Freestyle riding is a popular style because of the high-flying tricks and aerial maneuvers involved. To conquer those skills, you need good equipment on your side, and boots are part of the equation.
I’m a certified snowboarding instructor who has been teaching many riding styles to my students over the last ten years. I have experience with many types of freestyle boots and know what to look for in the best options out there.
The Adidas Samba ADV is my pick for the best freestyle snowboard boots of the year. You might be wondering how a major shoemaker delivered on a quality snowboard boot but trust me, they did.
I’ll show you several other options in this post so you can make the best decision for all of your freestyle pursuits.
Let’s go stomp that line.
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Who Should Get This
Freestyle snowboarding is all about getting air, stomping landings, and learning new tricks and twists to help you along the way. Whether you live in the terrain park or adopt a freestyle rider’s mentality beyond its boundaries, the boots listed here will help you perfect this riding style.
You technically don’t need a freestyle-specific boot, but they can help you ride better. If you’re more of a freerider or all-mountain type, these freestyle boots might be too soft for your needs.
While they stand out in freestyle, they won’t deliver the performance or response needed in bigger mountain situations when speed and control are everything.
Top Freestyle Snowboard Boots
There are many different options out there, but here are my top picks for the best freestyle snowboard boots currently available.
1. Best Overall: Adidas Samba ADV
- Best for Overall
- Key features: Comfortable, progressive flex, 3D-molded tongue, heat-moldable liner, inner ankle harness
- Flex: Medium
- Lacing Style: Traditional
- Cost: $$$
The Adidas Samba ADV earns my pick for the best freestyle snowboard boot of the year. This option will perform well in a variety of freestyle conditions while offering plenty of comfort and durability along the way.
It has a medium progressive flex that is ideal in the park and other areas of the mountain. It’s responsive when you need to dig in but flexible enough to not restrict what you can do in the air or on the runway.
An Ultralon heat-moldable liner gives you plenty of customizable comfort. This leads to an easy fit that will work for a variety of ability levels. Things are further enhanced by an inner ankle harness that adds support.
A solid and durable rubber outsole gives you a lasting grip and comfort in case you want to hike your way back up the halfpipe.
And on top of all the great performance features, the Samba just looks cool with a throwback style that many riders will love and appreciate.
The only real downside to these is the traditional lacing that can get loose after a few runs.
2. Best for Intermediate: Rome Bodega
- Best for: Intermediate
- Key features: Good option for progression, inner shell harness, Hybrid heel lock boa, Pro F.I.T. liner, Gripflex outsole
- Flex: Medium
- Lacing Style: Traditional/Hybrid
- Cost: $$$
If you want a boot that can grow with you as you improve your freestyle skills, check out the Rome Bodega. This is another solid all-around freestyle boot that will push you to get better without being too aggressive.
These boots are somewhat unique in that they feature both traditional and hybrid lacing. This gives you a customizable fit that is easy to dial in effectively.
A heat-moldable liner gives you even more comfort and customization. It comes with a SkateCuff 3D ankle support system that feels like a skate shoe and is an entirely focused freestyle design element.
The heel lock Boa dial will help you keep your feet in place, while an inner shell harness and pro footbeds work with this to keep everything supported without being too tight.
A gripflex outsole is lightweight but grippy enough to give you good traction in all sorts of situations.
These do have quite a bit of forward lean, which some freestyle riders might not like.
==> You can also get it on Evo or Buckman’s or Backcountry.
3. Best for Comfort: Vans Hi-Standard
- Best for: Comfort
- Key features: Affordable, simple but effective, UltraCush liner, 3D molded construction, comfortable footbed
- Flex: Soft/Medium
- Lacing Style: Traditional
- Cost: $$
The Vans Hi-Standard (review) gives you the perfect blend of comfort, performance, and style. These boots look and feel great but will also help you stomp all of the features in the park.
They have a medium-soft flex that many freestyle riders will appreciate. It’s stiff enough to allow for good control and response while providing enough flex to give you a little play when you land or hit a rail.
The UltraCush liner is super comfortable and adds to the overall feel and function of the boots. It gives you enough support without being constrictive.
PopCush footbeds also add to the comfort of the Hi-Standard. These have a 3D molded anatomical shape that works with the natural shape of your feet. Airflow perforations and a Nylex top sheep help to keep your feet warm and dry.
These don’t come with a heat-moldable liner, which is a bit of a bummer.
==> You can also get it on Vans or Evo or Backcountry.
4. Best for the Money: DC Phase
- Best for: The Money
- Key features: Affordable, comfortable liner, moisture-wicking insole, Unilite outsole
- Flex: Medium
- Lacing Style: Traditional
- Cost: $$
The DC Phase is the best freestyle boot for the money. These are very affordable but still give you outstanding performance and fit.
The Red Liner is built for comfort and performance. It’s made with both EVA memory foam and a fleece lining. These combine for lots of cushioning, but the fleece helps to keep you warm as well.
A Snow Basic insole is cut from EVA foam and is super durable. It’s covered in a moisture-wicking material to keep everything inside nice and dry.
The Unilite outsole helps keep the boots lightweight while still providing you with plenty of cushions and impact absorption. They also have excellent traction in the snow.
The Phase isn’t a fancy boot and only comes with the basics of features and functions. But it has everything you need for effective freestyle riding.
==> You can also get it on Evo or DC or DICK’S.
How to Choose Freestyle Snowboard Boots
When you are shopping for a good pair of freestyle boots, keep the following considerations in mind to make the best choice.
Flex
One of the most significant considerations when it comes to snowboard boots is flex. When getting a freestyle boot, you want a softer flex. A soft flex is more forgiving and caters to the demands of the style.
That will help you perform different tricks and increase your ability to land on the snow effectively after going big. You could consider a medium-soft flex if you want a little bit more response.
Comfort/Support
Freestyle boots are built to help you remain comfortable while you ride through the park or crush big maneuvers anywhere on the mountain. Comfort considerations, such as a quality footbed for increased cushioning, are essential when landing.
A nice moldable liner is another feature that you should look out for when buying freestyle boots.
Even though a soft flex is ideal for freestyle riding, you still want your boots to be supportive. The more ankle and foot support you get out of your boots, the less chance for injury, and the easier it will be to take off or land.
A good lacing system and power strap that wraps around your ankles are also good to have.
Lacing Style
Lacing style is a personal preference. For snowboard shoes, there are three main varieties: traditional, quick-lace, and BOA. When getting a freestyle model, I would recommend a traditional or boa lacing system.
Traditional laces allow you to keep your boots a little looser, which can add some additional flex, and BOA laces are effective when you want extra support and a customizable fit.
Useful Tips & Resources
Freestyle riding is a ton of fun, but it can take a while to learn the basic maneuvers. Keep in mind that you’re not going to be an expert freestyle rider right away. You need to put in your time on the snow to develop the skills you need to find a flow.
Some riders will pick this style up pretty quickly, while others might struggle with the basics. Either way, just stay patient, put in the time on the snow, and your skills will improve.
Here are some easy first tricks to learn in the park if you are just starting out. Take your time and always keep safety in mind when learning. With each failed attempt, you will surely improve.
My Verdict
The Adidas Samba ADV is one of the best freestyle snowboard boots around. It blends a softer flex with a ton of comfort and ankle support. And it also looks super cool, thanks to the classic style that Adidas brings to the game.
If you want to develop your freestyle skills fully, it’s hard to find anything better than boots listed in the sections above. Freestyle snowboarding has always pushed the limits of the sport, and this is made possible by the great gear options available for riders at all levels.
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