In this article, we breakdown how to find the best womens snowboard boot. Jaime, the other half of Local Freshies®, has grown leaps and bounds since she started snowboarding. Her technique has always been flawless, but it’s the realization that the equipment she was using was holding her back. From the snowboard to the outerwear, bindings and everything in between including boots, her arsenal of gear has made snowboarding fun again. Simply put, gear is crucial to maximize fun on the slopes. While this snowboard boot gear guide is focused on the best women’s boots, anyone can use these characteristics to find the best boot for you.
Our Favorite Womens Snowboard Boot
If you just want the CliffsNotes on the best women’s snowboard boot, Jaime’s favorite by far are the Burton snowboard boots with an Imprint 3 Liner. These specific liners are wider in the back, allowing blood flow into her feet and ensuring they stay toasty all day long. There are a few models that come with the Imprint 3 Liner, such as the Ritual, the Felix, and the Mint (Boa Only). Her favorite of these three models is the Women’s Burton Ritual Snowboard Boots since they are a bit stiffer than the others but not too stiff. They also have a great sole, so when we’re backcountry splitboarding, they still provide traction even on the funkiest snow surfaces.
Sadly, Burton stopped making the Ritual with SpeedZone Lacing, so it was either getting them with the Boa or upgrading to the Supreme. She went with the Burton Supreme boots. So far so good, with a half season in them. She gives an A- rating, with her only complaint that they’re a bit stiffer than her old Rituals. On a scale from Soft to Very Stiff, the Rituals would rate Medium for Flex where the Supremes are definitely Stiff – one level up. For more about why we’re not fans of the Boa system and what other features we look for, scroll down.
Skip The Fashion
One of the first things Jaime learned the hard way is skip the fashion. When it came to finding the best womens snowboard boot for her, it was less about how they looked and all about how they felt. Were they too tight? Too loose? Difficult to tie up? A great option is to head to a shop with a BIG selection and talk to them about your current pain points. Shop employees are the experts. Be inquisitive and tell them what you like and don’t like. Similar to what’s on your feet, it’s also a good idea to visit a shop to find your perfect pair of goggles. For a full breakdown on how to find the best snowboard goggles, check out our guide here:
Circulation Is KEY!
With that said, the next thing to think about is the type of legs you have. Do you have long lean muscles like an ectomorph? Or are you more athletic and have muscular calves? The first few pairs of boots Jaime purchased literally cut off the circulation to her feet making them instantly cold. Although her original 32 boots were stylish, they didn’t solve her problem. She needed a boot with a liner that was wider in the back to allow maximum blood flow.
Look At The Tread
If you’re going to own the boot for a while, make sure the sole is made of a tough rubber. It’s going to cost a bit more, but it’s worth it. After the 1st year of wear and tear, you won’t be slipping on firm snow because the bottom is more like a dress shoe than a boot.
Go Smaller In Size
Snowboard boots are where your body is connected to the snowboard. It’s crucial that they’re a snug fit. If you rock a size 9 shoe, consider going down at least a ½ size. Your toes should barely touch the end of the boot. In addition, be forewarned that some boot manufacturer’s sizes are about ¼ size bigger than a normal boot. For example, if you put on a Burton size 9, you might be able to fit into a Salomon size 8.5.
Word Of Caution: Boa Lacing System
A lot of snowboard boot manufacturers have transitioned to the boa lacing system. The pros are pretty straight forward. They’re easy to put on and tighten just the right amount. The cons are if you’re a person that beats up their gear, we would highly recommend avoiding them. Within four weeks of owning a pair, I broke them twice. Once was getting on a snowmobile, and the other was accidentally hitting it with my binding.
Mold The Boot To Your Foot
Ok, so you’ve picked out the boot. They feel awesome! And then the first day you strap in, they feel like a torture device. Skip that nonsense… either buy from a local shop and find that perfect fit, or if you did buy them on the internet, head over to a great bootfitter. Don’t spend weeks in pain having them form to your feet. Make them the best womens snowboard boot out of the box. How? The bootfitter or local shop can heat the boot liner up so that it molds to your foot instantaneously.
