Even though women’s gear has become increasingly common in snowboarding over the years, it is still much easier to find men’s snowboard boots. That’s because there are more of them. Snowboarding was originally a male-dominated sport and that means that some of the more established brands have been producing men’s gear much more than women’s. Many women may be frustrated by this and might consider buying men’s clothing for a number of reasons. But there are a few things to consider before buying a men’s boot for a women’s foot.
It can be very tempting for many girls to buy a men’s snowboard boot. For whatever reason, many companies think that girls just want pink butterflies and purple stars on their gear. If you are looking for something a little more gender neutral, the men’s team is where you are most likely to turn. Men’s gear also tends to have a wider range in terms of function. Almost all companies offer more snowboard boots for men than for women; Some companies even have twice as many men’s boots! Sometimes that lack of selection can make finding the right boot nearly impossible for a female snowboarder.
So buy a men’s snowboard boot, right? Not so fast. Unless you have feet and legs suitable for men’s boots, you may regret your decision to buy boots made for the other gender. At the anatomical level, women’s feet and legs are quite different from men’s. One of the biggest problems with getting a men’s boot is that women tend to have narrower feet and may experience significant heel lift if they don a men’s boot. That can cause not only a performance issue, but also pain and discomfort. Also, women tend to have lower calf muscles than men. The upper back of a men’s boot can dig into the middle of the calf muscle in a woman and cause quite a bit of irritation during a full day of riding.
But the differences between the foot and the boot are not the only reason why you should reconsider buying a boot outside of its gender. How the boots fit with the bindings is crucial. If you have women’s bindings, but a men’s snowboard boot, you may have trouble getting the boot to fit properly in the binding. This is because boots are made to specifically fit bindings and the combination of men’s and women’s gear can alter the fit. Not only could you perform poorly, but you could be at a safety risk if your boots don’t fit into your bindings.
The truth is that it really is not the end of the world if you are a woman who wants to buy men’s boots. But you may not get all the fun out of your experience that you would if you had a better designed boot for your foot. It is always a good idea to buy the boot that is best designed for you. If you’re still determined to get a men’s snowboard boot, you may want to shop around a bit more to see if you can’t find a women’s boot that you like.
