Burton Ion Step On Snowboard Boot Overview

Whats up and welcome to my Burton Ion Step On snowboard boot assessment. 

On this assessment I’ll check out the Ion Step On as freeride snowboard boots.

As per custom right here at SnowboardingProfiles.com I’ll give the Ion Step On a rating out of 100 (primarily based on a number of components) and see how they evaluate with different freeride boots.

NOTE: Since I needed to take a look at these with Step On bindings, the rankings scores aren’t as correct as they’d be, as I did not have my regular management bindings to check with (so any comparisons to my management boots are tainted due to having to journey these with totally different bindings). So this assessment is a rougher indication than the opposite evaluations, as a result of a few of what I felt may have been influenced by the variations offered by the step on bindings I examined the boots with. 

Total Score

Boots: Burton Ion Step On 2025

Value: $619 (USD really helpful retail)

Type: Freeride 

Flex Score: Medium-Stiff (6-9)

Flex Really feel: Stiff (9.5/10)

Score Rating: 85.1/100

In comparison with different Freeride Boots

Overview of the Ion Step On’ Specs

Take a look at the tables for the Ion Step On’ specs.

Specs

Who’re the Ion Step On Most Suited to?

The Ion Step On’s are finest suited to these searching for actually stiff boots that they will push to the boundaries and wish plenty of help from their boots for leaning deep into carves and bombing at excessive speeds. And, after all, notably good for these needing the above and wanting a fast entry system like Step On. 

Additionally notably effectively suited to greater riders who want extra stiffness/help from their boots and wish to carve and bomb.

Positively not for freshmen, and I might even counsel they’d be too stiff for intermediate riders, except you are notably sturdy/athletic and an even bigger rider. 

Finest matched to boards within the 7/10 to 10/10 flex vary and notably effectively suited to these in that 8/10 to 9/10 flex vary, IMO. 

O.okay. let’s take a extra detailed have a look at what the Ion Step On are able to.

Demo Data

Boots: Burton Ion Step On 2025

Dimension: 10 (US Males’s Sizing)

Date: February 7, 2024

Foot to Boot Match

Size Match: I could not discover any distinction in how these match in comparison with Burton’s non-step-on snowboard boots. They match me effectively length-wise within the 10, and that’s typical of Burton boots for me. My toes have been simply brushing the ends when standing up straight and pulled away from the top somewhat when bending my knees and leaning ahead. 

Sufficient room to wiggle the tops of my toes. Not excessively, however sufficient to make it comfy. 

Width: Not tremendous wider, however wider than the standard boot. So I might say mid-wide. I had simply sufficient room to maneuver the widest a part of my forefoot, if I actually tried, however not a lot that it felt sloppy in there. Loads of room for my toes with out them having to be squished in any respect. 

Prime of Foot (Instep):  There was somewhat stress there to begin with, notably on my proper foot, nevertheless it wasn’t something painful, just a bit uncomfortable. This eased the extra I rode in them.

Round Ankles: Some very minor stress, however nothing that I observed except I used to be purposefully specializing in it.

True to Dimension?: For me, sure. I am most frequently a US10 and these have been the proper slot in a US10. After driving in them, I imagine a ten.5 could be too massive, however would probably not match right into a 9.5 both, so I really feel the ten was good.

Boot to Binding Match

Boots match the bindings rather well – however that was to be anticipated, given these are made for Burton Step-On bindings. 

Carving and Sluggish Pace Response

I discovered I may actually lean deep into carves and these items would maintain up irrespective of how laborious I leant or how briskly I used to be going once I was carving. I discovered them actually stiff, so this was no shock. Particularly in tandem with the EST Step On Genesis, these made for an distinctive carving expertise, as soon as you set the power and power required into them. 

Not nice for sluggish velocity response although. All that stiffness that helps them in a giant carve made them a little bit of a chore for sluggish velocity turns. 

Heel Maintain

Actually good, with out being high tier. However sufficient heel maintain that it would not ever hassle me. It is a fairly essential factor for Step-On boots to be good at, IMO, as you’ll be able to’t depend on binding straps to assist together with your heel maintain. 

Adjustability

In contrast to the Photon BOA Step On, you do get some higher and decrease adjustability, with the twin velocity lace. I nonetheless discover velocity lace somewhat cumbersome, so whereas the separation is there, I do not discover I can wonderful tune it in addition to I can with conventional laces or BOAs. 

Then there’s the BOA that tightens the “ankle strap” on the boot. This helps somewhat with heel maintain and offers a bit extra of a strap really feel. 

The liner has a normal lacing harness which may solely be accessed by opening out the outer boot. 

Whereas the boot itself is not dangerous by way of adjustability, these should be ridden with Step On bindings, which are not tremendous adjustable (you would argue they do not must be), so the rating right here is predicated on total adjustability between boots and bindings, as you’ll be able to’t separate them. 

Consolation

These boots have been severely stiff and lacked articulation, in my expertise. This not solely affected their board really feel, but in addition their consolation. I skilled each calf chew and shin chew in these boots. They have been in any other case pretty comfy, with no main stress factors in any other case, however the calf chew and shin chew have been laborious to disregard (not this was quite a bit higher once I examined with my liner in them – extra on that beneath).

Shock Absorption

Nothing wonderful, however nothing too dangerous both. I might say center of the highway. This after all relies on the bindings on this case, so is extra a mirrored image of the mix of this with the Step On EST Genesis bindings. 

Traction/Sole High quality

Actually actually good as you’d count on with a boot at this value level. 

Board Really feel

I discovered that these boots actually lowered my board really feel in comparison with my management boots. Once more, this may be laborious to inform if you additionally change the bindings, however the EST Step On bindings are presupposed to have actually good board really feel and these boots have been so stiff and inflexible, I simply discovered I could not really feel a lot in any respect past the boot. The opposite purpose, I say that lack of board really feel was coming from the boots and never bindings is as a result of once I examined with my liner within the boots, the board really feel was significantly higher. 

Decreased Footprint

As typical of Burton boots, the Ion Step On had a properly lowered sole. I measured them at simply 2cm above their mondopoint and with respectable bevel on each toe and heel. 

Entry/Exit

I discovered it fairly straightforward to open them up sufficient to get my foot in. Required somewhat little bit of power to push my ft into them, however nothing greater than the extraordinary. 

The liner is a fairly commonplace lacing harness, in order that was pretty straightforward. Then you definitely’ve received the velocity laces to take care of, which I’ve by no means been a giant fan of, however they do the job. 

Lastly you’ve got simply received to dial up the BOA on the “ankle strap” – which is an additional step that takes somewhat little bit of time, however nothing tough or too time consuming or something. 

Total not too dangerous and pretty fast to get out and in of them. 

Re-Take a look at with my liner

The Burton rep who I borrowed these boots from prompt that I take a look at these boots as soon as with the Ion liner, then once more with my very own liner as he mentioned lots of their stiffness comes from the liner. 

And he wasn’t fallacious, that is for positive!

I used to be actually somewhat shocked on the distinction it really made. Do not get me fallacious they have been nonetheless stiffer than my management boots (Adidas Response ADV), so the shell does actually play a component of their stiffness, however they have been significantly extra forgiving, extra comfy, simpler to journey slower in and manner higher board really feel. 

They weren’t as supportive for large excessive angle carves, however for the whole lot else, I most popular them with my liner. And the help for carves was nonetheless good and nonetheless higher than with my liners in my boots. 

Rating Breakdown and Ultimate Verdict

Take a look at the breakdown of the rating within the desk beneath.