Burton: Women's Sapphire Snowboard Boots

The jeweled park counterpart to the all-mountain Emerald, Burton's Women's Sapphire features a smooth flex with a skate-like sole. The Thermic Heat Pre-Wired liner isn't new this season, but the feature does make this boot exceptionally popular among riders who don't want to chill their toes while chilling in the park or pipe. This season Burton will offer a slimmed-down Basix battery pack (sold separately) that lightens the load around your feet while warming the liner to as much as 104F--if you can stand cranking the boot thermostat that much. Burton expects a battery life of up to nine hours from a single charge. What Burton did add to the Sapphire this season is a new lightweight outsole with oversized 270-degree Airbag cushioning along the heel area. The cushion helps dampen vibrations so you enjoy more comfort with potentially better board feel. The Airbag is paired with a new Park 2 Molded footbed that consists of a three-layer design with ESS Support shank. The pairing is ideal for women who like to launch and land all day but don't like the jolts and shocks that sometimes linger under arches, heels and toes after a long day in the park. Burton also added a more even (and predictable) flex to the Sapphire with a new Flex Cuff heel hold system and a flex spine. Whether you go big for the entire season or want one of the best combinations of performance features, comfort and park-oriented versatility, the Burton Sapphire is a smart (and even practical) pick with an excellent feature-to-value ratio.

• Burton "support" rating: 4 on a scale of 1 to 10
• Intended for intermediate through advanced riders who prefer park and pipe terrain
• 2:1 Power Lacing System with new Speed Hooks
• Prewired Thermic Heat Flex 2 Liner with Women's True Fit design, Tai Panel, Plush Cuff, and new flex cuff heel hold system with Velcro Liner Closure
• New midsole cushioning with 270-degree Airbag Cushioning
• Articulating cuff for mobility
• Flex Spine Backstay with new Stay-Puft calf capsule
• Medium Flex Thin Profile 3D Molded Tongue
• New Park 2 Molded 3-Layer EVA footbed with ESS support shank and treated with an Aegis antimicrobial coating
• New lightweight Basix battery pack for prewired Thermic Heat Flex 2 Liner sold separately