and looking forward to the 2020 post!
You’re very welcome David. Infuse are quality boots, if you can get past the lacing. And it does have the boa for locking down the heel.
Hey Nate – your comments/reviews/thoughts on the Ride Lasso 19 or 20 boot would be great – the level of heel hold, the stiffness, and how low profile it really is. Thanks!!
Hi David
Thanks for your message.
The Lasso that I last measured (2018 model) was 2.3cm longer on the outersole than it’s stated mondo. This is really quite low profile, IMO. The average is around 3cm longer than mondo. Adidas, which I have found to be the lowest profile average around 2cm longer than mondo, with the shortest I measured being only 1.5cm longer than mondo. But 2.3cm longer, is well below the average.
Flex: I felt them at around 6/10 – just on the stiffer side of medium. But a couple of things to keep in mind. That flex will feel different depending on rider weight (I’m 185lbs) and I don’t have the boots that long, so this doesn’t take into account how much softer they will get and how quickly they’ll start to soften up.
Heel Hold: As with most double boa boots, I found the Lasso to have really good heel hold – I’d say 4.5/5. One of the better boots for heel hold out there, IMO. Again, disclaimer – everyone’s feet/ankles are different, so no guarantees you’ll get the same feel from them, but that’s what I got from them. I have relatively skinny ankles and do tend to find issues with heel hold in some boots.
Hope this helps
Hi Nate,
Annoyingly i live nowhere near a shop to compare boots myself. But I’d the like to hear your thoughts on the 32 TM3’s (I own a pair now, US13). My foot length is 30.5cm and the overall sole length is 34.5cm. But the toe and heel curve up quite a lot, so the length of sole that’s actually in contact with the ground is only 30cm.
Does this count as reduced footprint, seeing as the curve-ups would mean you’d be able to angle your board a bit more without contacting the ground?
Annoyingly I have a very wide food, hence going for 32’s over Adidas.
Hi Harry
Thanks for your message.
Certainly the more a boot curves towards the toe and heel, the more angle you get and that certainly helps with any drag issues. Most boots do have some kind of bevel like that. Just that some have more than others. I don’t really take this into account – and the main reason is that it’s tricky. Ideally I would but I haven’t worked out a reliable way to measure this just yet. I would say 34cm for a 13 is about average for a snowboard boot. Not overly long and not overly low profile, based purely on length.
If you want to measure the angles and see what it’s looking like, check out:
>>Picking the Best Width of a Snowboard Using Angles
I don’t have wide feet, but from what I know Adidas boots typically have a pretty wide toe box. You can learn more below:
Wide Snowboard Boots for Wide Feet
Sizing Snowboard Boots: The Different Brands\
Hope this helps
Hi Nate
Thank you for the information on low profile boots. You are the snowboard guru and may be my only hope to solve my board/boot problem.
I am going to get a snowboard with length of 138~141 cm because I’m short, light, and new. However, my boot size is relatively big at women’s US 7 if not 7.5. The waist of boards in my length range is usually around 231 mm which is too narrow for my boot size. I wonder if you can recommend any women’s size 7 low profile boots that works with a 231 mm waist board? (p.s. I would like to have medium or medium soft flex.)
Wish you a wonderful riding day
Hi Lysa
Thanks for your message.
For most boards with a 231mm waist, I’d say you would be fine with most size 7 boots. Some boards are wider or narrower at the inserts compared to the waist, so it would partly depend on the board, but for most, you should be fine.
Of the Womnen’s boots that I’ve measured Vans were the lowest profile, followed by Ride, followed by Burton. But even for boots with a much larger outersole, if you look at a board with a 231mm waist, the width at inserts is likely to be at least 6mm wider. I’ve measured some boot with as much as 4.5cm larger on the outersole compared to the mondo-print. But that’s the longest. Even in that scenario the boot is likely to be around 28.5cm long (mondo of 24cm for a size 7 and adding 4.5cm). So, with a board that’s 23.7cm at the inserts, you’re likely to have total overhang (assuming a straight back binding angle) of 4.8cm (2.4cm toe and 2.4cm heel, if boots completely centered). This is maybe a little more than ideal, but not excessive by any means and fine for most riders.
But if you take something like the Vans Encore OG (which would be a great beginner boot, IMO) which has a 2.8cm difference between Mondo and outersole. Then you’re looking at max total overhang of 3.1cm (assuming a straight back binding angle and a board with a relatively small difference between waist and inserts). With that and I would be very impressed if you got boot drag!
And with more angle on your bindings and with a bigger difference between waist and inserts, you would get even more leeway. So, IMO, for most setups 7s should be fine on a 231mm waisted board – but if you’re really worried or end up in a 7.5, look at Vans, Ride, Burton boots. For Vans the Women’s Hi-Standard OG and Encore OG would be great options. For Burton, the Mint and for Ride the Harper or Sage.
Hope this help with your decision (and sorry if I got a bit technical there!).
Nate
You are super.
