What are the best snowboard boots for wide feet? I’ve found that the Burton Ruler is the best boot for wide feet.
Apart from the great fit on wider feet, its medium flex is great for hybrid styles of riding, while still offering park options thanks to superior shock absorption. The BOA lacing is convenient and hassle-free.
Last update on 2024-09-23 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Wide feet can cause fitting problems because boot sizing doesn’t just come down to the physical size of your feet.
The specific shape of your foot can have a huge effect on the comfort and wearability of a snowboard boot. Feeling a pinch on the sides of your foot is a sign that your boots are too narrow — this pinch will certainly end your day early!
Luckily, this is a common issue, and there are plenty of options on the market for people with wider feet. Manufacturers like Burton are known for their roomier boots, and plenty of others have specific wide foot products.
However, size isn’t the only consideration for new snowboard boots. Flex, lacing, and build quality are all factors you need to think about. If you want to find out more, keep reading
Reviews of the Best Snowboard Boots for Wide Feet
1. Burton Ruler Snowboard Boot
Burton is known for producing wide fitting boots, and the Rulers are no exception.
The Ruler is a medium flex boot, making it ideal for piste riders. Despite this, it also has a gel sole, which helps with both absorbing shock and insulating your foot from the cold. It’s comfortable even before being packed in.
Its speedlaces are a mixed bag. While they’re definitely easier to get into than traditional laces, they can be more fragile and tend to break.
Pros:
- The Burton Rulers are the go-to wide fitting boots
- It has a medium flex rating, which is ideal for riding pistes and less intensive park riding
- It is good at keeping feet warm
- They are comfortable
- The speedlaces have great ease of use
Cons:
- The speedlaces can be fragile
2. Burton Photon BOA Wide Snowboard Boot
The Photon is Burton’s BOA alternative to the Ruler, which is also wide set and roomier on the foot.
There are a few other key differences — the Photons are stiffer and have a little less shock absorption. This makes the boots a lot less useful in a park situation, but ideal for off piste riders.
The BOA lacing is a matter of personal preference. Some people swear by them, others hate them. Ultimately, speedlaces are perhaps a fraction of a second faster than using a BOA, but the Photon’s system definitely gives you a bit more adjustability.
Pros:
- The stiff flex rating makes the Photons great for freeriding and precise control
- The BOA laces, depending on preference, are very intuitive to use
Cons:
- The stiffer boots are less efficient at absorbing landings
3. Salomon Dialogue Focus BOA Wide Snowboard Boots
This year’s release of the Dialogue Focus gave the boots a much-needed update in terms of quality and comfort.
In terms of flex, it offers a very middle of the road option, which is great for beginners or those that only snowboard a few times a year. It does, however, not offer that much for shock absorption.
Again, the BOA is up to personal preference, but can be a lifesaver for those fed up with traditional laces. It has an exclusive rubber sole, which gives excellent traction and greatly reduces slip risks on the ice.
Pros:
- The mid-flex rating is good for beginners
- Its rubber sole eliminates slip risk
- The BOA lacing is very convenient
Cons:
- It doesn’t have great shock absorption
How to Choose the Best Snowboard Boots for Wide Feet
Sizing
The most immediate thing to consider is the size of your boots. Boots that are too big will make it harder to control your board, cause heel lift, and can cause potentially ankle-breaking twists if you crash.
You’ll experience heel lift, which will make toeside turns extremely difficult. On the other hand, boots that are too small will be noticeably uncomfortable, and eventually your feet will become so sore that you’ll be unable to ride any more.
For your wide feet, you’ll notice the obvious pinching feeling on the sides of your foot. Sometimes, narrow boots will get “packed in” just from regular use, and if the feeling is just slightly uncomfortable rather than debilitating, then it might be worth trying to wear them in.
You can also tell if they’re too wide if you notice your foot sliding from side to side when you initiate turns.
While all boots come in a variety of sizes, some boots “fit larger” or “fit smaller” than their stated size. With this in mind, you should never assume that a boot will fit your shoe size without trying them on. Before buying boots, you should check the manufacturer’s return policy in case of a poor fit.
The best way to ensure a perfect fit is to buy a boot with a heat-moldable liner. These liners use plastics with low melting points that are heated up and fitted exactly to the shape of your foot. If done properly, this process eliminates any fitting problems caused by wide feet.
Flexibility
Boots with higher flex ratings are much better at absorbing landings, which ultimately makes them better for aerial tricks and jibbing in the park.
Typically, more flexible boots will be made out of cheaper materials, though this doesn’t necessarily mean they will be lower quality. Boots with a lot of flex are also much more comfortable and easier to “break-in” than harder boots, which beginners will also appreciate.
Stiffer boots, on the other hand, give you much more precise control over the movements of your board — this is ideal for off-piste riders. Because you need less force in your legs to manipulate the board, you’ll also feel less tired over time. While soft boots are initially more comfortable on your feet, harder boots will reduce the strain on your leg muscles.
However, if you don’t want to be shoehorned into one style of riding, then you might be well served by a mid-flex boot, which is ideal for riding on groomers.
Fastening
There are many different kinds of boot lacing, but there are three in particular that are the most common.
The first is traditional laces, which are pretty much the same as the laces on your shoes. They can be frustrating to deal with, as very often they will come undone in the middle of runs and force you to stop, or get caught underneath the board. However, some people find them more adjustable to prevent painful pressure points forming in the boot.
Speedlaces are a quicker alternative to traditional laces. These use two straps attached to the boot laces, which, when pulled up, will tighten the boot. The advantage is obvious — they are designed to get you in and out of the boot as fast as possible, and don’t require extra fiddling over the course of the day.
The third option is the BOA laces. BOAs use an adjustable wheel to act as the tightening mechanism, which replaces the laces. Like speedlaces, they’re much faster to get in and out of, with the added benefit of being able to tinker with the tightness of the laces.
Traction
While your boot should be in your bindings while you’re riding, when you’re walking around on snow and ice, it definitely helps to have boots that have study, gripping soles. Plenty of people get dinged up in icy parking lots, so it pays to have a certain amount of slip prevention.
My Choice for the Best Snowboard Boot for Wide Feet
All in all, the Burton Ruler is my pick for the best snowboard boot for wide feet.
Thanks to its adaptable flex rating and its excellent shock absorption, it works in plenty of riding situations. It doesn’t compromise on warmth or comfort, which are the prime concerns of anyone snowboarding. On top of this, the speedlace system is extremely convenient and cuts the on-off factor of the boots in half.
However, if you prefer a BOA lacing system, you definitely should look at the competition, as both the Photon and Dialogue Focus are great alternatives.
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Last update on 2024-09-07 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
