About this Review: This review is my honest opinion of the snowboard boots, which I purchased with my own money in November of 2022.

My take

The Burton Felix Step On Snowboard Boots are geared towards an all-mountain rider who wants a warm, comfortable, high-performing boot. Unfortunately, I found these boots loosen up way too much on more difficult, steeper terrain for me to recommend.

About the boots I own

• Model: 2023 Burton Felix StepOn
• Size: 7
• Lacing type: Double BOA

About me

• Height: 5’7’’
• Weight: 150 lbs
• Street shoe size: 7.5–8
• Foot shape: Wide toe box
• Experience: 20+ years of snowboarding

Test conditions

• When I bought these: November 2022
• Days tested: Around 30 days
• Board: Arbor Swoon Camber
• Bindings: Burton Escapade StepOn
• Where I’ve used it: Big White, Canada; Powderhorn Mountain Resort, Colorado; Breckenrdige, Colorado
• Terrain: Groomers, Trees, Bumps, Jumps, Banked Slalom

How they perform

What I was looking for

I am a women’s upper limb para snowboarder, and I race boarder cross and banked slalom against other riders who have disabilities in their upper limb(s). I’m also a snowboard instructor at Powderhorn Mountain Resort in Colorado. I was looking for a StepOn system that makes it easier to “strap in” with one arm, and I wanted the most aggressive boot/binding combination I could find in this category.

Why I chose this gear

I chose the Felix StepOn boots because they are the stiffest, most aggressive boots in Burton’s StepOn lineup. I looked at K2’s Clicker System, because I absolutely loved my previous K2 Contours, but they did not make the Contours in a Clicker boot. I also considered DC’s Mora—which are compatible with Burton’s StepOn

What I love about them

• Size: The Felix's run true to size. My feet measure at a 7.5, and when I tried the 7.5s on in store, they felt perfect. However, knowing how boots pack out after a few days in them, I sized down to the size seven. After half a season, the size seven have packed out for a perfect fit. I have a pretty wide toe box as well, and there is just enough space in the front of the boot for me.
• Comfort: Despite sizing down my Felixs, I still find them to be really comfortable. I haven’t had any issues with hot spots, arch issues, pressure points or anything else. I can wear them for hours at a time while hiking up the bunny hill while instructing, freeriding for hours, you name it. They always feel good on my feet.
• Warmth: These are without a doubt the warmest boots I’ve owned. My toes have been toasty every day I’ve been on hill, with temps ranging from -14F to 35F.

Issues I’ve encountered

• Heel hold: The biggest issue I have encountered with these boots is the BOAs loosening and even popping when I’m in the steeps, bumps, trees, or any more advanced terrain. As my boots loosen up, I can feel my heel lifting up the back of the boot just a little bit more with every run.
• Responsiveness: I bought the Burton Felix StepOns because I wanted a stiff, responsive boot. Unfortunately, with the BOAs constantly loosening, these boots lose quite a bit of their promised responsiveness. This is especially true when riding off piste or pushing hard into carves, both of which seem to make the boots loosen even faster.
• Ease of use: Initially, the ease of use of the Felix StepOns was great, even with one fully functioning arm. I can slide my foot in and tighten the liners and BOAs in just a few seconds. The heel clip can be a bit tricky to get my pants into with one hand, but it’s manageable. However, the constant fussing with and retightening of the BOAs make them, overall, fairly difficult to use.

Favorite moment with this gear

As an instructor, especially one with an upper-limb disability, it really is convenient to be able to StepOn instead of strap in. I love being able to take my board on and off with ease, especially in beginner lessons when I’m needing to demo all kinds of movements on and off the board and hike up to students who need help.

Value for the money vs. other options

Compared to my previous boots (K2 Contours), these provide significantly less heel hold and response. I never once had an issue with my BOAs loosening or popping on my K2s, and I long for the days where I’m not fiddling with my boots every run. The StepOn feature is really nice, but when I’m out riding aggressively with my buddies or training with my team, the advantages of being able to speedily StepOn and go is negated by the constant boot tightening.

Personally, I would not buy these again if looking for an aggressive boot. I think they’re a great, cushy option for cruising on groomers, but at that point, it might be more cost effective to get a cheaper StepOn option like the Limelight. The DC Moras also have stainless steel laces, which might help with the loosening, so I’m excited to try these boots next season.

Final verdict

I’d recommend the boot to anyone looking for a comfortable and warm boot who may have difficulty strapping in while standing up and doesn’t mind constant retightening. But not necessarily for someone who wants to charge super hard in them.