This top 12 has been updated for the 2020-21 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.
NOTE: This is a past seasons top 12. For the latest season's Top 12 Low Profile Snowboard Boots list, check out the link below:
>>TOP 12 LOW PROFILE SNOWBOARD BOOTS (Latest Season)
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: Burton Moto
Price: $199
Flex: Medium-Soft (3/10)
Lacing System: Speed Lacing
Best Uses: Beginners, Beginner Park Riders, Low Cost Playful Park/Freestyle Riding
The first low profile option in this list are Burton’s Moto. The Moto is the softest flexing boot in this list and the cheapest. 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.
LOW PROFILE BOOT #11:
Boot: Vans Hi-Standard OG
Price: $219
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 second cheapest boots in this list (alongside the Moto). If you like, or are OK with, Traditional Lacing, then the Hi-Standard OG offers a great low cost, beginner boot option or freestyle. The Hi-Standard OG are my #2 beginner boots for 2020-21.
LOW PROFILE BOOT #10:
Boot: Adidas Superstar
Price: $300
Flex: Medium-soft (4/10)
Lacing System: Traditional Lacing with power strap
Best Uses: Beginners, Park/Freestyle Riding
The last of the medium-soft low profile boots in this list are Adidas’s Superstar boots. And that power strap can add some additional response and support when you need it.
They rated #5 on my top 5 freestyle boots list and #6 on my beginner boots list.
Note that whilst these are still more low profile than the average boot, they aren’t as low profile as other Adidas boots that I have measured.
MEDIUM FLEX OPTIONS
LOW PROFILE BOOT #9:
Boot: Vans Aura Pro
Price: $279
Flex: Medium (5/10)
Lacing System: Double Boa
Best Uses: Freestyle/Park, All-Mountain, All-Mountain-Freestyle
The first of the medium flexing low profile boots in this list are 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 2 rated freestyle boot for 2020-21
LOW PROFILE BOOT #8:
Boot: Burton Swath Boa
Price: $349
Flex: Medium (5/10)
Lacing System: Double Boa
Best Uses: Freestyle/Park, 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 #4 spot in my top 5 freestyle boots list.
LOW PROFILE BOOT #7:
Boot: Adidas Response
Price: $320
Flex: Medium (6/10)
Lacing System: Double Boa
Best Uses: All-mountain, all-mountain freestyle
The Response feature a double boa system and one of the smallest footprints in the industry. These are great for all-mountain riding – whether you want to bomb the slopes, hit the pow or play in the park.
The Adidas Response rated #6 on my top 10 all-mountain boots for 2020-21
MEDIUM-STIFF FLEX OPTIONS
LOW PROFILE BOOT #6:
Boot: Adidas Tactical ADV
Price: $350
Flex: Medium (6/10)
Lacing System: Traditional Lacing
Best Uses: All-Mountain, all-mountain freestyle
If you’re after the ultimate in reduced outersole tech, want Adidas’ boost tech for some awesome dampness underfoot and a boot that’s responsive yet comfortable and can take you over the whole mountain and beyond, from park to backcountry, then the Tactical ADV has you covered.
O.k. so they’re not technically medium-stiff with a 6/10 flex rating – but they are as responsive as you would get from a typical medium-stiff boot.
The Tactical’s rated #1 on my top 10 all-mountain snowboard boots list.
LOW PROFILE BOOT #5:
Boot: Burton Ion Boa
Price: $559
Flex: Medium-Stiff (7.5/10)
Lacing System: Double Boa
Best Uses: All-Mountain, Aggressive-All-Mountain, Freeride
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 Boas rated #4 on my top all mountain boots list for 2020-21.
LOW PROFILE BOOT #4:
Boot: Vans Infuse
Price: $389
Flex: Medium Stiff (7/10)
Lacing System: Traditional Lacing with Boa
Best Uses: All-Mountain, Aggressive-All-Mountain, Freeride, Aggressive/More Extreme Park/Freestyle,
The Vans Infuse boots are unique 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 #3 all-mountain boots for 2020-21.
STIFF FLEX OPTIONS
LOW PROFILE BOOT #3:
Boot: Adidas Acerra
Price: $420
Flex: Stiff (8/10)
Lacing System: Double Boa
Best Uses: Aggressive-All-Mountain, Freeride
With a flex of 8/10 you could call these medium-stiff rather than stiff but whatever you want to label them, Adidas’ Acerra are a great low profile option for freeriding and for an aggressive all-mountain ride.
They rated #2 in my Top 5 Freeride Boots for 2020-21 List
LOW PROFILE BOOT #2:
Boot: Thirty Two TM-TWO XLT
Price: $349
Flex: Stiff (9/10)
Lacing System: Traditional Lace with velcro cuff
Best Uses: Aggressive-All-Mountain, Freeride
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.
LOW PROFILE BOOT #1:
Boot: Burton Driver X
Price: $439
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 #3 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-sole.
So, that means if you usually fit into size 11 regular profile snowboard boot, then the lower profile boot would have the outer-sole size of a regular profile smaller size.
For example: If the lower profile reduces the outer-sole profile by a whole size then your size 11 lower profile boot would have the same outer-sole profile of a size 10 boot.
This means that essentially your boot is now a size 10 so you can fit on narrower snowboards.
Thanks for Reading
I hope this post has helped to narrow down some low profile snowboard boot options for you.
NOTE: This is a past seasons top 12. For the latest season's Top 12 Low Profile Snowboard Boots list, check out the link below:
>>TOP 12 LOW PROFILE SNOWBOARD BOOTS (Latest Season)
Buying Past Season Models
Often models don't change that much from year to year so if you can find a past season model, it will likely be close enough to the latest model but you can get it cheaper, if available and in your size. For past year's models check out the links below to see if they still have any left.
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