Getting an ideal fit from your snowboard boots is essential for comfort and performance. If they are too tight, you might not be comfortable enough to stay on the slopes all day long. So knowing how to loosen them up is important.
I’ve been an avid snowboarder for nearly my entire life, and I’ve learned a lot along the way. I know how to loosen many types of snowboard boots and have shown this to many riders.
This post will show you how to loosen snowboard boots. I’ll tell you how to loosen all the major lacing styles of boots and remind you why having a good fit is important.
Let’s get after it.
Contents
The Importance of Tight Snowboard Boots
While this post is about how to loosen snowboard boots, I first want to touch on why having tight boots is essential. You need a tight fit to get the most performance out of your boots. When they get too loose, they don’t work as well.
You don’t want to be extremely uncomfortable, but you also don’t want your boots to be too loose. It’s important to find the sweet spot where your boots are tight enough to work well yet still give you plenty of comfort.
How to Loosen Snowboard Boots
This section will show you how to loosen up all the different types of snowboard lacing systems. They are all pretty easy, and you’ll get the hang of things quickly.
How to Loosen Traditional Laces
Traditional laces are the most standard type of lacing system and the most intuitive when it comes to loosening. All you need to do is untie the boots and let a little slack into them to make them looser.
You can pull at the laces to give yourself a little more wiggle room. Start at the top and work your way down to the bottom to loosen up the entire boot. Or you can just loosen up the part of the boots you want or need to.
Once they are loosened to your liking, make sure you tie the tops up tight again. A double knot is the best way to ensure the laces stay tied when you are riding.
How to Loosen BOA Systems
BOA laces are more common these days and feature a dial that secures your feet within your boots. The dial is attached to an inner lacing system that you don’t have to deal with when you want to tighten or loosen them.
To loosen BOA laces, all you need to do is turn the dial counter-clockwise. You can make minor or major adjustments to this dial until you get the fit you like the best. Make sure you don’t loosen them up too much.
How to Loosen Speed Laces
Speed laces are another somewhat newer lacing system that is growing in popularity. This system has two laces that you can pull on to either tighten or loosen up the boots. It’s a really easy and fast system.
To loosen up the boots, simply pull on the lace that loosens them. If you pull too much, you might need to tighten them back up again. Just go back and forth on the two laces until you get the ideal fit you are looking for.
When to Loosen Your Laces
With performance in mind, tighter boots are always better. But there are some situations where you want to loosen your laces, and most of this has to do with comfort.
If you are experiencing any pain or severe discomfort as you are riding, you probably want to loosen up your boots. Boots that are too tight can be a problem, and it’s always worth trying to adjust laces before buying new boots.
If you don’t have boots that fit correctly, you might not be able to get them loose enough to feel good. So if you are struggling with tightness, even after attempting to loosen them, you might need to get a new pair.
Conclusion
Loosening your snowboard boots is pretty straightforward. If you follow all the steps listed here, you should be able to get a great fit in a matter of seconds. Just take your time until you get the ideal fit, and you’ll be all set.
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