Vans Snowboard Boot Liners Explained

If you ride Vans snowboard boots, you’ve probably seen the liner names V1, V2 and V3 thrown around.

At first, it can seem like just another piece of snowboard boot terminology. But the liner actually has a lot to do with how your feet feel when you're riding. It plays a big role in comfort, cushioning, warmth, moisture management and how your foot settles into the boot over the course of a long day and a long season.

Vans has developed three different UltraCush liner packages, and each one has its own combination of materials and construction. The differences aren't necessarily about one being good and another being bad. It's more about what Vans has added to each liner and how those changes affect the way the boot feels and performs.

That's where V1, V2 and V3 come in.

The liner is a huge part of how a snowboard boot feels. It affects comfort, warmth, moisture management, fit and how your foot connects to the boot. Vans has put a lot of thought into its V Series liners and the UltraCush footbeds, and the differences are worth knowing when you’re choosing a boot.

Check it.

V3 is the Milo favorite. V2 is right there with it. V1 works great.

All three are comfortable. All three are heat moldable. All three give you the cushioned, supportive feel you want from a snowboard boot.

Where they start to separate is what Vans adds around that basic comfort package.

V2 brings Smartwool into the equation. V3 brings The North Face FlashDry tech. Those materials give Vans another way to manage moisture and temperature when you’re wearing your boots all day.

And when you spend six, seven or eight hours in snowboard boots, comfort matters. A lot.

V3 UltraCush TNF FlashDry Liner

The Milo Favorite

The V3 is the liner we keep coming back to.

It's comfortable, it manages moisture really well, and it has that more refined feel we like for long days on the mountain.

The V3 UltraCush TNF FlashDry liner is Vans' top liner package. Vans uses The North Face FlashDry material, which is designed to move moisture toward the surface of the material so it can dry faster. All V3 UltraCush liners use FlashDry.

The V3 liner also gets:

• UltraCush interior cushioning

• The North Face FlashDry material

• Expanded Comfort Flex neoprene forefoot

• Dual density, heat moldable core

• Closed seam microsuede cuff and tongue

That's a pretty serious liner.

But what we like most about V3 isn't just the list of features.  It feels good.  If you're riding hard and spending long days in your boots, that combination of cushioning, fit and moisture management starts to make a lot of sense.

You'll find the V3 liner in boots like the Infuse, Infuse Sideline, Verse and Super Standard. Vans also uses the V3 Range Edition liner in models like the Verse Range and The Progress.

The V3 Range Edition keeps the V3 liner package and adds an extended, lower reaching PleasureCuff for additional range of motion.

If you're looking at the higher end Vans boots, you're probably looking at V3.

And we're fans.

V2 UltraCush Smartwool Liner

V2 Is Right There

We really like the V2.

The V2 UltraCush Smartwool liner takes the comfortable UltraCush package and adds Smartwool Merino wool. Vans designed the liner around warmth, breathability and moisture management.

That's a pretty good combination for snowboard boots.

Your feet get hot. You sweat. You ride the lift. You sit in the lodge. Then you go back out and do it all over again.

Smartwool helps manage that moisture while still providing warmth and breathability. Vans says the Merino wool can absorb and retain up to 30 percent of its weight in moisture while still feeling dry to the touch.

The V2 also gets an extended Comfort Flex neoprene toe box and a dual density, heat moldable core.

And again, this isn't just about checking boxes on a spec sheet.

V2 is comfortable. Really comfortable.

For a rider who spends most of the season riding the resort, wants a warm and comfortable boot, and still wants a serious piece of snowboard equipment, V2 is a great place to be.

You'll find the V2 liner in boots like the Invado Pro, Aura Pro 2.0, Hi Standard Pro, Luna Pro 2.0 and Encore Pro 2.0.
Honestly, if you're looking at a V2 boot, we wouldn't hesitate to recommend it.

V1 UltraCush Liner

Simple, Proven and Comfortable

And then there's V1.

V1 works great.

We don't want to make the mistake of treating V1 like some stripped down liner that you should automatically avoid.

It isn't.

The V1 UltraCush liner uses a dual density, heat moldable core, Comfort Flex neoprene toe box, closed seam brushed fleece cuff and UltraCush interior cushioning.

It's comfortable. It's proven. And it works.

You'll find it in boots like the Invado OG, Aura OG, Hi Standard OG, Encore OG and Juvie OG.
If you want a straightforward Vans snowboard boot without paying for every bit of extra liner technology, V1 makes a lot of sense.

There's nothing wrong with simple.

