Burton Ion Snowboard Boot Review |
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Compare Prices & Reviews
The Good Ride TakeThe Burton Ion Snowboard Boot Review by The Good RideTheir are many boots out there in the snowboarding world that have a pretty good ride but there aren't many boots that can compare to the Ions. The biggest tech change to us for 2012 over the 2011's is the cant built into the boot to allign yourself better with the board and bindings. It's very subtle and you won't notice it until you put the boot on but you can see that your feet roll a little to the inside when standing on flat ground.
Flex-What some might like or dislike about the Ion is the flex is a lot softer than the response. This to us is pretty cool because you have a boot that can feel pretty good buttering around or jibbing but when it comes time to make some hard carves or bomb a hill the Ion is right there. We feel the flex is more freestyle but the response is more freeride. Weird huh?
Comfort- The Burton Ion is sooooooo light and sooo comfortable. Each year it keeps getting easier on the feet and staying ahead of the competition in terms of comfort. In 2012 they tweaked the fit a little more to give the Ion Even though the boots have softened up the last few years their aren't additional pressure points. It's a boot you can go out at night with too if you want.
Heel Hold- If you are the average rider the heel will be locked in as soon as it's tightened up correctly. Burton's boots seem to accomodate the widest variety of users with their boots.
Upper and Lower Adjustability- The dual zone lacing system keeps adjust-ability at its finest. In our opinion Speed Zone Lacing is allot better than BOA if you crank your boots up really tight. It's very hard to create a pressure point no matter how tight you make them. Its not lightning quick but much easier than lacing. You have four things to adjust and fasten before getting it right. 2 inner and 2 outer. For 2011 and 2012 The Ion has improved the longevity of the Speed Laces. Before the laces would start coming apart at the end of a 100 day season which was frustrating. Now they make it through the whole season without even a sign of wear.
Response- To us response and comfort are the two most important things in a boot. So you know this is comfortable but how is the The Burton Ions are a light mid to almost soft flexing boot that some how creates the response of a super stiff boot. This is hard to describe but the boots seem to help you get ready for the next turn. This is something that we haven't experienced in any other boot and it's very unique. We can't put a finger on what tech makes this boot so adaptive to any condition. It's probably a combo of forward lean reflex tech and other tech beyond our comprehension. We'll just give up and say this boot is an industry leader when it comes to response. It's a great freeride boot but it's also tweakable for park riding (even jibbing) which again is rather unique. Traction- The traction is great on just about anything you walk on. The rubber works very well on ice or deep snow.
Sole Cushioning- The sole cushioning is great in the heel with the air cushioning. Its not marketed very much but there is some sort of air spacing between the white part of the inner sole and what ever is inside. What ever it is the result is an incredibly smooth ride. Heel hold is stepping up but it would be great to have perfect fit without having to fu^& around with the J-Bar inserts. When they are in its hard to take out the liners to dry without ruining the J-Bars and your perfect heel hold. That is why its an 8. This boot makes board and bindings feel like they are all one. Especially if you have a burton binding. Burton has allot of competitors now and its hard to stay at the top so give them big ups for this boot. Also bitch at them for making them soo expensive!!!!! For 2012 the large deep padding system has been removed to make the boot lower profile. This is to work better with the est binding system. It's still good with shock absorption but we liked the older versions better. All in all the Burton Ion is one of the more diverse all around boots you can buy. We'd like to see this add an articulating cuff like the Burton SLX but this boot still blows doors and will integrate well with just about any type of set up you can find.
The Good Ride Take on 3D Molded Tongues vs. Traditional Tongues
The Good Ride Take on Burton Burton is huge. They have developed or acquired most of the technology that we use today. Burton is one of the only companies that can provide you with everything you need to snowboard from boards to beanies. Burton even owns arguably the best surfboard company Channel Islands because Jake likes to surf. They are like the Yankees of snowboarding because they can always outspend their competition to win. The positives- Burton provides more products for each gear/clothing/accessory category than any other company. Burton has possibly the best customer service in the snowboarding industry. Burton continuously spends more money than almost any company to develop new tech or just make what they have better. Burton sponsors more pro’s and get’s more high level user feed back than any other company. They have some of the best boots, bindings and boards in the industry. They also have great clothing.
Company InfoBurton Ion 2012Burton ION A legend and longtime team favorite.
