Hello and welcome to my top 5 best all mountain snowboard boots for men for the 2017-18 season.
This top 5 will outline what I consider the best all mountain boots currently on the market and will cover a number of different factors that contribute to making a great all mountain boot.
Ratings & Comparisons
As always on SnowboardingProfiles.com the boots will all be given a rating out of 100 based on my scoring system. This is not an exact science but will provide a way to give you a quick look at the performance of each boot.
Of the 21 all-mountain boots that I rated:
- The average score was 84.5/100
- The highest score was 90.9/100 (see #1 below)
- The lowest score was 75.8/100
- The average price was $356.
Note: Only boots with a flex rating of 6 or 7 were considered for this category.
NOTE: This list was for the 2017-18 season. For the latest Top 5 All-Mountain Boots List, check out the link below:
>>Latest Season’s Top 5 Men’s All-Mountain Boots
O.k. let’s get into the top 5!
Men’s All-Mountain Boot #5
Boot: Adidas Response ADV
Price: $320
Lacing System: Double Boa
Flex: Medium (6/10)
Rating: 87.1/100
The first boots we take a look at on this list are the Adidas Response ADVs.
This is Adidas’ first year they have produced BOA boots and the medium flexing Response ADV, are the mid-level BOAs they made – perfect for doing a bit-of-everything with.
They have really good response, great heel hold and all-round have no weaknesses – and of course they have Adidas’ renowned reduced outer-sole – so they’re a great choice for anyone with longer feet, looking to get on a narrower waist width board.
These are also the lowest priced boots on this list – and come in a good bit under the average price for this category of boot.
Check out the Video Below for more on the Response
Adidas Response Score Breakdown
| FACTOR | RATING (OUT OF 5) | CONTRIBUTION TO FINAL SCORE |
|---|---|---|
| Response: | 4.0 | 20/25 |
| Heel Hold: | 4.5 | 13.5/15 |
| Adjustability: | 4.0 | 12/15 |
| Comfort: | 3.5 | 10.5/15 |
| Shock Absorption: | 3.5 | 7/10 |
| Traction: | 4.0 | 8/10 |
| Flex: | 5.0 | 5/5 |
| Reduced Footprint: | 5.0 | 5/5 |
| TOTAL after normalizing | 87.1/100 |
Men’s All-Mountain Boot #4
Boot: K2 Maysis LTD
Price: $399
Lacing System: Double Boa
Flex: Medium-Stiff (7/10)
Rating: 88.2/100
If you’re worried about footprint reduction because you have big feet, then the Maysis won’t be the best choice on this list but otherwise these are awesome boots for those who want charge the whole mountain.
They are super responsive, really lock your heel down, are super comfortable and have a good grippy sole for when you have to do any hiking or in an icy car park.
These boots also come in a standard version (without the “+”) which are $100 cheaper. If you’re budget is tighter then those might be the better options. The LTD versions do rate higher but the non-ltd version wasn’t far off. The LTD versions have a more supportive liner and have a better sole on them – these are the biggest differences between the two.
Check out the video for more on the Maysis LTD
This video is for the Maysis 2018, rather than the LTD version. The LTD version just has a couple of differences from the non-LTD version.
Score Breakdown for the Maysis LTD
| FACTOR | RATING (OUT OF 5) | CONTRIBUTION TO FINAL SCORE |
|---|---|---|
| Response: | 4.0 | 20/25 |
| Heel Hold: | 4.5 | 13.5/15 |
| Adjustability: | 4.0 | 12/15 |
| Comfort: | 4.5 | 13.5/15 |
| Shock Absorption: | 4.0 | 8/10 |
| Traction: | 4.5 | 9/10 |
| Flex: | 5.0 | 5/5 |
| Reduced Footprint: | 1.0 | 1/5 |
| TOTAL after normalizing | 88.2/100 |
Men’s All-Mountain Boot #3
Boot: Vans Infuse
Price: $369
Lacing System: Hybrid Boa/Traditional Lacing
Flex: Medium-Stiff (7 out of 10)
Rating: 88.7/100
In at #3 we have the Vans Infuse.
One unique thing about these boots is that they have removable tongue stiffeners – so you can really vary the flex feel that you get. There are 2 removable stiffeners – so you can have both in, both out or one or the other in. So, even though I rate these as 7/10 flex, I would say they are more like a range of 6 to 8. So you can make them a bit stiffer or a bit softer with those tongue stiffeners.
Also, they have a mixed lacing system which is predominantly traditional lace but also has a Boa in there. The Boa works on a harness that cranks down on your ankle to keep your heel in place. So, you get the great adjustability of traditional lace with the great heel hold of Boa.
Other than that, these are very comfortable and responsive boots.
