# Most comfortable boot brand?



## phile00

This thread may help identify foot types that work well with particular brands of boots. Let me break it down in more detail so you all can answer more accurately. 

Please list your arch type and foot width type. We can operate under the assumption that everyone can find a length that fits them. So list your stats and tell us the boot brand you've had good luck with, and if you've added insoles and what stiffness boot your prefer.

Rider type
3 arch types: flat arch, normal arch, high arch
3 foot widths: narrow, normal, wide

I'll go first.

I like to ride everything. Normally stay away from pipe though. My foot has a flat arch and is in between narrow and normal width. I've ridden Vans boots, Burton Boots, and Thirty Two. I like medium stiff boots. I've had the most luck with thirty Two in terms of comfortableness. I currently rock the ultra-lights. I have heat molded them and use a-line insoles. I still think my feet could be more comfortable though.


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## ryannorthcott

i don't love the fit of 32's myself actually, they have great tech and wicked designs but i've just never liked the way they fit me. my favorite boot brand is K2. i've got a pair of darko's heat molded with ultra cushy burton socks and it's like putting my feet into a bowl of marshmellows.

and my feet have normal arch and slightly narrower width.


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## freshy

Like you said this is way to subjective...But here I go
Not sure about my arches, normal or high maybe?
Feet are wide (EE)
I have found Nothwaves to be the most comfortable, I don't use insoles although I think they would help since they work so well on my work boots. I have tried 32's, the 307's which were a stiff top of the line boot and they hurt my feet like crazy after a few runs to the point of me having to take a break and untie them for some relief.
I have the decades now, they are very stiff. 
I ride evrything mostly freeride in the trees, some pipe, and very little park.


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## phile00

ryannorthcott said:


> i don't love the fit of 32's myself actually, they have great tech and wicked designs but i've just never liked the way they fit me. my favorite boot brand is K2. i've got a pair of darko's heat molded with ultra cushy burton socks and it's like putting my feet into a bowl of marshmellows.
> 
> and my feet have normal arch and slightly narrower width.


I was actually thinking about trying out some k2 boots. I would like to try some Ride boots as well. 

You know what sucks though? Since all these companies ultimately design boots for their own bindings, it's kind of a pita to figure out which boots match up with which bindings. Some boots are being made narrower now, while some binding manufacturers still have a wide-ish base.


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## unsunken

<3 Northwave. I've got practically no arch and medium, maybe slightly wide feet. The only problem is that they're not exactly low profile boots, but I don't have big feet so it doesn't matter. I'm sure any kind of boot that has a moldable liner is also super comfy.


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## PredaClone

phile00 said:


> Since all these companies ultimately design boots for their own bindings...


Not all boot companies make bindings. You could look for a pair from one of them of a company that makes both...


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## phile00

PredaClone said:


> Not all boot companies make bindings. You could look for a pair from one of them of a company that makes both...


I realize this. I was exaggerating. Ride, K2, Burton, Solomon, Rome, etc. A lot of companies make boots to fit their own bindings best. That's all I meant.


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## george_4116

Any experts that could recommend a boot for a size 11, mid arches, big calfs, and over 2 bills


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## TheJetCityFix

I've only ridden one pair of DC boas, and just bought a pair of 2009 Burton freestyles for super cheap ($45). I've ridden about 14 hours in consecutive days on the Burtons, but holy crap are they comfortable! It's like riding with my feet in huge pillows. It took a bit of riding to get use to them, they aren't as responsive as the DC boots, but I love them so far.


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## phile00

freshy said:


> Like you said this is way to subjective...But here I go
> Not sure about my arches, normal or high maybe?
> Feet are wide (EE)
> I have found Nothwaves to be the most comfortable, I don't use insoles although I think they would help since they work so well on my work boots. I have tried 32's, the 307's which were a stiff top of the line boot and they hurt my feet like crazy after a few runs to the point of me having to take a break and untie them for some relief.
> I have the decades now, they are very stiff.
> I ride evrything mostly freeride in the trees, some pipe, and very little park.


