6 Best Snowboards In 2020

How To Choose The Best Snowboard – Buying Guide

Owning one of best snowboards isn’t that difficult. However, you need to pay attention to a couple of details when purchasing it. The snowboard needs to be manufactured out of high-quality materials that you can rely on. It needs to feel, stable and comfortable when going down on the slopes.

What type of board you choose largely depends on what type of rider you are. Snowboarders who go into all types of conditions – backcountry, the park, through groomers – typically do best on an all-mountain boards. Read our buying guide and pay attention to all of the details to choose the best snowboard for you.

Type

Boards have their unique construction, material, shape, flex, pattern, and size. You should know the type of board you need before going all-in on the slopes. Most snowboards you will find on the market fall into the following categories:

All-mountain: They are the most popular snowboards today, and they perform well anywhere in the mountains. All-mountain snowboards are designed to float well in powder surface and are ideal for all riding aspects. Most snowboarders use all-mountain boards because of their versatility, which is great for beginners as well. The board is usually in directional shape, meaning that the tip is different from the tail. The tail is generally narrower, shorter, and flatter compared to the tip. Despite the directional shape, they can also be ridden backward with the tail facing in the direction of travel.

Freestyle: They are light, short, and flexible, designed mainly for performing tricks in parks and halfpipes. They have a limited edge grip and are not stable enough for carving turns and traveling fast. The tip and tail of the freestyle boards are usually symmetrical, shaped with a centered stance. This design makes it easier for beginners to ride both forward and backward.

Related Review: Freestyle Snowboards

Freeride: They are for chargers, looking to reach the fastest speed possible. In most cases, these boards are stiffer, longer, and a lot more durable. Usually, they are one-directional instead of twin tip, making them extra fast.

Related Review: Freeride Snowboard

Alpine: They are narrower compared to other boards, and are configured for riding and carving downhill, meaning that they are not suitable for performing tricks. The long, narrow, and stiff design is meant for clean and carved turns. Quick edge turns and stability is what you will receive if you go for an alpine snowboard.

Depending on the type of board you choose, you should also be aware of the bindings and boots, and you should make sure that they should match the style and specifics as well.

Value

Getting a good value out of your snowboard is crucial. The lower the price and the higher the performance indicate a better value. If you’re looking for high performing, yet lower-cost models, check out The Capita Horrorscope or K2 Standard Men’s Snowboard. If you are looking for premium value and premium performance, opt for something like The Ride Warpig Snowboard.

Edging

Over the last 10 years, board design has progressed to accentuate the carving experience. Carving is one of the most enjoyable parts of snowboarding, particularly since it can be done anywhere on the mountain. Manufacturers have utilized different edge styles such as Magne Traction, which aims to obtain a better edge hold in icy conditions but feels catchy at slow speeds. Magne Traction boards have a wavy edge that aims to cut into firmer snow, much like a serrated knife.

Another notable change in technology is the volume shifted snowboards. They are short and wide. Their wider platform provides stability and mitigates toe and heel drag due to the horizontal increase of surface area and material. These boards are generally downside to achieve additional playfulness.

Stability

A snowboard is the foundation of your riding security. Riding security means that you feel in control at high speeds whether that be straight-lining or carving edge to edge. If your board feels squirrely at high speeds, there is a big chance that you will fall and injure yourself. To avoid this situation, look for specific details in the board. The board’s camber profile, flex rating, and sidecut determine its performance in regards to high-speed stability.

Speed

The performance of the snowboard at a specific speed depends on its details, primarily the board’s profile, flex rating, and side cut. These factors determine their performance regarding high-speed performance. Boards with longer sidecuts, stiffer flexes, and cambered profiles, generally perform better at higher speeds. In contrast, they are generally less playful and can be hard to ride when going slow.

Boards with a rocker profile and a softer flex excel at slow to medium speeds. This is due to their raised contact points, thus providing a playful ride. Be careful though, since they can feel loose when opened up at high speeds. These two designs are opposites of the spectrum. Depending on your style, choosing the right one for you. If you are not sure, look for something just right, something in the middle.

Float in Powder

Not many things can top fresh powder turns with effortless flotation. On the other side, not many things are more frustrating than nose-diving and continuously tomahawking. The rider experiencing effortless flotation is happily shredding powder, while the freshly tomahawked rider can be exhausted, frustrated, and potentially injured. When riding powder, the design of the board can work either for you or against you. The question is how hard do you want to work?

Fully cambered boats have a downturned (frown face) profile and contact points. While they are stronger carvers, they tend to dive into the snow. This makes you work significantly harder than rocker profiles. The uplifted (smiley face) profile of a rocker model is looser when carving but works to keep your tip up so you can focus on your turn, rather than anticipating your next tomahawk.

Use

Depending on where you will be using your board, you should choose a proper type of it. Different snowboards are used in different conditions. In simple terms, they are divided into 5 categories to help you find the right type of board for the style of snowboarding you want to do:

• All-mountain: best for any terrain
• Freestyle: best for the park
• Freeride: best for ungroomed snow in any terrain
• Powder: best for deep powder snow
• Splitboard: best for the backcountry

Related Review: Splitboard

Pop and Jump

Popping in snowboarding is when you ollie – squat and pop of the tail of the board. Then, the board springs upward and provides additional lift, getting you very high in the air. More pop means you can jump over a sign, or a tree, and go bigger on that hip. Speaking to model shape and design, camber profiles have better pop than rocker profiles. This is due to the downturned profile which resists, and then magnifies the power you put into the initial loading of your ollie. Hybrid camber profiles can provide exceptional pop as well. The take away is that a good pop is mostly driven by the flex of the board.

Of course, what goes up must come down. That is exactly why you need landing security – another thing dependent on the flex of the board. When you are not able to put down a clean landing on the balls of the feet, the board should prove a margin for you to recover, rather than the alternative of looping out and sliding down the landing, thus ending your sweet jump line. Generally, boards with cambered tips and tails that feature stiffer profiles provide a larger margin for landing.

Size

Most beginner snowboarders have the misconception that your board length correlates to your height. While this may be true to some extent, it’s your weight that matters more. Each brand and snowboard model is different, so you will have to look at their official size guide beforehand. Wider boards tend to be better for larger people and those who are lucky enough to frequently ride in powder.

Shape

In such a vast market today, snowboards can come in all types of shapes. The main three are the directional, true twin, and directional twin. Each has its pros and cons:

Directional: Directional snowboards are popular among all-mountain and freeride style snowboards because their shape allows the rider to get down the mountain as efficiently as possible. However, you can’t ride switch on directional snowboards, making it quite limiting in the park or for riders who like to go both ways

True Twin Tip: True Twin Tip boards are symmetrical, with the dimensions of both sides of the board being the same. This shape is best for park riders or those who simply like to ride switch.

Directional Twin: Directional Twin boards are a mix of the twin tip and the directional shapes. They do well for all-mountain or freestyle conditions and are a bit less limiting than directional boards. Usually, the dimensions of the tips are the same, but the back tip is firmer.

FAQs

Globo Surf Overview

As you had the chance to see, a high-quality snowboard is the most important part of your snowboarding equipment. The snowboard of your choice will give you the speed, powder, and versatility you need. Choosing the right one will not only give you this but also make you feel very comfortable on the slopes.

The most important part of finding the best snowboard for you is locking down all the features you need. Luckily, you now have all the information you need, so this shouldn’t be a burden anymore. The models on our list are tried and tested, so we’re sure that you can find something that you will be happy with.

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