DC Phantom BOA Snowboard Boot Evaluate

Howdy and welcome to my DC Phantom snowboard boots evaluate. 

On this evaluate I’ll check out the Phantom as freeride snowboard boots.

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

Total Ranking

Boots: DC Phantom

Value: $399 (USD advisable retail)

Model: Freeride 

Flex Ranking: Stiff (8/10)

Flex Really feel: Stiff (8/10)

Ranking Rating: 89.9/100

In comparison with different Freeride Boots

Overview of the Phantom’ Specs

Try the tables for the Phantom’ specs.

Specs

Who’re the Phantom Most Suited to?

The Phantom are finest suited to riders who need stiffer boots that may deal with good speeds and exhausting carves, however nonetheless need some forgiveness and gradual velocity efficiency and need good shock and chatter absorption. 

Not for newcomers – too stiff for that, IMO. However greater finish intermediates who’ve a extra aggressive type or are stronger/extra athletic or greater riders should not have difficulties with these boots. Nor superior to skilled riders, after all. 

Greatest matched to boards within the 6/10 to 9/10 flex vary and even higher for the 7/10 to eight/10 flex vary, IMO. 

O.ok. let’s take a extra detailed have a look at what the Phantom are able to.

Demo Data

Boots: DC Phantom 2025

Dimension: 10 (US Males’s Sizing)

Date: January 15, 2025

Entry/Exit

Took a little bit of effort to get my ft in initially, however nothing main. Took a little bit of time to open them out because the decrease cables (operated by the aspect boa) wouldn’t budge when lifting the tongue, so needed to manually pull at these to loosen them up. Then on the within you’ve got gotta get the liner shin strap out of the way in which, then loosen the lacing harness.

Liner

Tightening the liner, there’s a typical lacing harness, with a reasonably low-cost wanting/feeling toggle. After which there’s the Velcro strap for getting the highest of the liner tight towards the shins. It labored very well for me and there was sufficient Velcro that I may get it good and tight on my semi-skinny legs. And it could go additional for skinnier legs and loads of room the opposite manner for thicker legs too.

The liner lacing felt prefer it required extra bodily pressure than the my management boots to get it tight however utilizing that further pressure I used to be in a position to get it good and tight. Heel maintain with simply the liner lacing down up was a contact higher within the Phantom vs my management boots (with simply liner performed up), although fairly shut.

Shell

The Shell is tightened with 2 impartial BOAs as is typical in a double BOA system. The aspect BOA tightens the very finish single cable in addition to the two farthest down the foot crossover laces – so you can say 4 of them or 2 crossovers, I suppose. They’re utterly impartial of the cables that the entrance boa tightens. The pair of crossovers that’s the furthest from the toes connects by way of a plastic piece on the tongue of the boot.

The cables which can be the closest to the toes that the entrance boa controls are additionally connected to that piece in a separate part of it. The one which goes by way of that piece is a single cable. Then there are 2 crossovers and a one other single one which joins as much as the coiler that the entrance boa additionally controls.

I discovered, even after actually cranking these two boas and getting the liner good and tight, that these boots nonetheless really feel actually comfy with solely a minor sizzling spot on the highest of the foot. And I may positively have the decrease boa cables performed up looser than they’re (and certain would for my preferences).

With all performed up, very shut when it comes to heel maintain, however I’d say the Phantom only a contact higher than my management boots. 

Foot to Boot Match

My first impressions had been that they had been tremendous cosy – to the purpose of bordering on being tight – however nonetheless actually comfy.

Size Match: My toes had been simply brushing the ends when standing up straight and pulled away barely from the ends after I bent my knees and had my weight over my ankles, which is usually an excellent signal that they’re an excellent size match.

For the tops of my toes there was much less room in there than with my management boots. My toes may nonetheless wiggle a bit however, however not lots. 

Width: I discovered I may barely transfer my forefeet aspect to aspect, when actually attempting, nevertheless it wasn’t simple to do. I could not really feel my toes on the perimeters of the boots (possibly a bit bit on the pinky aspect), so an excellent little bit of room for my toes. . I’d say medium at narrowest and possibly simply bordering on mid-wide, however prob nearer to medium.

