The Good Ride Take on 3D Molded Tongues vs. Traditional Tongues
A 3D molded tongue is smooth and continuous and is seen on a lot of boots. It never folds down or bites into the top part of your foot or ankle. There are traditional tongues that have different names that have a folding point that is usually at the top of the ankle. We have seen that many people with bumps and issues on the top of their feet seem to have less pressure points with 3D molded tongues. It really all comes down to personal preference but we hope this breakdown helps.
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.
The Negatives- Because Burton spends so much money on sponsorship and tech they have to pass this cost along to the products they sell. They relentlessly continue to jack up the prices every year. You are almost always going to get a good product from Burton’s higher end line but some mid to low level products don’t stack up to the competition in the same price range. Just remember it’s not always good because it hast the Burton label on it.
Burton Q Boot 2012
Burton
Q
Rapid response for front, back, or sidecountry.
Driven by those who ride faster and hike higher, the Q puts a premium on stability, support, and drive. Aggressive on the outside with a soft and inviting interior—heat-ready liners defy sub zero conditions, while the Plush Cuff and gel-infused panels insulate against the pressures of riding well ahead of the pack. Built with an eco-conscience, it’s the obvious partner for riders who hike, sled, guide, or patrol. Just don’t look for this one in the lodge when the snow is deep.
Features
+ Women’s-Specific True Fit™ Design
+ LACING: Speed Zone™ Lacing System for True Zonal Lacing Control
+ LINER: Therm-ic Heat Pre-Wired Imprint™ 3 Liner with NEW Re-Engineered Women’s Fit, Rad Pad for Lace Comfort, and Plush Cuff 1.0
+ CUSHIONING: Lightweight Outsole with B3 Gel Cushioning
+ FLEX AND RESPONSE: Dual-Component Power Spine Backstay and Firm Flex Thin Profile 3D® Molded Tongue
+ COMFORT: NEW Total Comfort Construction, NEW Snow-Proof Internal Gusset, Pressure Relief Panel and Level 2 Molded EVA Footbed with ESS Support Shank and Aegis™ Antimicrobial Coating
+ EcoSmart™ Recycled Mesh Upper Materials
Support: 7
Colorway:
Black / Teal
Sizes:
5
6
6.5
7
7.5
8
8.5
9
10
Burton Q Boot 2011
Burton
Q
Free your riding and your eco-conscious.
For those with their sights set on the highest peaks, exploring hidden zones, hiking further, and carving deeper, there is no better boot than the Q™. Supportive on the outside, warm and inviting on the inside—the liner offers heat in the high alpine while the Plush Cuff™ and gel-infused pressure relief panels keep you comfortably connected. With recycled materials throughout, including eco-friendly mesh and rubber—respect the mountain while ripping it to pieces.
Features
+ Women’s-Specific True Fit™ Design
+ LACING: Speed Zone™ Lacing System for True Zonal Lacing Control [Featuring NEW Winder Handle and System Upgrades]
+ LINER: Therm-ic Heat Pre-Wired Imprint™ 3 Liner with NEW Rad Pad For Lace Comfort and Plush Cuff 1.0
+ CUSHIONING: Lightweight, Recycled Outsole with B3 Gel Cushioning
+ FLEX AND RESPONSE: Dual-Component Power Spine™ Backstay and Firm Flex Thin Profile 3D® Molded Tongue
+ COMFORT: Pressure Relief Panel and Level 2 Molded EVA Footbed with ESS Support Shank and Aegis™ Antimicrobial Coating
+ EcoSmart™ Recycled Mesh Upper Materials
Support: 7
Colorways:
Black / White / Rose
Sizes: 5-10
Burton Q Boot 2010
Aggressive on the outside, warm and inviting on the inside—the Q™ is exactly what you need when breaking barriers in the backcountry. Whether snapping methods off cornices or high-speed rooster tails through the trees, the Q’s ultra-responsiveness creates instant input from brain to binding. The liner offers heat in the high alpine, while the Plush Cuff™ lets you lap peak-to-creek without pausing.
Comfort
- Aegis™ Antimicrobial Coating
This antimicrobial coating inhibits the growth of odor-causing bacteria. Your feet [and your friends] will thank us for sure. Look for Aegis™ on select liners and footbeds.
- New Outershell Pressure Relief Panel
In our never-ending quest to make you feel like you’re not even strapped in, we’ve integrated a NEW Pressure Relief Panel into the area where the ankle strap rests on the boot. Ultra-soft foam cushioning is fused to the backside of the synthetic leather shell to help evenly distribute strap pressure while insulating the top of your foot from pesky pressure points.
Flex Response
- Firm Flex Thin Profile 3D® Molded Tongue
Adjusting the profile of the tongue’s thickness controls its flex, enhances its ability to wrap the forefoot, and reduces shell/liner stack-up for improved comfort. Offered in soft, medium, and firm flexing options based on the ride style of each boot.
- NEW Dual-Component Power Spine Backstay
We use a variety of single and dual-component Power Spine™ backstays throughout the line to fine-tune medial/lateral support, edge-to-edge response, and, most importantly, durability. For ultimate power, check out the NEW Dual-Axis Power Spine backstay on the Driver X™.
Lacing
- Speed Zone Lacing
Speed Zone™ lets you fine-tune your fit quicker and easier than any other lacing system out there. Customize the fit of the upper or lower zone in a matter of seconds—in the lift line, on the lift, or mid-run—without forcing your friends to wait. And because it’s so powerful, you’ll get more out of your boots—more rebound, more wrap, and better response—with less effort.
Speed Zone Lacing
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Liner
- Imprint™ 3
- NEW Focus Cuff Heel Hold System
- Plush Cuff 1.0 [WMS Only]
- Lightweight Power Panels
- Sock Lock
- Velcro Liner Closure
- Level 2 Molded EVA Footbed with ESS Support Shank and Aegis™ Antimicrobial Coating
- Heat-Moldable
pdetail-boots-liner-imprint-3.jpg
- Therm-ic Heat Pre-Wired
Select Burton liners come pre-wired and ready for heat! Feet frozen? Crank your slimmed-down Basix battery pack (sold separately) to a toasty 104°. Shredding all day? The system packs enough juice to last up to 9 hours from a single charge. Warm your kicks on the drive to the mountain and leave the system at home in the spring. Like the thermostat in your pad, you control the warmth—every minute, all season.
Thermic Heat Prewired
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- True Fit™ Design
True Fit™ delivers the best-fitting, most comfortable women’s snowboard boots ever. Every element of the boot—every component of the liner, shell, inner-cuff, heel-counter, tongue, outsole, even the lace guides—has been designed on all Burton women’s boots to create a fit truly tailored for today’s discriminating female riders. Because when they fit right, they ride better.
True Fit™ Design
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Other Features
- NEW EcoSmart™ Recycled Mesh Upper Materials
- Level 2 Molded EVA Footbed
- NEW Lightweight, Recycled Outsole
- NEW Injected Toe Cap
- True Zonal Lacing Control
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.