This idea is that if you post your foot stats, and mention that a boot is really comfortable, it's safe(r) to assume that "A/B/C" foot dimensions work well with/or work poorly with "Brand X" boots. From there people might get a good idea of what to try out first. 

I wish more people participated in this thread, because it could actually be very useful. I've never seen a thread asking people's foot dimensions and what boots are comfy/un-comfy.


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## bsmaven

I've ridden salomon synapse, northwave legend and not burton moto. I have small, narrow feet with high arch. The northwave are confy but too comfy and soft, which makes a boot less responsive when you push to trun and packed out quick, but they are narrow which was goof for me. Salomons were hard, not confortable lots of pressure points but stiff so repsonsive, but my ankles and feet felt it quick. I was alwasy afraid of burtons because they are supposed to be wide but they have beenthe best fit of all. Even though they fit best I still need a "tongue eliminator" pad because my ankles are skinny too and it fills up the space so I don't have to overtighten the boot. You can get them at tognar.com. I use superfeet orange foot beds, always better thanwhat comes with boot but also harder than what comes with boot butvery good support for arch and foot. With high arch every boot pushes agains top of my foot but moto is the least painful. Any questions?


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## phile00

bsmaven said:


> I've ridden salomon synapse, northwave legend and not burton moto. I have small, narrow feet with high arch. The northwave are confy but too comfy and soft, which makes a boot less responsive when you push to trun and packed out quick, but they are narrow which was goof for me. Salomons were hard, not confortable lots of pressure points but stiff so repsonsive, but my ankles and feet felt it quick. I was alwasy afraid of burtons because they are supposed to be wide but they have beenthe best fit of all. Even though they fit best I still need a "tongue eliminator" pad because my ankles are skinny too and it fills up the space so I don't have to overtighten the boot. You can get them at tognar.com. I use superfeet orange foot beds, always better thanwhat comes with boot but also harder than what comes with boot butvery good support for arch and foot. With high arch every boot pushes agains top of my foot but moto is the least painful. Any questions?


Great info. Let's keep this thread going. I'm definitely going to check out that website just to see what's up.


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## OHeazt

I've had Sim's K2's and now I'm on some Salomons and they have been my favorite so far. They seem to run a little wide and they have about medium arch.


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## Argo

Wode foot. Regular arches. Have ridden k2, Burton and flow. The flow are by far my favorite. Comfortable and respond well. When I wanna rode loose I just loosen up my laces.


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## Deven

I have a huge foot (13s). Somewhat wide foot but regular shoes and boots fit me fine. My arches actually have collapsed to a much lower level over the years due to me using no arc support in my shoes (damn skate shoes...), Now I ride DC Siloh boots and put SOLE insoles in them for arch support/overall less back pain and soreness. The boots are very comfy at first. Toe is alright, a little uncomfortable after long days of riding (with a lot of toe edge work, at that). One issue these boots have is staying tight and heel hold, but what can you expect from $150 boots that only cost $100 with a board.... You have to wrap the speed lace around the black clip thingy you pull to tighten them then shove the clip on the boot to keep your boots from becoming very loose after just a little carving. Also, your heel pops up virtually anytime you go on your toe.... These issues aside they really arent that bad of a boot. They're DC so they have a GOOD amount of cushion otherwise and havent broken on me yet...


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## phile00

Deven said:


> I have a huge foot (13s). Somewhat wide foot but regular shoes and boots fit me fine. My arches actually have collapsed to a much lower level over the years due to me using no arc support in my shoes (damn skate shoes...), Now I ride DC Siloh boots and put SOLE insoles in them for arch support/overall less back pain and soreness. The boots are very comfy at first. Toe is alright, a little uncomfortable after long days of riding (with a lot of toe edge work, at that). One issue these boots have is staying tight and heel hold, but what can you expect from $150 boots that only cost $100 with a board.... You have to wrap the speed lace around the black clip thingy you pull to tighten them then shove the clip on the boot to keep your boots from becoming very loose after just a little carving. Also, your heel pops up virtually anytime you go on your toe.... These issues aside they really arent that bad of a boot. They're DC so they have a GOOD amount of cushion otherwise and havnt broken on me yet...


