About this Review: This review is my honest opinion of the boots, which I purchased with my own money in December of 2021.

My take

The Vans Aura OG Snowboard Boots are a good option for the intermediate to advanced snowboarder who wants to cruise all over the mountain and have comfort and convenience while doing it. They offer a simple and sleek design that can appeal to many different riding styles. These boots are a solid all-arounder option.

About this gear

• Model: 2022 Vans Aura OG Snowboard Boots
• Size: 10.5 U.S. Mens
• Lacing type: Boa Lacing System

About me

• Height: 5’10”
• Weight: 150 lbs
• Street shoe size: U.S. Mens 10.5
• Foot shape: Wide feet
• Experience: 10 years of snowboarding

Test conditions

• When I bought these: December 2021
• Days tested: 40+ days
• Board: 2022 Rome Partymod (153cm)
• Bindings: 2018 Union Flite
• Where I’ve used it: Berkshire East (MA), Mt. Snow (VT), Okemo (VT) Mt. Hood (OR)
• Terrain: Groomers, terrain parks, woods, slush, powder

How they perform

What I was looking for

I was looking for a versatile boot that has an emphasis on comfort and convenience but could still keep up with an aggressive freestyle terrain riding style.

Why I chose this gear

I decided to go with these boots for a couple of reasons. Firstly, the BOA lacing system makes them super easy to get on and off, and seriously dial in exactly how I want them to fit. Secondly, they were rated as a soft/medium flex which is great for freestyle riding and comfort. I also considered the Adidas Samba ADV snowboard boots which had comparable specs, but went with the Vans as they were more affordable.

What I love about them

• Comfort: These boots felt broken-in right out of the box so I could get straight to shredding. Their softer flex also means they don’t limit my movements too much and aren't awkward at all to walk around in.
• Warmth: The outer shell is watertight and the inner liner is nice and thick. These two features combined mean my feet stay warm all day on the mountain.
• Shock absorption: These boots have a thick in-sole which provides plenty of impact protection off of sizable jumps and drops. Even after 40+ days, the in-sole still feels like it did on day one and provides plenty of absorption on bumpy terrain and hard landings.
• Ease of use: The BOA lacing system makes it super easy to adjust the fit of these boots to exactly the way I’d like. This gives me the option of a tighter, more aggressive fit, or a looser, more comfortable fit.

Issues I’ve encountered

• Durability: The outer shell isn’t the most durable and can be punctured easily. While riding in the woods this winter, a stick went into the side of the boots and left a sizable gash.
• Responsiveness: These boots have a middle of the road responsiveness because they’ve got a middle of the road flex (boot flexibility directly affects responsiveness). This is to say, while these boots have decent response and are suitable for most levels of riders, they just aren’t stiff enough to provide that instanoius body to board response that expert riders might look for.
• Other: The inner liner is quite thick which means it can take awhile to dry out on the occasional day that it does get soaked.

Favorite moment with this gear

Prior to purchasing these boots, I had only ever used lace-up snowboard boots. Making the switch to these Vans with a BOA lacing system was a complete game changer! I remember the first day I wore them, I was shocked at how well I could get the perfect fit. This in turn gave me much more board control than I had ever felt before. Not only that, but adjusting the boots in the lift-line, on the lift, or at the top of the mountain was incredibly quick and easy. It really allowed me to experiment with what felt best.

Value for the money vs. other options

Vans has several similarly styled boots in their snowboard line-up. One such model is the 2023 Vans Hi Standard OG boots. These boots are nearly identical to the Vans Aura OGs, however they have laces instead of a BOA. Although the Aura OGs are a little bit more expensive, I would say it’s a more than worthy investment because the BOA lacing system truly is a game changer.

Final verdict

Although the Vans Aura OG snowboard boots aren’t the fanciest boot on the market, they offer comfort, simplicity, and versatility. All this comes at a relatively affordable cost, which makes them the “hard to go wrong with” option!