Tested under bright lights and in secret spots, the Ion™ is a legend and longtime team favorite. Ridden by Danny Davis and Charles Reid, its unique one-piece upper construction promotes high-speed stability while NEW AutoCANT Cardinal Cushioning outsoles with EST™ enhance feel, control, and comfort. Fully explaining the sole tech would take hours, but basically it allows the foot to roll and tweak naturally, reducing stress on joints and ligaments—because you'll need those later. Ridden by: Danny Davis, Charles Reid, and Kim Rune Hansen
Features + Shrinkage™ Footprint Reduction Technology + LACING: Speed Zone™ Lacing System for True Zonal Lacing Control + LINER: Imprint™ 4 Liner with DRYRIDE Moisture Wicking Tech, InfiniFIT™ Liner Sole, and Rad Pad for Lace Comfort + CUSHIONING: NEW Low-Profile EST Optimized Midsole Featuring AutoCANT Cardinal Cushioning + FLEX AND RESPONSE: Firm Flex Thin Profile 3D® Molded Tongue, NEW Seamless Power Spine Backstay, and Super Grip Toe + COMFORT: NEW Total Comfort Construction, Outer Shell Pressure Relief Panel, NEW Snow-Proof Internal Gusset and Level 3 Molded EVA Footbed with ESS Support Shank, Dual-Density Cushioning, and Aegis™ Antimicrobial Coating Colorways: Black / Green Purple / White White Sizes: 7 7.5 8 8.5 9 9.5 10 10.5 11 11.5 12 13
Support: 8
Burton Ion 2011Burton ION A legacy of all-mountain mastery.
In an era when double corks and triple digit airs are the norm, it’s no wonder more Burton [and non-Burton] pros choose the Ion™. Always at the forefront of innovation, this year’s edition features the latest in quick-drying liner science and padding that completely encompasses your foot. Now even easier to lace, the Ion also features the heightened board feel of an EST™ midsole with cushioning that can be adjusted according to terrain or conditions.
Features + Shrinkage™ Footprint Reduction Technology + LACING: Speed Zone™ Lacing System for True Zonal Lacing Control [Featuring NEW Winder Handle and Additional System Upgrades] + LINER: Imprint™ 4 Liner with NEW DRYRIDE Moisture Wicking Tech, InfiniFIT™ Liner Sole, and NEW Rad Pad For Lace Comfort + CUSHIONING: Low-Profile EST Optimized Midsole with RX Adjustable Cushioning and Rubber Ice Spikes + FLEX AND RESPONSE: Firm Flex Thin Profile 3D® Molded Tongue, Power Spine Backstay, and NEW Super Grip Toe + COMFORT: Outer Shell Pressure Relief Panel and Level 3 Molded EVA Footbed with ESS Support Shank, Dual-Density Cushioning, and Aegis™ Antimicrobial Coating Colorways: Black / Electric Blue White / Red / Silver
Sizes:7-13 Support: 8
Burton Ion 2010Ridden by more Burton [and non-Burton] pros than any other, the Ion™ has easily claimed more podiums, covers, and videos than any other. The proving grounds for our latest innovations, this boot is built to adapt and destroy. The fastest, most adjustable lacing system locks you into the superior heel hold of a fully upgraded liner. The heightened feel of the EST™ midsole can even be fine tuned with our exclusive RX Adjustable Cushioning system.
Comfort
Flex Response
Lacing
Cushioning / Trac
Liner
Support
Other Features
Compare Laces & SizingBOA vs. Speed Lace vs. Traditional Lace The Good Ride Take on BOA Boots- A BOA Boot has a steel cable attached to some sort of plastic Coiler mechanism that tightens the boot instead of laces. There are 2 main types of BOA boots. The Good Ride Take on Traditional Lace- Traditional Lace is what most people know. It’s reliable and easy to repair. Lace boots take a lot more effort than BOA or Speed Lace. Also many riders complain about blisters in attempts to get them tight. Some Lacing systems have handles at the top that connect to the laces and we love this. Another thing we like is when the upper lace hooks hold the lace in place so each section can tighten independently. When you have this along with a handle connected to the end of the laces it’s more adjustable than BOA and Speed lace. We really like this but it’s almost not a traditional lace boot. It’s more a hybrid but whatever you call it we like it! However it’s not great in terms of the time it takes to get things dialed out or make minor adjustments on the hill. The Good Ride Take on Speed Lace- Speed lace is a perfect compromise between BOA and Traditional lace. It’s almost as fast as BOA and more adjustable. Some Traditional Lace is just as adjustable but speed lace is easier to do so. We really like how the upper and lower laces are 100% separate. This is a huge advantage over BOA Boots and some traditional laces that don’t lock at each hook. Speed Lace is super easy to tighten up and dial out. It’s also pretty easy to make small adjustments throughout the course of the day. If the laces break out on the hill it will be a lot more difficult to fix than traditional laces but it can be done without help from a shop or sending it back. If you are a 100 day a year rider then plan on changing out your laces half way through the season. We have been lucky so far and never had one break on the hill because any time they start to get frayed they break. We mainly ride speed lace boots but we aren't that high on ourselves to say that's the way it should be. Everyone is different. All lacing systems have strengths and weaknesses. It’s up to you to figure out what will work the best.
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Cushioning / Trac
- EVA
- Rubber Ice Spikes
Liner
- Imprint
Support
- 2
Other Features
- Level 1 Molded EVA Footbed
- Soft Flex Thin Profile 3D® Molded Tongue
- Traditional Lacing