I actually made a trip to a ski shop today and tried on all three brands of boots that shop carried. Without reading your reply first, I found out Ride had significantly smaller footprint in comparison to K2 and Flow for the same size 7 boots. (Luckily for me, size 7 fits.) I then grabbed a Ride Sage boot to put on an Arbor Ethos 138 cm (231 mm waist) to check overhang. I was happy to see there was only roughly 2 cm overhang on each side, so size 7 Sage would work. It’s just too bad Ride Sage couldn’t hold my heel in place.
When I got home, I was excited to see your reply. You just confirmed my finding, so I knew I wasn’t seeing things wrong at the shop. Lol. Moreover, your additional information on Vans and Burton came in handy. That gave me more possible options finding a pair of boots that fit both me and the board right. I’m so grateful you are here offering your expertise to guide me through boot shopping. I will go try on Vans and Burton when I get a chance to. Wish me luck!
You’re very welcome Lysa – and good luck! Let me know what you find.
Good Morning Nate,
very good top, congratulations.
I’m in a small dilemma …
I just bought a Trans LTD 157MW board with a waist width of 256mm. I have measured the width of the board on the inserts and it is 268mm. I was thinking about buying Burton Moto BOA 2020 boots in size 10.5, my foot measures 285mm. I estimate that the length of the sole of the boot will be 310mm so I would be left with a total of 42mm, am I right?
I have thought to configure the fixations with angles of + 18º and -9º approximately, I suppose that I will spare 20mm for each side, this if my calculations are correct …
I am afraid that it is too much and I was thinking about returning this board and choosing one of these:
Rome Mechanic 157W with a waist of 264mm
K2 Standard 159W with a waist of 265mm
Could you give me your opinion?
Thank you.
Hi Jesús
Thanks for your message.
With Burton Moto 10.5s, the width of your board is fine, IMO. There shouldn’t be any overhang issues. I’d say you would even get Moto 11s on that. 20mm per side overhang is about ideal. You don’t need to worry about drag with that board, IMO.
Hope this helps
Hi Nate!
Quick question, Are the Burton Ruler Double Boa considered Low Profile boots as-well.
Also, I don’t know if you are aware of the Union Falcor Bindings, but I am having a difficult time choosing a Medium Falcor Bindings against a Large Bindings. I have the Burton Ruler Double Boa Boots Size 10.5 and I just don’t know if I should get a medium or a Large.
Any advice is appreciated, Thanks!
Hi Utha
Thanks for your message.
Yeah the Rulers should also be low profile, most Burton boots are. I haven’t measured the Ruler Boa, but I’ve measured the regular Boa which is 2.7cm longer than it’s mondo (which is pretty good).
For the Falcors, I would try to get in the mediums if you can – and I don’t think you’ll have any problems with 10.5 Burtons in the Medium.
Hope this helps
Hi Nate!
I have a open question, is possible you put the models with more low profile, like.
A whole size down: Example: adidas tactical and adidas etc
A 3/4 of size: Example vans X or Burton X.
I’m my case is for medium flex, like 5 to 6. Thanks Nate
Hi RST
Thanks for your message.
From what I’ve measured Adidas tends to be only around 2cm, on average, larger in length, than the mondoprint of the boot. So for a size US10 boot which has a mondo of 28cm, then an Adidas boot on average is around 30cm (I say on average because each boot in the Adidas line are slightly different. The Tactical ADV that I’ve measured was just 1.7cm longer than the mondo. And the Acerra that I measured was only 1.5cm longer. But the Superstar was 2.7cm longer. I use 3cm over the Mondo as a “typical” sized boot. Since each half-size is 0.5cm in terms of mondo, then I would say Adidas is around 1 size smaller, in some cases even a little more. For the Response and Tactical ADV (6/10 flex) – the Response I measured was 2.1cm longer than mondo and the Tactical ADV was 1.7cm longer. So almost a whole size for the Response and 1 1/4 sizes for the Tactical ADV.
For Vans the Aura Pro (5/10 flex) and Infuse (7/10 but you can adjust the flex a little softer) I measured (for both) at 2.3cm over the mondo – so almost 3/4 size smaller. The Vans Hi-Standard Pro is another that’s around 5/10 flex.
Burton tend to be slightly longer than Vans, more like 2.5 o 2.7, but they have more toe bevel – so angle wise work out similar. Even though maybe only a quarter to half size shorter, they give you as much leeway as Vans, IMO. The likes of the Swath Boa (5/10 flex), Ruler (5/10 flex) and Imperial (6/10 flex).
Ride tend to be about around 1/2 a size smaller too. Ride The 92 (6/10 flex), Ride Lasso (6/10 flex). Ride Jackson (5/10 flex).
Hope this helps
Excelent Nate!!! Thanks a lot!
Hello Nate, first of all thanks for all the great info! I just have one question…
I have a size 11.5US boot the VANS AURA PRO. I just purchased the Lib Tech Skate Banana 2019 156 with a 255 waist. I feel like I’m at the border line with this set up. I also purchased the Union Force bindings Large. I haven’t received it yet so haven’t been able to test it out but wanted to get your thoughts on that set up.
