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Welcome to my blog. I document my adventures and travel with a focus on getting into the mountains. If there is snow I am going to go.
Welcome to my blog. I document my adventures and travel with a focus on getting into the mountains. If there is snow I am going to go.
Making the right decision with your snowboard choice will make a huge difference to your on snow experience. Whether you want to dial in your snowboard choice to make the most of the conditions or you want a ride that will take you anywhere on the mountain, there is plenty to consider. It can be hard not to feel overwhelmed with the jargon associated with snowboard technologies so I have aimed to make this guide as easy to follow as possible.
Stepping up from hire boards can seem daunting, but by doing so you will improve your riding and your stoke. You will have access to better and lighter materials, faster bases and some pretty sweet snowboard shapes.
The first thing to consider when choosing a snowboard is the type of riding you would like to do. From Park to Powder different snowboards will have characteristics that lend themselves to a certain style of riding. Throughout this guide I will refer back to the type of riding each attribute may suit, so always keep this in mind.
Freestyle snowboarders are the creatives among us. You see opportunity and variation in each feature. Park riders brave the kickers and love the feel of flying through the air but don’t just restrict themselves to the park. Freestyle snowboarders enjoy natural features and make the most of side hits whilst cruising the pistes.
All-mountain snowboarders enjoy everything about snowboarding and ride to what the conditions suit. On a powder day, you will find them chasing stashes and ripping through the trees, whereas they are just as happy in the park. An all-mountain snowboarder will; cruise the pistes, lap the park, and hike the peak all in the same day.
You are a snowboarder that likes to explore the whole mountain. Not restricted by pistes you venture into powder stashes and trees. You see steeps as a welcome challenge, not something to fear. Freeriders love to; go fast, slash pow, and lay trenches.
The profile shape of a snowboard will have a huge effect on how it rides. Manufacturers will adapt the profile of a snowboard to help the board to suit certain riding styles or increase versatility. Some of the more popular snowboard profiles are below.
Best for a stable ride with no thrills.
Flat camper or zero camber snowboards increase the amount of surface area in contact with the snow. This results in in a stable ride that can provide extra float in deeper snow. Flat camber boards can feel reassuring on rails as you are less likely to catch an edge breeding confidence. Flat camber snowboards lack the pop and liveliness of camber snowboards.
Best for Freeride, Carving or Hitting Jumps
Camber is often referred to as the ‘old school’ and goes back to the very beginnings of the sport. Camber snowboard profiles uplift the middle of the snowboard whilst keeping the contact points at the tip and tail of the board in contact with the snow. A camber snowboard will provide ample pop to improve those ollies whilst maintaining solid edge contact and a stable ride. You rarely find Camber on a beginner's snowboard due to the likelihood of an edge catch. If you can tame a camber snowboard you will be rewarded with a reassuring ride that you can take anywhere.
Best for all-round performance
CamRock snowboards combine elements of camber and reverse camber snowboards to make versatile decks. CamRock refers to the use of camber under the binding inserts with a rocker towards the tip and tail of the board. This snowboard profile gives you a best of both worlds scenario with great edge hold and stability but with a less catchy feel and improved float in powder.
Best for beginners and deeper snow
The opposite of a camber snowboard, reverse camber or rocker snowboards lift the contact points away from the snow. Reverse camber snowboards therefore feel a bit wishy washy in terms of edge hold. The benefits of a reverse camber snowboard is the added float in deep snow with the rocker acting similar to the hull of a boat. Beginners tend to find learning on reverse camber snowboards easier as you are less likely to catch an edge.
A number of snowboard brands are developing powder board designs using an elongated nose section with rocker to increase float. By coupling the rocker on the nose with a flat or camber section under the feet and tail a Pow Rocker snowboard will allow the back foot to sink lifting the nose of the board above the snow. This will prevent your back leg from tiring on a pow day.
3BT or TBT is a patented technology used on Bataleon, Lobster and Whitegold snowboards. The brainchild of Bataleon, 3BT combines a full camber profile along the length of the board with uplifted side bases to prevent edge catch and increase float in powder. Bataleon offer different variations on 3BT depending on whether you buy a Park, Freeride or Powder board from their lineup. 3BT snowboards are easy to turn but once on edge keep a solid grip in the snow due to the full camber profile. ROCK OUT CAMBER
Salomon Snowboards uses Rock Out Camber on their most versatile snowboards. Flat between the bindings with camber under each foot, a rock-out camber snowboard is poppy and stable. Towards the tip and tail, a Rock Out Camber snowboard introduces a rocker to improve turn initiation and float in pow. Rock Out Camber snowboards are fun, stable and great in pow.
