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Snowboard Boots
09-10 DC Judge Review
02 years ago
by Chris
in Men's Snowboard Boots
The 09/10 Judge boot by DC is a solid boot that provides great comfort and an expectional ride.
It's been a few years since I've ridden DC boots, and I have to say the quality, comfort, and overall boot performance has improved immensely since the last time.
The Judge is pretty light-weight boot, and has a small footprint relative to boot size. Overall it is an incredibly comfortable boot, with a deep ankle pocket that helps to hold your ankle down. The Judge features Boa Technology's Focus System, a fancy way of saying that it has two BOA reels, one that tightens the upper half and one that tightens the lower half. The Focus allows for a precise, easily adjustable fit, and makes a great boot even better.
The BOA system has been improved over the years, and is no longer synonymous with the stiff boot tongue it previously required. The Judge is a 7/10 on DC's stiffness scale, but I think it's more like a 5 on most other boot company's scale. It's a pretty lightweight boot but provides good support both laterally and toe-to-heel. Break-in time was about a week and half, and it was a pretty painless break-in period. It's stiff enough to give good power transmission to the board, but soft enough to allow you to tweak and play as much as you want.
On top of it all, the boot is one of the better looking boots I've seen recently – the blue and yellow seriously pops, and I've reveived numerous compliments on them.
09-10 DC Lotus Review
02 years ago
The ideal for this comfortable boot would be to add an additional Boa that tightens the heel area for a better overall fit.
The Lotus boot is stiffer at first but has a really soft, comfortable liner and breaks in easily. The cushion under the heel sort of squishes when you walk, which is great because it absorbs impact. Looks-wise, they are gorgeous. The royal purple with a near-electric turquoise color, combined with a very subtle outside pattern (looks like flower petals) is all very attractive and I got several comments about them.
The boot is not heavy and tightens with a Boa system instead of laces. A single Boa is responsible for tightening the entire boot from a wheel at the calf, rather than a double Boa that allows for tightening the general boot/ upper level and the heel/ lower half. The challenge with these boots is that with only one Boa I am limited in how precise I can be in pressure management, espcecially around my ankles. Though the boot is very well crafted, provides support through ample cushion in the heels/ liner, and has inner laces, it is hard to get a specific fit around the heels. What this means is that I am fine walking around, but riding hard all day long every day without the heel restraint sometimes makes my toes shove up into the front of the boot more than is normal. However, my suggestion would be to not discredit this boot and to actually try them on and see how they fit to your specific foot. At the expense of not getting a more tailored fit, you do get a really quick on and off boot and in the interest of convenience, I really like how easy it is! It is great to not deal with laces, and it is such a quick tightening process while on the hill.
08-09 ThirtyTwo Lashed Review
03 years ago
by Bec
in Women's Snowboard Boots
With some great colorways, this boot looks hard core and rides hard core.
For the chick that likes to ride chutes and trees to the chick that front boards the handrail at her condo, this boot will not disappoint. This season ThirtyTwo is using footbeds in their product (thank goodness), which has certainly improved the fit of their boots. It also makes it easier to customize the fit, which may be important unless you have a Spongebob Squarepants shaped foot.
Straight out of the box there is certainly a lot of room in the toe box – it takes a wide foot to fill this up. The heel hold could also be better, but nothing a heel wedge and some strategically placed sticky foam could not fix. Don’t let the sound of this customizing put you off – it is absolutely worth taking the time to get the boot dialed in. Once you have it dialed the hill is your playground in this go everywhere and do anything high performance boot.
Make sure you check the boot in your binding though as it is not entirely low volume, so may be a squash in some bindings. So now we just need ThirtyTwo to come out with bindings for that perfect boot-binding interface for the ultimate ride.
08-09 Forum Destroyer Review
03 years ago
Definitely a boot I'd recommend to anyone in the mark for a quality park boot that's equally great for free-riding and not looking to spend an-arm-and-a-leg for high-end boots.
I originally had a pair of DC Park Boots, so my feet (and my knees) were already accustomed to and spoiled by quality boots that did wonders for feel, comfort and quality. I was in the market for a pair of replacement boots that wouldn't break the bank and at first I was just tempted to buy another park of DC Park's, but I scored a pretty good deal (reg. $270 CAD, on sale for $115 CAD) on the Forum Destroyer's (2008 model) so I thought to give them a try.
Right off the bat, one of the things I noticed about the Destroyer's were that they're pretty slim in terms of profile and not bulky at all, but they fit really well, offer PLENTY of support and cushioning and allow for a fair level of customization in the footbed support. I have really bad knees (lateral and medial meniscus tears in both knees) so I need to wear orthotics and the removable arch support in the Destroyer's was great as there was plenty of room for my orthotics and still plenty of cushioning afterwards.
At first, I found that it's liner felt somewhat odd at first, like the back of my leg/calf didn't necessarily press right up tight against the back of the boot so I was worried that I wouldn't get the support I needed, but just after the first few runs, my concerns became quite unfounded and easily disappeared. I noticed that the support and lacing for the liner was designed to cup your leg from the SIDE rather than from the back, which made it feel more snug than traditional liners. And whether it was goofing around in the parks or going for a casual run down the mountain, the liner was comfortable with good support, flex and responsiveness.
