Salomon Trek S/LAB
Our take This isn’t the first splitboard boot with a walk mode, but it’s the most comfortable out of the box. The Trek’s soft flex won’t take the entire season to break in, but snowboarding’s first fully articulated cuff offers enough calf support for efficient leverage on sidehills. “This boot held steady at high speeds when conditions got choppier than expected,” says one tester who rode the Trek in the Big Sky, Montana, sidecountry. The sole is also flexier than more mountaineering-specific boots, enhancing board feel and riding performance, though it inspired less confidence in testers frontpointing up icy bootpacks with crampons.
The details Riders found the Boa lacing system extremely effective at locking the heel down, thanks to a well-placed strap and lace lock, although the drawcord did start to fray after about a month of hard use.
Trail cred “I loved the aggressive heel hold and slender last,” one tester says. “I didn’t notice any slippage or toe bang, even when the liner started to pack out after my month-long trip in Chamonix.”