I’m a beg-intermediate rider. I don’t expect to be doing anything close to euro carves anytime soon. Do you think I’m in danger of toe or heel drag with this set up for regular riding? I would probably do a -15 and -15 set up.
Really appreciate your help!
Hi Justin
Thanks for your message.
It could be pushing it for being too narrow for your boots. You do have a couple of things in your favor though. Firstly, you have low profile boots, so you could pretty safely assume they’re more like 11s. You’re riding +15/-15 angles which helps too. That plus the fact that you aren’t necessarily going to be railing your carves just yet, are all in your favor for fitting on that board with 11.5s. One thing going against you is that Lib Tech boards typically don’t have a lot of difference between their width at the waist and the width at the inserts. I haven’t measured the Skate Banana specifically but based on other Lib Tech boards, I would imagine that the width at inserts is probably around 262mm, at a guess. That would likely mean a 5.6cm total overhang (based on an estimation of your boot’s length), if you were going straight across the board – so 2.8cm heel edge and 2.8cm toe edge (assuming perfect centering). A little less because you are riding +15/-15 angles. I have ridden boards with similar overhang (but would center my boots so that there was more like 3cm heel and 2.6cm toe – again, a little less with +15/-15 angles).
Those are just estimations, but you might get away with it, if you aren’t going to be seriously railing any turns. I think going 156W would have been a safer bet, but you do have some things in your favor there.
I am perhaps more concerned about the binding overhang though. Ideally you don’t want any binding overhang. Union bindings tend to be a little longer in the baseplate. I ride Mediums so I haven’t measured the large Force, but the Medium Force is 24.4cm on the top of the footbed. The Medium Contact Pro is 24cm along the footbed and the Large Contact Pro is 26.5cm along the footbed. So, if the Large Force is around 26.5cm or perhaps a bit more since the medium is a little longer than the Medium contact pro, then you might get a little overhang of the bindings. The Force does angle down from the top of the footbed to the baseplate (kind of like a boat) – so the longest part is higher up, which gives you a bit more leeway. So you might be OK there. But it will be pushing it, I would imagine. I would be interested to hear how it looks, once your gear arrives. Again, on the 156W the bindings would have also been a better fit, I would imagine.
Hope this helps
Thanks for the thorough reply Nate! This helps a lot. I will give you an update once I get everything set up.
Cheers!
Hey Nate! I gotta say man… You were right on the money.
I received my board and bindings and I set it on top to measure everything out. I did rough measurements but the one thing I noticed right away was that my bindings did stick out just a tad. I’d say about 1CM maybe a little less. You guessed the inserts were probably around 262 and you were right on… Maybe about 261. The boots were about a total 5CM over (2CM toe and 3CM heel). I can live with that but the bindings were a bigger concern of mine.
So ultimately… I decided to go with a 159W which has a waist of 265. I wanted to stay at 156 length but I felt like 3CM wouldnt be too bad for me. I’m 6’2″ and 175 pounds with 11.5 boots so I think 159W Lib Tech board will be a good fit for me and as I’m still learning right now I feel like I can grow into this board without worrying about toe or heel drag if I end up carving it up like the advanced riders :).
I hope you agree I made the right choice! I really appreciate your expertise on this Nate! It’s crazy how accurate you were.
Take care!
Hi Justin
Good to know my predictions were fairly accurate!
I think the 159W is a good size for you, both length and width-wise, so a good call there, I reckon.
Hope the new board treats you well, and that you have an awesome season!
Hi Nate,
Hoping you can help a mum out! I really need your help and am so happy to have stumbled on your site. I don’t snowboard but my Charlie son does. He is 14, 6’’1 and a size 13 shoe. He is an intermediate snowboarder who likes to do jumps as well as groomed runs. I think his feet have stopped growing so want to buy him a pair of boots. The ones we rent for him hang over his board so I have seen your posts and believe he needs a low profile boot. I am happy to spend around $300 for his birthday present but have no idea what to get and, to be honest, neither does he. He want the Boa type that twist closed. What would you recommend?
Hi Hannah
Thanks for your message.
Yeah, with 13s, always a good idea to go low profile. Some over hang is good (if the boots don’t overhang at all then it’s likely that his feet will be too far inside the edges, which means not as good in terms of leverage – but too much overhang can lead to boot drag) but not too much. And there is no disadvantage to going low profile (as the leverage ultimately comes from the feet and not the boot). So with larger boots, it’s always a good idea to go low profile, IMO.
Since he’s an intermediate rider, I wouldn’t go too soft in terms of flex, so he gets good performance, but also not too stiff, so they’re not too difficult to ride and also to give some forgiveness for jumps.
All of that plus something with BOA, I would look at the following:
~ Vans Aura Pro
~ Adidas Response (a little over $300 though)
~ Burton Ruler Boa
Those would be my top 3 picks for what you’re describing – also the Burton Swath Boa, but that’s a bit more expensive.
