Our 8-year-old son has been skiing since he could stand. This year, however, he decided he wanted to switch gears and try snowboarding. Passion won out over practicality, and I’m glad it did. Our son has now fully embraced snowboarding, almost entirely ditching skis, and is already back to the same speed and confidence he had on skis.
As a family, we hit the slopes about 30 times each season. We are a snowboarding family, and we can’t speak highly enough about Burton kids gear. From performance base layers to bright, colorful outwear and helmets with integrated goggles, this review covers all of our favorite essential pieces of Burton Kids Snowboard Gear.
This post contains affiliate links, but as always, is exactly what we tell our family and friends. As with all winter activities, the most important thing is to keep kids warm and dry. But snowboarding does require slightly different clothing requirements.
To make his snowboarding experience smoother, we made the leap to Burton Step On Bindings, which has been a game-changer. Here’s how we arrived at that decision and why we believe it was worth the investment.
How To Setup Burton Step On Bindings
Burton Step On Bindings: A Family's Experience
We originally had a small Burton snowboard that we got when the kids were toddlers. It was perfect for playing on bunny hills and tobogganing but wasn’t big enough for our now 8-year-old. So, we purchased a 100cm Burton Grom Snowboard. We initially reused the bindings from the tiny snowboard, but as my husband called it, the setup was “janky.”
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It worked well enough to get him started on the slopes, but it didn’t take long for our son to completely fall in love with snowboarding and abandon his skis. Soon, we realized that if snowboarding was his new passion, we had to ditch the janky bindings and upgrade.
My husband also started snowboarding this season after a lifetime of skiing, partly to support our son, but now he’s hooked.
Why We Chose Burton Step On Bindings
- Ease of Use: Our son struggled with the traditional strap bindings, often needing to remove his gloves or ask for help.
- Speed: The Step On system is incredibly fast-just like ski bindings, you step in, clip the back, and secure the toes.
- Independence: With Step On bindings, our son became fully independent on the mountain.
- Longevity: These bindings are built to last for years, even as our son grows. They’re designed to fit a range of boot sizes (youth size 3-7). Although our son wears a size 13 in regular shoes, we purchased a size 3 youth boot for longer use. To ensure a good fit, we added cardboard insoles to fill in the extra space.
For us, investing in high-quality gear is a priority over other luxuries like dining out or upgrading electronics. The Step On system has made our snowboarding adventures much smoother, and we all love it.
This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. These commissions help support the blog and allow me to continue creating content. I only recommend products that I personally use and trust.
Burton Kids' Base Layers: The Foundation for Warmth
Before I fell in love with Burton outerwear, I fell head over heels for their base layers. Wondering how to keep kiddos warm?
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My kids love these neck warmers because they’re so soft, and long enough to be pulled up high underneath a helmet for that “ninja look”. I love them because they hold up so well, even when they’re washed and dried over the years. Once you get to a youth extra small the baselayer sets have thumbholes.
Burton Lightweight Baselayer Sets
The Burton Lightweight Baselayer Sets are thin and have a silky smooth feel (silkier than Patagonia Capilene). My kids love the feel because it’s not bunchy under their snowpants.
The Burton Lightweight Baselayer sets do run big, especially the waistband in the pants. My daughter wore the 3T’s when she was 3 and 4, and now at age 5 she is wearing the 4T’s.
My oldest daughter has worn her Burton Base layer sets daily in the winter and weekly the rest of the year for camping, biking and hiking. She has worn them for years and they have held up strong. No other piece of clothing my kids own have been so durable. These sets are worth every penny - but I always find them on sale.
Burton Midweight Baselayer Pieces
The Midweight Base layer pieces are a little thicker and warmer than the Lightweight Sets, and they don’t have that silky smooth feel. On very cold days, I layer my kids in a lightweight set plus fleece, but on a regular cold day (between 15-30 degrees fahrenheight), this Midweight Baselayer under their outwear is plenty warm enough.
Read also: Choosing the Right Snowboard
Interestingly, these do not run large. The waistband fits nice and snug and the lengths are pretty spot on for sizing. My 7 year old (pictured above) wears the youth extra-small small size and it’s a perfect fit.
Burton Kids Fleece Sets
Burton Kids Fleece Sets are soft, flexible and warm. They last longer than their counterparts and can be worn alone in 40/50 degree weather. They tend to run big so size accordingly. Burton fleece holds up extremely well season after season. They are softer than Patagonia but a little thinner. And they can be found on sale in the off season for around $25.
Gloves and Mittens: Keeping Hands Warm
Admittedly, I expect a lot out of my kids mittens. But cold hands (or cold anything) can quickly ruin the day.
Would you call me crazy if I told you that I own like six pairs of these mittens?! They’re just that good! My kids each have a pair for school, a pair for home, and a pair that we keep nice for snowboarding.
They’re affordable (especially on sale at the end of the season), keep hands warm, and they’re SUPER easy to put on. Even two-year olds can get these on independently.
One con: These don’t hold up for more than a season. In my experience, the seams come apart and i’ve had the inner-liner separate from the outer. All Burton gloves and mittens come with a lifetime warranty, and I sent back two pairs with separated liners, but I’m not sure yet if they will be repaired or replaced.
This year, my 7-year old BEGGED me for gloves instead of mittens, so we got him the Kids Gore-Tex Gloves, size extra small. The fit is great, and the cuff still comes up nice and high to keep snow out. The inner liners don’t turn inside out when the gloves come off, and the fit is spot on. Not too big.
These gloves keep my kids’ hands warm on the coldest of Jackson Hole days. They held up well to a full season of wear. The wrist gator string on one glove did pull out, but I fault my child’s misuse rather than a faulty product.
