The best snowboard for you is out there, we promise. It just takes a little bit of shopping around to see what exactly you’re looking for. Today we took the time to review the top 10 best snowboards out there (in our opinion, at least). If you’re looking to stock up on some gear for the upcoming or current season, we’ve got you covered. This will be a great investment for those who typically rent a board at the mountain, or anybody who’s looking to upgrade their current gear lineup. Let’s get into the factors of picking the best snowboard for you.
How to pick the best snowboard
- Price range – Boards aren’t by all means cheap or easy on the wallet. However, think about this a serious investment that’ll last you many years. If you take proper care of your snowboard, it’ll be with you for 5+ years unless you’re into upgrading a lot. We made sure as to choose a few boards within each different price-point to give you some options. Our snowboards under $500 guide may help you constrain your price-range a bit, otherwise below we have everything.
- Board type – There are a few riding styles that will deter you into a particular direction when buying a board. REI’s snowboard guide expands upon this a little more, but we summarize below to give you a quick round-up.
- All-mountain: Coming in as the most popular type of snowboard, this is the most ideal for any type of terrain or boarding conditions. For those who switch it up often and are looking for some versatility, this is best for you to grab to stay safe in case you switch it up your preferred powder type. We’re talking every possible situation: groomed, backcountry, park and pipe.
- Freestyle: For those looking to get playful, these types of snowboards come in a bit more lighter and flexible (typically with twin tips). Stability isn’t necessarily key here, but more so flexible since it’ll give you some more energy if you’re feeling fancy.
- Splitboard: This is the best snowboard type if you’re going to be in the backcountry a majority of your runs. Great for climbing since they can split in half as skis, you can also get into untracked territory.
- Sizing – Now that you’ve chosen your type of snowboard, we need to pick the best size for you. To put it simply, it all comes down to your height. Check out our chart below for some help. Evo’s snowboard sizing article may shed some more light as well.
- Extra gear – Do you have your other gear to get going on your board yet? How about your snow goggles, helmet or snowboard bindings? Boots? Clothing? Factor all of this into your budget as well.
The top 10 best snowboards
The following is our top picks for the best snowboards out there in the market. Ladies, if you were specifically looking for boards, check out our best women’s snowboards guide for some more options. Let us know in the comments if you have any suggestions. Happy riding!
Salomon Villain
To start off our list we include one of the best snowboards in the market called the Villain by Salomon. This one comes in two different colors and seven different sizes with unique artwork by Dave Banks. It is a true twin board meaning the tip and tail lengths are identical with a centered binding stance. No matter which way you ride the Villain there will be no difference in performance, great for those who switch ride or merely don’t want to worry about this factor when buying. This snowboard has a sintered base giving it a modest balance between speed capability and wax retention. Additionally, the structuring on this board helps to make it quicker in all snow circumstances and it has a stiffer build providing greater stability and effective performance at high speeds. The carbon inlays on this board give it an energetic feel — it is a medium flexible board, allowing it to feel good on any type of terrain for supreme versatility. The Salomon Villain is a great choice for recreational riders looking for an effective and reliable snowboard.
Burton Skeleton Key
Next on our list is the Skeleton Key by Burton, coming in two different sizes and landing on the high-end of the price spectrum. This is a hand shaped, limited edition snowboard designed for backcountry and groomed terrain. The exceptional and abundant features of this snowboard make it one of the best snowboards for experts or those who are looking for a long-term board to learn with. The Skeleton Key is a directional cambered board giving it intense carving capabilities as well as great stability. It has a shorter tail, which allows it to move more freely. Instead of traditional mounting inserts this snowboard contains a channel that gives the user the ability to freely adjust as needed. Because of this, the snowboard feels very light as well. The shape of this one makes it a great choice to ride through fresh powder as the best snowboard in the market. It has a recycled sintered base making it strong and durable. The Burton Skeleton Key also has a three-year warranty.
K2 Party Platter
The Party Platter is a high quality, fun board for a reasonable price. K2’s best snowboard incorporates new technologies and features making it a unique and trendy choice. It is the best snowboard for the adventurous but skilled boarder not looking for anything too serious. The Party Platter is a multipurpose board that adapts to any type of landscape. The snowboard is around 7-10 centimeters shorter than traditional snowboards giving the freestyle board a new twist. The shorter length, as well as innovative new technology, gives it more of a surfboard feel and versatility if you’ll be getting a little fancy. Because of this the board is easy to manipulate and move. This one is a rocker board with a cambered shape and contains an Ollie Bar between the binding (intended to give the snowboard some nice pop). The K2 Party Platter also has a 4000 Sintered base, which easily absorbs wax and is extremely sturdy. It also made it into White Lines’ best snowboard article.
