Find your snowboard boot size
Type your foot length. You get your street sizes and Mondopoint, and the size on each brand’s own snowboard boot chart.
Burton publishes no foot lengths, so its rows match through the street size it prints. Salomon gives foot lengths, used directly.
How snowboard boots are sized
- US street sizes on most boots: your men’s or women’s shoe size, from the same tables.
- Mondopoint on many labels too, but it isn’t always your foot length. Burton’s chart prints Mondo 27 next to men’s US 9, while a foot that fits a standard US 9 is up to 26.25 cm (Mondo 26.5). Mondopoint on boot charts doesn’t always equal your foot length, so measure your foot and go by the brand’s US sizes.
- Half sizes stop at the top: Burton’s men’s chart, for example, goes in whole sizes only from US 12. If you’re between two of those, try both.
Measure for snowboard boots
Step 01
Snowboard socks
One pair of thin to mid-weight snowboard socks, the ones you’ll ride in.
Step 02
Standing, heel to the wall
Weight on the foot, on a hard floor, paper against the wall.
Step 03
Mark and measure
Pen upright at the longest toe, then measure to the mark. Both feet; use the longer.
Step 04
Width, if your feet are wide
Wide feet press on the sides of narrow boots. Some models come in wide versions.
The full method, with the mistakes to avoid: how to measure your foot.
How they should fit
Step 01
Toes touch, standing
Laced up and standing straight, your longest toe should just brush the front of the liner.
Step 02
Toes free, knees bent
Flex into your riding stance: your heel settles into the pocket and your toes come back.
Step 03
No heel lift
Lean forward and onto your toes: your heel should stay down. Lift means too big or the wrong shape.
Step 04
Snug, not painful
Pressure is fine, pain and numbness aren’t. Liners pack out a little in the first days, so a snug boot settles in.
Boot size and board width
Big boots on a narrow board hang over the edges, and your toes or heels drag in the snow when you turn (“toe drag”). Riders with larger boots, often from around a men’s US 11 (a foot of 27.9 cm), usually need a wide (W) board. Board makers list the boot sizes each width suits; check your boot size against it.
- Binding angles change the overhang: more angle means less overhang.
- Some boots have a reduced footprint (a shorter outer sole for the same inside size), which helps on narrower boards.
Women’s and kids’ boots
Women’s snowboard boots use women’s US sizes. On the Burton and Salomon charts a women’s size is 1 above the men’s for the same boot (the common shoe scale says 1.5), and women’s boots are usually narrower at the heel with a softer flex. More on converting: men’s vs women’s sizes.Kids’ boots use kids’ sizes or Mondopoint: buy the size that fits now, with no more than half a size of room.
Questions
Should snowboard boots be the same size as my shoes?
Usually the same or half a size smaller than your sneakers, because sneakers are often bought with room to spare. Go by your measured foot length and the brand’s chart.
Should my toes touch the end of a snowboard boot?
Yes, just touching when you stand straight, and pulling back when you bend your knees into your stance.
Do snowboard boots pack out?
Yes: the liner compresses over the first days of riding, so a boot gets a little roomier. That’s why a new boot should feel snug.
Can I use a women’s boot if I’m a man, or the other way round?
Yes: convert with the brand’s chart (on Burton and Salomon boots, women’s is 1 more in US sizes). Women’s boots are narrower, which can suit men with narrow feet.
Do I need a wide board?
If your boots are large, often from around men’s US 11, check the board maker’s width chart for your boot size.