From hitting pro lines in the park to cruising the whole mountain, or crushing the steepest and deepest slopes, selecting the right snowboard can significantly enhance your experience on the snow. Knowing the kind of riding you want to do is the first step in narrowing down the options to help focus on the best possible matches. The way we look at it, there are three general types of snowboards and ride styles that direct the process in choosing a snowboard: All Mountain, Park/Freestyle, and Powder/Freeride.
Here's a detailed guide to help you make the best choice.
Types of Snowboards
All-Mountain Snowboards
All Mountain snowboards are designed for the rider who needs one board to handle a wider range of ride styles and terrain. While an All Mountain board may not perform as well in deep powder as a powder specific snowboard, or handle a rail as well as a board designed specifically for the terrain park, All-Mountain snowboards will outperform more specialized niche boards when it comes to riding the entire mountain in all sorts of conditions. These are the most dynamic and versatile collection of snowboards, these decks are predictable no matter where you take them.
All Mountain boards typically share a medium flex, allowing them to carve and hold an edge, float decently in powder, while still being playful and forgiving enough to be enjoyed in the park. They’re designed to be ridden in both directions but will tend to perform a bit better with the rider’s preferred front foot pointed downhill. Enduring for a reason, the Burton Custom has helped define what an all-mountain board should be. You're just as likely to see this board flying in the terrain park as you are to see it ripping in the glades or a wide-open powder field.
Example: Burton Custom has helped define what an all-mountain board should be. A directional twin shape opens up versatility for laps outside the park, and the top-shelf materials mean you'll never be lacking performance.
Read also: Is the Gnu Antigravity Snowboard Worth It?
Who's This For? Burton Custom Snowboard
An example of All Mountain Snowboard
Park & Freestyle Snowboards
The hallmark of a terrain park snowboard is its design symmetry, meaning it will perform equally well whether riding, taking off, or landing in either direction. Freestyle boards are perfect for boarders looking to unleash their creativity, whether you're shredding in the park or tackling new terrain features. Built with more durable materials, these boards are begging to be thrown at rails, boxes, and any other man-made objects that are calling your name.
These boards have a soft to medium flex that allows for more expressive freestyle riding, tricks, and jibbing (e.g., nose and tail presses). They’re often built with more bomber edge and base constructions to withstand impact with rails and with less swing weight for easier spins. If you’re focused on sliding rails, hitting jumps and turning the mountain into your own creative playground, a Park/Freestyle board is for you.
Example: The Public Disorder snowboard is so much more than a “park board”. Joe Sexton’s pro model is a true all-mountain tool - the Arbor Swoon snowboard is designed to manage terrain that changes day-to-day or throughout the day.
Read also: Battle Bindings: Performance and Value
An example of Park & Freestyle Snowboard
Powder & Freeride Snowboards
Powder/Freeride boards excel when it comes to floating in deep snow and riding ungroomed, steep terrain. If your idea of a good time equals hauling down the mountain at lightspeed and getting from Point A to Point B as fast as possible, freeride boards are for you. From directional boards to the occasional directional twin, these decks are for riders who like to follow the fall line with purpose.
They offer a stable, smooth ride at fast speeds in a variety of snow conditions. Their firmer flex means less board chatter and improved edge hold during high-speed carves and gives you the ability to make powerful turns on the steepest terrain in variable snow conditions. Unlike more symmetrical park boards, freeride oriented snowboards are designed with distinct noses and tails and are meant to be ridden with the nose pointed forward. Common traits in powder boards include big noses, tapered tails, and significantly set back rider stance.
Example: The Lib Tech T.Rice Pro is your loyal companion for any mountain mission, whether it's deep-powder days, slashing through the trees, or hammering through crud when it hasn't snowed in a while. Perfectly balanced, it's playful and fun when you're cruising, but holds a powerful edge when you feel the urge to charge.
An example of Powder & Freeride Snowboard
Read also: Renting Snowboards in Whistler Blackcomb: What You Need to Know
Key Snowboard Features
Profile
The profile of your snowboard is what you see when you lay a snowboard on the ground and view it from the side at eye level. Picking the right profile for your board can seem daunting but we think virtually all snowboards can be assigned to one of three basic profile classes: camber, rocker, or flat.
Camber: Camber is the most traditional snowboard profile. The process of de-cambering the board (flattening out the profile arc (camber) with the rider’s weight during a turn) loads the board with energy the rider can then “release” to initiate and “snap” into the next turn.Rocker: Rocker is the opposite of camber. Rockered snowboards move the contact points inward towards the center of the board resulting very quick and easy turn initiation that virtually eliminates the chance of catching an edge.Flat: Flat profiles are the middle ground between camber and rocker. Generally, flat profiles are found on softer freestyle boards that have a focus on riding non-snow features like rails and boxes.
Shape
The shape of a snowboard is its outline or template. Similar to profile, a board’s shape offers advantages and disadvantages for each riding style. When it comes to choosing a snowboard, an important fork in the road is deciding whether you want a board optimized to ride best with your favorite front foot forward (directional), to ride the same with either foot pointed forward (twin), or somewhere in between (directional twin).
Directional: Directional snowboards are designed to ride best in one direction. A typical directional shape includes a distinct nose and tail, and a progressively deeper sidecut radius towards the tail.True Twin: Twins are completely symmetrical, with identically shaped nose and tails and a perfectly circular sidecut radius deepest at the middle of the board’s length.Directional Twin: Directional twins are an attempt to capture the benefits of different design concepts into the same board, making it suitable for a wider range of ride styles and terrain.
Flex
Snowboard flex refers to the board’s torsional and lateral bend under pressure. Unfortunately, there is no standardized flex rating system for snowboards. We think it’s most helpful to break flex down into three classes: soft, medium, and stiff.
- Soft Flex: Softer flexing boards are ideal for beginners, lighter weight riders, as well as freestylers focused on jibbing and riding terrain park features.
- Medium Flex: The majority of snowboards are built with a medium flex in order to accommodate the widest range of riders and uses.
- Stiff Flex: When the terrain gets steep and gnarly, riders need the tight ride of a stiffer flexing snowboard.
Choosing the Right Length and Width
When picking out your board, it’s all about finding the right length for your style of riding. On the flip side, many freeride-focused riders will want a longer board to provide more edge hold, float and stability in steeper terrain and a variety of snow conditions. It’s important to keep your preferred riding style in mind when choosing the length of your board.
Snowboard width is an underappreciated but very important consideration. Riders with a boot size of 11+ should strongly consider looking at a wide snowboard. On the flip side, picking a board that is too wide for the rider’s boot size reduces the rider’s leverage over the toe and heelside edges resulting in slower, less responsive transitions from edge to edge.
| Riding Style | Board Length | Board Width |
|---|---|---|
| Freestyle | Shorter | Standard |
| Freeride | Longer | Wider (for larger boots) |
| All Mountain | Medium | Standard |