Hope this helps
Nick,
Great advice, saves me so much time. If you ever need tips on surfing equipment feel free to hit me up! I’m thin built with narrow ankles so heel lift is always a problem, especially when I have to size up the boot for my long feet. The lasso and photon are great options and I am leaning towards the photon due to more stiffness (which I equate to less risk of heel lift), but in the end it’ll come down to comfort and fitment in general. There’s a slight chance I can fit in a 14 with my big toe just brushing but I’ll need to find an online retailer with a good return policy to test it. Local shops never stock my size. Do you know if the Ride and Burton brands run the same sizing wise, or does one run smaller or larger?
I also have a binding question for you but I’ll post it up on your binding sizing guide so it’s not out of place.
Thanks,
Paxton
Hi Paxton
You’re very welcome.
Toes just brushing the end is OK, so long as there’s no real pressure there, so you might fit into a 14. But yeah, definitely find a retailer that has easy returns (most major ones, e.g. REI, evo, backcountry etc have good return policies – just make sure you leave all the labels intact, basically as long as they are in the same state as when you received them, they should be easy to return), so you can try on and return if it doesn’t work. And yeah definitely the right fit is the most important factor.
Check out the following for boot fit and sizing and sizing/fit for different brands:
>>How to Size Snowboard Boots
Sizing Snowboard Boots: The Different Brands
Hi Nate,
I have a tough one for you. Advanced surfer, skater and snowboarder here just getting back on the mountain after a long break. I’m looking for a low profile boot in size 15. Stiff flex preferred. The thought of reducing the outer profile to a size 14 equivalent sounds wonderful, my bindings will be happy.
Thanks,
Pax
Hi Paxton
Thanks for your message.
I would look into the Burton Photon Boa as a good low profile, stiff flexing option. The Ride Lasso also comes in a 15 and is low profile, but it’s more mid-flexing. I would look into the Photon Boa and see if you can find that in a 15.
Hope this helps
It was the bottom of the boot that didn t made contact with the heelcup, because the top of it stopped in the highback and if i put an angle in the highback it would make things worse, the heels would hang out very little and the toes alot.
I just bought Ride deadbolt boots 2019 with 10% discount from a local shop and they fit extremely well in the binding, and they seems to fit well, just my big toe is pushing just a little bit more inside while staying straight, but flexed it s ok and i think they would pack out, maybe the driver X would have been too much and too stiff for me at my level even though i m looking for freeriding and steep black/double black diamond slopes, i should be fine in these for 2 3 seasons with their 7/10 flex. Thank you for all your support and help for choosing my board, bindings and boots, you re really a great guy and you re doing a great job with your reviews on the website and answering questions helping others. Happy shredding Nate.
Hi Lucian
You’re very welcome – and thanks for the update. Yeah, it sounds like it didn’t fit right for you. Hope the Deadbolts work well for you. If you think of it at the time, I would be interested to hear what you think of them once you’ve had a chance to test them for a bit. Happy shredding!
It seems that bad luck keeps following me, i tried the boots at home for longer and they were too small, when standing straight my big toe didn t just brush the boot but was against it quite heavy and after 20 30 mins in started to hurt so i went to the shop and changed them to 10,5 US / 44 EU and the re good, i tought 10 is 43, 10,5 is 43,5 but Ride rate their boots 10 as a 43,5 and 10,5 44, which one you think is more accurate? Given that my M union binding is up to 10 US / 43 EU, the boot fits but i don t like to contradict the recomandations so i don t know if i should change them to an L size. Is the base plate longer too or just the width ? and would that give me an advantage or disadvantage ? the smaller had minimal toe heel drag which i like alot, now i added 5mm and i measured it hang out 2cm so i think it looks ok, but if i would change my t rice for the hot knife it would be even more being narrower, and to make things worse my left boot has a problem on the upper BOA sistem, it doesn t get tight evenly, only on the right side and when tighting the togue goes to the right and i have to return them again.
Hi Lucian
Different brands translate differently between US and European sizes. Would be nice to have universal sizings but that’s what we’ve got to deal with.
If the boots fit in Medium Union bindings, then I would stick with medium. Union actually used to rate their mediums to 11 but changed that a couple of years back – for a lot of boots 10.5 is fine for Medium Union bindings. Some boots with a longer profile might not fit as well, which is possibly why they changed their sizings.
The baseplate on Large Union bindings is longer, and they’re longer than a lot of other brands bindings. The advantage of having a longer baseplate is that you get more leverage on the edges, but if it’s too long, then the baseplate can overhang, which can cause issues. If your boot is fitting fine with M, then I would stick with M if I was you.
2cm overhang should be fine, IMO.
I forgot to say that the above was happening with the heel cup pushed backwards at maximum and the highback as straight as it gets, so if i put an angle on the highback which i like too, then the boot will place even further in the binding as it will stop in the highback.
Hey
Thanks for the extra detail. I didn’t read this before my last comment. Sounds like they’re not fitting that well. I’m never like overly concerned about the high part of the highback aligning perfectly with the high part of the boot – as long as the heel sits flush. But if I can’t have the boot centered, I prefer to have more overhang on the heel than the toe – as toe drag is much more likely than heel drag.
