Burton Imperial 2011-2018 Snowboard Boot Review

I was super excited to try these boots out. Most expensive boots I had ever purchased so I had high expectations.
The boots are OK but I think you can find a pair with much better value out there.
First, they run a bit small. Typically wear 11.5 and in this boot my pinky toe rubs.
The inner liner fits very well. Snug and formed to fit.
Heel comfort is good with minimal movement and rubbing.
I dislike the speed lacing system. Can never seem to get the boots as tight as I want them no matter how hard I pull. IMO it takes more effort to get the boots on and off with the speed laces than it does with standard boots. Kinda ruins the whole point of "speed" laces.
All in all, not that impressed given the price. This is my 3rd pair of boots since I started snowboarding. My last was a $40 pair of Salomon boots that were way more comfortable than these burtons, although they were quite bulky.

I had the 2015 model, which I thought, was the best boot i had so far. It was confortable, low-profile and had a great flex. I loved it so much that I bought a second pair in the end-of-season-sale a year later, despite mine was still in great condition.
So the boot served me well for about 2,5 seasons which were about 100 days. So this season I wanted to switch to the newer model only to see that with the new shell, the boot got quite a bit bigger. The footprint got at least half a size longer. But the bigger problem for me was that it got quite a bit bulkier and it doesnt really firt into my M Cartels nor my Union Contact Pros in M/L.
So i'm a little surprised that you guys didnt mention something like this, maybe its just regarding my size...
The inside fits quite true to size and i also tried the 10.5 model from the newer one in the shop and it was too short and was very unconfortable. I dont know why burton changed the shell because the older one was also much better as in sturdier and i bet the new one will not last as long as the old one did. I guess this was a marketing move because the 2015 Imperial was too good and it wasn't really necessary to pay more to get sth like the ion.
Anyways now I have to try to sell the Imperial because its not really fitting in my Cartels anymore (as you guys also got right, I think you mentioned this in the genesis x review) and I just bought a used pair of diodes in M as well, so im not willing to buy new bindings just because of the boots.
The problem is since the season is now ending in the shops there isn't really much boots around so i had to order online. I will try a adidas tactical adv in 10.5 let's see if that one fits.
As for you guys who want to buy the new model i agree with james that the speedlace-system has improved and in combination with the new integrated j-bars in the liner i get better heelhold also these were confortable right out of the box whereas the old model took about 3 days to break in but that was mainly because of the stiffer flex the older model had. Sadly the shell looks less sturdy and has no more articulation but if you get a good deal on it its still a good boot just be aware of the size if you have a bootsize 10.5 or greater.

I can only giver them 2 stars due to the terrible liner that is killing my left ankle only. It appears I have the same problem as stated by someone else in the reviews. The fit is not great but was in the beginning. They packed out after 30 days and now I'm getting these weird pressure points. The inside of the liner is overly firm too, and not conforming like 32s or Solomon. Really disappointed in Burton for making such a garbage pair of boots.

2016 Burton Imperial US14

I've upgraded to these boots from 2014 Ambush. They are a little stiffer than the Ambush but really comfortable. I had absolutely no problems with the break in with these boots and they felt great from day 1. A big plus is the traction on these boots on icy areas is unreal and far better than the Ambush. My son has full leather Ions and they feel a little better in design but they only go to US13 so these are the best Burton boots I can get in a 13+.
These boots work well, perform, look and feel great on the Mountain. A great freeride boot. Truly recommend The Burton Imperial.

The lacing system is great, the boot construction is good.

The boots are killing my ankle side bones, after a half day of riding my side ankle bones are hurting so much, i tried pushing the liners in that pressure points but they come back after 2 runs. They killed my ankle to the point i was so pissed i wanted to throw them in the forest. The imprint 3 liner sucks for me... i wanted to buy the ride tridents but they didn't had my size. I am so disappointed that i purchased these boots. For their price i should have not had this problems. My previous boots were flow ansr and i had no problems with the ankle , also i wore a lot of rented boots never had this problem. I deeply regret my decision to purchase these boots... wasted money

My first impressions of the 2016 Imperials. (6 days of riding)

As soon as I put them on, they felted super comfy. Nice padded liner. After the first day, I did feel a few pressure points. The only one that bothered me was behind my "ankle ball" on a nerve. I got them molded the next day and they feel great now. The stiffness is really nice. It shows me how beatten down my old Ions are. The toe box is significantly higher on the outside and I seem to have a bit more room inside. The big difference is the tow box looks really rigid. I hope this will translate into longer stiffness retention in the toe area.

As for warmth, well its been a shitty winter till now, nothing below -5 deg C, so cant test that just yet.

I do still get significant cramps under my feet all along the exterior (a line from my small toe to my heel). I do crank down very hard on my bindings. I will try out a pair of aftermarket sole.

All in all, I love these boots. I will post another review after 25+ days

These boots are just amazing. They are super comfortable and are really true to size. I don't know what type or kind of foot I have but I didn't have any heel lift. I do not use an aftermarket insole since I think I don't need any (never had any trouble with shoes)

The lacing of the shoes is just easy, simple and really quick. I love the dual zone lacing that way I can just loosen the bottom part of my shoe if I get any cramping issues. I used to have traditional laces and that was just a pain in the ass to do every time. Now it's just quick and easy.

The boot itself has great flex for aggressive riding and gives you fast turn initiation. The inner boot is easy to get out for drying purposes which I really need because I get hot feet very easily. You can also get some fans or boot dryers. All and all a very nice and comfortable boot with great flex and suitable for aggressive riding but also can be used to play around on a board

Fit: Imperial fits "true to size." I have a narrow ankle and broad fore-foot. No issues with heel lift, "squished/over-lapping toes", or extra volume to compensate for. Note that I do use an aftermarket insole. Highly recommendable given the flimsy insole included with boot.

Lacing: Easy system to work with. Inner-boot locks ankle down. Dual zone lacing system nice for cranking upper-cuff while giving lower-cuff zone some room to "wiggle" if necessary. No issues.

Flex: Good response for aggressive riding. Medium stiff overall with a little forward flex play at ankle - which I like for micro set-up turns and getting the "toes in the wax".

Alert: Inner boot always a bit "wet" after riding. Could be my feet running hot. Requires a bit of diligence drying to avoid stank.

Solid boot for aggressive rider. Enough flex in ankle to accommodate play time. Get an insole. Dry your boots. Very recommendable.

Great boots. I purchased a 9.5 thinking they would loosen up. Turns out I definitely purchased them a half size too small. Right boot was made a little smaller than the left. As a result my toes were going numb. I'm going to move up from a 9.5 to a 10. Heed the review in regards to sizing. Love the leather. Since they don't have the leather model this year I may get the Ion leather. If these were a 10 there is no doubt I would keep them. On warmer days (27-29F) my heal and ankle were getting wet. Not sure what was going on. This would be my only complaint. I don't remember having this issue in colder weather.

This boot was great to learn and progress on. Gives enough flex to work through issues but enough support to be confident pushing limits.

I was getting heel lift issues passing one season but after contacting Burton they sent me free J-bar inserts. These give the boots a massive jump in support and responsiveness. It feels like little baby bear paws are holding your feet secure as you ride. I personally think Burton should ship them default with the boots.

In minus 16 and below I found my feet were getting cold but it could be I am running my bindings/boots too tight.

My only gripe is that even though the lacing system is fast to get the right tension, the putting away of the laces involves having to slowly wrap them and to tuck them away cleanly which is just a hassle if you want to adjust them or loosen them quickly. I probably will be going with dual boa boots next.