Snowboarding, like any other sport, has many nuances that cannot be ignored. That is why both professional athletes and beginners in this field with the utmost care choose not only equipment, but also special clothing. One of the important elements of uniform are considered special boots for snowboarding. Choosing such shoes, it is necessary to be guided not only by the size of your foot. There are many other important nuances on which the life of an athlete can even depend. How to choose the right snowboard boots? What should I look for when buying? We will talk about this in detail in our article.
How to choose stiffness snowboard boots
Perhaps the most important factor in the selection of shoes for snowboarding is its rigidity. Special boots designed for snowboarding are soft and hard. Between them there are a number of fundamental differences regarding not only the texture of the material from which they are made, but also the features of operation. Each of the types of such shoes should be considered in more detail before giving preference to a particular model.
Soft snowboarding boots
These shoes are best suited for athletes using snowboards with plug-in fasteners. Such a board gives a lot of opportunities for performing various maneuvers, since its lower part is quite mobile.
The design of soft boots for snowboarding provides for the presence of an external and internal part. The first is characterized by insignificant rigidity, in contrast to the second. The soft base is made from special materials that perfectly retain heat, while preventing excessive sweating of the legs. In addition, soft snowboard boots are considered not only comfortable, but also very safe, as they help the athlete to avoid injuries. This is confirmed by almost all professional athletes performing very risky stunts.
If you need snowboarding boots to practice certain sports, then you should know that soft shoes are best suited for those who are interested in freeride and freestyle. Indeed, during such classes, the athlete should feel the maximum comfort. In addition, in such shoes it is convenient to go down from the snowy mountains on a board and move around completely without a snowboard. Among the soft boots for snowboarding, which have a fairly low cost and good quality, we can distinguish models manufactured by ThirtyTwo.
Hard snowboard shoes
Shoes with increased stiffness enable the athlete to control the snowboard to the maximum, controlling his slightest movements, so the risk of getting dislocations and fractures is significantly reduced. Fans of high speed, knocked down snow and high mountains always pay attention to this feature.
In the manufacture of the inside of hard shoes for snowboarding, the same material is used as in the case of soft shoes. It also saves heat and prevents your feet from sweating. But with the outside of the shoe, things are completely different. In its production, plastic, hard latches and staples are used, which are an alternative to ordinary shoelaces.
Hard snowboarding boots are extremely similar to ski boots. This also applies to the appearance of the shoe and its design. The only difference between these types of shoes is mobility, providing free movement of the ankle. A dense and very stiff sole provides extra protection for the legs. For freestyle, such shoes will not work.
You can choose the right shoes for the size you need among the boots equipped with the BOA system. Such models fasten very easily at any temperature. You don’t even need to remove gloves for this. You just need to spin a special drum on the shoe to a suitable density.
Now you know the main differences between different types of shoes and you can easily determine which stiffness of the shoes for snowboarding to choose. But is it only necessary to pay attention to it when buying equipment for snowboarding?
Inner material
Experienced athletes know that it is important to consider the structure of not only the external material, but also the internal. How to choose snowboard boots for the inner material? Properly selected size, rigidity, weight - all these factors, of course, are extremely important when choosing sports shoes, but it is worth remembering about the convenience, without which professional driving will certainly not work. And this factor completely depends on the inside of the shoe, called the “boot”.
Most modern snowboard boots on the market are equipped with thermoformed or neoprene boots. The thermoformable material, which is good due to its ability to modify depending on the individual characteristics of the legs and fully correspond to them, was widely used among athletes. In addition, taking care of shoes made of such material is very easy. Before putting on the inner boot of such boots, it is necessary to remove it and thoroughly heat it with a hairdryer, oven or oven. On the foot, the boot will gradually cool, taking the desired size and shape. In this case, it is advisable to perform exercises that will be similar to snowboarding. Thermoformed boots are considered to be unique. In certain places, for example, in the area of the ankles, toes, lifting the feet, these shoes are complemented by foam plastic.
