Proper fitment is the #1 priority.  Make sure you're in the right mondo length, but also the whole 3D volume actually suits your feet.

The Ride Insano is a solid boot.  It's fairly narrow/low volume though and didn't fit me that well.

I just got the Vans Verse and I'm liking it a lot. I really like the powerstrap around the top of the liner that's anchored to the rear spine.  I haven't used the tongue stiffeners yet.  Great support right to the top of the boot.  The heel is very snug, but the toebox is fairly high volume (for my higher instep, or I suppose a slightly wider foot).  I really like this fit, but it could see how it might be a problem for others.  The liner is very good, but it is a bit plush and I intend to replace it with an Intuition Dreamliner. 

DC Transcend... this replaced the Travis Rice boot, but they lowered the boa cross-over and I don't like it on my higher instep.  Otherwise they're not bad.  Good support up top. The outter sole isn't as thick and cushy as the old Travis boot though.

K2 Thraxis... the liners are garbage, they packed out and bruised my ankle bone in 15 days.  I also like my boots snug around the top, but these had too much room for my skinny legs.  They don't have enough boa cables up on the leg for support either, there's the one straight across at the adjuster, but the cross-over is lower down than most boots.   

I got the nitro select tls last month  they are super comfy but bulky as f@ck and heavy too, no boa all speed laces, zero heel lift. Only thing is you’ll have to re tighten them 2-3 times a day. Here’s a picture of them in size 9 compared to ride lasso pro 9.5  I just weighted both this morning just for the sake of it and there .9 lb difference per boots, 

Posted by: @chronic-yannick

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Any recommendations on a good quality soft boot brand? 

I'll let you know as soon as I find one...  I'm busting through boots faster than ever this season, like 40 days on my last pair if Burton Driver X. 

Burton agreed to replace them but of course they're out of stock in my size in Canada so I'll have to wait until fall.

So now I'm going through all my old pairs that I tried to put aside before they were completely thrashed, and now they're all completely thrashed.  Even tried stitching and JB weld to repair some.

Ride Insano is next for me.  I'll let you know how long these last me.  I'd be happy with one full season.  Ski boots or snowboarding hard boots last way longer.

My boots were sweaty so I pulled out the old Insano for a few late afternoon laps.  They have more lateral support than anything I've been in, so I can see people with steeper binding angles really liking that.  I like a little more lateral mobility though... and it looks like it was starting to bruise my peroneal tendon.

Board Doctor, i8summer & Wild Cherry

thanks for getting back to me 👍

That’s a big difference between the Ride Lasso and the Nitros. 

I’m gonna check out those brands you guys listed, specifically the Ride and Vans, maybe Nitro and Burton but it seems Ride is a favorite here. 

I was able to glue my soles back with this glue called “shoe goo” It worked well and I’ll be able to get some more life out of them.

I’m a little “old school” and sometimes think new innovations are gimmicks and tend to stay with older technology. That being said, I would have been more prone to getting the speed lace system but I’m hearing and seeing good things about the BOA system. It seems like a strong durable system which is my number one priority, but also it would save so much time being that it’s so fast and easy to tighten up. 

Thanks guys 🤙

I see where where my problem is with the Insano.  The base of the side boa protrudes inwards, and once the liners pack out it rests directly on my peroneal tendon.  They use a modified Intuition Dream Liner (without nearly as much closed cell foam).  I saw that Lars uses the Intuition Pro-Tour liner (in one of his vids), which I was running in my Thraxis.  It's one of the softer liners from Intuition though... the actual Dream Liner is mid flex, but I'm sure if it'll articulate as well as the Pro-Tour.

My new Insanos just arrived!  Gonna ride them this afternoon.  I'm psyched, they feel so stiff.  I haven't felt that 'new boot stiffness' in over a year!  I was way overdue for new boots.

@board-doctor , good info about the lateral support on the Insano's.  I have Driver-X at the moment, but the speed lacing ate through the guides, so although I managed to repair one with hiking boot speed lacing rivets, another one lower down broke also, and I cannot fix that one as not enough strong material for the rivets...

I have size 47 feet (29.5 mondo to be exact, although I managed to squeeze into a size 46). Looking to get the Insano's if the lateral stiffness is better as I ride quite high angles, and on heel-side, I need a stiff boot to get back up, as my highbacks, even swivelled all the way around, don't do it for me!

I would like to say also, that boot volume/length should be a big topic here for this reason.  The Driver-X has one of the lowest boot volumes although not the lowest.  This site has a good review of the different brands:

https://snowboardingprofiles.com/the-best-low-profile-snowboard-boots-my-top-12

I wish the Adidas were still in production!  Other than that, the Thirtytwo TM-2 have the lowest "more than mondo" measurement.  Can you say how much volume/length the Insano has?

The Insano had adequate height for my instep, but it was uncomfortably narrow for me.  Having said that, I know someone that actually wears them without any insole.  They are very low volume inside & out (thin liners).  @Wild Cherry  just got a pair after Driver X, so he can probably give you a better idea.

@slaybells I’m surprised to see so many Vans on that list… my Verse are freaking huge! Mondo 260 measures 287mm in length. I think they were actually bigger than James’ Driver X… 270’s if I recall correctly? (It’s a beery afternoon and I’m comfortably numb, still sore and tired of riding ice).

@board-doctor Thanks, I guess I need to find a shop that has them so I can try it out...as I have narrow feet generally but need a wide toe-box after some bunion issues (probably from the UPZ hard boots - i need someone to blow out the plastic a bit, they are too pointy.

Posted by: @board-doctor

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@slaybells I’m surprised to see so many Vans on that list… my Verse are freaking huge! Mondo 260 measures 287mm in length. I think they were actually bigger than James’ Driver X… 270’s if I recall correctly? (It’s a beery afternoon and I’m comfortably numb, still sore and tired of riding ice).

i read somewhere (Goodride: https://thegoodride.com/snowboard-boot-reviews/adidas-acerra-2018-2019-snowboard-boot-review/) that the boot length/volumes change depending on smaller or larger sizes: "Footprint: So this is the interesting part. What we found with the 2017 line from Adidas is they are much smaller than almost any boot out there when it comes to 9.5 and under.  As you get into the 10-12 range the boot’s footprint seems to even out or even get a little bigger than some of the industry leaders like Burton. Still, it’s very reduced and if you are normally a 10.5 you will probably be a 10 with the 2018 model."

i definitely need to buy new softboots, as another speedlacing channel broke on my Driver-X, and I can see it starting on the other boot too!

Right now, I am looking at mondo 29.5 ish for the following

Ride Insano (no experience on these)
Driver X UK 11.5 (if they do half-sizes, as my 11 are a tad too short even after years of packing out)
Adidas  Acerra 3ST ADV - but they are discontinued and hard to find, although I may have found a 11.5
Nitro possibly, as I tried on sone Club Boa's, and the volume was the same as the Driver X!  But need a stiffer model..
-(Edit): these Nitro Capital TLS seem to be as good as the Driver-X, with similar features - internal ankle liner tightener, plastic tongue inserts for more stiffness (and it comes with 2, medium and hard!), and also an interesting top of boot tightener, sort of their own booster strap integration.  Not sure of boot dimensions

Slay