Boots follow the same formula—freestyle riders use soft boots for maximum maneuverability, while alpine riders sometimes (but not always) wear a more rigid plastic boot that resembles regular alpine equipment, which aids in precise control on hardpack. Soft boots, and freestyle riding generally, have become more popular among American riders, many of whom come from a skateboarding tradition. Hard hoofs and alpine-style riding are more common in Europe, with its deep tradition of alpine skiing.
The original soft boots were"Sorel"-type rubber boots with leather uppers and felt liners for warmth, but now soft boots are made specifically for boarders. Soft boots require a "highback" binding; this amounts to a plastic tongue that runs partway up the calf. When you're wearing soft boots, this tongue gives you extra leverage for controlling the edge of your board that is cutting into the slope. Due to their rigidity, hard boots don't need this tongue of plastic; instead, a hard boot fits into a simple plate-type binding similar to a ski binding.
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