I tried again the burtons, the driver X and i liked them, with only a bit of heel lift but the guy at the shop said he would put some J bars on them for free but they fit me in 10.5 US / 43.5 EU and my union falcors are M, width wise they fit well into the binding but i feel they are too straight, they don t have forward lean or are too big for my binding and they dont go backwards enough into the heel cup, it stops at the top at the highback and the boot would hang more on the toe side than on the heel, is this normal ? ok ? doable ? should i flex the boot before straping in and force them backwards in the binding? would there be an issue with that? i put the nidecker hylite in the binding and they fit extremely well, they have 3 degree forward lean too and fit perfectly into the binding but i feel them a bit soft despite having a flex of 9 and the driver X might be a bit stiffer i don t know, these are the only two boots that i found in my city to fit me 90% well.
Hi Lucian
With the Falcor you can adjust the heel cup to center your boot for even heel and toe overhang. Unless you’re already at the heel cup position that’s the furthest back, then you might have to live with that. If the boot isn’t sitting into the back of the heel cup properly, that’s likely also something would be contributing to more toe overhang. Is it the bottom of the boot or just the top of the boot that doesn’t sit in there properly? Not ideal if the boot doesn’t sit all the way back into the heel cup.
You can also adjust the highback lean on the Falcor, so you could play with that to get a better fit there.
One issue with forcing the boot into the heel cup, is that you could cause the boot damage over time.
The Driver X is one of, if not the stiffest snowboard boot (as far as softboots go – as opposed to hardboots (which are more like skiboots)).
Typically I would think that a 10.5 Burton boot should fit OK into an M Union binding – but it does depend on the boot. But you may be able to make some adjustments for a better fit. The not fitting into the heel cup is the biggest concern, IMO.
Hi Nate, i know you have a size 10 foot like me, did you fit well in burton boots size 10? because i have a hard time finding boots, i tried a few brand and i fit well in size 10, but in burtons i fit in 10.5 11 boots and i didn t like the IONs, they were very uncomfortable, have you head of Hylite boots? i think they were flow or nidecker, i liked how the fit, comfortable and stiff 8/10 but 450 500$ too expensive.
Hi Lucian
Burton boots fit me well in a 10. Like I said in a previous comment, everyone’s feet are different and different boots fit better of worse depending. I found the Ion to be extremely comfortable. But if your foot, which usually fits a 10, can’t fit into a 10 in Burton boots, then it’s likely they don’t fit you well, so doesn’t surprise me that you didn’t find them comfortable.
If you found the Hylite to fit you well, then maybe something Nidecker would suit you. If the Hylite is too expensive, then maybe something like the Helios – which still looks like it’s quite stiff, but cheaper. I haven’t tested any Nicecker boots, but if the flex suits you and they fit well, then that’s 2 of the main things taken care of. I’m not sure about their profile though.
Hope this helps
Hi. Great post. Do you know if Adidas drastically change their Superstars from last seasons model? I bought them last year and feel like they’re HUGE!! Like moonboots lol. Need to know before I etart shopping whether I should even bother looking. Wish I had waited if so.
Hi Matt
Thanks for your message.
Compared to other Adidas Boots, the Superstars are the least low-profile. But still not bad. On average (of the Adidas boots I’ve measured) they are usually only 2cm longer than their mondo-print, which is the lowest profile I have measured. The Superstars that I measured though were 2.7cm longer than the mondo-print. But that’s still lower than the average. But not as low profile as other Adidas boots. Taking the Superstar out of the equation and the average Adidas boot is only 1.85cm longer than their mondo, which is really good. So, in that sense the Superstars aren’t as good, but still (from what I measured) low profile compared to the average boot.
But thanks for drawing my attention to this, as I just automatically gave them a 5/5 for being low profile, when they should be more like 4/5, so I can go and correct that now.
Out of curiosity, how do your Superstars measure, compared to the mondo-print? I measure by placing the boots heel against something solid and placing a ruler underneath and then use a square against the longest point on the toe to take the measurement off the ruler (I use the square so that it doesn’t angle down or away from the toe).
Hope this helps
Hi
Have you tried Ride Fuse?
Just got a pair, and it’s extremely Bulky
I thought Ride’s footprint reduction is top of the industry. But it seems like it only applies to Trident, Insano, Anthem. Which most of the website did reviews on.
I my current boot is Burton Ion Asian fit size us8.5,
Because there’s no wide specific model in Ride’s line so I got us9 Fuse.
The sole about an inch longer than Ion, and 1cm longer than my friend’s Burton Ruler us10.
P.S Not complaining, just sharing info with people who might think Ride is an option for reduced footprint.
Hi Aaron
Thanks for sharing. That’s very helpful. I haven’t tested or measured the Fuse so it’s good to know.
