GT: How to Make Snowboard Boots Last

Boots are arguably the most important piece of your shred kit, since control of your board is channeled through your feet. Finding great-fitting boots with just the right flex for your riding style can be a season-changer, so once you find the right pair, it’s worth your while to make them last. And when you decide it’s time to send your boots to a new home, you’ll get much better resale value if they’re in great shape. How well you take care of your snowboard boots can be the difference between barely making it to closing day and multiple seasons of good use. Read on for some of our go-to tips on how to extend the life of your boots, so they can serve you (or a fellow rider) for many awesome days to come.

Keep them dry

One of the single biggest factors in making your boots last as long as possible is drying them out fully between every use. Soggy gear breaks down more quickly, and can lead to the dreaded boot funk that’s ended countless friendships in resort employee locker rooms. Not to mention, sticking your foot into a boot that’s still wet from the previous day is easily in our bottom 10 snowboarding experiences—right next to catching a backside edge. If you’re spending multiple days in a row riding wet powder or springtime slush, drying your boots in time for the next morning can be harder than it sounds. Investing in a boot dryer is a great way to maximize the life of your boots (and improve the air quality of wherever you’re storing them). Or if you don’t have a dryer, removing the boot liners from their shells at the end of the day is a good tip to speed up the drying process.

Get closure

Throughout the average snowboard boot lifespan, many of the most common problems people encounter are issues with their lacing systems. While these have improved a lot over the years, picking up a spare lace or Boa reel to have on hand will prevent you from missing out on any mountain time if and when you catch a bit of bad luck. Most good shops will stock spare lacing system parts for the brands they sell, or you can reach out to your boot manufacturer. If your boots have Boa reels, you can also order spare parts directly from their website. Best case, you’ll never need them and you can throw them in as a bonus when it’s time to sell your old gear. Worst case, you’ll spend a few minutes replacing your lace or reel at the top of a ridgeline when Murphy’s Law strikes.

Wear judiciously

While you shouldn’t worry about rushing to change footwear for a post-ride beverage with the squad, keeping your snowboard boots on for extended periods of not-snowboarding puts unnecessary wear on them. If you’re a liftie, a parking lot attendant, or just doing a lot of shoveling, it’s worth picking up a pair of separate winter boots to save your riding boots for their intended purpose.

Mind your edges

During a long, stormy ride up an old, slow chairlift, it’s tempting to rest your board edge on your boot to take some of the weight off your front leg. The only problem is that properly maintained snowboard edges are sharp enough to cut through ice, fingertips, and especially the tops of snowboard boots. If you need to relieve some pressure on a long lift ride, hook the toe of your boots under the heel cup of your much-less-sharp bindings instead. Better yet, loosen your front straps a click or two before getting on the lift in the first place. It makes a surprising difference in comfort to relieve a little of that tension before each lift ride, and over time can even minimize the creasing caused by tight binding straps.

Skip the heat molding

We’re about to share a potentially controversial opinion: soft-shell snowboard boots don’t really need to be heat-molded, and doing so can actually shorten their lifespan. Heat molding effectively speeds up the break-in process, and can soften up your liners and shells ahead of schedule. To get the maximum lifespan out of your boots, many seasoned snowboard boot fitters will tell you it’s best to break them in with good-old fashioned riding time. Besides, if you’re depending on a heat-molding process to cure a bad boot fit, you’re likely to end up with foot pain anyway.

How do I know when it’s time to replace my boots?

While all snowboard boots will soften up over time, it’s time to think about replacing them when the fit starts getting sloppy. If your heels are slipping around while trying to initiate a toeside turn, or you’re having to crank your bindings down really tight to feel like you’re in control, your boots might be ready for retirement. If your boots have seen better days and you’re looking for killer deals on a new pair, check out our selection of UnNew snowboard boots, and give your feet the upgrade they deserve! TJ Parsons is a semi-reformed snowboard bum who now has a semi-adult career as a professional writer and creative. He's a self-proclaimed perpetual intermediate who thinks the outdoors are for everyone, and who wants to help dismantle gatekeeping and elitism in outdoor sports. When he's not squeezing brain juice into a keyboard, you'll find him riding boards or bikes throughout the Intermountain West. Follow us on Instagram + Facebook: Tag us @geartrade with the hashtag #unnewoutdoor #wearitout on your post or story for a chance to be featured on our page.

Have Winter gear to sell? Get cracking.

It is now easier than ever to sell your gear on Geartrade. With our new Consignment Selling option you can finally reclaim your gear closet. Send it in. We take care of the rest. Geartrade is Climate Neutral Certified.