Published in Whitelines Magazine Buyer’s Guide Issue, Winter 2010-2011

BURTON MINT : £130
Sizes: 3 – 10
They Say: Shred the world’s bestseller.
we say: A soft flexing, easy-riding boot that’ll suit most riders from beginners upwards. It’s probably a bit on the soft side for true speed-freaks, but it’s pretty good for everything else.
BURTON Bootique : £150
Sizes: 4 – 9
They Say: Your feet will fall in love.
we say: One of the softest boots in Burton’s range, this is supple and comfortable. This means it probably doesn’t offer enough support for the really extreme speed missions, but park rats’ and piste cruisers’ feet may indeed fall in love.
BURTON Emerald : £170
Sizes: 4 – 9
They Say: Get more pleasure with this all-mountain treasure.
we say: Aimed at ladies who want an all-rounder, the Emerald combines a medium flex with higher end features like an air bubble to cushion landings. This may be a bit moderate for proper extremists, but those who like a bit of everything will like that.
BURTON Sapphire : £190
Sizes: 4 – 10
They Say: For those who live in their boots.
we say: A high end freestyler’s boot with a flex that’s designed for performance in the park. This features Burton’s plush cuff for extra comfort, but doesn’t have the easy-in speed lacing system that many of Burton’s boots do.
DC Misty : £160
Sizes: 4 – 9
They Say: Performalite midsole and command liner.
we say: DC’s mid-spec women’s boot would suit lasses who like carving up the pistes at speed and occasionally venturing into the park. With its welded backstay, this will keep your ankles pretty rigid, so perhaps not a beginner’s boot.
DC Super Park : £230
Sizes: 4 – 9
They Say: Boa coiler and welded backstay.
we say: Sharing a name with Snowboarder Magazine’s massive end of season session the Super Park comes in near the top of DC’s women’s range. It’s pretty stiff and super-responsive, so better on the feet of experienced riders.
Deeluxe Velvet Lara : £180
Sizes: 3 – 9
They Say: The one and only.
we say: This is a high-end freestyle boot. Like all Deeluxe’s ‘One’ series, this does away with the liner completely, giving you a more immediate feel. It’s not really stiff enough for big mountain hooning, but park chicks will love it.
Flow Lotus Boa : £140
Sizes: 4.5 –9
They Say: A perfect combination of performance and style.
we say: The Lotus isn’t the techiest boot in the world, but it’s got nice little features like a speed lacing system on the liner and a boa on the outer that you’d usually only find on more expensive models.
Forum Script : £165
Sizes: 4 – 9
They Say: Rewrite the norm.
we say: A mid-flexing freestyle-focused boot. Forum use Burton’s speed lacing system here. It’s got Forum’s cheapest liner and footbed, but for parkriding ladies that’s not a problem – especially not at this price.
Head Jade SSL : £120
Sizes: 4 – 9.5
They Say: Built for progressive freestyle and intermediate riders.
we say: The softish flex of this boot and the price indicate that it’s aimed at riders who are just starting out, or those venturing into the park for the first time. The materials they’ve used mean it’s not super-light or super responsive, but you don’t want that as a novice.
K2 Affair : £185
Sizes: 4 – 9
They Say: Function meets fashion.
we say: K2’s Affair benefits from their ‘Harshmellow’ shock absorbing tech, making it a sweet boot for boosting off big drops and shredding at high speeds. Maybe not the easiest boot for beginners, but it’s not designed to be.
Nike Baxa : £145
Sizes: 4 – 8
They Say: Designed from a women’s point of view.
we say: With its floral-print pattern and ‘roman sandal inspired’ liner harness, the Baxa is definitely pitched at the fashion conscious shredette. Thankfully the performance is there too – OK, so if you’re mostly a freerider this might be a bit soft, but most people will find it just fine.
Nitro Crown : £150
Sizes: 4 – 9.5
They Say: The Crown offers ultimate support for all mountain domination.
we say: For the price, the Crown is a seriously techy boot. It’s stiff and responsive, and has impressive cushioning tech inside. It’s quite chunky-looking, but it’s not too heavy overall.
Northwave Caliber : £150
Sizes: 3 –9
They Say: Fast-lacing perfection.
we say: With its relatively stiff flex and Drake’s ‘T-Track’ technology, this boot is pitched at the upper end of the freestyle spectrum. It’s basically
an all-rounder, and doesn’t specialise in anything in particular, but for a go anywhere boot, it’s well-priced.
Rome Memphis : £160
Sizes: 4 – 8
They Say: Get out and session the whole mountain.
we say: Rome have thought a lot about the details of this boot, adding touches like a ‘control strap’ that makes getting the boot on easier. It’s quite stiff, so better suited to girls who really know how to ride – in the right hands this will really go!
Salomon Pearl : £120
Sizes: 3 – 9.5
They Say: Go for the goods.
we say: For £120, this is a damn stiff and supportive boot, making it perfect for powder hounds on a budget – seasonaires wanting more money for beer perhaps? Salomon have used their cheapest footbed to keep the price down, but it’s well built, and it has a boa! Seriously impressive for the price.
Salomon Ivy : £140
Sizes: 3 – 9.5
They Say: Park persuasion.
we say: The blurb might suggest this is just a boot for park rats, but a quick look at that flex rating will tell you that’s not the case – this is more of an all-rounder, which will keep most riders happy.
Salomon F20W : £160
Sizes: 3 – 8.5
They Say: Happy feet.
we say: Salomon’s ‘self-gel’ liner helps make the women’s version of the F20 super-comfortable, as it moulds specially to your feet. Add to this the
company’s fine number 3 footbed and you have a great package. A bit stiff for true jibbers, but great for cruising.
Thirty Two 86 FT : £140
Sizes: 4 – 9
They Say: Our women designers were hyped to work on this boot.
we say: This is one of Thirty-Two’s mid range boots, but it benefits from their ‘Fasttrack’ speed lacing system. It’s not massively stiff, but as the styling would suggest, it’s aimed more at park riders anyway.
Thirty Two Lashed FT : £180
Sizes: 4 – 9
They Say: The standout of our women’s line.
we say: Thirty-Two have changed little of the spec for the women’s version of this popular boot, but then if it ain’t broke why fix it? What they have done is tweaked the interior shape so it fits female feet using a special last. More expensive than some, but worth it.
Vans Hi Standard : £140
Sizes: 3 – 9
They Say: The longest-running boot in the Vans line.
we say: A great mid-priced boot with a flex that’s soft and forgiving enough to be ridden by beginners. But there’s more to this than just an easy ride, it’s got features like an internal web harness that’ll keep you shredding happily long after you’ve first learned how.
Vans Encore : £160
Sizes: 3 – 9
They Say: The best-selling boa boot of all time.
we say: You get an impressive amount of bang for your buck with the Encore – you might even say you get more for your money (sorry, terrible pun). A mid-flex that’ll suit most styles and a steezy look. Chunky, but not heavy.
Vans Kira : £170
Sizes: 3 – 9
They Say: The best of both worlds – boa and power cuff.
we say: A step up from the Encore, the Kira has its Boa mounted on the side to make room for that ‘Power Cuff’, which offers your ankle extra support. A nice mid-spec boot for a pretty middle-range price.
Vans Aur a : £185
Sizes: 3 – 9
They Say: Introduced last season to rave reviews.
we say: With its double boa and articulating cuff, this comes in at the higher end of Vans women’s range. It’s only the second year for the Aura, but things are looking pretty good. It’s not the cheapest, but you get what you pay for.