These mittens are SUPER warm and thanks to Gore-Tex, super dry. In fact they might be too warm if your child runs hot. They do have a zipper on the top for ventilation, if needed.
Burton Kids' Outerwear: Durability and Warmth
My kids truly love their Burton outwear, especially the one piece snowsuits. The kid wins are they stay warm and dry. The mom wins are the durability and longevity, thanks to the Room To Grow system. In my opinion, this is Burton’s very best product.
They are easy to put on and take off, and they are warm and breathable. The suit comes in a Gore-Tex version at a higher price-point, but I have never wished I had the Gore-Tex version.
We’ve owned several Burton One Piece suits. They last each kid at least two seasons, sometimes three thanks to the ingenious Grow With Me system. This onesie has reinforced knees and butt, and even after a full season of use these parts show no sign of wear. The colors stay bright and fresh for years, and my kids are never wet at the end of a day sledding or snowboarding.
One note on the Room-To-Grow system: Team Member Jen let out the sleeves on her suit this year and it was sewn so tightly that it left big holes that will need to be patched. Both Jen and I have used this feature in the past with no issues, so hopefully this is a one-off situation.
Burton Maven Bibs
The Maven bibs have reinforced knees and butt, and the fabric is highly durable. These bibs proved to be warm and waterproof (even on the slushy spring days).
We have a pair of Burton Maven bibs (the blue ones my son is wearing in the photo below) that we have gotten FOUR seasons out of, and I just passed them along to a friend! Honestly I don’t have a lot of gear that I can say i’ve gotten that many years out of. Truly one of Burton’s best products.
Burton Bomber Jacket
This jacket is super warm, durable and waterproof. My kids have gotten 2 full seasons of snowboarding and school-use out of these jackets, and then they’ve been handed down to friends for more use.
The only downside to the Bomber jacket is it doesn’t have a powder skirt. With the Maven bibs, snow never got up my kids’ back but with regular snow pants or lower cut bibs, this could be an issue.
Burton Kids Gore-Tex Stark Bibs
If you’re looking for a warm and very waterproof pant once your child transitions out of the toddler sizes, this is it. My son is on his second season of heavy use in the Kids Gore-Tex Stark Bibs and they are still warm and waterproof. The fit is perfect; not too baggy and no gap in the back.
The straps are stretchy and adjustable, and there are 5 different pockets. The back belt loop is strategically placed so the powder skirt of any Burton kids jacket can be attached.
Burton Powline Jacket
Warm, Waterproof, Techinical. The all new for 2022-23 season Burton Powline Jacket.
This jacket is the BOMB. It is new for the 2022-2023 season and it has ALL the awesome features we love in grown up jackets that aren’t commonly found in kids ones. It has: Pit zips, powder skirt, chest pocket, pass pocket, outside and inside pockets, and a hood that fits over a helmet.
My son has worn this jacket on the coldest of Jackson Hole days, we’re talking 10 to 15 degrees below zero with wind and snow, and he stays warm and dry.
And should we get technical? This jacket is fully insulated with synthetic fluff on the inside, and 100% waterproof, breathable Gore-Tex on the inside. Seriously, this is the best kids jacket we’ve ever tried.
Burton Kids Symbol Jacket
When my son turned 7, he decided to forgo the onesie for a jacket and bibs, and we decided on the Symbol Jacket. This is a great mid-price range jacket that has held up well for two winters.
We recently got a small tear in the armpit area, which was covered under Burton’s Lifetime Warranty. I shipped the jacket back and they repaired it free of charge and returned it to me in a 3-week turnaround.
The jacket has more insulation in the core and less on the arms, which was perfect for my son. It’s both warm and breathable. It features a powder skirt which attaches to the belt loop on the back of Burton pants.
The fit is loose but not baggy, and the wrist cuffs are adjustable to go inside, or outside of gloves. The hood fits over a helmet for those blustery days at the top of the Tram.
This jacket washes extremely well.
Burton Snowboards: Designed for Learning and Progression
The thing that sets Burton apart from other snowboard manufacturers is the convex base. Basically, the base of the snowboard is slightly convex which lifts the edges off the snow just a tiny bit. What does this mean?
Formerly known as the Chopper or the Chicklet, the new Kids Grom Snowboard is great for beginners and more advanced groms alike.
The board comes in a 110cm, 120cm and 130cm. This year, my kids are on this board in the 110 and 120cm size. This board is a twin shape and has slightly upturned edges, which makes learning to turn a little more forgiving.
There are 8 pre-drilled binding holes which means you can really dial in a precise stance-width, whether you are using Burton kids bindings or a different brand.
Burton Mini Grom Snowboard
The Mini Grom Snowboard comes in an 80, 90 and 100 cm, which is perfect for around age 3-7. The slightly upturned edges and flat profile make learning to link turns easier (and less dangerous because it’s harder to catch an edge).
These boards feature holes in the tip and tail to attach a Riglet Reel, which is a retractable handle so you can pull your child around and steer their snowboard. The twin shape of the Mini Grom board means that kids can explore riding both regular and goofy footed. Our kids didn’t develop a preference until they started linking turns confidently.
Burton Toddler After School Special and Riglet Snowboard
The Toddler After School Special is exactly the same board design as the Mini Grom. The Toddler Riglet Snowboard is a plastic board with no edges that is perfect for indoor snowboarding or playing around in the yard. My kids love to tow each other around the house and make indoor obstacle courses.
Burton Bindings: Grom and Mini Grom
My favorite feature on the Grom Bindings is the 1-strap design. For very young kids, this strap offers all the support they need and its designed for small hands in mittens to do independently.