All-Mountain riding is one of my favorite styles of snowboarding. If you want to have the versatility to go just about anywhere on the mountain, a good set of all-mountain boots is essential.
I’ve been a snowboarding instructor for the last ten years and have seen many different types of boots during that time. I have experience with many different all-mountain options.
The Ride Lasso Pro is my top pick for the best all-mountain snowboard boot this year. They are an excellent all-around boot that caters toward high-performance while being warm and comfortable.
In this article, I’ll show you all of the best all-mountain boots so you can pick the right one for your preferences or riding style.
Let’s get after it.
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Who Should Get This
If you like to ride all over the mountain, from the park and powder to the groomed cruisers and serious steeps, you need the best equipment possible.
All-mountain boots offer outstanding performance in a wide range of conditions, and they are the best choice if you want to experience a little bit of everything without limiting your options.
All-mountain boots also make a good choice for beginners because they offer flexibility without sacrificing performance. They are a style of boots that can grow with you as your abilities improve.
However, if you want a boot that’s specifically designed for advanced performance in the backcountry or terrain park, you should get a more stylized shoe.
Top All-Mountain Snowboard Boots
Here are my picks for the best all-mountain snowboard boots this year.
1. Best Overall: Ride Lasso Pro
- Best for: Overall
- Key features: Lightweight construction, micro-adjustment BOA dial, Zig-Zag flex sole, Intuition foam liner
- Flex: Stiff
- Lacing: Boa
- Cost: $$$
The best overall all-mountain snowboard binding is the Ride Lasso Pro. These are a quality set of boots that will allow you to roam anywhere and everywhere on the mountain.
These cater towards high-performance, so they are a good option for intermediate and advanced riders. A stiffer flex gives you excellent response and control no matter where you ride.
They are also highly durable thanks to rugged construction elements and a patented rebound heel counter designed to keep the flex from wearing out. This translates into many seasons of regular use.
The Lasso Pro is also very lightweight, making it a welcome companion for long days on the slopes and in the backcountry. The factory molded shell offers plenty of comfort, and an Intuition Pro liner provides plenty of cushion along the way.
The micro-adjustment BOA dial allows you to have a precise and exact fit and makes for easy tightening on the top of the run.
These are expensive, but if you want the best in all-mountain performance, they are thoroughly recommended.
==> You can also get it on Evo or Christy Sports or Buckman’s.
2. Best for Comfort: Burton Ion
- Best for: Comfort
- Key features: Super comfortable, excellent fit, DryRide Lining, PowerUp Tongue, Total Comfort Construction
- Flex: Stiff
- Lacing: Speed Zone Lacing
- Cost: $$$$
Comfort is king. And when you combine comfort with high-end, all-mountain performance, you get the Burton Ion. These boots are some of the most comfortable I’ve seen but are also built to rip.
With a pretty stiff flex, the Ion will let you charge as hard as you can in difficult terrain, deep snow, and resort runs alike. They are at the higher end of the performance scale and deliver for more experienced riders.
Total Comfort Construction is key to making these boots so darn comfortable. This is a technology created by Burton that nearly eliminates the break-in period for boots. You can literally take these out of the box and be ready to ride.
A Life Liner is responsive, and when combined with the PowerUp tongue, you get good foothold and excellent support all around. A Heat Cycle lining gives you both warmth and airflow and will keep your feet dry and cozy.
The only major downside of the Ion is its price. These are some of the most expensive boots around.
==> You can also get it on Burton or Evo or Backcountry.
3. Best Women’s: Ride Hera
- Best for: Women
- Key features: Women’s specific last, lightweight, comfortable, Calf Adjustment Tech, articulated cuff, intuition liner
- Flex: Medium
- Lacing: Boa
- Cost: $$$
The Ride Hera is the best all-mountain boot for women. These have some unique features that cater to lady riders while providing solid comfort and performance all around.
Medium flex gives you the versatility you need to ride anywhere. It is responsive enough to provide you with good control in challenging terrain while forgiving enough for freestyle pursuits.
A Jade Last is a women’s specific design element that Ride created to add some subtle changes to the fit and feel to help female snowboarders crush every line.
Special construction elements are also included to help the boots keep from packing out, leading to lasting performance and good value. Calf Adjustment Tech also helps to get a perfect fit around your lower leg.
An intuition liner adds solid support, and it has a layer of bamboo-infused material to help eliminate odors and moisture.
These don’t come with a heat-moldable liner but are still comfortable with that in mind.
==> You can also get it on Evo or Curated or Backcountry.
4. Best for the Money: DC Mutiny
- Best for: Budget Pick
- Key features: Affordable, solid all-around performance, heat-moldable liner, Impact S insole, wrap lock hardware
- Flex: Medium
- Lacing: Traditional
- Cost: $$
The DC Mutiny is a solid budget pick that will provide you with all-mountain performance in an affordable package.
DC has been making high-quality boots for years, and the Mutiny reflects excellent design and attention to detail that snowboarders of all types will love. It has a medium flex that is ideal for all-mountain riding.
A multi-layer construction liner is heat-moldable and uses a layer of memory foam for added comfort. It also has a layer of thermal regulating fleece that keeps your feet warm and cozy.
