ThirtyTwo Light Review

Hello and welcome to my ThirtyTwo Light review.

In this review I will take a look at the Light as freestyle snowboard boots.

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

Overall Rating

Boots: ThirtyTwo Light

Price: $249 (USD recommended retail)

Style: Freestyle

Other Uses: All-Mountain

Flex Rating: Medium-Soft (4/10)

Flex Feel: Medium (5/10)

Rating Score: 88.1/100

Compared to other Freestyle Boots

Overview of the Light’s Specs

Check out the tables for the Light’s specs and available sizes.

Specs

Who are the Light Most Suited to?

The Light are best suited to someone looking for a boot with really good board feel but still with decent shock absorption. So mostly, IMO, for those looking to ride freestyle - or for casual riding over the whole mountain. 

Not as well suited for higher speed, more aggressive riding. 

They match best with boards in that 3/5 to 5/5 flex range, IMO. They work for up to 6/10 flex though. 

Doable for a beginner but not ideal for beginner-beginners, unless you're a heavier rider or quite strong/athletic, as they're still not super soft flexing or anything. 

The Light in More Detail

Bindings angles: +15/-15

Board Demoed With: YES Greats

Bindings Demoed With: Union Falcor

Rider Height: 6'0"

Rider Weight: 180lbs

Outersole Length: 31.0cm (mondo 28cm)

Difference between Mondo & Outersole: 3.0cm

Backstay Height: 10.9" (27.6cm)

Weight: 1lb 16oz (900 grams)*

* Average of a sample of around 50 boots I've weighed was 1028g (2lbs 4oz). Heaviest I've weighed were 2lbs 15oz (1320g) and lightest were 1lb 8oz (680g). 

Flex

At first try on, these felt quite stiff. More like a 6/10 flex, but after a bit of a breaking in period, they softened up pretty quickly. As I find Thirty Two boots tend to be. Start out stiffer than you'd think but soften up pretty quick as they break in. 

Fit

Width: Medium bordering on mid-wide. A little narrower in the toe box than the Tactical ADV (my control boots), but not by a huge amount. A little snugger on top of toe box too. 

True to Size?: Feels true to size. The 10 felt just right. On initial try on, they were snug on the toes. They were touching the end but not too cramped. They were tighter than I’d want them if they stayed that way, but after a break in period they were just right length-wise for me. 

Tops of foot (instep): Felt pressue on the top of my right foot initially, more so than the top of my left foot but that’s typical for my right foot. It was nothing too uncomfortable though and eased as they broke in to a point that I could barely notice it by the end. 

Around Ankles: They felt good around my ankles. No pressure points. 

Shock Absorption

The Light absorbed shock really well, particularly for how good their board feel was. They weren't as shock absorbing as my control boots (but nothing is) but still did a really decent job absorbing shock. 

Board Feel

I found these boots provided really good board feel. Some of the better boots for board feel that I've tested. 

Their sole is pretty flat and basic. There’s quite a bit of flex in toe area and in the middle of the sole. Around the heel it’s firmer as per always – but it’s still got a bit of give. 

Responsiveness

When it came to tight quick turns at slower speeds, they felt pretty similar to my control boots. Maybe just a touch easier. 

For higher speed carves, they weren't quite as good as my control boots but still OK but not the boot you would get if high speed carves was your go-to.  

Adjustability

Being traditional lace, you can really fine tune the tightness across your feet, so the outer boot you can really customize how tight you want it in different areas. 

Standard lacing harness for the liner. So you need to open outer boot to adjust it. Nothing special just normal. The tab you pull on seems of decent quality though.

Comfort

Felt really comfortable riding in these boots. Had a few little pressure points when first trying on, which is typical. But there was nothing major and could barely notice them by the time I was finished with them. 

Heel Hold

The heel hold was good. About the same as my control boots. There was a little bit of heel lift, which is typical and fine. 

Reduced Footprint

The outer sole on these boots is pretty long vs the size - they're not something you would want if you're trying to fit on a narrower board and your borderline for it width-wise.  

Traction/Sole Quality

Seems pretty basic and don’t know that there’s a lot of rubber content, if any. A reasonable variety of pattern. Overall sole quality seems average. Good for board feel, but didn't feel like the traction was overly good. 

Entry/Exit

I found it super easy to slip my foot in - but still pretty snug once in there. 

Lacing system is easy to use. Velcro on the liner and otherwise a traditional lacing harness. Then on the outer boot is traditional lacing - which takes a little more time and effort than some other lacing systems - but you do get the adjustability benefits from that. 

Score Breakdown and Final Verdict

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

The Light are boots that I really liked for freestyle stuff predominantly. They provide a really good, and rare, blend of both good shock absorption but also really good board feel. 

They're also fine for casually cruising the mountain but not not as good for high speed, aggressive riding.