Hello and welcome to my list of the best beginner snowboard Boots for men.
Below are what I consider to be the top 7 for the 2016/17 season.
As per tradition here at SnowboardingProfiles.com each board is rated and receives a score out of 100. This is definitely not an exact science care has been taken to give points to various areas depending on their importance for beginner riders.
O.k. let’s get into the top 7!
Comparison Stats
Just quickly, to give you a reference for the scores below;
Out of 29 of beginner boots that I rated:
- the average score was 83.7
- the highest score was 93.0/100
- the lowest score was 73.3/100
- the average price was $203
Beginner Snowboard Boot #7
Boot: Burton Highline Boa
Price (USD): $219
Lacing System: Single Boa
Flex: Medium-Soft
Rating: 84.3/100
The first on our list, coming in at #7, are the Burton Highline Boas.
These boots are comfortable, super easy to get in and out of and have great heel hold (though this will depend on your boot/ankle.
The biggest weakness, and the only reason they didn’t score even higher is their lack of adjustability. This is largely due to the single boa system that doesn’t really allow you to adjust them much – but it does mean you can get in and out really quick and easy.
Check out more about the Highline Boa in the Video Below
The Highline Boa’s Score Breakdown
| FACTOR | RATING (OUT OF 5) | CONTRIBUTION TO FINAL SCORE |
|---|---|---|
| Flex: | 5.0 | 20/20 |
| Comfort: | 3.5 | 14/20 |
| Heel Hold: | 4.0 | 12/15 |
| Shock Absorption: | 3.0 | 9/15 |
| Adjustability: | 1.0 | 2/10 |
| Price: | 3.5 | 7/10 |
| Reduced Footprint: | 4.5 | 4.5/5 |
| Entry/Exit: | 4.0 | 4/5 |
| TOTAL after normalizing | 84.3/100 |
Beginner Snowboard Boot #6
Boot: Vans Hi Standard
Price (USD): $179
Lacing System: Traditional Lacing
Flex: Medium-Soft
Rating: 86.0/100
At #6 we have the Vans Hi Standard. In my opinion the best looking boot in this list (in the eye of the beholder and looks weren’t taken into account when rating the boots).
But it’s not just looks that the Hi-Standard have going for them. They are also super comfortable and have the perfect flex for beginners.
And if your looking to get something at a great price, then the Hi Standard are a great option and are $24 lower than the average beginner boot price.
Check out more about the Hi-Standard in the Video Below
This video is for the the 2016 model. Once I find a video for the 2017 model I’ll post it here.
The Hi-Standard’s Score Breakdown
| FACTOR | RATING (OUT OF 5) | CONTRIBUTION TO FINAL SCORE |
|---|---|---|
| Flex: | 5.0 | 20/20 |
| Comfort: | 4.5 | 18/20 |
| Heel Hold: | 3.0 | 9/15 |
| Shock Absorption: | 3.5 | 10.5/15 |
| Adjustability: | 2.5 | 5/10 |
| Price: | 4.0 | 8/10 |
| Reduced Footprint: | 1.5 | 1.5/5 |
| Entry/Exit: | 2.0 | 2/5 |
| TOTAL after normalizing | 86.0/100 |
Beginner Snowboard Boot #5
Boot: Thirty Two 86FT
Price (USD): $179
Lacing System: Speed Lacing
Flex: Medium-Soft
Rating: 87.2/100
In at #5, we have the lowest priced boots on this list (along with the Hi-Standards at #6 above), the Thirty Two 86FT.
The 86FTs are comfortable, fast and easy to get in and out of and have (like most on this list) a nice forgiving medium-soft flex. This flex is ideal for beginners because it offers a good amount of forgiveness without being too soft.
86FT Score Breakdown
| FACTOR | RATING (OUT OF 5) | CONTRIBUTION TO FINAL SCORE |
|---|---|---|
| Flex: | 5.0 | 20/20 |
| Comfort: | 4.0 | 16/20 |
| Heel Hold: | 3.0 | 9/15 |
| Shock Absorption: | 2.5 | 7.5/15 |
| Adjustability: | 3.5 | 7/10 |
| Price: | 4.0 | 8/10 |
| Reduced Footprint: | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
| Entry/Exit: | 4.0 | 4/5 |
| TOTAL after normalizing | 87.2/100 |
Beginner Snowboard Boot #4
Boot: Burton Moto
Price (USD): $199
Lacing System: Speed Lacing
Flex: Medium-Soft
Rating: 88.4/100
The Moto’s are very popular beginner boots and it’s easy to see why. They have the right flex, the right price-tag and are super easy to get in and out of (once you learn the speed lacing system).
In an ideal world they’d be a bit more comfortable and have better heel-hold but you might find these things aren’t an issue depending on your foot and ankle shape.
Though not that important on beginner boots, they also have great reduced footprint (which essentially means that the outside of the boot is smaller than what the inside of the boot is – so a boot that will fit a size 10 foot on the inside would have a size 9 footprint on the outside).
More on the Moto’s in the video below
Moto’s Score Breakdown
| FACTOR | RATING (OUT OF 5) | CONTRIBUTION TO FINAL SCORE |
|---|---|---|
| Flex: | 5.0 | 20/20 |
| Comfort: | 3.0 | 12/20 |
| Heel Hold: | 3.0 | 9/15 |
| Shock Absorption: | 3.0 | 9/15 |
| Adjustability: | 4.5 | 9/10 |
| Price: | 4.0 | 8/10 |
| Reduced Footprint: | 4.5 | 4.5/5 |
| Entry/Exit: | 4.5 | 4.5/5 |
| TOTAL after normalizing | 88.4/100 |
Beginner Snowboard Boot #3
Boot: Thirty Two Lashed
Price (USD): $249
Lacing System: Standard Lacing
Flex: Medium-Soft
Rating: 89.0/100
Thirty Two’s Lashed boots come in three lacing varieties. You can get them with standard lacing, speed lacing (Lashed FT) or a Boa version (Lashed Boa).
