Never one to favour one riding discipline over another, Sam honed his skills in Salt Lake City, Utah, on park jumps, street rails, cliffs and spines in the backcountry, molding him into a rare breed of riders who can ride anything—and with style. With direct input from Sam, Vans Hi-Country & Hell-Bound boot has been designed to meet those same versatile demands, optimized for performance, flexibility, and on-the-fly adjustability that allows your riding to thrive in a diverse array of conditions.
Tapping into Vans V3 technology, the Hi-Country & Hell-Bound boasts all-day comfort with V3 POPCUSH™, a triple density, 3D-molded, anatomically shaped, and PU-blended footbed with TPU arch-support. In addition, a top sheet of open-cell foam promotes airflow under and around the foot for warmth and dryness. Vans’ V3 Ultracush The North Face™ FlashDry™ Liner has been built for the best fit and performance, acting as a cushioning layer with an X-Cage for superior heel hold, and including a dual-density, heat moldable core and expanded Comfort Flex neoprene forefoot.

“Stepping into the new V3 liners is like standing on a cloud,” Sam added. “I’ve been blown away at the amount of comfort and security this liner provides around my foot while riding. You won’t have to worry about an achy foot issue riding up the lift in these!”

On the boot’s exterior, Vans’ top-of-the-line V3 UltimateWaffle outsole offers a siped tire-like design for increased traction, as well as improved toe-picking and added toe protection. A waterproof zip-up shroud and D-ring protects from snow and ice, while one-way, breathable valves help to control temperature and moisture inside the boot.

Vans Flex Control System’s removable, high-rebound Hytrel tongue stiffeners allow riders to custom-tune their boot flex. Keep both in for maximum support, use just one for increased lateral or medial response, or remove both for additional flex. Finally, a PowerCuff Strap provides customizable support at the top of the boot by either choosing to wrap the strap around the internal liner or exterior tongue for increased stability and response.

The Hi-Country & Hell-Bound by Sam Taxwood comes in a sleek black and bone colorway with a translucent black Sidestripe. Subtle detailing includes Sam Taxwood / Hi-Country & Hell-Bound debossed leather on the external tongue with a molded waffle-pattern heel counter. Complementing the boot is the Mountain Mule Vansguard in Sam Taxwood’s bone and black colorway—a seamless transition from riding to relaxing.

From the Wasatch backcountry to the rail gardens, Sam Taxwood’s brand of snowboarding is the direct result of riding some of the most iconic locales. With a resume that includes celebrated video parts in some of snowboarding’s biggest films, such as his highly applauded performance in Vans’ first full-length movie, LANDLINE., it’s clear Sam chose the new Hi-Country & Hell-Bound boot to support a diverse riding style that continues to earn him a place in snowboarding’s top ranks.

Vans Hi-Country & Hell-Bound by Sam Taxwood collection is available now at Vans retailers and Vans.eu/Snow.