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DC Judge Snowboard boot Review

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4.0 (1)

DC Judge Snowboard Boot Review

judge-blk
$265
Intermediate to expert All Mountain freestyle
One of DC's most popular mid to stiff flexing boots.  DC is known for their easy forward flex and good park feeling.  These boots have evolved from a single BOA to a Double BOA over the years and might be one of the most popular BOA boots out there.   They are known for being  comfortable for a Double BOA boot and also have excellent heel hold. The back pannel of the liner has what looks like well..... lets just say two very grippy bumps that seem to wrap around your achilles tendon and trap your ankle from rising.  Some might even complain that it is too hard on the achiles until they are broken in.  DC has a great shell but as of late their liners have not been on par with their shell.  It can make for a ride that isn't as comfortable as some boots out thereStill the DC Judge is one of the better BOA Boots out there when it's broken in. The upgrade to the 2012 BOA system is well thought out and now on par with their top of the line DC Status which makes for much better upper and lower adjustment.  Both the upper and lower are completely seperate now when it comes to adjusting so it's almost like a Speed Lace boot. This is great.  Also the new lacing system has fewer pressure points making this one of the better mid flexing double boa boots out there.  So spend the money on the 2012 if better adjustability and comfort is important to you.

How It Rides

Flex Medium
Upper Adjustability
Excellent

Traction Excellent
Comfort Average

Lower Adjustability
Excellent

Sole Cushioning
Excellent
Heel Hold
Excellent

Response Good

Board/Binding Integration Excellent

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The Good Ride Take


 

The Good Ride Take on Articulating Cuffs- If you don't know what an articulating cuff is the upper and lower panels of the boot are separate.   The top cuff is only attached at the back and then wraps around the front.   When you flex forward it doesn't stretch out the boot and over time it stays closer to its original shape and stiffness.  It also creates a more natural and comfortable forward flex when riding.  It can be made to be stiff or very soft and is generally more comfortable than a standard boot.  We love this tech!

The Good Ride Take on DC Snow
DC has been making boots forever and has a very unique take on the snowboard boot world.  DC has a very soft forward flex compared to many other boots out there.  It makes the boot more comfortable and has a good following in the park.  It is a good bet to choose their boots that have been around for a while because sometimes new boots from DC can disappoint. They have recently entered the snowboard making business and have a few Good Wood Awards.   They have a small line of mostly well made freestyle snowboards that have some original tech but mainly just stick with other designs that have worked in the past.  Most of their boards are freestyle focused but a few have an all mountain feel.   DC also has clothing but we can’t speak that much about it. The DC customer service is good but not in the realm of Burton.  They can handle issues and repairs where some companies don’t even have a call center.   All in all DC is a solid choice for boots and could be a good choice for a freestyle focused snowboard.

 

Company Info

DC Judge 2012

A part of DC's snow heritage, the Judge is back and better than ever. Packed with features and the go-to boot for Torstein Hormo who had this to say about the boot, "I like it because I can customize the fit, but it's still pretty soft and really comfortable for the good feel!"

  • Constrictor closure system
  • 3D Tongue
  • Articulation
  • Molded backstay
  • Internal ankle harness
  • Uni-Lite
  • Alpha Liner
  • Flex rating: 1

 

DC Judge 2011
A CLASSIC FAVORITE, BACK AND BETTER

You recognize the name, but the new fit and performance takes the redesigned Judge boot to another level. Designed to be versatile, the always-popular Judge can be ridden anywhere on the hill.

Colors Available: BLACK, BLACK/WHITE, BLUE/YELLOW

Sizes Available: 5, 6, 7, 7.5, 8, 8.5, 9, 9.5, 10, 10.5, 11, 11.5, 12, 13
FLEX RATING
• 7 out of 10 (1 being softest, 10 being stiffest)

UPPER FEATURES
• Water Resistant Synthetic Leather Upper
• Boa Technology's Focus System
• Ergonomically Engineered 3D Tongue
• Articulated Upper Cuff
• Internal Ankle Harness
• Welded Backstay

SOLE FEATURES
• Exo Air Skeleton
• Double Lasted Sole
• Molded EVA Midsole
• Functional Sole Design

• Bravo

LINER


Pictures

DC Judge 2012

DC Judge 2011

DC Judge 2010

Videos & Other Reviews

Other Online Reviews
       

 

Compare Laces & Sizing

SNOWBOARD BOOT SIZING GUIDE


Wide/Larger Fit--------------------------------------------Narrow/Smaller Fit




32 Celsius Ride Flow
Rome Burton Forum DC Nike
Vans Salomon




General Mens US/International Sizing
British 5 5.5 6 6.5 7 7.5 8 8.5 9 9.5 10 10.5 11 11.5 12
European 38 38.7 39.3 40 40.5 41 42 42.5 43 44 44.5 45 46 46.5 47
American 5.5 6 6.5 7 7.5 8 8.5 9 9.5 10 10.5 11 11.5 12 12.5
Japanese (CM) 23.5 24 24.5 25 25.5 26 26.5 27 27.5 28 28.5 29 29.5 30 30.5

BOA vs. Speed Lace vs. Traditional Lace
A Snowboard Boot Lacing System Comparison by The Good Ride.

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.  
1. Single BOA- This uses just one BOA Coiler to adjust the entire boot.
2. Double BOA - This uses 2 BOA Coilers for upper and lower adjusting.  Some have 1 for the outside and 1 for the inside but most are for upper and lower. 
BOA boots are the easiest to get on, get off and adjust out of any boot.  Single BOA boots have the least upper/lower adjustability of any boot because the bottom and top is tightened by one coil. If you have a Double BOA (2 Dials for upper and lower) they are closer to other lacing systems but still not as good.  Both the upper and lower dials adjust the ankle in the same place.  This means you don't have complete separation like you do with Speed Lace and most Traditional Lace Boots.  The biggest issue with BOA boots is if they break it requires a shop or the manufacturer to fix them.   It’s usually not the cable that breaks but the dials.   Out of all the boots you can crank a BOA tighter than any other boot which can be a good or bad thing.  There have been some complaints that BOA boots can have some pressure points from the cable system when tightened too tight.   The bottom line is BOA tech is a cool technological advancement that will work well with many riders and is super easy to adjust.  In the end it comes down to personal preference and BOA could be right for you.

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.

User reviews

Average user rating from: 1 user(s)

 

Overall Rating:
 
4.0
 
 

Great Park Boot

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
I've had this boot for about 4 years now and these things are great! I'm more of a park rat than a pow kid so the flexibility of the boot is a big plus. I've noticed that the Reebok pump system doesn't stand the test of time those gave out in about one 60 day season. But the Boa system still works great and I've never had a problem with cold. The soles have an empty insert for those little hand warmer packets you can pick up at any mountain gas station, I used that once and I was sweating all day. One of my favorite things about these boots is that you can wear them into the pub after a long day of riding and still be comfortable.
Overall Rating:
 
4.0
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Reviewed by Kyle Maness
February 07, 2010