Snowboard Boots

Snowboard boots should be snug with no pressure points: standing up, your toes just touch the front, and when you bend your knees your heel stays down. Brands disagree on converting from shoe size (K2 says true to size or a half size down, HEAD says a half to a full size up), so measure your foot in centimetres and use that brand's chart.

Traditional laces give the most control over fit but are slower to do up with gloves on. Speed laces tighten the lower and upper boot separately and quickly, and BOA dials tighten evenly with one hand; Dual BOA adds a separate dial for each zone.

Softer boots are more forgiving and suit park and newer riders, while stiffer boots give more support and response for speed and freeride; ThirtyTwo says most riders land in a medium flex. HEAD is the exception, saying beginners often like a firmer hold, and flex ratings can only be compared within one brand.

Yes: liners pack out over the first few days of riding, so a slightly snug boot on day one is normal. All five of our boot brands use heat-mouldable liners, and a shop can mould them for a faster custom fit.

Yes: bigger boots need a wider board so your toes and heels don't drag in turns. HEAD's chart, for example, pairs Mondo 25–27 with a 23–24 cm waist and Mondo 29.5 and up with 26 cm or wider; see the wide-board answer on our snowboards page.