Heel lift is really bad. You should never have heel lift in a snowboard boot. You have less control and get tired much faster. That can hamper progression. Definitely get a boot custom fitted at your local shop. Maybe check eliminator tongue pads on tognar.com? They can be used to fill voids in your boots which may help you with your heel problem. In all honesty though, a better fitting boot is what you probably need.


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## tj_ras

I take size 10's-10.5's
Normal/flat arch
A tad wider then normal width
im unsure of my stiffness prefrence as of now.(like to see what every boot feels like before i choose)

So far boots ive riden with are Burton invader, k2 pulse and Flow ansr( lace).

I loved each boot very much they were all very supportive in my arch, heel fit snug and did not move, toes where good on the flows and the k2's but for some reason with the burtons my toes became rather cold? Not sure why that was. Each boot was very forgiving in my opinion, didnt kill my legs/back/feet. Curently im riding the k2's and i am growing more and more happy with them every day i wear them.


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## Csanto23

I have riden K2 Maysis, and Burton Ruler boots.

My foot is an 11, my left a tad bigger than my right. Slightly flat footed. 

Both boots are size 11, the K2s are tight in the foot bed on my left (bigger) foot. The first 5 rides they crushed my toes. I got superfeet red insoles and the problem is gone. 

The K2s fit nice, but they are pretty stiff, the Rulers are however the more comfortable boot, they are far more annoying to properly lace up though. The BOA is really, really convienient.


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## phile00

My thoughts on BOA boots:

Even the boots that have 2 separate dials still tighten the boot almost too evenly for me. My feet get uncomfortable if I do not lace up properly, and the great thing about traditional laces is the fact that I can tighten more "zones" than with boa or ever boots with zonal lacing. Since in most cases I only lace up once, the convenience of BOA isn't really important to me. That said, maybe one day I will find an acceptable pair of BOA boots.


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## jgsqueak

I have a high arch and between a D and E width (unweighted 7.5D, weighted almost an 8E). I use some prototype Superfeet footbeds that never made it to production, because of that factory insoles/specs don't mean anything to me. I have ridden (in the past 6 years) 03 Burton Hails, 09 Ride FULs, 10 Ride Insanos, 11 K2 Darkos, and 11 Nike Kaijus.

The best fitting width wise of all of those are the Hails, Darkos, and Kaijus. It is not so much the width, but where the stitching is if it is not a fully lasted liner. Insano was the worst, hitting me right at the widest part of my foot and putting it to sleep (even if I wore the just the liner and no shell). FULs were good but I got similar numbness and I couldn't ever get the liner tight enough. I put different liners in the FULs and they were great. 

Another note: I do not pronate therefore the medial side of my ankle does not drop/move in my boot. If I over tighten the liner on my Kaijus it put a tons of pressure on the top of my ankle because it is a little higher than the ankle pocket in the boot.


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## HoboMaster

I have a Low-Arch, normal/wide width foot type and have been pretty successful with 32's. Currently rocking a pair of 2011 Lashed, very comfortable, especially after the heatmolding.


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## phile00

HoboMaster said:


> I have a Low-Arch, normal/wide width foot type and have been pretty successful with 32's. Currently rocking a pair of 2011 Lashed, very comfortable, especially after the heatmolding.


I just tried on a pair today. Super comfy, but I get heel lift no matter how hard I crank them, and if I crank them too hard they cut off circulation. I know heat molding helps... but I have the same problem with my Ultra-lights even after a nice a-line insole and heat molding. I need a boot that has something specific to hold the heel down.


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## jgsqueak

phile00 said:


> I get heel lift...I need a boot that has something specific to hold the heel down.


Kaijus lock you done solid.


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## StarCommand

Time for some input from a lady...

I've got narrow to regular sized feets. Size 7.5-8.5 depending on what brand shoe... Low to medium arches. My ankles roll inward, so that's fun. I have sticks for ankles.

I have had too many boots...
Snowjams in 2000.
Ride boots in 2001.
Burton Sapphire in 2005
Burton Supreme in 2007
Nike Zoom Force1s in 2010.

The first two were junk. 