Yeah, footprint reduction really varies. Typically if a brand is good with it, then most of the their boots will be but not always. The other thing that can vary is that different sizes of the same boot can vary for how low profile they are. E.g. I measured a 2019 Ride Lasso in a size 8 which was 3.2cm longer on the outersole compared to Mondoprint. Then I measured the same boot in a size 12 and it was only 2.3cm longer on the outersole, compared to the mondoprint. So it might be the case that Ride don’t reduce the footprint on their smaller sizes, even though you would think it would be universal across the sizes. Another one I tested which had a huge difference in sizes was the Insano. In an 8 the outersole was 3.5cm above the Mondo and in the 9 (just 2 sizes up) it was just 2.7cm above Mondo. Essentially the size 9 that I measured was only 0.1cm longer than the size 8, even though the Mondo was 1cm longer. I’m not claiming that my measuring was 100% accurate but even with room for error, that’s a big difference.
Finally, I wouldn’t say that ride are the top of the industry. Burton, Vans and Adidas tend to be above them, in my experience, but they are up there for most boots.
Thanks for sharing about the Fuse. That’s good to know.
Hi Nate,
I’m coming back to snowboarding after many years away and I’m trying to figure out waist size. I’m 6’1 160, 12 US shoe size. Not sure about angles but I think I used to go a bit forward, if that makes sense. I ride freeride, some powder no park really. I was pretty good for a teenager almost twenty years ago, rode all the time from age 7-16. Any help would be much appreciated.
Thanks,
Jon
Hi Jon
If you go with something low profile – and assuming something like a +3 angles on your back foot, then I think you should be able to go as narrow as around 262mm at the waist. This is a rough estimate, as the waist at inserts differs depending on the board. e.g. one board might have a 260mm waist and a 272mm width at inserts and another with a 264mm waist might be more like 270mm at the inserts. So there’s some variability there. But I think with low profile boots, you should be safe for most boards, at most binding angles with a 262mm waist.
Hope this helps
Hey Nate,
Yeah, it helps… I’m just looking at this board someone’s selling that I really like. Do you know the Black Creek, by Kindred, made on the island? It’s a 158 with a 253 waist and I’m thinking it’s narrow but possibly not too narrow. I just picked up some US11 Ride Jacksons and they’ll hang over a good little bit even at +15/+15 or something. I’m getting in way over my head! I used to never think about these things twenty years ago as a kid. I rode a Never board that was taller than I was when I got it and I wore these awesome Airwalks that I wish were still around.
Appreciate the advice!
Jon
Hi Jon
I think you’d be close to sneaking on that width-wise, given that you got into 11s, but it would be pushing it. I wouldn’t personally risk it. I would want to go a little wider. I have no experience or knowledge with Kindred boards, so I have no idea how wide they tend to be at the inserts compared to the waist, either.
thanks a lot dude.
Hey Nate,
I have boot size 11,5 US and was wondering if any of those boots listed above would work for me in combination with a normal board (It would be the Yes Jackpot 2017 156).
Or should I consider getting a wide board?
Thanks
Hi Jake
With low profile boots and binding angles something like +15/-15 (i.e. a decent angle on the back foot), then you might just get away with it. However, you’d still be pushing it even then. To be on the safe side, I’d say that low profile boots save you half a size – so 11.5s in a low profile would be like 11s. I think the 156W is a better option for you – and it’s not actually overly wide – so I think that would work. In fact with non-low-profile boots and a straighter back binding angle, even the 156W would be too narrow for you. But with reasonable angle on your bindings and low profile boots, the 258mm waist width on the 156W would be just right for you, IMO.
That’s just based no width though of course, I take it you’ve got your length sorted already? But if you want a length recommendation, if you could let me know your height, weight, ability and riding style (and size of your current board if you have one). But if you’re just looking to get width sorted then 156W, IMO.
Hope this helps
Hi Nate,
I replied – but the message hasn’t gone through it seems.
Thanks for your response.
Ok, that’s good to hear. I would say its more an inch of overhang on both sides. I was just concerned that it may be hindering my performance without properly realizing it. I drew this conclusion from not being overly impressed with the K2 Fastplant. Don’t get me wrong its a solid board, but I was expecting great things & it didn’t shoot the lights out for me. So I thought it may be due to an incorrect stance / or overhang issue. Having size 11 (uk) this is always on my mind.
What is the ideal overhang in your opinion?
Also on a side note, I’ve read all your other snowboarding reviews, specifically on all-mountain & all mountain / freestyle decks.
If your style or preferred riding, is to cruise down the mountain & hit natural jumps / rollers – butter a lot + spend a significant time in the park… what board would be your ultimate no.1 ? The Yes – Standard or the Never Summer – Type Two?
Also whats your take on the Nitro – T1 ? I know this is more of a freestyle deck, but I’ve heard really good things. Its been a consistent Good Wood winner..
Thanks
Hi Marc
I got your last response, just that it needed to be moderated.
I would say ideally, to be on the safe side, something like a 3/4″ overhang on both toe and heel (so total of 1 1/2″ of overhang between the two) would be ideal. But usually up to 1″ on each toe and heel should be fine. But if you’re really railing those edges, then certainly toe drag starts to become an issue at around that 1″ overhang – but ofcourse it depends on other things too – like boot bevel, so an exact number is hard to identify.
What binding angles do you ride. If you’ve got quite a straight back foot, that could definitely cause more overhang. Is this overhang the same on both back and front foot? Or is it worse on the back foot?