Check out the video for more about the Infuse
Vans Infuse Score Breakdown
| FACTOR | RATING (OUT OF 5) | CONTRIBUTION TO FINAL SCORE |
|---|---|---|
| Response: | 4.0 | 20/25 |
| Heel Hold: | 4.5 | 13.5/15 |
| Adjustability: | 4.5 | 13.5/15 |
| Comfort: | 4.5 | 13.5/15 |
| Shock Absorption: | 3.5 | 7/10 |
| Traction: | 4.0 | 8/10 |
| Flex: | 5.0 | 5/5 |
| Reduced Footprint: | 2.0 | 2/5 |
| TOTAL after normalizing | 88.7/100 |
Men’s All-Mountain Boot #2
Boot: Burton Ion Boa
Price (USD): $549
Lacing System: Double Boa
Flex: Medium-Stiff (7 out of 10)
Rating: 89.2/100
The Ion BOAs are new for 2018. There is still a speed lacing version you can get, but for the BOA version just tips them. Mostly because of the improved heel hold.
But the Speed Lace version are still a great choice, if you prefer that lacing system (or if you want to save $50).
To be picky if there were anywhere that could use slight improvement it would be the shock absorption. Had they scored higher in shock absorption they would have made #1. If you’re also riding Burton bindings then this shouldn’t be an issue, as their bindings have some of the best shock absorption in the industry but if you’re pairing them with a less shock absorbing bindings, then you might feel it.
You pay for these, the most expensive on this list, but you get back performance – not for the small budget but for comfort and performance they’re an awesome boot, if you’ve got the means for them.
Chcek out the video for more on the Ion BOAs
This video is for the 2017 versions and speed lace versions – a lot of the info is still relevant for the 2018 Ion Boas – but I’ll put up an Ion Boa video once I can find one.
Burton Ion BOA Score Breakdown
| FACTOR | RATING (OUT OF 5) | CONTRIBUTION TO FINAL SCORE |
|---|---|---|
| Response: | 4.0 | 20/25 |
| Heel Hold: | 4.5 | 13.5/15 |
| Adjustability: | 4.0 | 12/15 |
| Comfort: | 5.0 | 15/15 |
| Shock Absorption: | 2.5 | 5/10 |
| Traction: | 4.0 | 8/10 |
| Flex: | 5.0 | 5/5 |
| Reduced Footprint: | 4.5 | 4.5/5 |
| TOTAL after normalizing | 89.2/100 |
Men’s All-Mountain Boot #1
Boot: Adidas Tactical ADV
Price: $350
Lacing System: Traditional Lacing
Flex: Medium (6/10)
Rating: 90.9/100
And in at #1, we have the Tactical ADV – the only boot on this season’s list to feature something other than a BOA system.
These traditional laced boots are what’s left between the Adidas Blauvelt, Adidas Energy Boost and Adidas Tactical ADV from 2017. This is the survivor – and what a survivor!
For anyone looking for the ultimate in reduced footprint – great with anyone with bigger feet that want to fit on narrower boards – the Tactical ADVs are a great option.
But that’s certainly not the only reason these boots are here. They are also responsive, comfortable and one of the the best you’ll find at absorbing shock – thanks in a large part to the boost tech that’s used in the boots.
Check out the Video Below for More About the Tactical ADVs
This video is a long one – but it’s also very detailed – so if you want to know everything about this boot, check it out.
Tactical ADV Score Breakdown
| FACTOR | RATING (OUT OF 5) | CONTRIBUTION TO FINAL SCORE |
|---|---|---|
| Response: | 4.0 | 20/25 |
| Heel Hold: | 3.5 | 10.5/15 |
| Adjustability: | 4.5 | 13.5/15 |
| Comfort: | 4.5 | 13.5/15 |
| Shock Absorption: | 5.0 | 10/10 |
| Traction: | 3.5 | 7/10 |
| Flex: | 5.0 | 5/5 |
| Reduced Footprint: | 5.0 | 5/5 |
| TOTAL after normalizing | 90.9/100 |
Over to You…
There you have my top 5 all-mountain snowboard boots for the 2017/18 season.
NOTE: This list was for the 2017-18 season. For the latest Top 5 All-Mountain Boots List, check out the link below:
>>Latest Season’s Top 5 Men’s All-Mountain Boots
Notes
This list is made up of boots that have a 6/10 or 7/10 flex – which are typically used for do-it-all, all-mountain riding. However, some predominantly freestyle riders like a stiffer boot and some freeriders like something a little softer, so they can really be used by almost anyone (except probably a bit stiff for beginners).
This list could easily be a top 15 and still have quality boot options in it – such is the nature of boots that have around that 6/10 or 7/10 flex (hence the high average price and high average score [see top of post]). But I didn’t have time to expand the list for this season (I will try to next season or possibly even later this season).
There are some great offerings in this category by the likes of Ride, Thirty Two, DC & Salomon that haven’t quite made it in. If you’re looking for a boot in this category and you’ve found something that looks good but it’s not on this list, let me know what they are in the comments below and I can give you my opinion on them.
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