To counter the small feel, bang your heel on the floor to ensure your heel is as far back in the boot as possible, then tighten your laces (or Boa system) to the maximum possible.   This will help force your foot back inside your boot and you should feel your heel fit snugly inside of the heel cup.  In store, we regularly have customers tell us their boots are too small but when we lace them up tightly for them, they tell us their boots now fit fine.  New snowboard boots are stiff so it is not easy getting the laces as tight as they need to be.  Wrap each lace around your hand several times and with your arms straight and knee bent, push away hard with your foot.  Do not worry about over tightening your boots - you will know if you have done this because you will get pins and needles - in which case just ease your laces a bit.  Do not worry about snapping laces or pulling eyelets out of your boots, this will not happen!

Even if you have tightened your laces properly, your snowboard boots could still feel too small but this might also be absolutely fine. The back of a snowboard boot is inclined forward by about 20 degrees to help you maintain the correct snowboard stance, with your knees bent so that they overhang the front of the boots.  This is the position you should be in when you test your snowboard boots for fit. Bounce up and down a bit so that your thighs burn. This is what you will be doing whilst snowboarding. Doing this pushes your feet back into the boots and compacts the heel cup foam.

So many customers make the mistake of walking around our snowboard shop testing their boots for fit as if they were buying a pair of shoes.  This is so wrong!  If you stand up straight your calf will act like a lever against the back of the boot, pushing your foot forward and making the boot feel too small. Always test the fit of a snowboard boot by bending your knees so that they hang several inches over the front of the boot. Never evaluate a boots fit by standing upright and by walking around the room like you would for a pair of shoes.

Snowboard boots are made to exactly the same size specifications as normal shoes but if you have unusual shaped feet, please be aware that the outer shell is much tougher than nice soft shoe leather. Parts of your foot can press heavily against the side of a shoe and the leather gives. Unfortunately on a snowboard boot any pressure against the outside of the boot means a sore foot and uncomfortable riding.  This means that if in doubt, always buy a pair of boots slightly bigger rather than slightly smaller than your normal.  You can always pack a boot out with foot bed liners to quickly and effectively reduce its size, but with the best will in the world, making a boot bigger is near impossible.

Most snowboard boot manufacturers put a lot or research and development into the overall performance of your new boot, without stopping to think about the actual shape of your foot. Superfeet Insoles are a great way of adding comfort and support to your boots, without having to spend a lot of cash on a custom, orthotic insole. We also have a range of volume reducing insoles and heel lifts that enable you to customise the fit and feel of your boots even further.

So, your standing there in your living room, boots done up nice and tightly after banging the heel of the boot on the floor. Your knees are bent and all of your weight is on the balls of your feet. You have bounced up and down a few times as if you are snowboarding and your thighs are burning.  You can now start evaluating the fit of your boots.  Your boots should feel snug all round.  A loose fitting boot is no good because you will loose board control.  If your feel the boost causing a pressure point or any pain, then the boots are not suitable. If your heel is staying put, your toes are either just about touching or just off the end of the liner and the boots are nice and comfy, then it sounds like you have the perfect fitting boot!