The base of your snowboard will determine how fast you can ride and how durable your snowboard will be to dings and scratches. There are two main base types used for the production of snowboards; extruded and sintered.
Extruded bases are found more commonly on park snowboards and budget all-mountain boards.
An extruded base is easier to repair so this makes it ideal for rail riders or riding in early or late season.
Often found on entry-level snowboards an extruded base is cheaper to make and therefore can be a good choice for those on a budget.
Extruded bases absorb less wax which can lead to them being slower than a sintered base if not maintained regularly.
An example of a snowboard that offers a great all-mountain ride with an extruded base is the YES Basic
Sintered bases are found in high-end performance snowboards and run fasters than extruded bases. Sintered bases come in different grades with higher grades offering faster performance.
Sintered bases are harder than extruded bases which means they can take more abuse before they scratch or ding.
Sintered bases absorb more wax than extruded bases ensuring that they run faster. A sintered base will require regular waxing but will offer the highest levels of performance.
Jones snowboards use sintered bases throughout their whole board line although their top-end boards have a higher grade.
Depending on the type of snowboarding you want to do the shape of the board can make all the difference. From large swallowtail designs to increase your float in powder, through to twin shape boards making switch riding a breeze, there is plenty of choice. Below are some of the most common snowboard shapes available in modern snowboards.
A directional snowboard is ideal for freeriding. Normally with a wider nose and narrower tail, directional snowboards perform well in deeper snow as their shape allows the nose to float and the tail to sink. Directional snowboard shapes normally have the bindings set back towards the tail of the snowboard. Combined with an aggressive sidecut directional snowboards are great for carving.
Twin snowboards share the same characteristics along the nose and tail. They will have an identical shape with the nose and tail sharing the same width and narrowing towards the waist of the snowboard. The flex of the nose and tail will also be identical. Combining these characteristics will ensure that twin snowboards ride the same both regular and switch making them great for ambidextrous riders and those who enjoy freestyle snowboarding. The ability to land jumps or jibs riding switch is made more simple with a twin snowboard.
Directional twin snowboards are a combination of the above shapes to provide some of the characteristics of both twin and directional snowboards. Directional twins are twin shape snowboards that are coupled with a directional flex / set back binding position. This combination of twin shape and directional flex allows for a board that is rideable switch but will have more freeride performance.
Powder shapes snowboards come in many variations. In essence, a powder shape will be directional with a set-back binding stance. The tail on a powder board can take various shapes from swallow tail through to flat designs each with the intention of dropping the tail in pow and lifting the nose above the snow.
Powder shapes will in general be wider than regular snowboards. This will increase the surface area of the snowboard increasing float in deep snow. Although traditionally powder boards are longer there are a growing number of powder boards that are being designed short and wide. Check out the YES 420.
Long gone are the days when you walk into a snowboard shop and the sales guy grabs a board and places it to your chin… ‘Oh that one’s perfect for you’. If this happens to you please turn around and walk back out of the shop.
Yes, height is a factor in choosing your snowboard but actually, it is more a case of your weight and the terrain you want to ride. There is a reason why brands put weight recommendations and not height recommendations on their snowboards.
When choosing a snowboard first decide on the type of riding you would like to do. To be very general about the whole thing a freeride board is normally ridden longer, a park board shorter and an all-mountain board somewhere in the middle.
If your aim is to carve pistes and float on pow then a longer board will help you achieve both these things. The longer length will add stability at high speeds and float in pow due to increased surface area. You will find a longer board more difficult to spin or press and they can be harder to turn for beginners.
A park board is normally ridden shorter as the reduced length will make the snowboard easier to spin and press. Be aware that riding a board too short can make the snowboard prone to breaking if you are above the recommended weight range.
When choosing the length of your snowboard look at the recommended weight ranges for each size. Ideally, you should be in the middle of the weight range. If you are below the weight range it is likely the board will be too stiff or long for you and this could make it harder to turn. If you are above the weight range you could snap the board whilst landing a jump as the impact could be too strong.
