It might be the middle of summer (in the northern hemisphere anyway) but 2020 snowboard gear is coming out now.
This time of year always gets me itching for the season – even though snow feels like it’s a long way off!
As always, the new season’s gear always gets me excited and there’s plenty to be excited about with the 2020 models. I had the privilege of testing a bunch of gear in the winter/spring and will of course be publishing all the reviews for that gear over the rest of the year.
Brands
Not all 2020 gear is available yet, of course (apart from in the Southern Hemisphere), but a lot of it is already available – seems to become available earlier every year (or maybe I just get surprised ever year to see new snowboard gear coming out in the summer!).
I have seen gear from the following brands available so far:
- Arbor
- Capita
- GNU
- Jones
- K2
- Korua
- Lib Tech
- Ride
- Roxy
- Salomon
- Union
- YES
Most likely I’ve missed some too, that have come out in stores that I haven’t checked.
Between now and September more and more will become available.
2020 Models
As is always the case there are some brand new models coming out for the 2020 season, in addition to old favorites returning (with new graphics) – and some with tweaks and modifications.
Some New Models
This is by no means an exhaustive list, but here are some of the new models coming out for 2020. Some completely new, some that are more or less a rename of a past model.
- Arbor Annex
- Arbor Crosscut Camber
- Arbor Crosscut Rocker
- Arbor Element Camber
- Arbor Poparazzi Camber
- Arbor Shiloh Camber
- Arbor Shiloh Rocker
- Capita Asymulator
- Capita Equalizer
- Capita SB Powder Racer
- Capita SB Ultralight Powder Displacement Snowcraft
- Capita SuperDOA
- Capita Supernova
- GNU 4
- GNU Antigravity
- GNU Finest
- GNU Pro Choice
- GNU Semi-Gloss
- GNU Whip
- GNU Young Money
- Jones Frontier
- Jones Frontier Split
- Jones Ultra Mind Expander
- Jones Women’s Hovercraft Split
- Lib Tech BRD
- Lib Tech Cortado
- Lib Tech Dynamiss
- Lib Tech Dynamo
- Lib Tech Glider
- Lib Tech Jamie Lynn Short Wide
- Lib Tech Litigator
- Lib Tech Magic BM
- Lib Tech MC Snake Kink
- Lib Tech No.43
- Lib Tech T.Ras
- Never Summer Atom Split
- Never Summer Dipstick
- Never Summer East
- Never Summer Lady West
- Never Summer Lady West Split
- Never Summer Shade
- Never Summer West Bound
- Never Summer Westbound Split
- Niche Crux
- Niche Maelstrom
- Niche Nightshade
- Niche Wraith
- Union Forged Force Binding
- YES Globe NSB
- YES Hybrid
- YES The Y
And that’s just for the brands that I’ve published 2020 overviews for so far.
Saying Goodbye to Some Models from 2019
The following won’t be returning with a 2020 model:
- Arbor Element Black Camber
- Arbor Element Black Rocker
- Arbor Whiskey
- Arbor Zygote Twin
- Capita Jess Kimura Pro
- Capita SB Powder
- Capita Spring Break Twin
- GNU Hyak
- GNU Playdate Asym
- GNU Space Case
- GNU Spasym Asym
- GNU Super Progressive Air Machine
- GNU Women’s Hyper Kyarve
- GNU Women’s Super Progressive Air Machine
- Jones Explorer
- Jones Explorer Split –
- Lib Tech Attack Banana
- Lib Tech Banana Magic
- Lib Tech Dough Boy Shredder
- Lib Tech Lando Phoenix
- Lib Tech Lost Lib Jamie Lynn Mayhem Colab
- Lib Tech TRS Firepower
- Lib Tech World’s Greenest Snowboard
- Never Summer Aura
- Never Summer Aura Split
- Never Summer Warlock
- Never Summer West
- Never Summer West Split
- Niche Knew
- Niche Theme
- Union Cadet
- Union Expedition FC
- Union Ultra FC
- YES Basic Decade
For more details on those coming and going, check out:
>>2020 Arbor Snowboards Overview
>>2020 Burton Snowboards Overview
>>2020 Capita Snowboards Overview
>>2020 GNU Snowboards Overview
>>2020 Jones Snowboards Overview
>>2020 Endeavor Snowboards Overview
>>2020 Lib Tech Snowboards Overview
>>2020 Never Summer Snowboards Overview
>>2020 Niche Snowboards Overview
>>2020 Ride Snowboards Overview
>>2020 Rossignol Snowboards Overview
>>2020 Salomon Snowboards Overview
>>2020 Slash Snowboards Overview
>>2020 Union Bindings Overview
>>2020 YES Snowboards Overview
I will add to these as I publish the overviews for other brands.