Ride Berzerker
We continue our list with the Berzerker snowboard. This is a very high quality board by the beloved Ride for a pretty good price. This makes it one of the best snowboards for bold, advanced level boarders. The Berzerker is an all mountain board, allowing it to thrive in any condition nature throws at it. Whether it is fresh powder or a well-groomed trail this board will be effective. It is an extremely versatile snowboard with a directional hybrid camber shape. The Berzerker snowboard contains carbon rods — these, along with its cambered shape, give the board an abundant amount of pop and liveliness. The energetic feel is what this snowboard is best known for. It is meant for boarders who enjoy airtime and extreme slopes. The Ride Berzerker is a directional twin board with a medium flex rating and because of this, it rides smooth and soft but stiff enough to remain sturdy.
Jones Explorer
The Jones Explorer is a very affordable snowboard coming in three different sizes. The distinct features of this make it one of the best snowboards for a reasonable price if you’re budget isn’t super high. It is both a powder board and a park board making it very versatile. For those who are passionate about the environment, it has an ECO-plastic topsheet and uses recycled rubber for the dampening material. The Explorer is a hybrid rocker/camber board, giving it great movement and stability with quick response at the same time. The blunt nose on this board allows it to drift over the snow instead of driving through it and weighing the board down. There are numerous contact points along the edge of the board making it easy to grip and turn through any conditions. The base of this snowboard is a sintered base, providing pop, speed, and effective wax retention. The Jones Explorer is tuned and waxed in store making it ready to ride immediately.
Arbor Westmark Camber
As we approach the middle of our list, the Arbor Westmark Camber is one of the most playful and exciting boards available for riders with an intermediate to advanced skill set. If you are seeking a board that can handle jumps, high speeds, and intense snap this board is one of the best snowboards for a practical price. Since this model is a camber snowboard with a sintered base it’s quick and easy to maneuver. It was built to do ollies and make sharp, clean turns. Its core is uniquely made of wood (it won the Transworld Snowboarding Good Wood award). It is a true twin snowboard making it ideal for freestyle riders and it also has medium flex providing enough firmness to feel stable but soft enough to easily manipulate the board. The Arbor Westmark Camber is perfect for bold park riders who enjoy speed, moguls, and jumps.
Salomon Ultimate Ride
If you are looking for a hi-tech board that can perform on any terrain and do not mind paying a high price, then the Salomon Ultimate Ride is the best snowboard for you. It comes in five different sizes and has an extremely distinctive shape. It was built for adventure, fresh powder, and extreme jumps. It is a medium-flex board, which guarantees success on any type of landscape. The board also has Ghost Green beam inserts on both the tip and tail of the build providing stability as well as an insane amount of pop. It is lined with carbon sidewalls, which improve impact resistance and give it intense grip capabilities. This board is a true twin board making it the best snowboard for experienced freestyle riders. It has a sintered base with a secret wax formula, which allows the board to reach great speeds and greater heights. The Salomon Ultimate Ride is a bold, innovative snowboard that can handle anything it encounters.
Rome Blur
The Blur snowboard is an optimal choice for expert level riders who want a stiffer snowboard to shred intense powder. This is the best snowboard for passionate riders looking for a powerful board with great carving abilities. This one is a hybrid, with camber running the length of the board and rocker at the contact points, not to mention a swift wooden core. Both the hybrid aspect as well as the wooden core gives the snowboard an energetic pop while keeping it light. It was made to fly down steep mountains while gliding effortlessly over the snow. One unique aspect of the Blur is that it has TurboRods running the length of board as well as basalt under the binds giving it power and intensity. It lastly has a sintered base allowing great wax retention. Because of this, the Rome Blur snowboard can reach extreme levels of speed.
Gnu Eco Choice
As we near the end of our list, we have an environmentally friendly snowboard that is handmade in the United States in an eco-friendly factory. If you are looking for an ecological, freestyle snowboard that can ride in all conditions and is in the upper price range this is the best snowboard on the market. The board has recycled saw-like sidewalls, which give the board awesome edge hold on all terrain including ice. The top sheet is made from bio beans as well. The Eco Choice also has a true twin tip shape allowing riders to effortlessly switch ride. It has a wood core as well and a medium flex hold allowing for great movement and fluid turns. The middle of the snowboard is rocker with camber extending to the contact points of the board. The Gnu Eco Choice is the perfect snowboard for the thrill seeking rider who is also environmentally conscious.
CAPiTA Outerspace Living
To wrap up our best snowboard guide we include a very affordable pick designed for intermediate to advanced level snowboarders. This is one of the best snowboards for riders on a budget and those who enjoy mountain runs, backcountry terrain, and intense powder. Essentially, you can ride it anywhere through any circumstances. This board is shaped with camber in the middle and rocker extending to the tips giving it the ability to reach high speeds while floating over soft snow. It turns really well and is great for taking jumps. It is a true twin board with medium flex making switch riding easy. Another cool aspect about this board is that it is eco-friendly, the wood core of this board has been reforestation certified and the laminates are made of plant-based materials. The CAPiTA Outerspace Living is known for its reliability and abundant abilities, and tops off our list in a perfect way.
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