Another good thing I like about the Destroyer's is one of the things that make it similar to the DC Park's – the footbed and sole of the boot, while very cushiony, forgiving and supportive, was very responsive and it felt very "close" to the board. It never felt like I was standing inches from the board. Typically with boots you'll find that you don't really feel the board under you because the soles are too thick, but with the Destroyer's, much like the Park's, I never had that problem and felt like I was more connected and had better control and response from the board whenever I was carving or grinding.
One last thing about the Destroyer's that I would make it the boot worth recommending with a decent price-range ($150-$250, CAD), is that it's very breathable, very light and does a great job and keeping my feet warm all day and all night. My feet always felt dry and warm and it never really felt bulky, clammy or uncomfortable from wearing it for long periods at a time.
07-08 Salomon Dialogue Review
03 years ago
Great boot. You can't go wrong with this one.
I always have a hard time finding boots that fit and give proper support. I have long narrow feet (AAA) and high arches. I spent several hours at Boulder Ski Deals trying on boots before finding this boot. It fits like a glove and is so easy to lace. The powerlace system has you in or out of your boots in seconds. I added Superfeet inserts to replace the stock inserts and I hit the checkout stand.
I’ve ridden this boot for two seasons now. I ride about 50-60 days/season. I ride in the trees, moguls, park, pipe, carving, switch, and race. This boot offers solid support. I’ve experienced no pressure points or arch pain. The liner has minimally packed out. One lace did break and one of the ankle cinches doesn’t work as well as it used to. The laces are so long I just tied the broken ends together and the cinch has secondary backup so no big issue there either. It doesn’t mesh well with Flow bindings but works with Burton bindings. I’d buy this boot again.
07-08 ThirtyTwo Tm Two Review
03 years ago
by Chris
in Men's Snowboard Boots
Thirty Two's Tm Two has been the pinnacle of freestyle boot design for quite a while.
No real surprises in this year's Tm-Two, but that can be a good thing; the Tm-Two didn't need changing. It's consistantly been one of the best top-end freestyle boots since we last reviewed it several years ago.
The Team Two is a comfortable boot that should last the average rider several seasons of freestyle use. The Tm Two is more designed for the upper-level freestyle rider, as it's a stiffer freestyle boot, so think big booters, backcountry freestyle, and pipe, more than a super soft park-only boot.
Most will probably find the Team Two a bit stiff at first, but like most Thirty Twos they break in nicely after a week or so of riding, and quickly become super comfortable.
I really like the heel-lock lacing used in this years boot, and the articulating cuff means that your ankle area of the boot's tongue doesn't get blown out like before. Both are great upgrades from previous boots.
07-08 Burton Sapphire Review
03 years ago
Stepping into the Burton Sapphire is like wrapping your foot in a warm towel you got right out of the dryer!
These boots top the list when it comes to feel, comfort and warmth! It took me a bit to break them in but I can ride in one pair of socks and my feet never get cold. In fact sometimes they are almost smoldering! The inside of the boot is covered in decadent blue fuzz, creating a "fur coat" for your foot. The lace up system and new true fit construction help these boots stay tight on your feet and give you great response when riding! Only quam I have run into is with size. Burton seems to run a bit smaller than some other boots I have had, they do pack down about a half size, but be ready for some snugness!
07-08 Burton Supreme Heat Review
03 years ago
Many men have commented on interest in this boot and next year Burton boot line will have men’s and women’s options, including different boot models, with the heater component as an option.
I am stoked that there is finally a boot that provides heat. No more smashing toe warmers in, no more going in early to warm up. With my 100 days on snow per year, many of which I am freezing, these have become one of the best things in my outerwear lineup.
The Therm-ic heat tape runs on the top of the liner so it can warm up the blood in the veins on top of your foot. The battery packs are about 2×2.5 inches and unobtrusively clip onto the front of the boot. There are three heat settings or they can be off (or not even attached to the boot when it is a warm day). The first and second settings provide almost unnoticeable to mild heat. The third setting supposedly shouldn’t be left on for too long, but with my cold feet on a frosty day, it is my constant. As you would expect, the higher setting does run the battery down more quickly. In my experience, one battery pack lasts longer than the other and I wish this were different. However, transitioning between all three settings, I find they can last up to five or six hours.
The faux-snake skin boot is very silky and sleek looking. The heater component only comes in the Burton women’s Supreme. It is a high-performance boot, which means it is stiffer and it takes longer to break in. The liner is also slightly tighter than normal but still packs out, so I recommend buying them snug to fit. In the Supreme Heat I am a size 6.5, while in all my other Burton boots I am a 6. I don’t know if it is the Supreme in general or just the Supreme Heat, but the heel took me several weeks to break in because it is overly cushioned and was pinching me until it began to mold to my foot. Another component of the Supreme is the Speed Zone lacing system, which I like.