The Sapphires were WAYY too narrow. They squeezed the shit out of my foot. Kept them for a season, and I think I just donated them. The were evil.

The Supremes got the most use. I had them heat-molded (biggest mistake). They have Burton's fast lacing system. And they never fit quite right. I put the little j-bars in from the jump and they never helped the heel lift. They just made it a pain in the ass to get in and out of the boot. Rode those for three years, I think...

Now I've got the Nikes, and they are amazing. Soft, cushy, a little narrow, but it keeps my foot in. They have j-bars kind of built in, so I don't notice any heel lift. They are lace-up, but Nike has this great system that locks in the laces in the lower boot, and then they lock in at each little eye all the way up so you don't have to be a professional weight lifter to get your boots nice and snug. I tend to over tighten them, actually. So far, they have been the best boots I have ever had on my feet. I can ride eight hours straight and not have foot fatigue. They're pretty soft as far as flex goes. But I've had them in pow, steeps, and in the park, and they are great in everything. I love them. My feet are so happy. Plus they look really cute.


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## LaneyGirl

The Supremes got the most use. I had them heat-molded (biggest mistake). They have Burton's fast lacing system. And they never fit quite right. I put the little j-bars in from the jump and they never helped the heel lift. They just made it a pain in the ass to get in and out of the boot. Rode those for three years, I think...

Now I've got the Nikes, and they are amazing. Soft, cushy, a little narrow, but it keeps my foot in. They have j-bars kind of built in, so I don't notice any heel lift. They are lace-up, but Nike has this great system that locks in the laces in the lower boot, and then they lock in at each little eye all the way up so you don't have to be a professional weight lifter to get your boots nice and snug. I tend to over tighten them, actually. So far, they have been the best boots I have ever had on my feet. I can ride eight hours straight and not have foot fatigue. They're pretty soft as far as flex goes. But I've had them in pow, steeps, and in the park, and they are great in everything. I love them. My feet are so happy. Plus they look really cute.[/QUOTE]

More input from a lady...

I've only had 2 pair of boots, Burton Mints & Supremes. Currently still riding the Supremes. The Mints were awful. I still get a little heel lift with the Supremes, but overall, they're pretty comfortable. Would love to find a pair that truly fits my foot. I've heard too many horror stories about heat-molding, so I don't think I'll be giving that a try.

I have a size 9 foot, with regular width, high arches and skinny heels (don't get me started on regular old shoe shopping). I shelled out big bills for those Supremes so I gonna stick with them for a while--then maybe do a custom boot. I shudder to think of the cost


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## jgsqueak

What is the issue that people (mentioned in the two posts above) are having with heat moldable liners? It is a very simple process....


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## PanHandler

I wear size 10 in shoes
normal foot width
normal arch

I am riding nike ZF1's size 9.5 and they are spectacular. I get no heel lift due to the built in J bars. The sole of the boot is the softest most cushy sole ive ever worn. The inner lace system is kind of a pain in the ass at first, but once you learn how to use it and get your own little routine going, its simple and great. It really sucks your foot back into the heel cup and keeps it there. The outer laces have this little black thing that locks the lower half of the laces in place so you can adjust the upper/lower half to your liking. The liners are heat moldable, but i just let my feet do it themselves. I would call the flex a medium. There are definitely stiffer/softer boots out there. The footprint on the boot is a little bigger than average, so keep that in mind when looking at the boot/binding compatibility.


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## StarCommand

jgsqueak said:


> What is the issue that people (mentioned in the two posts above) are having with heat moldable liners? It is a very simple process....


The heat molding combined with the natural packing out of the boot caused the liner to be too roomy. So I opted not to heat mold my Nikes and so far they are still nice and snug. I'd rather they mold to my feet over time than heat molding them and having them pack out to the point where my foot is swimming around in there by next season.



LaneyGirl said:


> I've only had 2 pair of boots, Burton Mints & Supremes. Currently still riding the Supremes. The Mints were awful. I still get a little heel lift with the Supremes, but overall, they're pretty comfortable. Would love to find a pair that truly fits my foot. I've heard too many horror stories about heat-molding, so I don't think I'll be giving that a try.