High of Foot (Instep):  There was a little bit of stress on my in-steps. But it surely was nothing that was painful or something. A contact uncomfortable, however not dangerous in any respect, and I actually gave that aspect BOA an excellent crank.

Round Ankles: I received a tiny little bit of ankle stress on my outer ankle bones, however actually little or no.

On Snow: My preliminary impressions of the match of those boots from after I first tried them on remained by way of the on-snow check. Good and cushty, bordering on tight, however actually comfy as there have been no main hot-spots. The one actual distinction I felt from the preliminary strive on that the slight little bit of ankle stress on my outer ankle bones moved to my internal ankle bones. However once more, nothing that was tremendous uncomfortable or something. 

True to Dimension?: I’d say sure. After driving that they had let off a bit when it comes to that tightness, however I nonetheless do not assume I may trip them in a 9.5. And a ten.5 would pack out to be too huge over time. So, the ten was good for me, which is my typical measurement.

Boot to Binding Match

Heel width: It was a little bit of a squeeze to get all of them the way in which again into my bindings heel cup – and so they get a bit caught in there. I used to be nonetheless in a position to get them again and it’s not exhausting to launch them, however nonetheless a decent match total. 

Toe width: Theres a bit area on the toe finish of the bindings. Comparable quantity of area to my management boots. 

Ankle Strap: To slot in my bindings optimally, I wanted to elongate the ankle strap by 2 holes. 

Toe Strap: Surprisingly the toe strap was good the place it was setup for my management boots. Surprisingly, as a result of these have an extended total footprint. The fronts of the boots should be narrower or have much less top. 

Carving and Sluggish Velocity Response

They weren’t fairly nearly as good as my management boots for gradual velocity turning, however nonetheless actually respectable for this flex of boot and for a way good they had been for carving/excessive velocity assist. They had been higher for gradual velocity response vs the K2 Thraxis and Salomon Malamute, which I used to be additionally testing round that point. 

Not as beefy on excessive velocity carves because the Thraxis however I most well-liked the Phantom for average velocity carves. Noticeably higher for carving and excessive velocity assist vs my management boots. 

Heel Maintain

The heel maintain began out nice however did did worsen a bit over time however not dangerous and that is fairly typical of latest boots and a part of packing out/breaking in course of. I wanted to retighten them a few instances, however that ought to turn out to be a much less frequent incidence as soon as they’re absolutely damaged in. 

Adjustability

The decrease and higher sections of the shell are utterly impartial of one another – which is at all times good for a extra customized match. Not as adjustable as conventional lacing, however simpler to and sooner to tighten. 

There’s nothing out of the conventional for adjusting and if you wish to regulate the liner tightness, it’s good to open the tongue of the boot first, to realize entry. 

Consolation

Good and cushty however no apparent sizzling spots anyplace. There was a bit stress on my left internal ankle after driving (which was on the outer ankle after I tried them on initially) nevertheless it was minor and I may have fortunately ridden in these from dawn to sundown, proper from out of the field. 

Shock Absorption

Stomp Check: I felt them noticeably damper than my management boots. My management boots are getting older now, however there was a noticeable hole between them. 

On-Snow: The shock absorption felt a bit higher than my management boots and likewise higher then the Thraxis and Malamute.  Total felt like they absorbed shock and chatter very well. 

Traction/Sole High quality

They’ve a Vibram sole and each half appears like rubber. Besides possibly the crimson half the place the arch could be (I say the place it would be, as a result of the only is fairly flat). Feels good and grippy in every single place besides that crimson part. First rate sample selection and just under common tread depth. Additionally has some rubber feeling grips on the within aspect of the only close to the toe finish. Guessing these could be good when stepping up snow/ice steps for that little bit of aspect grip.

Lowered Footprint

I measured a sole size that is 2.7cm longer than their mondopoint, which is just under common. Their heel bevel is beneath common – little or no elevate within the heel, however their toe bevel is nicely above common. 

Rating Breakdown and Ultimate Verdict

Try the breakdown of the rating within the desk beneath.