Burton Photon Step On 2021-2024 Regular and Wide Boot Review
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Burton Photon Step On 2024 - 2021 Review by The Good Ride
Burton Photon Step On Snowboard Boot Video and Written Review
Here sits the Burton Photon Step On Snowboard Boot Review from an average rider that’s ridden a ton of boots but has an exceptionally objective perspective.
Positives/Swipe Right: Symmetrical Response. Very Responsive. Easy On & Off. Comes in Regular & Wide.
Negatives/Swipe Left: Limited Adjustability. Still too responsive for some. You are married to not very adjustable bindings. Expensive.
Summary
The Burton Photon Step On Wide is just like the regular only wider and had some upgrades in 2023. It’s not as good for long-term reliability but it is a little softer and a little lighter overall ride. If you are looking for an easy on and off but want more support than the Ruler this is the way to go. Having this model in regular and wide is the way to go and for those of you who are a size E and above the wide is for sure the call. Just remember to check our Step On binding reviews so you know what you are getting into adjustability/response wise before committing to this system.
The 2023 and 2024 Burton Photon Step On’s are the same in regular and wide. The only difference between regular and wide is the width so this stands as a review for the regular too.
Ethics Statement: We don’t get paid by the manufacturer to write these reviews. We do make money from the “Where To Buy” links, but this is our best attempt at an honest and objective review from an average riders’ perspective.
A Breakdown Of How It Rides And Who It Is For
How This Review Happened: Precious Good Ride dollars were spent to buy this and review it.
Size: 9 Wide
Days: 5+
Conditions: Everything from a little pow to groomers and an early morning slackountry time with Drift Boards (yes they work with them)
Riders: James (Size 9, 5’10” 185-190lbs)
Insoles: Footprint Insole Technology Gamechangers
Bindings: Burton Genesis Step On
Boards: Burton Forager
Jacket: Burton AK Gore-Tex Pro 3L Tusk Jacket, Volcom TDF Infuse 3L Gore-Tex Jacket
Pant: Burton AK Gore-Tex Pro 3L Hover Pant, Burton AK Gore-Tex 2L Swash Pant, Burton Gore-Tex Ballast Pant
Helmet: Smith Maze
Goggle: Smith 4D Mag
Gloves: Burton AK Guide Glove, Burton AK Clutch Mitt, Burton AK Clutch Glove, Burton AK Tech Leather Glove, Burton AK Tech Glove, CG Habitats Glove, CG Habitats Work Glove, Drop Tahoma Mitt, Drop Cascade Glove, Drop Web Glove,
Similar (but not the same) Boots: Burton Ion Step On & Burton Ruler Step On
James’ Foot Specs
Foot Size: 9 US
Foot Width: E
Arch Length: Right 9.5 and Left 9
Calf Circumference: Top of boot 17” & Bottom of boot 12”
How These Were Tested
Before testing the Burton Photon Step On I went out with my Union Atlas and Ride Trident or Burton Kendo’s or Cartel or Cartel X’s for a run before setting up the Step On’s so I could get a real feel between strap in and step on.
Weight
2.2lbs
Total weight with Genesis Step Ons 4.0lbs
This is a very light set up and you aren’t adding any extra weight by going with this set up. The Step On’s seem to be about the same weight as the regular Photon’s. They might only be 1 or 2 ounces heavier and the Genesis Step On’s aren’t any different weight wise than the Genesis. Same goes for the rest of the step on line.
Fit
Finally! My size 9 E feet fit a step on boot without cramping, numbness and general pain right out of the box. With other Step On boots, I would have to really heat mold these to get them to work with my E width feet. That isn’t super wide either. It’s just the beginning of what most consider a wide foot. I think if you are an EE or EEE width you might need a little heat molding on the sides but for me no heat molding was necessary.
For many with D or narrower feet you should be able to pull off the regular width but I personally feel the regular Step On boots should be wider and overall they are narrower inside than their regular strap in counterparts.
Regarding fitting my actual 9 feet the Burton Photon Step On wide and regular was great and felt very true to size.
Flex/ Flex Retention/Construction
The Burton Photon Step On regular and wide have a very mediumish flex and decent construction. They went for a lighter feel and
The flex retention isn’t there compared to boots like the Swash or Step On Soft with the articulating cuff. Even the Ruler seems to hold its flex a little better.
