The boot thread…

In light of everybody’s favourite multinational corporation boot maker pulling out, I thought I’d start a boot thread so we can share what we know about boots on the interwebs.
It might help especially for people with little to no access to shop with a good range of boots.

Of course, that being said, the one think you’d want to do with boots is get fitted, get fitted, GET FITTED.

Nothing beats a great fitting and advice by an awesome bootfitter. Also check Jez’s guide to boot fitting here:
https://www.boardworld.com.au/snowboarding/guides/boot-fitting/

Read the above guide before posting Q’s if you’re a noob as it might already be answered there.

Also PROTIPS! =) :

Protip #1: In places where things get relatively wet (ie Australia for the most part,) I use old newspapers scrunched up in the boots to get them dried in 1-2 days, that way I don’t get the wet dog stank in both my boot and liner. If it’s really wet, you’ll prolly want to change the papers in them often. (I’ve done twice a night after boarding.)

Also, I’d like to mention regarding boots, for some reason, I found the nikes to be the most comfy. Kinda feels like wearing sneakers. The only other contender I’ve had for those kinda boots are burton’s. I tried my mate’s burton during one of our buller session lunch breaks and they felt just as comfy. I’m hoping it goes across the range as I’m looking at getting a pair of slx’s maybe…
I’ve used a few brands of boots including DC (first boot ever,) Celsius and K2, and I found the celsius to to be the most noisy and largest footprint (granted this was a 2010 Xenon, not sure how they are now if there’s anyone using them.)

I’m also very much a traditional lace kinda guy, with the exception of my K2 Maysis. I do like the boa, especially the boa-conda system as I find that it locks my heel in very well, but I had an incident where I had the cona’s coiler/crank go off and not able to lock, and there was no replacement parts when I went to the shops to get help.
Luckily, one of the shops tried to help me to see if they can jiggle it, and because I’m a pretty technical person I figured out that the coiler locked in sideways and not even and I managed to fix it my self with the help of the tools lent to me at the shop. (big kudos to Evolution in Whistler, thanks for spending like, 45mins and letting me borrow your tools!)

just talking about getting new footbeds. You can get away with a bit more with board boots than ski boots. And they certainly win in the comfort department

Thirty two fan here! Having a wider foot I find they are the most comfy and best fitting for me..  The guys at balmoral had me trying on soooo many..  and when it was time for new boots (my 32 exus were getting as soft as my ugg boots) and I saw 32 had the rainbow tie dye I was straight in trying them on! And they were just a tad bit more comfy than my exus..  (this was after a few days of wearing them in.  at the shop they felt like my exus did when new)

I was a big fan of traditional laces.  my wrist not sooo much… So the exus are laces the tie dye are fast strap… I was a little skeptical at first but having spent 30 something days in them this season.  I really like them.. They haven’t come loose or open (which is what I was worried about) and they are really easy on my wrist as I can do them both up left handed!

As grunge said though… Try them on first/get fitted.  If your boots aren’t comfortable you -will- hate life..

I tried on 4 different sizes of the ones I brought..  Was walking around for 40 or so mins testing just that one model..  And I’m glad I did!

+1 for trying on boots and getting properly fitted. I spent easy an hour trying on boots when I bought mine. I found that with most boots, no matter how well fitted, my heel slid up. After trying on about 5 different pairs I tried on some Northwave Opals and it was like they were made for me. After 2 seasons I’m still loving them

Pretty colours and stylish designs are all well good but they’re not going to be much help if you end up with blisters because you chose fashion over function. I’d take well fitting, comfortable boots any day over pretty ones that match the rest of my outfit!

Yes! Northwave opals are still the best boots I’ve ever owned, air180!

Unfortunately when mine became too packed out so that I couldn’t wear them without heel lift, I wasn’t in any place where I could by myself a new pair, so I ended up with a pair of Nitros which felt like concrete boots at first!

Using Nitro Team TLS from 2012.  This is a stiff boot.  I like the dual-zone speed-lacing system for the outer.  The inner also has a speed lace thingo.  My main complaint is that I constantly get wet feet in these.  Fortunately my Rad boot dryer fixes that each night.  I went for these because they fit my feet passably well and have packed out just right.  Prior to these I had some very old Northwave lace-ups that were an excellent fit from day 1.

On h0z’s comment on traditional laces… who else ties a hockey knot on their laces?

Helps alot and it doesn’t loosen. I’ve been doing this since I was a noob, guess this makes it Protip #2:

I much prefer traditional laces with a speed lace on the liner. An yeh always tie them up like in the vid

Gonna sound like a noob here but never thought of tying boots like that, seems legit! I find myself having to tighten my laces roughly 3/4 of the way through the day, as the upper has come loose. Currently in some Rome Libertine LNP boots, pretty darn comfortable after I worked out how tight to do the lower zone. Used to get a pressure point on the inside of my right foot, never the left though. Not anymore! I’d get these again, can’t go wrong with the traditional laces.

The missus has a pair of Nitro Monarch TLS, she’s hating on them a bit though as there’s a bit of heel lift - gotta chuck some foam in there. The lacing system on these does seem to come loose quite often, as the spot to put the cord isn’t great. Anyone had similar issues with the TLS style lacing coming loose, and if so any fixes?

^ yeah… that’s one of the main reasons I am very hesitant on quick laces and prefer sold skool, plus if you know how to leverage your laces you can get them in real right.

I used to play a bit of inline hockey in uni and mate would tie their laces as such so it kinda made sense.

Boots have had it as of yesterday!
I got about 120 days out of my Flow Ansrs and I never had any issues with them except the boas have now torn out of the shell on one boot. I assume from resting the board edge on my back foot and slowly wearing it away.

So it’s shopping time. I’m in Whistler so am spending today looking around and trying on a few.
I like boas, they are easy but more importantly I like being able to crank them tight as the pressure evens out throughout the day.
Everyonew seem to love Nike’s so I’ll will have a good look at them. Anyone feel like adding their 2 cents? Figured I would throw this out and see what comes back. Whis specific advice or hookups would be particularly useful.
Cheers

My only problem with boas is if you boa dial breaks off (happened to me in NZ) you have no way of tightening your boot until its repaired. Shouldnt be a problem in Whistler as all stores should have spares floating about. Unfortunately when it happened to me BOA was very new and the shop on the Remarks didnt have them.

^ on that boa has a lifetime warranty and will send you cables etc etc via their website no Q’s asked, so a good way to get spares would be to warranty it out first. Check out their website.

@900steve, if you’re going to get Nike make sure you remember they pack out BIG. you may have to go one size up.

i think you meant one size DOWN

if anyones interested - it ended up being a decision between the burton ions, the k2 maysis and the k2 T1 double boas with the T1s winning out in the end. key points were probably a snugger and more comfortable heel hold in both and the boas in both k2s, then the T1 being stiffer than the maysis which supposedly softens up a fair bit

^ Yeah, I’ve got a pair of Maysis and I have to say, why haven’t other companies looked at getting a similar system to their condas inners?!?!? I mean, it doesn’t have to use boa, but it’s pretty obvious the system that they use really gets your heel locked in. Even applies to their quick lace systems, it’s just the way that the inner laces are lined it pulls into the heel area of the boots.

But anyways…

The one thing I notice with my Maysis (2013 model in red/non-pleather) is that it is really noisy. I have not had boots with this much noise since using Celsius boots.
Are your T1’s noice Steve? Maybe it’s because I picked boots that’s made from stitching/cloth instead of leather/pleather…