Let’s get this out of the way first.
I have weird feet.
Years of snowboard instructing haven’t improved matters. They’re wide, battered and not particularly foot-shaped anymore.
And no, you can’t see them.
Unfortunately, this has made me incredibly fussy about snowboard boots.
I’ve spent years bouncing between brands trying to find something that fits properly without turning to mush after half a season. Northwave worked for my feet, but I found them too quick to soften up. Burton has never fitted me particularly well. Ride has historically felt too narrow around the ankle.
Then there’s DC. I used to ride their snowboards before they stopped making them, and their boots have generally worked really well for my feet. The regular Judge in particular has been a favorite.
So when I decided to give Step On another proper go, the DC Judge Step On was the obvious boot to try.
After a full season in them, I’m glad I did.
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Why I Struggled With Step On
I’ve tried enough Step On boots to know the system wasn’t the only problem.
I’ve ridden the Burton Ion Step On, Highshot and Waverange X. None fitted me as well as I wanted. I’ve also tried the DC Control Step On, which fitted better but was predictably too soft for me.
I’m a fairly heavy, aggressive rider and I found I wanted more support from the boot with Step On. There’s no ankle strap wrapping around the boot and giving me that extra bit of support, so asking a soft boot to do the job didn’t work particularly well for me.
That’s where the Judge worked much better for me.
DC conservatively rates the Judge a 6/10 for flex. I wouldn’t call it properly stiff, but there’s enough backbone there to drive a board hard without feeling like you’re folding over the boot.
That’s exactly what I wanted.
Fit
This is where the Judge won me over.
I expected the usual new-boot bullshit. A few uncomfortable days, various bits of my feet complaining and eventually everything settling down enough that I could forget about it.
The Judges were comfortable almost straight out of the box. No memorable break-in period, no horrible pressure points and none of the heel lift I’d struggled with in other Step On boots.
I used them for full days without thinking about my feet.
If you’ve spent years fighting snowboard boots, you’ll know that’s about as good as it gets.
That doesn’t mean they’ll fit you.
Boot reviews always tell you a boot is comfortable as though they’ve personally inspected your feet. I have no interest in your feet. DC’s shape works for me. Burton’s generally doesn’t. Yours might be completely different.
Try them on if you can.
On Snow
I paired the Judges mostly with the Union Atlas Step On and the two work brilliantly together.
They’ve been through regular resort riding, teaching, carving and proper powder, including trips to Chamonix and Japan. I’ve also used them indoors and dragged them back out for some summer glacier riding at Les Deux Alpes.
What I like most is that they don’t make Step On feel like a gimmicky, kooky setup. They also look pretty normal, aside from the large appendage strapped to the back.
There’s enough support through the boot that I can push hard into a turn without feeling the upper collapse. Response is quick, but the boot isn’t so stiff that riding around all day becomes hard work.
Admittedly I did occasionally have to add a few twists to the BOA when tackling something particularly steep or sketchy. But I used to do that with binding straps anyway – force of habit?
The softer DC Control Step On might make more sense for lighter or more relaxed riders, but it wasn’t enough boot for me. Once I started pushing it harder, I wanted way more support.
Dual BOA
I’m completely sold on the dual BOA setup. Have been for years (apologies to my diehard traditional-lace cult followers).
The Judge uses separate adjustment zones, so I can get the lower boot comfortable and then independently tighten the upper section depending on how I want it to feel.
That’s particularly useful with Step On.
As mentioned, with traditional bindings I have a terrible habit of giving my ankle strap another click before anything remotely intimidating. Does that extra click actually save me from anything? Almost certainly not. But my brain apparently considers it essential.
You don’t have that ability with Step On.
Being able to tweak the upper BOA gives me some of that adjustment back without crushing my entire foot. Just don’t go mad with it. More BOA isn’t always more better.
The Rest of the Boot
There’s quite a lot going on inside the Judge. DC doesn’t appear to have cheaped out on the bits surrounding the Step On interface.
You get DC’s Response III liner, PrimaLoft insulation, an internal ankle harness and a molded IMPACT-ALG footbed. The liner is particularly good. It holds my heel properly without creating pressure around the ankle, and I’ve found the boots plenty warm enough.
One thing I was slightly disappointed to lose is the Vibram outsole from the regular Judge. I’ve deliberately bought boots with Vibram soles for years and I’m a big fan, particularly when you’re scrambling around icy resorts or hiking in your snowboard boots.
The Step On Judge gets a different outsole to accommodate the Step On hardware. So far, though, it’s been absolutely fine. I’ve not found myself sliding around or wishing for more grip, which is probably why I hadn’t given it much thought until writing this review.
More importantly, I haven’t felt the need to start modifying anything inside the boot.
For someone with feet like mine, that’s suspiciously close to witchcraft.
Durability
So far, so good.
These have spent a full season being ridden, flown around the world and generally thrown into boot bags without much love. They’ve packed out by maybe half a size and softened up a bit, which I’d expect from pretty much any snowboard boot, but they’re nowhere near floppy.
The only obvious damage is some scuffing across the right toe.
Not quite sure how I’ve managed to recreate exactly the sort of wear you’d normally blame on a toe strap… on a boot that doesn’t have one.
Otherwise, the BOAs are still running smoothly, the Step On hardware is solid and nothing is separating or falling apart.
Given I’ve previously had boots that felt ready for retirement halfway through a season, I’m pretty happy with how the Judges are holding up.
What About Burton?
I’m not going to tell you the Judge is better than Burton’s Step On boots. Actually, yes I am. It totally is!
I’ve tried the Ion, Highshot and Waverange X and I’d choose the Judge, but a massive part of that comes down to fit.
If Burton boots fit your feet beautifully, brilliant. You have loads of good Step On options.
They don’t fit mine.
The arrival of DC was therefore a much bigger deal for me than another binding release. It meant I could finally use Step On without compromising on the most important part of the setup.
Nitro has joined the Step On lineup now too, which gives riders another option. I love Nitro – incredible gear and an incredible team. Unfortunately, I’ve historically struggled with Nitro’s narrower ankle shape though, so DC remains the obvious choice for me.
That’s actually one of the best things to happen to Step On generally. More boot brands means more foot shapes.
Verdict
Yep. There’s very little I dislike about the Judge Step On.
They’re not particularly cheap and obviously you’re buying a boot that commits you to Step On. If you like softer boots, I’d look at something like the Control instead.
But neither of those is really a criticism of the Judge. It fits my feet, holds my heel, gives me enough support to ride how I want and stays comfortable for a full day. The dual BOA is excellent and it pairs brilliantly with the Union Atlas Step On.
I went into last season still fairly skeptical about whether I’d stick with Step On. Turns out the bindings weren’t the thing I needed to change.
I just needed someone to make Step On boots for my horrible little troll feet.