One thing about the Photon Step On and all Step On boots but the Photon Step On Soft boots is they give you this very locked in feel. Being connected directly to the high back is what does it. I just can’t move in these the way I do with traditional strap in boots/bindings and I personally don’t like this feel. It’s getting better with the Genesis Step On but it’s far from feeling like a normal snowboard boot/binding system.
Response
While you do have a medium flexing boot the response is fast. It’s less responsive than the Ion but even with the Genesis Step On bindings, the most mellow in the line, it feels soo much faster edge to edge than traditional boot binding combos. Step On is in it’s own world when it comes to response.
Adjustability/Heel Hold
There is limited adjustability with the Burton Photon Step On. You don’t have upper and lower. You just have a single boa for the lace and then a BOA for the ankle strap which kind of emulates a strap in ankle strap.
The heel hold for me was good and burton seemed to improve this in their line of boots. I personally didn’t like it though because it causes some pain on my Achilles heel.
Shock Absorption
Pretty good all-around shock absorption. Nothing over the top but definitely on the upper end. With a good insole and the very shock absorbent Burton bindings you get upper tier shock absorption because it’s a proprietary/packaged deal.
You get a lot of shock absorption but if you like a damp chatter free ride the Burton Photon Step On and any Burton Step On binding won’t match some out there. This boot/binding combo won’t absorb microbumpy/hard chatter as well as some boot binding combos out there.
On & Off
Very quick off with the Burton Photon Step On but a little slow on. So is every BOA system boot though. It takes a long time to coil them up and I find it just about the same speed as getting traditional lace boots on. It’s just a little easier because there aren’t laces.
Traction
You have a Vibram sole with the Burton Photon Step On and that’s as good as it gets.
Reduced Footprint
What I like about the Burton Photon Step On vs. the regular Photon is they have the same footprint. You do click in to a much larger high back so it does stick out a bit more than and there is very little boot to binding adjustability with non-burton boards so you can’t center it as easy but at least the footprint is very reduced.
Conclusion
So in conclusion the Burton Photon Step On is a nice change up from the old model and it has a little more of a traditional boot binding feel but with a lot more response.
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Burton Photon Step On Past Reviews
2021 Burton Photon Step On Review
Burton Photon BOA Step On 2021 Snowboard Boot Video and Written Review
Here lies the Burton Photon BOA Step On Snowboard Boot Review from an average rider with an exceptionally objective perspective.
Burton Photon Step On Snowboard Boot Video Review Fast Forward Markers
0:00 – Intro 0:25 – Summary 2:06 -Sizing 3:14 – Lacing and Adjustability 4:04 – On and Off Ease 4:15 – Flex/Response 5:09 – Flex Retention 5:31 – Shock Absorption 6:07 – Traction 6:28 – Reduced Footprint 6:59 – Liner & Inner Boot 7:30 – Conclusion 8:28 – About Our Reviews
Turn Ons/Swipe Right: Super responsive. Best quick release system in the market.
Turn Offs/Swipe Left: Almost no boot to binding and no stance width adjustability. Weird to butter with.
Summary
The Burton Photon Step On boot is incredibly easy to get on and off but also improves response over regular boot/binding systems.
Ethics Statement: We don’t get paid by the manufacturer to write these reviews and this is our unfiltered opinion. We do make money from the “Where To Buy” links, but this is our best attempt at an honest and objective review from an average riders’ perspective.
A Breakdown of How it rides and who it is for
How The Burton Photon Step On Boot Review Happened: Precious Good Ride dollars were spent to buy this and review it.
Days: 2
Size Tried: 9 Regular
Riders: James (Size 9, 5’10” 185-190lbs)
Bindings: Burton Step On, Burton Step On X
Boards: Burton Hometown Hero, Yes Ghost
Similar (but not the same) Boots: K2 Quicker, Flow Bindings, Gnu Bindings, Burton Ion Step On, Burton Ruler Step On.
James’ Foot Specs
Foot Size: 9 US
Foot Width: E
Arch Length: Right 9.5 and Left 9
Calve Circumference: Top of boot 17” & Bottom of boot 12”
Sizing/Fit
The 9 felt a little on the tight side along the arch of my foot for my size 9 E foot. Well just a tiny bit shy of a full on E width but close. In the front of the boot there was a lot of room but almost all of my arch was cramping on the sides at first. After 2 days of riding the Burton Photon Step On liner expanded to the point where there was almost no discomfort.
