Hiking In Snowboard Boots [5 Awesome Benefits]

If you decide to go hiking in snowboard boots, you need to know some of the most crucial things. The essential issues include the snowboard boot’s flexibility, matching the riding style and flexibility, lacing system, liners, good boot fit, etc.

Knowing the details of all these is important because it will help you decide whether you can hike in snowboard boots or not. So, keep going through this article, and you will definitely learn about all these in sequence. 

Hiking In Snowboard Boots [5 Things To Know]

Before choosing the snowboard boots for your hiking purpose, you should know all the details, including their pros and cons. Here we discussed those entire crucial things that you should know. Let’s Start…..

1. Greater Flexibility

Snowboard boot’s one essential feature is its greater flexibility. The design of this boot offers a flexibility spectrum in various ranges, from soft to stiff.

These boots are designed with all types of flexibility, including soft, medium, and stiff. Let’s discuss the details of these three categories: 

Soft Flexibility:

Resilient and comfortable materials ensure the boot’s soft flexibility. When you use snowboard boots for hiking on the mountains, this flexibility secures the feet with easiness for long days. 

Medium Flexibility:

You will get comfort and support in performing mountain hiking using the medium flex snowboard boots. These boots ensure feet’ mobility and balance.

Stiff Flexibility:

The snowboard boots with this feature provide maximum support in hiking’s harsh conditions. Also, it controls hiking at high speeds. 

Note: You can also read Mount Evans vs Pikes Peak Comparison Guide.

2. Flexibility And Riding Style

When starting mountain hiking, a hiker follows a specific riding style. Now, matching the riding style and snowboard boot’s flexibility is extremely important for successful hiking. Various riding styles are available, including Freeride, All-mountain, Freestyle, etc.

Now selecting a specific flexibility feature, you can’t go for any riding. Instead, you need to know which snowboard boot’s flexibility type fits which riding style the most. Let’s discuss it. 

The general recommendations for matching riding style and snowboard flexibility are the following: 

• Most riders, including beginners, should choose soft to medium flexibility snowboard boots for All-mountain riding style. 
• The racers should go with the snowboard boot’s stiff flexibility options in the All-mountain riding style.
• Snowboard boot’s stiff flex option is also perfect for those who prefer Freeride style in hiking.
• If you choose hiking Freestyle riding, you should go for the snowboard boots soft flexibility option. 

3. Snowboard Boots Lacing System

When choosing a snowboard boot for hiking, one crucial thing you need to know about its lacing system. The hiker should lace the boot in a comfortable yet tight manner. Also, the lacing should do in a blister freeway; otherwise, it will cause pressure points. 

Traditional, Boa, and Quick-pull are three crucial lacing systems in most snowboard boots for hiking. Each lacing system is unique, handy, fast, and secure. No lacing system is more significant or outperforms compared to others.

The design you will choose depends entirely on your budget and style preference. Let’s discuss the pros and cons of each lacing system:

Traditional Lacing System

The pros and cons of snowboard boot’s traditional lace are the following: 

Pros:

• Tight-fitness is easily customizable by hand
• You can quickly fix the replaced laces
• Inexpensive

Cons: 

• In cold bare hands or wearing gloves, tie it isn’t easy
• Vulnerable to sudden loose

Quick-Pull Lacing System

The snowboard boot’s quick-pull lacing system consists of the following pros and cons. 

Pros: 

• Fast and suitable
• Customizable fit available, including several independent high-low laces
• It’s easy to tie even by wearing hand gloves

Cons:

• Initially, its use may seem difficult
• Sometimes the boot’s eyelets can create the pressure point
• Your riding can suddenly end because of the lace’s worn out or breaking

Boa Lacing System

The benefits and obstacles in choosing the snowboard boot’s Boa lacing system are the following: 

Pros:

• Easy, stylish, fast, and convenient
• Using just one hand, you can tie it
• Users get a fine-tuned fit

Cons:

• Customization is not possible for foots upper and lower regions
• Create the pressure points
• Expensive or add extra boot cost

4. Liners Of Snowboard Boot

Snowboard boot’s whole inner boot is known as “Liner.” Ethylene-vinyl acetate is the main component of making liner. It’s a moldable and lightweight polymer. Its main feature is ensuring hiker’s feet’ stability, cushioning, safety, and insulation. 

Fortunately, you can extract some liner from your snowboard boots after a day of hiking. You can do this because those boots consist of removable liners. However, three categories of liners are available, including: 

• Non-Moldable Liner: Ensures the feet’s stability and generic padding
• Custom Moldable Liner: Ensures custom fit using the artificial heat source
• Thermoformable: Achieve the custom fit using foot’s heat

5. Snowboard Boot Fit

Purchasing the boot’s right size is crucial while you are going in hiking with these boots. Boot’s good fit is vital in ensuring your hiking success. And purchasing or renting the exact size boot for your foot is the first step of a good fit. 

However, the boot’s good fit means it should fit snugly in your foot, but you should avoid excessive tightness. Excessive fit or tightness causes constricting circulation points, and it could end your hiking day.

You should not either buy a sloppy or loose feel boot because it would not be helpful for your hiking at all. Instead, you should choose that boot fit that barely grazes the toes. Ensure the snug boot fit. 

FAQ:

Can hikers use snowboard boots for hiking?

Some hikers go hiking using a snowboard or mountaineering boots. They use this boot because it’s more supportive than standard winter boots. Also, they can adjust it to fit it properly. 

Can I wear my snowboard boots snowshoeing?

Yes! You can quickly wear your snowshoes with your snowboard boots. You will get snowshoes of various types. And they consist of multiple bindings which can be easy to fit in any shoe type. 

Are snowboard boots more comfortable than ski boots?

The outer shell of snowboard boots is made of softer material, and for this reason, it provides a more comfortable feeling than ski boots. You will get a comfortable and cozy feel because of the softer material. 

Do Snowboard boots make a difference? 

Snowboard boots are a type of snowboard equipment with various properties. However, not all features are essential for you to make a difference. But the main difference is it’s easy to wear and its comfort level.

How much do snowshoes cost? 

You can purchase or rent snowshoes for your adventure. Rent would cost less compared to the purchase. For example, if you buy it, it may cost $100 whereas the rent cost maybe $10. 

Conclusion

Now you know what benefits and obstacles you can face while hiking in snowboard boots. Hopefully, the snowboard boot’s all the details will help you to decide whether you should choose them for hiking or not. If you still need to know something more about snowboard boots, comment and let us know your query.