Here is our review of the Burton Moto Snowboard Boots (Men’s).
Let’s get straight down to business…
The bottom line with the Burton Moto Snowboard Boots is they are lightweight, warm, comfortable and easy to lace up and get out of too.
This makes them an ideal choice for beginners or casual snowboarders at a fantastic price point that is hard to beat.
Lightweight, warm, and comfortable soft-flexing boot that’s easy to get in and out of.
*Price updated: 2024-11-23 (Amazon API)
Burton Moto Snowboard Boots Review
Overview
Burton claims the Moto to be the world’s best-selling snowboard boot.
I don’t have access to the sales numbers, but I have no reason to doubt their claim. Assuming they are the worlds best selling boots, what’s behind their incredible success?
Certainly, it would be hard to argue that Burton isn’t among the most recognized snowboarding gear brands in the world. That can’t hurt! But is there more to it than that?
Naturally, beginner snowboarders with relatively little general knowledge of snowboarding will be drawn to this popular brand as they begin to make their first snowboard gear purchases.
I know I went straight to Burton when I was getting started on my snowboarding journey and it worked out pretty well.
There are several great features of this boot but what is the overriding thing that stands out the most? Comfort. So let’s start off our Burton Moto snowboard boots review with this in mind.
I’ve read a lot of user reviews across the web and comfort is the word I see repeated over and over when the Moto is discussed. This is super important as you’re learning or for the casual snowboarder that tends to fall back into beginner mode after several months off. When I think back to my early learning days the hardest thing was getting back to your feet after falling over and over again.
What makes these boots so comfortable?
They’ve got a great combination of flex, adjustability, warmth and they’re constructed to be comfortable right out of the box with little break in.
Read on to learn how flex, adjustability, and warmth stack together to result in a very comfortable boot that can also help you avoid falls and get back to your feet a little easier.
Flex
The soft and forgiving flex of these boots helps both with fall avoidance and getting back to your feet.
From the fall avoidance side, the softer flex makes them less responsive. Hearing that something is less responsive can sound like a bad thing at first. It may not be ideal for more advanced riders looking to carve deep fast turns, but for those in the beginner to intermediate range it is a blessing.
Snowboard boots that are less responsive will absorb some of your body movements and will transmit less motion directly to your snowboard. When learning you will not be totally in control of all of your body movements. Often you may be late in making your turning motions which can lead to overcompensation. This can be bad if all of that inadvertent energy gets transmitted to your board. It can lead to edge catch which results in some of the harder falls you’ll experience.
When you do fall having flexible boots will make it easier to get back to your feet. The give in the boots will allow you to get your body into a better position that will make it possible to get up on your board easier.
Adjustability
Sure, Burton’s speed lacing system (Speed Zone) makes it quick to get your boots on and off. But the system is also very adjustable which is important for comfort. The lacing system allows you to customize the fit in the upper and lower zones of the boot to your desired tightness. Selectively adjusting the tightness can produce results similar to the benefits described above regarding a soft flexing boot.
For example, you can leave the top portion of the boot looser but keep the lower part tighter to keep your foot from moving around too much in the boot. Keeping the upper part looser allows your ankle to move around more in the boot which reduces the response to your body movements. It also makes it easier to get back up because your ankle movements are not so constrained.
As your riding progresses you can gradually tighten things up to make the boots a little more responsive. So you can adjust them to both your desired comfort and performance level.
Warmth
Being cold sucks!
When learning you are going to be spending a lot of time on your butt and hands and knees in the cold snow. There’s a good chance your feet will get cold if you don’t have well insulated boots.
To combat getting snow in the boots, the Moto’s are equipped with an internal gusset system to keep snow out. They’ve got reflective foil in the sole of the boots to reflect the natural heat from your feet back at you. The liners add warmth too. These features team up to help keep your feet from freezing over.
Lacing Options
The Speed Zone laces are great as I’ve discussed above but they’re not for everyone. If you like what you hear but are looking for something even simpler the Moto does come in a single knob Boa lacing model.
The Boa system makes it very easy to tighten up the boots with a few rotations of a single knob. With the Boa version you do loose the dual-zone adjustability of the Speed Zone model. The Boa version laces tighten evenly over the foot. So if you don’t want to bother with adjusting two zones of the boot laces separately you may enjoy the simplicity of the Boa version which is an elegant way to get laced up.
Lightweight, warm, and comfortable soft-flexing boot that’s easy to get in and out of.
*Price updated: No products found. (Amazon API)
Drawbacks (but not showstoppers)
The Burton Moto snowboard boots do not have articulated construction at the ankle area of the shell. This means they may not wear as evenly or predictably over extended use. But this is not a super important factor for softer flexing boots such as the Moto. It really comes into play for stiffer boots.
Another thing to keep in mind is the flex may feel too soft and not responsive enough for riders looking for more control. So, if you’ve already got several seasons under your belt and are approaching intermediate level you might want to consider a medium flexing boot.
To learn more about how to choose snowboard boots and see other options for intermediate to advanced riders I suggest checking out our Best Snowboard Boots article.
Conclusion
If you are a beginner or causal snowboarder the Burton Moto is a great choice because it is fast lacing, warm, lightweight, adjustable, comfortable, and forgiving. It comes in at a great price point that won’t break your budget. Also don’t forget about the BOA version if you’re not a fan of speed laces and want the simplest lacing system.
Feature Comparison Table: Everything we Recommend
|
Photo |
Price |
Riding Style/ Terrain |
Flex |
Lacing System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 
|
Beginner |
Soft |
Speed |
|
 
|
Beginner |
Soft |
Boa |
*Price updated: 2024-11-23 (Amazon API)