January 24th, 2010 by JT

Continuing in my exploration for great boots for us bigger riders, I absolutely wanted to get my hands on a pair of the Salomon Dialogue boots in the wide width version.  I ended up catching them on sale in a not so popular color-way here locally, and picked them up.   Salomon is one of, if not the only snowboard boot makers who manufacturer wide width boots, or at least as far as I know.  If you know of any others, do let me know!

Salomon Dialogue Select Wide

Having a wider foot, can be a pain.  Finding that fit that really works without inducing foot fatigue, or perhaps even having to wear some gnarly looking boots can be a challenge.  Most of the time I can manage to get my foot comfortably into boots from Flow, Forum, Burton, and Sims, but can still find pressure spots on my foot with certain boots.  The  Dialogue Wide is pretty much a great answer to my issue with a wider foot.   Let’s dive into what makes these a great buy in my opinion.

First off, the color-way I have probably isn’t the most popular choice, but alas, I got a good deal on them, and I honestly like the baby blue.   Ok, now that that’s out of the way, let’s talk about fit.   I generally wear a size 12 or 13 boot depending on the company, and I went with size 12.5 in the Dialogue.  The first thing I noticed about this boot is that it’s profile isn’t much bigger than a non-wide boot, so fitting it into bindings shouldn’t be an issue.

Salomon Dialogue Select

The Dialogue is equipped with Salomon’s quick lacing system both on the internal liner, and the boot shell itself.  This was my first time ever using this system, and honestly it was a bit quirky at first.  You have to lace the boots up, and then pull the laces tight with a handle, and lock them into a small locking system pictured below.

Lacing lock

Once, you get the hang of it, the speed lace system, works pretty well.  I wondered if it would loosen up during riding, requiring adjustment, and I’m happy to report, at least during my experiences, I didn’t have to re-adjust the lacing.  I do like the fact you just pull with the handle and lock in the laces at the desired fit and feel.

Lace Handle attaches to the side of the boot

The width of the boot is a key factor in the wide version.  I have a wide foot, so standard fit boots can be a little uncomfortable.  The Dialogue wide is wide enough to make most people with wide(r) feet happy, while still fitting into most bindings without any issue.  I didn’t have any of the usual bit of tug-o-war I have with some new boots getting them on initially.  My foot slipped right into the liner/boot shell, without any resistance, and felt normal and pressure free.

Wide Width, without sacrificing binding fit

The Dialogue has a softer feel to it, although not too soft.  Great for support in powder riding, and free-riding.  I didn’t hit the park with these boots, but that’s not to say I wouldn’t in the future.  One of the key features of the boot is the “custom fit perf foam” which is foam in the foot-bed placed in various areas including areas of the ankle, foot, and heel which molds to your foot to improve riding support and of course comfort.   Honestly, I didn’t pay too much attention to this feature, but I did notice the boots were really comfortable while still being supportive while riding.

The liner itself is a classic center liner, essentially providing support not only in the heel/ankle area, but also down to the foot area as well.  It uses a quick lace system, with a catch ratchet much like the boots outer shell.  The philosophy of just pull and click is definitely in play here, and works quite well for both the shell, and the liner.

Pull and Lock Liner System

Essentially, the Dialogue/Select Wide is a boot for riders with wider feet, who want solid support, and good construction without paying copious amounts of money.  The Dialogue is generally around the $220 price range new, but can be found on the internet and at various retailers for as little at $89 for a previous years model.  Providing support and flex that accommodates not only freestyle but also park riders, the boot is a great purchase in my opinion.  I’ve added it to my rotation of daily riders, and will post an update as the season nears it’s end, on reliability, and other issues that I may find with the boot after a long season of riding.