Burton Imperial Snowboard Boot - Men's

The Burton Imperial channels 30 years of boot-building expertise into the most bang ever for your hard-earned buck. The Ion's little brother, featuring Vibram sole, Shrikage Tech, EST, new S4 panels to prevent flex breakdown, and Total comfort for that broken in feel right out of the box. This is the boot you have been waiting for.

I didnt get these heat molded when I bought them and the first few days I wore these, I have to admit they were not comfortable. However, after about 3 days riding they got much better. Now that they are broken in they are amazing boots. They're very comfortable and the stiffer flex really allows me to manipulate my board more easily and makes for a much more responsive ride edge to edge. Also, they allow for absolutely no heel slip which is a huge thing to look for in boots. Overall these are great boots and I would recommend them to anyone.

The liner of this boot is not as good as a imprint 4 or 5 liner. Would not buy this boot with this liner again.

I had the 2010 version of these boots and was pretty disappointed. Those boots had a significant design flaw in that the material used in the toebox and forefoot generally was too soft and prone to warping. This caused a significant loss of response (and in my case, terrible foot fatigue and pain).

I sent them into Burton and Burton replaced them. As always, Burton took care of me.

The 2012 version has the same fit, but the forefoot is MUCH stiffer and less prone to warping. Nice.

I really, really like the flex of this boot. I ride pretty much everything and tend to like my boots at a stiffer than average flex for a supportive feel that still lets me flex the ankles. That describes these perfectly. Keep in mind that I am a bigger dude (200 lbs), so to some these might be stiff boots.

I really like the neoprene notch the boot has at the ankle. It does the same thing as an articulating cuff, causing less shell distortion when you flex the boot.

I dig Burton's Speed Zone lacing system a lot. Very thoughtfully designed, simple to use, and effective. It wraps tight and allows independent tightening of the upper and lower parts of the boot. It doesn't allow QUITE the same degree of customization as laces if you want say them tight at the shin but a little looser at the ankle, but it'll be fine for most. The inner lace lock is also great, and never comes loose.

Burton claims these are comfort-optimized or some such nonsense ("Total Comfort Construction") and will feel comfortable from day one... don't believe the marketing copy. These things killed my feet on day one and will do the same for you if you go for a tight performance fit. But after wearing them around the house a ton, they were very comfortable by the end of day two.

This boot has the EST sole, which is a thinner midsole that has less ramp angle than most snowboard boots (higher heel than toes to put you at a slight incline). I was worried I'd lose toeside power not being propped up onto the balls of my feet. However, I found I didn't notice any loss of power on toeside and felt much more locked in on heelside.

They are really great for hiking because they: A.) SUPER light, B.) have Vibram soles, and C.) the way the speed lace works, you can easily loosen the upper zone but keep your foot more or less secure by cranking the lower zone.

The only complaints I have is that I don't like Burton's dual velcro liner closure (I miss the strap they used to have there) and I can still feel some ankle strap pressure from the binding. Although this is true of just about every boot I've ever owned, it is a touch more noticeable with these because they are so low profile and lightweight.

All in all though, excellent boots and I look forward to seeing where they take me.

This year model does not change much compare to last year. The response and flex are really good. The boot is not as comfortable as last year model in my opinion. One thing I notice is the tongue of the liner seem a bit smaller and narrower compare to previous model so it does not stick well with the velcro that hold it in place. Just a minor thing. Traction is ok. Just be careful when walking on ice or hard pack snow. Lastly, the price for the boot had increased about 30-40 dollars for very much the same boot last year. It is still a decent and safe choice of boot.

FINALLY! After twenty years of snowboarding, I've found the soul mate for my feet - the ALL NEW Burton Imperial. I rode these boots all last season (thanks Big B) and they literally made me a better snowboarder.

I've ridden DC, 32, Rome, Northwave, other Burtons, even the 2011/12 Imperial and they're all boo-boo in comparison. Here are my fave points about these:

-Crazy comfy! Having uncomfortable boots ruins my entire season. Day in, day out foot pain is just awful. I always always get pressure points on the tops of my feet, but not with these! The laces also start higher up the foot, so the toe box is protected from squishing.
-Just right flex. I'm an all mountain freestyle rider, so I've got to have enough support to straight line chop but also tweak that mongo melon or hit the slider box. Sixty days later and they had almost the same support as day one.
-Super light. Lighter than the 32 Ultralight, and more comfortable too.
-Speed Lace. Never thought I would like this feature more than regular laces, but they work perfectly.
-Vibram outsole with B3 Gel. Unparalleled board feel (especially with Burton ICS), very grippy, and long wearing. B3 gel absorbs harsh landings like nothing. No foot shock here.
-Warm! So often, light boots are light because they lack insulation. The Imperial is comfy and toasty, and doesn't cut off circulation.

Sizing is bang on, I'm a size 10 (works best with size Medium Burton bindings) in skate shoes and rode size 10 in these. By end of season, they packed out so I had some wiggle room. I prob could have gone down to a 9.5, but they would have crunched my toes early season.

Looking for your feet's soulmate? Look no further!