Construction/Flex/Flex Retention
The Burton Photon Step On is well made and seems like it can last a long time. However the flex doesn’t seem like it is going to last as long. This is good because out of the box it is super stiff and in my opinion too responsive. So I would look forward to it breaking down a bit.
Adjustability/Heel Hold
There is not as much upper/lower adjustability compared to the other Double BOA boots. This is essentially a single BOA but with a BOA ankle strap integrated into the boot. If you like a boot that really wraps around your ankle then the Burton Photon Step On boot is a great call.
Response/Turn Initiation
The Burton Photon Step On boot is super responsive. The front of the boot is super stiff but what really makes it so responsive is how it integrates with the Step On and Step On X bindings. The connection to the back of the binding makes it feel more unified than a traditional boot binding combo. It really makes for fast turn initiation and it can turn just about any board. They are in between hard boots and responsive soft boots and great for those that like a responsive carve friendly set up.
Shock Absorption/Board Feel
So the sole is pretty shock absorbent but the integration with the Step On binding makes for a pretty overall shock absorbent ride. Being so connected to the binding made it uncomfortable to butter and I don’t think it would be good for those that like really directional stance angles since you can’t rotate the high back of the Step On Bindings that are mandatory for this set up.
Traction
The Burton Photon Step On is pretty good when it comes to traction and I never felt like I would do the disco splits skating in an icy lift line.
Footprint
Very reduced. I have found Adidas boots to be more reduced but not consistently throughout the size range. For size 9 it isn’t super reduced but as you get into bigger sizes it is very reduced.
On & Off Ease
Very easy on and off. The Burton Photon Step On is also easy in and out of the binding too. That is what makes this so unique.
So overall, The Burton Burton Photon Step On isn’t personally for me but I can say that this is the most recommendable quick release set up I have tried. You not only get a super easy in and out but you get more response than traditional boot/binding combos.
If this review helped, we’d appreciate if you:
- Become a Patron and get early access to reviews well before they are published. https://www.patreon.com/thegoodride
- Donate to https://venmo.com/TheGoodRide (@TheGoodRide) or https://paypal.me/thegoodride
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Burton Photon Step On Images
We try to get as many images of the Burton Photon Step On, but forgive us if they're not all there.
2024
2021
2019
Burton Photon Step On User Reviews
So Much Pain
I tried these on at a demo when the step on system first came out and liked the boot and system. I immediately ordered both through the Telluride Burton store I demo'd them at. When the boot came I wore it around the house constantly to get it broken in for the next season. It caused pain but I figured it would eventually get broken in and go away... boy was I wrong.
I've have several pairs of Nike's and have never had boot pain before. This was a new and terrible sensation. After 3 years of riding I sold them online. While the boots are well made and easy on and off, the pain I had around my entire foot wouldn't let me board past 3 hrs a day. I tried riding them loose, baking them (multiple times) and several pairs of insoles. The solution...
DC made a step on boot and its amazing. I bought the DC boot and out of the box it felt better than these StepOn boots with 30+ days on them. Do yourself a favor - get the DC boots.
Solid Boots
Ok, the review James gives is accurate. These are solid boots and they pair really well with the SO bindings. The added strap over the foot really gives the boot a traditional binding feel. One thing that is notable and that you should pay attention to is how these boots feel clipped in. This is huge and if you’re thinking about buying this I’d recommend the following.
Let me start out by saying I don’t have a wide foot and I wear 10.5 shoes. The sizing as far as true to fit is accurate. If you’re a 10 shoe you’ll be a 10 boot, that part they have right. One thing to pay attention to is how the boot feels clipped in and not just on your feet in the store. I started out with a 10.5 boot and the boots felt perfect until you’re clipped in over an extended period of time. ( probably 30 min and you’ll know). So there is pressure that you’ll feel on the clips on either your inner or outer edge of the boot where they clip into the bindings. This ends up being pretty painful and i did all I could to “work in” the boots. Baking them multiple times and even just standing in my living room clipped in watching tv. After hours of being clipped in and no relief I ended up exchanging these for the 10.5 wide and have no issues. The only difference between the wide and normal version of the boot is the thickness of the liner. The wides have a thinner liner and this solved the issue for me. If you buy these boots let the store bake them for you and insist on being clipped in to mold your boots. After 30min you’ll know if you’re gonna have an issue. If you have pain by either of the clips I recommend asking for the wide version. I have normal width feet and the wide 10.5 are perfect no heel lift or any noticeable difference only that the pain is gone.
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