I only bought the Supremes because I knew someone working at Burton and I got them on the cheap--heat molding included at no cost. Otherwise, I probably wouldn't have bought them. Burton gear has skyrocketed in price in the past handful of years. It's really out of control.



PanHandler said:


> The inner lace system is kind of a pain in the ass at first, but once you learn how to use it and get your own little routine going, its simple and great.


Funny story... I pulled a muscle in my arm trying to tighten the inner liner when I tried them on. Weak sauce.


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## PanHandler

StarCommand said:


> The heat molding combined with the natural packing out of the boot caused the liner to be too roomy. So I opted not to heat mold my Nikes and so far they are still nice and snug. I'd rather they mold to my feet over time than heat molding them and having them pack out to the point where my foot is swimming around in there by next season.
> 
> 
> 
> I only bought the Supremes because I knew someone working at Burton and I got them on the cheap--heat molding included at no cost. Otherwise, I probably wouldn't have bought them. Burton gear has skyrocketed in price in the past handful of years. It's really out of control.
> 
> 
> 
> Funny story... I pulled a muscle in my arm trying to tighten the inner liner when I tried them on. Weak sauce.


haha that sucks. you need to pump some iron and grow them little girly muscles into big girly muscles.

I just take both hands and pull one cross section really tight then with the other hand i grab the next cross section and pull it really tight then with the other hand i pull the lace ends really tight, then puul outward with each lace and tighten down the little black lock thingy


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## jdang307

phile00 said:


> I just tried on a pair today. Super comfy, but I get heel lift no matter how hard I crank them, and if I crank them too hard they cut off circulation. I know heat molding helps... but I have the same problem with my Ultra-lights even after a nice a-line insole and heat molding. I need a boot that has something specific to hold the heel down.


I have a skinny ankle and get heel left no matter the boot or size. I will say that the Kaiju's I just bought does do the best so far in preventing heel lift, but I want it even more solid. I will resort to tricker. In other words, tognar Tognar Ski and Snowboard Boot Fitting Tools, Insoles, Footbeds and Inserts


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## jdang307

PanHandler said:


> haha that sucks. you need to pump some iron and grow them little girly muscles into big girly muscles.
> 
> I just take both hands and pull one cross section really tight then with the other hand i grab the next cross section and pull it really tight then with the other hand i pull the lace ends really tight, then puul outward with each lace and tighten down the little black lock thingy


Wait, are you talking about the inner lining, or the outer lace?

I would like some tips on how to do the inner lining on the Nike's. Just want to make sure I'm doing it right


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## PanHandler

jdang307 said:


> Wait, are you talking about the inner lining, or the outer lace?
> 
> I would like some tips on how to do the inner lining on the Nike's. Just want to make sure I'm doing it right


i was talking about the inner lining. Though, i pretty much do the inner lining and the bottom portion of the outer lace exactly the same.


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## phile00

jdang307 said:


> I have a skinny ankle and get heel left no matter the boot or size. I will say that the Kaiju's I just bought does do the best so far in preventing heel lift, but I want it even more solid. I will resort to tricker. In other words, tognar Tognar Ski and Snowboard Boot Fitting Tools, Insoles, Footbeds and Inserts


I have skinny ankles as well. I will try the Kaijus and if that doesn't suit me I'll try the inserts.


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## Powder Keg

My vans feel pretty good.


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## alex12

Just picked up a pair of TLS Nitro boots from my LBS. They're pretty comfortable and fit well. The owner of the shop (who's been riding for 21 years) doesn't even bother to stock anything other than Nitro and Salomon boots. I'd say he's pretty confident they're good..


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## pencap75

I agree with Nitros. I have normal arches and normal width feet. Best heel hold of any brand I've tried.


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## Extremo

Vans hands down...


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## ttchad

Wide feet
Med arches
skinny heels

Salomon wide dialogues
They were comfy but after 60 days they have packed out and I am getting some heel lift. They still look new & 11.5's barely fit my L/XL targa bindings. If they were any wider they wouldn't. i am now looking for recomendations. I liked the ions but they were not wide enough and I kept bruising my big toe nail!


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