Burton Step on Bindings and Boots Fail Female Riders!
Burton continues to fail female riders since the launch of their step on bindings nearly 10 years ago. As a woman who snowboards and has been snowboarding for over 10 years I like a responsive stiff boot usually rated for advanced riders. I happen to purchase a rare limited edition step on women’s So-G-sz mine 77 boot which is comparative to the men’s ion and I have been riding that for many years now. In fact it is the only reason I bought into the Burton step on system in the first place. At the time of my original purchase I had high hopes that Burton would create a high end speed lace step on boot for female riders. Burton has had 8+ years with no hope in sight.
I will eventually need a new boot and when that time comes there are zero viable step on boot options on the market that fit my preference and riding skill level and needs. I do regularly contact Burton customer service to ask if there will be a higher end female step on boot similar to the men’s Ion and I continue to be told that there are no plans to do so.
As an advanced rider I prefer and need a speed lace system. Current mass production of snowboard step on boots are being created to cater to the entry level price point consumer with zero high end boots being manufactured for advanced riding women. This leaves women with only one option for step on boots which is to buy and use men’s boots or none at all💔.
I am not alone in this sentiment
Field Tested – 2024 Burton Felix Step On Boots Review
Staff Reviewer
The Burton Felix Step On Boots are great boots if you’re an intermediate-advanced rider interested in entering the Step On world. I personally don’t love the limitations that come from getting invested in the Step On ecosystem. Burton only offers five step on boots for womenat this time, which likely covers most riders, but I, personally, would want a stiffer boot with Speed Zone laces and that does not exist at the time of writing this. Burton also only offers five women’s Step On boots to the men’s eight, and it would be great to see equal offerings in the future. Fortunately, the Felix Boots come in a regular (non Step On) model so it’s a pretty moot scenario. The Felix Snowboard Boots have the traction, response, and touch of forgiveness that will appeal to all but the gnarliest shralpinists.
The Burton Step on system has been doing a huge disservice to advanced riding female snowboarders by excluding us from their higher end step on boot production and marketing. looking at the 2026 Burton step on boots set to release only shows the continuation and expansion of producing low end step on boots only rated towards entry level riders wanting the overly marketed and horrifically disappointing boa system.
Do the men’s Burton Ion step on boots fit the women’s bindings?
The best and stiffest step on boot available in fact utilizes a speed lace system and it is the men’s Burton Ion. So I set out to answer this question for myself! I ordered the men’s ion step on boot in sizes 7 and 7.5. I am a women’s size 8 and I have the corresponding women’s step on bindings.
Comparing the Boots
Both sizes of the men’s boots clip in toe cleats did not match up 100% with the women’s step on binding. At first glance it would appear that the cleats align but this is deceptive. The size 7 boot was significantly smaller than the women’s size 8.
You can see that with the cleat aligned the M7 is shorter than the W8 in the heel and toe . This is important as the heel clip needs to make contact with the rear clip in mechanism.
Here is a better perspective of the size difference between the W8 and M7.
Left boot W8 Right Boot Ion M7
The ion size 7.5 was a better physical match to the women’s size 8. The ion size 7 was drastically shorter than the women’s size 8. However the size 7.5 did not seamlessly work with the women’s bindings and presented more difficulty and resistance when trying to clip in and out.
As you can see the men’s and women’s cleats do not align and this translates to issues when clipping into or out of the women’s step on bindings. these issues were most noticeable in the men’s size 7.5.
Answer: Yes the size 7 does clip into the women’s step on binding but not as smoothly as the women’s size 8. The Ion men’s size 7.5 was a bit more of a struggle to clip in and nearly Impossible to unclip. So if you are looking for smooth reliable and consistent performance from the step on system then buying the men’s boots and bindings is the only solution. Another way that women are overlooked and under estimated by the snowboarding industry.
I did have a chance to try on the women’s nitro cave but it has its own list of problems. It is not suitable for advanced riders or any women with any muscle on their calves.