In terms of something all-mountain-freestyle, I would personally say that the YES Greats and the Never Summer Proto Type Two are my two favorite – different feel to the boards but both great in their own ways. I’d say there’s nothing between them in terms of performance – but I’d say that the main difference is that the Greats is stronger when it comes to quick tight turns and the Proto Type Two is better for wider arcing turns – that’s not to say that either they’re bad at the other – but that’s the main difference in feel, for me.
So, I find it hard to choose, because in some situations, I would prefer the Greats and in others the Proto Type Two – but I would take either in any situation for sure.
I don’t currently test Nitro gear, so I couldn’t say anything about the T1 – but I have heard good things, also – it’s a much talked about board.
Hope this helps
Hey Nate,
Really enjoy all your posts, I find them extremely insightful. Are you preparing one for the 2017/2018 season?
I have Burton Concords (16/17) U.K 11 – Would you considered these boots as ‘Low Profile’? They seem massive. I ride a K2 Fast Plant 159W & still have quite bit of overhang.
I’m trying to work out if buying one of the boots mentioned above will make a difference in size / profile compared to my existing boots.
Thanks
Hi Marc
Thanks for your message.
This one is on the list to be updated for the 2017/18 season, but will still be a couple of weeks away I would say.
Definitely surprised that you’re getting a lot of overhang on your 159W Fastplant. Burton boots usually have good reduced footprint, Concords no exception.
Are you getting any toe or heel drag when you’re riding. A bit of overhang is actually a good thing (it means that your toes are close to the edges) but yeah, if it’s too much and causing drag, then obviously that’s a problem. Have you measured how much overhang there is?
Thanks for the response Nate.
I would say its about an inch both ways (toe & heel). Is this considered normal? I was just concerned this way hindering my performance without properly realizing it. I base this on not being overly stoked with the K2 fast plant. So I was beginning to wonder it has something to with an incorrect stance / overhang issue. I mean don’t get me wrong its a very solid good board but it didn’t shoot the lights out for me.
This leads me to a separate query. I’ve been reading all your reviews on snowboards, specifically all mountain / freestyle decks. If you had to choose one (all mountain / freestyle) – provided you like to crave hit natural kickers / rollers, butter + spend quite a bit of the time in the park. What board would it be? Yes – Standard or Never Summer – Type Two ? Also whats your take on the Nitro – T1 (2018) ? Would you consider this on the same level as the two mentioned above? I know thats more of a park / freestyle board but heard very good things.
Sorry for the thousands of questions – just really value your input.
Thanks man!!!
Hey, really interesting read thank you.
My question is about women’s boots which I see already you have said there is not such a focus on low profile women’s boots. I have been borrowing a pair of Nikes size 275 but by the end of the day my toes really hurt and after a few days one of my nails was going dark. I think really I need 280. Not too many women’s boots go up to this size I’m happy to look at men’s/unisex. I have quite slim feet and I feel like I’m also getting heal lift in the Nikes. I am also concerned that if I get bigger boots they will be too big to ride a women’s board? Any suggestions would be great. Thanks
P.S sorry if this message appears twice the first post didn’t seem to send.
Hi thanks for the great post. I’m trying to decide on my first pair of boots I’m a bit of an awkward customer I think. I’ve been borrowing a pair of nikes which I think our too small mono size 27.5 after wearing them for a few hours my toes hurt I also think I’m getting heal lift. I think I might need a mondo size of 28 which is a uk 9 not too many women’s boots go to this size but I’m happy to look at men’s/unisex I also have quite slim feet. I’m looking at low profile to avoid overhang when using women’s boards.
Thanks.
Hi Rachel
Thanks for your message.
In terms of heel hold, which is often an issue for people with slim feet and/or ankles I’d say go with something with a double boa lacing system. I’ve had issues with too much heel lift from boots in the past and I find that double boas do the best job of holding my heel down.
Usually I wouldn’t recommend going with men’s boots when there’s an option because sometimes they don’t fit as well on women’s feet – but I have heard from some that men’s boots fit them just fine – so it can work. If you have limited options for women’s boots, then definitely men’s boots are an option but if you can try them on, that would help.
Definitely a good idea to go low profile. If you stick with either Adidas, Burton or Ride, that’s your best bet in my opinion. Those brands have the best reduced footprint at the moment – with Adidas being the most.
So Double Boa Adidas, Burton or Ride boots would be my suggestion.
If you can try them on first, then that’s the best way to go of course, but if you’re buying online another option is to order a few different pairs and return the ones that you don’t want. Of course, make sure that you get them from a store with a return policy that will allow you to do this.
Thanks for your reply that’s really helpful I will look into these makes, and a Double Boa.
You’re very welcome Rachel. I hope you find something suitable.
Hi Nate, Great review.
I’m a big fan of my old Salomon F24s, which are unsurprisingly now falling apart. I’ve always liked the stiffness, great salomon fit for my foot shape and integrated liner, so I had planned to simply get a new pair of the F4.0s to replace them this year.
