1.05.03 - What are the various types of boots?

Boots are categorized into 3 groups: soft, hard and soft step-in.

1. Soft boots generally have an inner flexible liner, and an outer less flexible shell. Some soft boots are stiffer than others to provide support when freeriding. The more flexible a boot the easier it is to perform contorted free-style manoeuvres but ankle support and edge hold are compromised. The liners may be removeable making them easier to wash and winning you more friends on road-trips (as long as you wash your socks as well!)

2. Hard boots have a solid external shell, and are similar to, but designed distinctly from, ski boots. They are used predominantly with alpine boards and afford support and edge hold at the expense of flexibility. Ski boots don't work well as snowboard boots because boarding puts drastically different pressures on the feet and hence the boots than skiing; lateral flex is desirable in snowboarding but to be avoided at all costs with skiing.

3. The old "click-in" step-in bindings required boots made with a compatible mechanism on the sole of the boot. You probably won't be able to buy these nowadays except second hand.