News
We say it to every customer who walks in: boots first. Before the board, before the bindings, before the outerwear — boots. Everything you feel on the mountain travels through your boots. A board that doesn't quite suit you is annoying. Boots that don't fit make every run a battle.
Flex Rating — The First Decision
Soft flex (1–4): Forgiving, easy to initiate turns, less energy transfer. Good for beginners, lighter riders, park skaters, riders who prioritise comfort over precision.
Medium flex (5–7): The most versatile range. Suits most intermediate to advanced all-mountain riders. Most riders end up somewhere in this range.
Stiff flex (8–10): Maximum energy transfer, precise edge control. Suits advanced and expert riders on firm snow, steeps and demanding terrain. Requires more technique — too stiff for most recreational riders.
If you're still developing technique, go softer than you think you need. A boot that's too stiff is harder to ride well than a boot that's slightly soft.
Lacing Systems
Traditional laces: Maximum zone control, fully repairable. Takes longer to do up with gloves on. Still preferred by many experienced riders and nearly all park skaters.
BOA (single or double dial): Fast, consistent, easy to micro-adjust on the lift. Double BOA gives zone control similar to laces. If the mechanism breaks on mountain, you need a shop to fix it — we carry BOA replacement kits in the workshop.
Speed lace / quick-pull: Faster than laces, repairable yourself unlike BOA, less zone control. A solid middle-ground option.
Our workshop handles BOA repairs in-store for every brand we sell.
Sizing — This Is Where Most People Get It Wrong
When you first put boots on, toes should be touching or lightly grazing the end of the boot. When you flex your knees, toes should come off the end slightly. That is the correct fit.
If there's space between toes and the toe cap when standing upright, the boot is too big. A boot that's too large allows heel lift, which kills response and causes blisters. Sizing varies between brands — call us before ordering online if you are unsure how a specific boot fits.
Heat Moulding
Heat moulding heats the boot liner so it moulds to the specific shape of your foot. It compresses foam around your individual pressure points and hollows, creating a custom fit that reduces break-in time and eliminates most pressure points before you get to the mountain.
We heat mould every boot purchase at Twelve Board Store at no extra charge. Walk in with your regular snowboard socks and we'll have it done in 20 minutes. If you've bought boots online and are experiencing pressure points or blisters, bring them in — heat moulding resolves most fit issues that develop in the first few days of riding.
Brand Fit Profiles
- Burton: Slightly wider last, runs a half size large. Suits average to wider feet.
- Salomon: Narrow through the heel, medium width forefoot. Suits narrow to medium feet.
- K2: Medium width, true to size across most models. Versatile fit.
- Ride: Slightly lower volume, suits medium to narrow feet.
- DC: Wider fit, generous toe box. Suits wider feet well.
- ThirtyTwo: Skate-influenced fit, slightly lower profile, suits medium width feet.
What to Bring When You Come In
Snowboard socks — the same ones you'll wear on the mountain. Thick socks change the fit significantly. If you're buying online, measure your foot length in centimetres and check it against the brand's mondo point sizing chart. Mondo point (the number in cm) is the most reliable sizing reference across all boot brands.
Shop All Snowboard Boots → · Men's Boots → · Women's Boots → · Boot Online Buying Guide → · In-Store Boot Fitting →
Frequently Asked Questions
For beginners and lighter riders: soft flex 1 to 4 — forgiving, easy to initiate turns, comfortable for long days. For intermediate to advanced all-mountain riders: medium flex 5 to 7 — the most versatile range, enough response for carving and varied terrain while remaining forgiving. For advanced and expert riders on steeps and demanding terrain: stiff flex 8 to 10. If you are still developing technique, go softer than you think you need — a boot that is too stiff is harder to ride than a slightly soft boot.
No single system is best — each has genuine trade-offs. Traditional laces give maximum zone control and are fully repairable but take longer to do up. BOA dials are fast, precise and easy to adjust with gloves on but need a shop to repair if the mechanism breaks. Speed lace is faster than laces and repairable yourself but offers less zone control than either option. Our workshop handles BOA repairs in-store for every brand we sell.
Sizing varies between brands. Burton runs slightly large. Salomon fits narrow through the heel. DC tends to suit wider feet. K2 and Ride sit roughly true to size. When you first put boots on, toes should be touching or lightly grazing the end of the boot. When you flex your knees, toes should come off the end slightly. If there is space between toes and the toe cap standing upright, the boot is too big.
Heat moulding heats the boot liner so it moulds to the specific shape of your foot. It compresses foam around your individual pressure points and hollows, creating a custom fit that reduces break-in time and eliminates most pressure points before you get to the mountain. We heat mould every boot purchase at Twelve Board Store at no extra charge — walk in with your regular snowboard socks and we will have it done in 20 minutes.
DC suits wider feet well with a generous toe box. Burton has a slightly wider last than most brands and suits average to wider feet. K2 runs medium width. Salomon is narrower through the heel. ThirtyTwo runs a medium-width skate-influenced profile. If you have consistently had comfort issues with snowboard boots, come in and we can match you to the right brand last for your foot shape.
Yes. We offer boot fitting and heat moulding in-store at 435A Bridge Rd, Richmond VIC 3121. Heat moulding is included free with every boot purchase. Bring your regular snowboard socks and we will fit you properly and mould your boots before you leave. If you have bought boots online and are experiencing pressure points, bring them in — heat moulding can resolve most fit issues that develop in the first few days of riding.