Taking a look at the Salomon range I don’t see any f series boots. Have Salomon decided to drop the low profile integrated line? If they have, what would you recommend as a replacement?
Hi Tristan
Thanks for your message.
Unfortunately Salomon do seem to have discontinued the f series (I haven’t had the chance to update this post for 2017 yet).
Adidas, Burton and Ride have the best reduced footprint tech going around at the moment (with Adidas probably being the lowest profile this season). In terms of medium-stiff options, I would say the Burton Ion, the Ride Trident, the Adidas Blauvelt and the Adidas Tactical ADV are your best bets. All of these are really low profile and great boots independent of that (see my list of the top 5 all-mountain-freeride snowboard boots).
If you are able to try any of them on, then I would go with the option that fits best. If you can’t try anything on, then go to the link above to learn more about them and see which one you think would suit you the best – then if you order online make sure that the store has a return policy (most do) if they don’t fit properly.
Hope this helps. Shame that Salomon discontinued that line of boots.
Hi Nate,
I’m 6ft 3″, 100kg and have a uk size 13 foot.
I’m trying to figure out which reduced footprint boots are gonna suit me best for early intermediate, all mountain but with a lot of off piste riding.
I ride a wide board and have ride rodeo bindings from 2012, but with my current huge Solomon boots the chew threw binding straps
I was originally looking at burton AMB’s for this year but they don’t get good reviews for off piste riding?
I’d say I prefer a medium flex for the way I ride
All suggestions welcome.
Cheers dude
Dan (UK)
Forgot to say I don’t use the parks if that helps
Hi Dan
I agree that a medium flex would be best for you.
Adidas are making the bots with the most reduced footprint this season. They’re new boots have a smaller outersole (relative to inner boot) than any other boots as far as I can tell. So the ZX 500 would be a good option in that respect.
I rate the AMB as a great freestyle boot (and also the ZX 500). Both have an above-average response. I think the reason the AMB wouldn’t be rated that highly for off-piste riding is that they’re not as responsive as other boots – usually stiffer boots. The ZX 500 would be a similar story, all be it with a slightly smaller outersole.
I think the Burton Imprerials would be a great option for you. A little bit more responsive than the AMBs but still a medium flex. Burton boots (along with Ride) tend to have the next best reduced footprint to Adidas.
The other option to get that little bit more response and get good reduced footprint would be to go with Adidas Blauvelt or Adidas Tactical ADV. The only downside is that they are medium-stiff boots. And to be honest, Burton’s reduced footprint tech isn’t that far behind – and if you were getting 2016 or older models Burton’s reduced footprint would be just as good.
In short, I’d say that the Burton Imperials are your best option. If you wanted a bit more stiffness, then the Blauvelt or Tactical ADVs but I think that you are better off going with medium at this point.
Hope this helps
Hi Nate, congratulations for the blog, I’ve learnt a lot by reading many posts, specially the one about toe overhang which I wouldn’t have thought of if it wasn’t for your post (my foot is 270 cm and I’m 170 cm tall and 55 kg so my ideal board hasnt got the right waist width) Anyway, I was wondering if you had a list like this but regarding womens boots?
Hi Maria
Thanks for your message. For most things I try to have one for men’s and women’s gear but unfortunately I don’t for this one. The main reason being that they don’t really put much focus on low profile women’s boots unfortunately.
Can you let me know the board that you are looking at and I can tell if you could get away with the width or not. If you want I can also recommend some other suitable options.
Great posts…as it’s hard finding snowboard boot reviews like this online.
I ride with flow bindings (NX2 GT) and the heel on my 10 year old salomon malamute boot was chewed up by the reclining highbacks on my older flow bindings.
I’m thinking any of the medium-stiff low profile boots on your list should work fine with my new flows. Thoughts?
Also, what do you think about the flow talon focus boas in terms of fit, quality, comfort, durability and profile? Assuming flow boots were designed for their bindings so there shouldn’t be a problem?
Hey Rick
I imagine any of those boots would be fine in the NX2 GTs – I’d say they are adjustable enough to contour well around any boot.
I’ve also had trouble with flow bindings damaging my boots in the past – but they were the cheaper flow bindings and they were like the 2012 models. I think the newer models and the better models like the NX2 GT shouldn’t have that issue. Especially with the new high-end flows having the active strap thing that makes them open right up (which I’m sure you’re familiar with).
I’m not that familiar with the Flow Talons but yeah, like you say, they should be a good fit with flow bindings. I think they have at least some reduced footprint but like I say I’m not that familiar with them so I’m not sure how much.
I ride Flow NX2 GT’s on all my boards with the Flow Focus Talon boot. Despite using Flow boots with Flow bindings, the boots do not fit in the binding well and are almost too wide to fit into the binding smoothly. I have to jam the boots into the binding. I have switched to my Salomon Synapse which are quite a bit narrower and fit the Flow binding way better. Flow missed the mark with the Focus Talon.
i want to buy a bataleon fun kink 157cm, waist 253mm. i wear a size 10.5 burton highline boa, will this work?
Hi Scott
That will definitely work. That waist is a good fit for a 10.5 boot.