Neoprene also does not lose its position, since it has one very useful advantage - durability. Shoes with neoprene boots can be worn for an extremely long time - until they are completely worn out. However, those who look after such shoes should know that neoprene is very difficult to carry, so it is extremely important to choose the right size. For this reason, it is always preferable to buy shoes not via the Internet (although prices are lower there), but in specialized stores where you can measure them.
What snowboard boots are better to choose
For practicing any sport, it is impossible to choose the most suitable shoes, without taking into account its weight and material. After all, these characteristics occupy a very important place in ensuring convenient movement on a snowboard. As you know, the weight of the shoes largely depends on the material used in the manufacture. Now in specialized stores you can find two types of such shoes. The difference is in the material from which it is made:
- Genuine Leather.
- Synthetics.
Many are sure that genuine leather is the preferred material, from which you should choose shoes for snowboarding. However, in reality this is not always the case. Natural material absorbs moisture too well, which is why snowboarding in leather shoes can become uncomfortable. After all, it is because of the absorbed moisture that the weight of the shoe increases significantly, which creates additional inconvenience during training. In addition, moisture contributes to damage to natural skin, which in the future will simply crack. In such a situation, even the use of special chemicals will not help.
Therefore, it is advisable to buy synthetic boots. Such shoes in use are much better than those made of natural material. Modern synthetics is famous for its lightness, and thanks to special impregnations it does not pass and does not absorb moisture. In addition, the legs in synthetic boots breathe and do not sweat. There is another important criterion by which you need to select equipment for a snowboarder.
How to choose the right size
How to choose the size of the boots for the snowboard so that it was really comfortable and safe to practice? A competent choice of the size of specialized shoes for snowboarding is not quite the same as in the case of everyday. So, to measure snowboarding shoes should be exclusively on socks, which will be as close as possible in thickness to those that are used during classes. If the thumb fits snugly to the toe of the model you like, then the size is chosen correctly.
Shoes produced by different companies vary slightly in size, which greatly complicates the choice of equipment for beginner snowboarders. To cope with a similar problem, you can use special tables.
Models for men and women
Boots designed for snowboarding, like any other shoe, are divided into women's and men's. The essence of this separation is not at all in the color scheme and design. The main criterion here is the height of the boots. This is due to the high calf muscle of the female legs. Despite this difference, many women prefer male models, based on personal wishes, riding style and sport.
Expert Advice
Based on the opinions of experienced athletes, it’s easier to understand how to choose snowboard boots. Professional snowboarders are well versed in specialized equipment. That is why for them the choice of high-quality and comfortable shoes is not a problem. Many professionals willingly share simple recommendations on choosing the necessary equipment with beginners in the field of snowboarding and talk about what kind of snowboard boots to choose for a novice athlete.
- Comfort should play a major role. Convenience should mean a lot more to you than popularity, shoe rating and friends' recommendations.
- First of all, you should stock up with the appropriate boots, and only then the board and the fixtures to it. Only such a sequence is allowed.
- When trying on shoes that are suitable in size, you need to transfer your weight completely to the toe. In this case, the legs should not move. In this way, you can check the level of fixation of the feet in shoes. If the legs in the shoes move, give up the idea of buying this pair, otherwise the risk of injury in such shoes will increase significantly.
How to understand that shoes fit
There are several signs that help you understand which snowboard boots to choose, as well as decide whether or not the pair you are looking for is suitable. The recommendations are as follows:
- Shoeing good shoes, you will not feel sagging in the legs.
- The heel and ankles are securely fixed in the boot.
- Easy to put on and take off your selected pair.
- Shoes do not rub or squeeze the foot in the heel, lifting the foot or fingers.
When choosing a suitable pair of shoes for a snowboard, you should be guided by the comfort of the shoes, and this factor consists of many different parameters, such as size, stiffness, type of lacing, material. We have revealed all the secrets of how to choose snowboard boots.