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Boots. Arguably the most important piece of equipment in snowboarding, and I’m reviewing one of the finest today.
Burton Hail. At first glance, this is a very good looking boot. Of course, looks aren’t everything, but still, this boot will get the heads turning. And coming in three distinctive colors (white, black, and brown) it can match different colors of outerwear as well. With a retail tag of $219, it might scare some people away, but it’s better to have nice boots, and not-quite-as-nice board, outerwear or bindings, than vise-versa. If your feet aren’t happy, YOU won’t be happy.
Now let’s take a look at all the features: The upper and lower parts of the boot move independently, thanks to the articulating cuff. This creates a much nicer flex than normal boots. Along with the pull-string and the laces, there is a sweet tightening strap at the top of the insole; it helps get the boot extra tight. Being mainly a park boot, there is also a heel air cushion to help protect your feet when you hit a huge kicker and land in the flats. There is also this gel pack thing on the back that creates a little cushion between your bindings and your leg (won’t work for lo-backs.). Little things like the lace hooks being double bolted are very nice; it’s incredibly annoying if those things break off. Another cool little feature is these little removable pads you can put between you out, and insole, that help prevent heel lift.
Comfort-wise, these are ridiculously comfortable, ‘nuff said. Being waterproof is something very important to me. Carrying an extra 5 pounds of water is no fun when riding in spring slush. So far I’ve not had too much of a problem with that. They are not 100% waterproof, but they are still one of the best I’ve found.
Cons-Though they are few and nothing really bad, everything has its cons.
1. The durability of the boot overall is very nice, but the place it tore very fast for me was the white part near the sole of the boot. It is soft, and not very durrable when getting in and out of bindings.
2. The bottom of the boot has a spiky grip pattern on the bottom. This grip the snow VERY WELL, at least until you walk on something other than snow. At my slop, I spent a lot of time chilling in the Café, and just after about a month and a half of walking around in there, the spikes were already worn down in a few spots. I predict that the spikes on my boots will be no more than small lumps by mid next season.
3. This is nothing big, but the articulating cuff, and the boot being made of leather, cause the boot to squeak a lot. Don’t plan on going on any stealth missions wearing these.
In conclusion, I love these boots. 9.5/10. My favorite boots I've ever had the pleasure of owning.
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