Burton Photon Step On Snowboard Boot Review

Look around next time you are out ripping at your local resort, and you can’t not notice the Burton Step On System everywhere! I see them in nearly every liftline I’m in, so obviously I can’t not try these out. My first round demoing the Burton Genesis Binding and Swath Step On was interesting. My initial takeaway was “Wow, this system works great, now get it off my feet!” The edge response was incredible but the Swath was way too soft for me and I felt loose and unsecured.

Recently I was fortunate enough to receive the new Union Atlas Step On Men’s Snowboard Binding to test out, and I knew I needed a stiffer boot to put the system through its paces. I was quite stoked when Burton sent out a pair of Photons, which are one of Burton’s best selling boots and a favorite for several of my close riding friends.

Burton Photon Boot Fit

Back when I was working in snowboard shops I would always encourage customers to size down at least a half size in Burton, and when I set these up in my living room I found the size 11 sent to me fit my 11.5 sized feet perfectly. I felt the end of the boot without feeling pinched. I have skinny ankles and I maxed out the ankle strap BOA dial immediately trying to get it tight enough. The fix was I put a full length 2mm footboard in the shell under the liner, and wrapped the ankle in a “butterfly wrap” to take up some space and hopefully prevent me from maxing out the ankle strap when riding. Both these are available from any ski shop that offers boot fitting. I also used my custom molded Sidas Insoles to keep my heel back and get the arch support I need.

Testing On Snow

Now that I was dialed in, I took them to Jackson Hole Mountain Resort for some inbounds riding on soft snow. The initial feel was very comfortable out of the box, and the flex of the Burton Photon Step On felt more on the medium side. Flex-wise, they claim to be rated between happy medium and stiff/aggressive, so like a 6.5 out of 10.

I ran the Photon Boot really tight, and could carve as hard as I dared and felt great on side hits and buttering around in the flats. After a run or two, I found myself cranking down more on the BOA dials to get tight enough to feel like I could open it up and ride aggressively, and once again maxed out the ankle BOA.

One hiccup I encountered was after a few more runs I felt my back heel pop out on a hard landing on my toes, so I decided to tone down my riding a bit as I couldn’t tighten up any more.

How’s the Edge Hold?

On trail and riding groomers, I felt really solid edge control when on edge and could carve exceptionally well. I felt good landing switch, and could get decent snap on side hits and natural features. But when I rode in some tighter trees, I felt a noticeable lack of fast edge to edge control and finesse. I could get through but felt “off” and had to be sure of my line choices and had a few near misses with trees.

After lunch I met up with a homie and we decided to ride out of bounds off the tram. This run would be 4k vertical feet and a good test to see how these performed off-piste and in variable snow conditions, and how the comfort would be on such a demanding run. It’s not unusual to get down from a tram lap and have your feet feeling like dead blocks of pain, regardless of your setup.

Who Is the Burton Photon Boot For?

I think these are a great snowboard boot for beginners and intermediate riders who aren’t so aggressive and tend to keep it mellow. Or for the older rider who isn’t charging like they used to and wants a simpler set up to get into. If you dont crank these down too much, it is a very comfortable boot/ binding system. You can get great edge control and carve-a-bilty, without the cranked down feeling of a two strap system.

Backcounty Riding

We chose a south facing steep tree run, with plenty of rocks and some light exposure. The snow was wet and heavy powder. This was tough with my setup. The lack of edge to edge finesse I felt in bounds was far more noticeable in the softer deeper snow, to the point where I couldn’t really ride like I normally would, I just had to survive and try not to hit trees and rocks.

I was acutely aware that as I rode, wet snow and twigs and branches were bouncing off my bindings right at the release lever on my front foot, giving me a not-so-secure feeling. I also felt the heelcup of my bindings digging into the snow quite a bit, and caused me a few washouts. After surviving the run and making my way out of the aggressively rutted heelside traverse exit, I felt the familiar dead feet but felt my toes extra gripped and numb inside the boot. I had them so cranked down that they felt more pressure than my regular straps would have, and I couldn’t reach down and back off my straps so I had to deal with that feeling until I reached the base.

Where to Ride the Photon Boot

For me the Burton Photon Step On Boot is restricted to mellow inbounds riding only! I rode this set up a few days more days on groomers at the resort, and on another more directional board to mix it up. Put a few more “C” pads on the liners over my ankles to pad it out so I wouldn’t max out the straps, and overall just kept the boots a bit looser and rode a bit mellower than I normally would. I had a blast hard carving, hitting the small park, and cruising around with my two small kiddos.

Pros & Cons

Pros:

• Convenience and Speed: The Step On system, in general, offers fast entry and exit, which is a major appeal for many riders.

• Good Edge Control (on groomers): The reviewer noted solid edge control and carving ability on groomed trails.

Cons:

• Lacking Finesse & Control in Varied Terrain: The boot was found to be inadequate for aggressive riding, particularly in trees and off-piste conditions. The reviewer felt a lack of edge-to-edge control and finesse.

• Fit Issues and Tightening Limitations: The reviewer had difficulty achieving a secure fit, especially around the ankles. They maxed out the BOA dials and experienced heel lift, requiring modifications (footbed and ankle wrap) to improve the fit. Over-tightening to compensate for the fit issues led to discomfort.

• Snow/Debris Interference: In backcountry conditions, the reviewer felt that snow and debris could interfere with the Step On mechanism, creating a sense of insecurity.

• Not for Aggressive/Advanced Riders: Ultimately, the reviewer concludes that the Photon Step On boot is best suited for beginners, intermediate riders, or those who prefer a mellow riding style. It’s not recommended for aggressive riders or challenging terrain.

Overall Impression

Overall, the Burton Photon Step On Boots ($479.95) have got me really excited for what the future of the Step On system may offer. For now, taking a regular snowboard boot and slapping some cleats and a strap over the ankle can only offer you so much. I feel the Step On system needs to have proprietary boot technology that is built to offer the response and control needed to work for more aggressive riding styles. I would not be at all surprised if that with ten more years of development, this will be the industry standard binding interface and will be used by the majority of riders.

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