These boots have lots of life left and would be a perfect affordable option for a beginner snowboarder. I wore these learning to snowboard and they were super comfortable. The have a medium flex. I replaced the BOAs very recently and they work great. There is a small area on one of the toes where the lacing is coming undone but it does not affect the functionality and can be worn for several more seasons. Cross-posted in the women’s section. *will ship in a different box because I no longer have the original. Check out my closet for freebies that can be added to orders of $15 and up!