If you have ever heard of the dreaded toe or heel drag then snowboard width should be a consideration. This will be more of a consideration for big-booted riders however there are some times when a wider board will benefit snowboard performance.
In most cases, you should aim to find a snowboard width that positions your feet centrally on the board with your toes and heels just overhanging the edge of the board. By positioning your toes and heels above the edges of the board you can transfer energy efficiently to the edges performing swifter turns. If you position your feet too far over either edge it is likely that your toes and heels will drag in the snow whilst carving. This will have a negative effect on the board’s performance and could hinder edge hold.
If you wear boots over a size 9.5 UK it is likely that you will need to consider getting a wide board. Most brands offer at least a few wide sizes with each of their models. Look out for a W after the size e.g. 155W.
Some people favour a wide board (check out Ryan Knapton) for their regular set up and it really is personal choice. I personally ride a wide when I could ride a regular width board.
Snowboard width will affect the snowboards performance in the following ways. A narrower snowboard will move faster from edge to edge, which is why Alpine Race boards or freeride boards tend to have smaller waists. Alternatively a powder board will normally have an exaggerated waist width to increase surface area and create float in deeper snow.
Snowboard flex ratings refer to how flexible a snowboard is. The flexibility of the snowboard will determine how well it suits specific purposes. Normally rated between 1 (soft) and 10 (stiff) there is a lot of variation in snowboard flex and unfortunately, there is some variance in the system between brands. Generally speaking, a softer flex is more suitable for jibbing and buttering tricks whereas a stiffer flex is found on freeride snowboards.
Suitable for freestyle snowboarders a soft flexing board is more manoeuvrable and better suited to performing butters or flatland tricks. The softer flex allows for deeper presses and is often found on park snowboards. Soft snowboards are easier to turn and this is reflected in their use in beginner snowboards. Soft flexing snowboards tend to be freestyle orientated twin snowboards.
Medium flexing snowboards generally are found in the more versatile all-mountain boards. Normally a master of none but able to handle a bit of everything on the mountain an all-mountain snowboard will help you explore the whole mountain. By having a flex that is in the middle of the rating system the snowboard will be easier to press and butter than a stiff board, but have more stability than a soft board.
A stiffer flexing snowboard will allow the board to handle tougher conditions or bigger booters. Generally, a stiffer snowboard will be more stable at higher speeds and will hold a stronger edge whilst carving. Stiff freeride snowboards will tend to have a softer nose as this helps the board to float in powder whereas a stiffer park snowboard will have an equal flex in the nose and the tail.
Sidecut refers to the shape of the edge of the snowboard and directly contributes to the shape of the snowboard’s turn. Different snowboards will have varying depths of sidecut and this will affect how they perform in different scenarios and terrain.
The following are some of the most regularly found sidecuts in modern snowboard manufacturing.
Freeride and carving boards are designed to go hard and fast. With this in mind, they normally have a narrow waist width meaning a deep sidecut. This allows freeride boards to carve efficiently and quickly transfer between edges.
Entry-level to intermediate snowboards tend to have a progressive sidecut. This means that the sidecut width will change from the tip/tail becoming thinner towards the waist of the board. This allows for easier turn initiation which is better when learning. Beginner boards will have a shallower sidecut than intermediate boards.
Turning sharply on your heel-side is more difficult than performing a sharp turn on your toe-side. It is not anyone’s fault it is just anatomically this way. To rectify this issue and help people rip an easier carve on their heels Asymm boards were introduced. Boards like the Yes Greats use a deeper sidecut on the heel edge to initiate a shorter turn with less effort.
All of the above are different ways of saying exactly the same thing which is partly why buying a snowboard can be so confusing. Essentially, all of the above is brand terminology for a serrated edge meaning that the edge has extra contact points with the snow. Having more contact points will increase edge hold in icy conditions.
To simplify it down to one idea would be to say that the greater the sidecut depth the shorter the turning radius of the snowboard.
Thanks for reading this buying guide and I hope it has given you an insight into the type of snowboard you are after. Still, have questions? Consider booking a Gear Advice call where I will be happy to talk you through all the options and try to find you a great deal.
As always thanks for reading and if you are still unsure feel free to get in touch via the socials or the comment section. Make sure to check out our Snowboard Boot Buyers Guide where you will find all the information regarding how to buy a snowboard.