They are all priced slightly differently ($249 for the FT and $259 for the Boa) and are slightly different boots because of their lacing system but all would have made this list individually.
The difference is a matter of personal preference. Standard lacing is slower to do up and undo. Speed lacing is quicker but can be harder than standard lacing to get adjusted just right and Boa is the easiest to work with and you can get it locked in really tight – but it’s typically less adjustable if you only have one boa coil (which the Lashed Boas have).
All versions have awesome comfort, great shock absorption and a reasonable price tag, though slightly higher than the average beginner boot.
All 3 score breakdowns are outlined below and you can see how their relative strengths and weaknesses.
Check out more on the Lashed in the video below
Lashed’s Score Breakdown
| FACTOR | RATING (OUT OF 5) | CONTRIBUTION TO FINAL SCORE |
|---|---|---|
| Flex: | 5.0 | 20/20 |
| Comfort: | 4.5 | 18/20 |
| Heel Hold: | 3.0 | 9/15 |
| Shock Absorption: | 4.0 | 12/15 |
| Adjustability: | 3.0 | 6/10 |
| Price: | 3.0 | 6/10 |
| Reduced Footprint: | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
| Entry/Exit: | 2.0 | 2/5 |
| TOTAL after normalizing | 89.0/100 |
Lashed FT’s Score Breakdown
| FACTOR | RATING (OUT OF 5) | CONTRIBUTION TO FINAL SCORE |
|---|---|---|
| Flex: | 5.0 | 20/20 |
| Comfort: | 4.5 | 18/20 |
| Heel Hold: | 3.0 | 9/15 |
| Shock Absorption: | 3.5 | 10.5/15 |
| Adjustability: | 3.0 | 6/10 |
| Price: | 3.0 | 6/10 |
| Reduced Footprint: | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
| Entry/Exit: | 4.0 | 4/5 |
| TOTAL after normalizing | 89.5/100 |
Lashed Boa’s Score Breakdown
| FACTOR | RATING (OUT OF 5) | CONTRIBUTION TO FINAL SCORE |
|---|---|---|
| Flex: | 5.0 | 20/20 |
| Comfort: | 4.5 | 18/20 |
| Heel Hold: | 3.5 | 10.5/15 |
| Shock Absorption: | 4.0 | 12/15 |
| Adjustability: | 2.0 | 4/10 |
| Price: | 2.5 | 5/10 |
| Reduced Footprint: | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
| Entry/Exit: | 3.0 | 3/5 |
| TOTAL after normalizing | 88.4/100 |
Beginner Snowboard Boot #2
Boot: Thirty Two STW Boa
Price (USD): $199
Lacing System: Single Boa
Flex: Medium-Soft
Rating: 90.1/100
The third and mostly highly recommended for beginners Thirty Two boots to make this list, the STW Boas, are everything you want in a beginner boot.
To achieve perfection it would be nice if they had a double boa system so you could adjust the lower and upper sections of the boot independently but that’s about all that I can complain about here. And if they did have the double boa then chances are the price would go up quite a bit.
Otherwise the STW Boas should treat any beginner well – particularly when it comes to comfort and heel hold.
Learn more about the STW Boas in the video below
This video is for the 2015-16 model. Once I find one for the 2017 model I’ll post it here.
STW Boa’s Score Breakdown
| FACTOR | RATING (OUT OF 5) | CONTRIBUTION TO FINAL SCORE |
|---|---|---|
| Flex: | 5.0 | 20/20 |
| Comfort: | 4.5 | 18/20 |
| Heel Hold: | 4.0 | 12/15 |
| Shock Absorption: | 3.0 | 9/15 |
| Adjustability: | 1.5 | 3/10 |
| Price: | 4.0 | 8/10 |
| Reduced Footprint: | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
| Entry/Exit: | 4.0 | 4/5 |
| TOTAL after normalizing | 90.1/100 |
Beginner Snowboard Boot #1
Boot: Vans Aura
Price (USD): $249
Lacing System: Double Boa
Flex: Medium
Rating: 93.0/100
And finally my #1 beginner snowboard boots for the 2016/17 season are the Vans Auras!
The Aura’s use a double boa system which allows you to adjust the top and bottom sections of the boots separately, which is especially good if you are prone to pressure points.
They are comfortable, adjustable, and score well in just about all of the important beginner specs.
They have a stiffer flex than most of the beginner boots I rated but I’d say they are the stiffer side of medium-soft or the softer side of medium. Either way their flex is still suitable and these boots make great freestyle boots (I own these boots as my freestyle boots) too so if you are looking to head in that direction then these would make a great investment.
Learn more about the Auras in the video below
Aura Score Breakdown
| FACTOR | RATING (OUT OF 5) | CONTRIBUTION TO FINAL SCORE |
|---|---|---|
| Flex: | 4.5 | 18/20 |
| Comfort: | 4.5 | 18/20 |
| Heel Hold: | 4.0 | 12/15 |
| Shock Absorption: | 4.0 | 12/15 |
| Adjustability: | 4.0 | 8/10 |
| Price: | 3.0 | 6/10 |
| Reduced Footprint: | 2.0 | 2/5 |
| Entry/Exit: | 4.0 | 4/5 |
| TOTAL after normalizing | 93.0/100 |
Thanks for Reading
Thanks for reading and I hope this list has helped give you some options for beginner snowboard boots.
If you want to check out the latest season’s best beginner snowboard boot list check out the link below.
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