Comfort Is a Big Deal

This is something that gets overlooked when people shop for snowboard boots.

Everyone talks about flex.

Everyone talks about BOA.

Everyone talks about heel hold.

All important stuff.

But if your feet hurt after three runs, none of that matters.

The liner is one of the biggest pieces of the comfort equation. Vans uses UltraCush cushioning across the V Series, then builds different materials and constructions around it depending on the liner.

That's why we don't look at V1, V2 and V3 as simply good, better, best.

They're different packages.

And all three can work really well.

For us, V3 gets the nod because we like what Vans has done with the FlashDry liner and the overall feel. V2 is right behind it and is an awesome option. V1 keeps things simple and still delivers the comfort you want.

V2 vs V3

This is probably the comparison we get asked about most.

V2 uses Smartwool. V3 uses FlashDry.

Both are designed around comfort and moisture management, but they approach it differently.

Smartwool brings the warmth, breathability and moisture management of Merino wool. FlashDry is designed to move moisture toward the surface and dry quickly.

For us, it comes down to what you want from the boot.

V2

V2 is a great everyday choice.

It's warm, comfortable and forgiving. If you're riding mostly at the resort and want a boot you can wear all day without thinking about your feet, V2 is hard to argue with.

V3

V3 takes the package another step.

If you're riding aggressively, spending long days on snow, hiking for turns or just want the most advanced liner Vans offers, V3 is our shop choice.

But don't overlook V2. It's right there.

Don't Forget About POPCUSH

The liner isn't the only thing that changes.

Vans also uses different POPCUSH footbeds throughout the boot lineup.

The V1 POPCUSH footbed uses a single density construction with anatomical shaping, anti fatigue coring, airflow perforations and a moisture wicking Nylex top sheet.

V2 moves to a dual density construction.

V3 goes to a tri density construction with additional features designed around cushioning, support and energy return.

And here's an important thing to remember:

The liner version and footbed version don't always match.

The Vans Super Standard, for example, uses a V3 liner with a V2 footbed.

So when you're comparing Vans boots, look at the whole package.

Vans Snowboard Boot Liner and POPCUSH Guide

Boot	Liner	POPCUSH Footbed
Infuse	V3 UltraCush TNF FlashDry	V3
Infuse Sideline	V3 UltraCush TNF FlashDry	V3
Invado Pro	V2 UltraCush Smartwool	V2
Invado OG	V1 UltraCush	V1
Verse Range	V3 Range Edition TNF FlashDry	V3
Verse	V3 UltraCush TNF FlashDry	V3
Aura Pro 2.0	V2 UltraCush Smartwool	V2
Aura OG	V1 UltraCush	V1
Aura Linerless	Linerless	V1
Hi Country	V3 UltraCush TNF FlashDry	V3
Hi Standard Pro	V2 UltraCush Smartwool	V2
Super Standard	V3 UltraCush TNF FlashDry	V2
Hi Standard OG	V1 UltraCush	V1
Hi Standard Linerless DX	Linerless	V1
Luna Pro 2.0	V2 UltraCush Smartwool	V2
The Progress	V3 Range Edition TNF FlashDry	V3
Encore Pro 2.0	V2 UltraCush Smartwool	V2
Encore OG	V1 UltraCush	V1
Encore Linerless	Linerless	V1
Hi Standard Pro Women's	V2 UltraCush Smartwool	V2
Super Standard Women's	V3 Range Edition TNF FlashDry	V2
Hi Standard OG Women's	V1 UltraCush	V1
Juvie OG	V1 UltraCush	V1
Juvie Linerless	Linerless	V1

The Milo Take

We like all three.

V3 is the Milo favorite.

It's the liner we'd choose when we want the most refined Vans package, especially for long days and riders who want the added moisture management of FlashDry.

V2 is right there with it.

Smartwool brings a great combination of warmth, comfort and moisture management, and we think V2 is one of the best all around choices in the Vans lineup.

V1 works great.

It's comfortable, proven and doesn't overcomplicate things. If the boot fits your foot and you like the feel, ride it.

And that's probably the most important thing in this whole article.

Buy the boot that fits your foot.

A great fitting V2 is better than a V3 that doesn't fit you.

A great fitting V1 is better than either one if that's the boot that feels right.

Technology is cool. We love it.

But your feet still get the final vote.

Looking at Vans snowboard boots?

If you're trying to figure out which Vans boot and liner makes sense for you, come talk to us. We'll help you sort through the V1, V2 and V3 stuff and get you into a boot that actually fits the way it should.

Hit us up and get ready for snow!