The Mutiny also has an Impact S insole that is made of a single density polyurethane foam. It effectively absorbs impacts and lessens foot fatigue. Wrap lock hardware throughout the construction keeps everything in place.
The boots also have a skate-inspired outsole that is lightweight and increases cushioning. It also provides you with plenty of traction on the snow when you need it.
Traditional laces aren’t my favorite style, but with such an attractive price tag, it’s not that big of a deal.
==> You can also get it on Got Your Gear.
5. Best for Beginners: thirtytwo STW Boa
- Best for: Beginners
- Key features: Softer flex, 3D molded tongue, heat-moldable liner, STI evolution foam sole, comfort harness
- Flex: Soft
- Lacing: Boa
- Cost: $$
The thirtytwo STW Boa (review) is a good choice for a beginner who wants to improve their abilities all over the mountain. These boots have a softer flex that is forgiving without limiting your progression.
They come with a 1:1 lasting ratio that leads to a solid fit that runs true to size. A 3D molded tongue helps secure your entire fit and hold it in place while you ride.
A Boa lacing system is a nice feature for a beginner boot. This gives you the ability to strap in and get tightened up with the turn of a dial. The laces on the STW will dial-in in a matter of seconds, and it’s an easy-to-use system.
They also have a heat-moldable comfort liner that uses dual-density foam to create a very comfortable and solid fit.
These boots are really soft, and if you are closer to an intermediate level of ability, you might outgrow them fairly quickly.
==> You can also get it on ThirtyTwo or Evo or Backcountry.
6. Best Freeride/All-Mountain: K2 Boundary
- Best for: Freeride/All-Mountain
- Key features: 3-point harness liner lacing system, Intuition liner, Harshmellow dampening, articulating cuff
- Flex: Medium/Stiff
- Lacing: Boa
- Cost: $$$
The K2 Boundary is a great snowboard boot that gives you all-mountain versatility with a freeride focus. It can handle more technical terrain and is a good option for those who want to explore steep, challenging situations.
A 3-point harness liner lacing system creates very effective ankle support. It also gives you exceptional heel hold. This does an excellent job of reducing foot fatigue, which can quickly happen you you are freeriding tough.
The Intuition liner has a blend of high and medium density foams that make for a customized and versatile fit that will work with many different foot sizes and widths. It comes with an EVA insole that adds another layer of comfort.
Harshmellow dampening helps to reduce impact and absorb chatter and bounce. This is great for big airs, dropping cliffs, and keeping your feet in good shape no matter how hard you go.
Some freeride purists might want a stiffer boot, but the medium/stiff flex gives the Boundary exceptional all-mountain characteristics.
==> You can also get it on Evo or Tactics.
How to Choose All-Mountain Snowboard Boots
Take the following factors into consideration when you are shopping for good pair of all-mountain snowboard boots.
Flexibility
A key consideration with any snowboard boot is its flex. That refers to the amount of movement you get out of a boot once you have it fully laced up. Most all-mountain boots come with a medium flex.
That’s good to look for because it allows a boot to be stiff enough for high-end performance while still offering the flex and play you need in the terrain park.
Boot flex is often listed on a scale from 1 to 10. A medium-range that’s good for all-mountain styles of riding could fall anywhere from 4 to 7.
Note that such ratings can vary from brand to brand. You’re never going to get the same flex rating with each shoe.
Lacing System
You also want to think about the lacing system when deciding what all-mountain boot to get. There are three common types of lacing systems: standard, boa, and quick-pull. All perform pretty well out on the mountain. The one you pick comes down to personal preference.
Standard lacing is similar to what you would find on normal boots. Lace them up, tighten them, and you’re ready to go. These are easy to adjust but can get loose on the mountain.
Boa systems feature a dial that tightens the laces over your feet easily and effectively. Quick-pull styles involve built-in laces that can be adjusted by pulling one section or tab.
Skill Level
Your ability on a snowboard also should be taken into account when looking for snowboard boots. If you’re a beginner, softer flex boots might be a better option because they tend to be more comfortable and forgiving.
Look for all-mountain options on the lower end of the flex scale in that case.
If you’re an advanced rider, you will want a tighter boot with a stiffer flex. That will allow you to get a better power transfer from your boots to your board, enabling you to push your board at a higher level.
Look for all-mountain boots a little higher on the flex scale in this instance.
Also Read:
Useful Tips & Resources
The best way to improve your all-mountain snowboarding is to get out on the snow and go for it.
Explore new areas of your local resort or go down a run you have never been on before. Challenge yourself in new ways, and your abilities will improve each time you head out.
There is no substitute for repetition and pushing yourself to the limits, but if you want some helpful tips on improving your all-mountain riding, check out this video.
My Verdict
Of all the all-mountain boots out there, the Ride Lasso Pro comes in ahead of the back for its high-performing characteristics, versatile ability, and overall comfort. These boots are a good choice for any intermediate or advanced rider.
Snowboard boots are a customized equipment item, and each person will have a different preference. If you can, always try on a pair of boots before buying them to make sure they will fit your feet correctly.
I can recommend a good boot based on quality and experience, but that doesn’t guarantee it will fit your food the best.
About Lorraine