When To Buy A New Snowboard Boot
No matter how high quality the best womens snowboard boots are, they’re going to wear out. It’s less about how old they are and more how many days you’ve ridden with them. The best ones should last between 60-100 days on the snow. Some key indicators to look out for that you need a new pair:
- You bend your knees and they flex in your ankles to the point that you could get injured.
- When doing a toe side turn, the heel lifts when it didn’t used to.
- Sole is as smooth as a baby’s bottom.
Gear Guide
If you want to learn more about how to pick gear for yourself, head over to our skiing & snowboarding gear home page. You’ll get tips on how to find the best gear for what you’ll be skiing or snowboarding. Learn about equipment that’s made by locals for locals. And of course make sure each part of your kit fits correctly so that you stay toasty and comfortable.
Do you have any recommendations for a stiff boot for the tiny footed ladies? ( feet are 21cm in length)
Hey Erin,
Great question! Salomon’s make the stiffest boots out there so the Salomon Ivy is a great option. With that being said, we recommend heading to a snowboard shop with a big selection. It took Jaime putting on over 20 pairs of boots before she found THE boot for her. Good luck and since you have a smaller size boot I’d also suggest heading into a shop around September so they have the biggest selection possible.
Hey Erin,
I’ve been riding salomon snowboard boots for 16 years, and I too have tiny feet! I’ve had ivy’s in the past, and while they’re an awesome boot they’re still pretty soft. I’ve upgraded this year to the salomon Kiana, they’re the stiffer more intermediate/expert option and great for backcountry and touring with the BOA lacing option.
Hope this helps 🙂
I bought new DC’s two years ago and loved them the moment I put them on in the store. On the hill it’s a different story. My ankle feels like it’s broken and my toes feel like they’re frost bitten. My heel lifts as I carve and I feel I put a bunch of pressure on my ankle and that’s my issue. No one can seem to help me and I’ve tried rentals but nothing works. I have a flat and wider foot. Wondering if you have suggestions for me.
Hi Leah,
I’m so sorry to hear that. There’s nothing worse than a bad fitting pair of boots as you can tell from my wife’s issues it can ruin a day on the slopes. Based on your frost-bitten toes and an ankle that feels like it’s broken it sounds like the boots don’t fit right. Which pair of DC’s did you get?
A few things to think about:
1. Wider Foot -> From what I’ve read men’s boots are a bit wider so you may want to consider a men’s version if they don’t feel like a snug glove. Also, Burton’s run a little bit wider than the other brands Jaime tried out and that might be a good solution.
2. Frost-bitten toes -> Jaime’s problem was that she has incredibly athletic calves (years of pro barrel racing in the rodeo) and nearly EVERY brand has cut-off circulation to her feet. What we’ve found is that the women’s burton imprint 3 liner is wider at the top and has fixed the circulation issue.
3. In regards to the ankle feeling broken and tons of heel lift -> This could be a symptom that the boots aren’t fitting correctly as well or that the bindings aren’t setup correctly. For many folks out there they just may have skinny ankles. A quick and easy way to fix this is using “J Bar.” They’re small foam pieces shaped like a J.
Another option to consider is to go to a boot fitter. They might be focused on ski boots but there’s a bunch of stuff that they can do with snowboard boots as well and diagnose what seems to be the problem. I really wish you the best of luck and hope that you fix the issues.
– Alex
If you are flat footed and getting a lot of discomfort it could also be worth getting some kind of custom or off the shelf footbed inserts.
I got some while on a trip as my feet were so painful I could only ride for half a day at a time and they made a world of difference and have since done similar for most of my non day to day footwear (football boots, hiking boots, running shoes etc). Have flat / collapsed arches myself.