Eye on Anything?
Is there a particular model that you’ve got your eye on, or have been waiting to get your hands on?
I’d love to hear what others are getting excited about for the 2019-20 season. Just leave a comment in the comments section below.
Availability
Check out some of the new arrivals for a couple of stores at the links below.
>>New Snowboard Gear at evo.com
>>New Snowboard Gear at backcountry.com
I’ve got nothing against summer, but still….bring on the snow!
Hi Nate,
I’m heading to Kicking Horse BC this upcoming season and thinking about buying a new board. Can you recommend a board built for free riding that holds up in powder (fingers crossed) and can take on natural hits/trees. I’m 6’2″, 235 lbs (planning to lose 10-20 before the trip) and a size 12/13 boot. I’m an intermediate-advanced/intermediate rider. I’m interested to hear your recommendations. Thank you for your time.
Rob
Hi Rob
Thanks for your message.
Based on everything, I like the idea of the YES Pick Your Line, Burton Flight Attendant or GNU Mullair, for what you’re describing. Great freeride boards and you don’t have to be an expert to ride them – they are good for that intermediate bordering on advanced level – and also good for natural hits and riding in trees (and like any good freeride board, do well in powder). You can check out the following:
>> My Top 5 Freeride Snowboards
But I think those 3 are the best options for you from that list.
Assuming around 220lbs, and with a size 12/13 boot (and taking into account ability/trees/powder), I would look at the following sizes:
PYL: 164W
FA: 162W – can be ridden a little shorter than something like the PYL as it has more effective edge vs overall length – so riding this in 162W is similar to riding PYL in 164W
Mullair: 164W
Hope this helps with your decision
I’m dying to hear what you think of the Annex. I’m eyeing it for something inbetween my Slush Slasher and Capita Mercury.
Look forward to the review on the new Union bindings. Going to be moving away from Burton for boots and bindings this season as the boots don’t retain flex long enough and can’t center my bindings very well with a fixed heel cup. In between sizes like 10.5 and 11 seem a tough fit that way.
i m looking forward for your flux dsw review ;-)… i think you wrote somwhere, that you had a ride on it @ a demo? 👌
Hi Rafael
Yep, demo for the Flux DSW in the works. Rode them in the spring. I haven’t ridden a bad Flux binding and DSW were no exception.
thanks Nate
thats what i hopped to hear :-)… equaly i m looking forward to your full review… also how you see the binding to ohters in flux’s line, as the ds or the stiffer bindings like xf, xv. in terms of stiffness they rate the dsw as high as the xf i think.
also i m looking forward for the capita equalizer board by jess kimura, for a shred companera…
greets and please go on with your great work,
Rafael
Looking forward to the new Yes boards – especially the Hybrid if it’s shorter wider PYL
Hi Steve
I haven’t post my review for it yet, but I loved the Hybrid. Great board!
I’d love to see a review on the Lib Tech BRD.
Hi Nate (great name by the way!)
I haven’t ridden the BRD, but I will see if I can get a chance to early season. But even if I do I wouldn’t be likely to have a review out until early December at the earliest.
Looking forward to it! I’m a 30 year old 195lb beginnermediate with a size 8 boot and am looking to pick up a snowboard next season. I’m planning on progressing and am mainly interested in carving, buttering, side hits, and (to a lesser extent) powder. I ride in Southern Utah. Do you have any recommendations that would fit the bill?
Hi Nathan
If you can let me know your height as well, that would be great. Even though it’s not as important a factor as it used to be it’s still a factor, IMO. Then I can more accurately find a board/size that would work for you.
I’m 5’7. I tend to be 195 at my heaviest and 180 at my lightest.
Hi Nathan
Thanks for the extra info.
Length-wise, I would say something in the range 154 to 156 as a beginnermediate (like the term by the way!) and doing sidehits, butters etc. Longer is better for carving and powder, but shorter better for those side-hits and butters. This is also taking into account ability level.
In terms of width, with 8s you might need to make some compromise on width – which might make the lower end of that length range better (shorter boards tend to also be narrower, and sizing down a little makes up a bit for a board that might be a little too wide).
In terms of the type of board, something all-mountain-freestyle sounds like it would suit you well. Not as good in powder typically but you can ride any board in powder, particularly if it’s shallow powder. If you were going to be riding a lot of deep powder, then you’d want something else, but I think from what you’re describing, you’d be good with an all-mountain freestyle. Also taking into account ability level, with an eye to progressing, the following would work well for you.
– Capita Outerspace Living 154 – particularly good for that beginner going on intermediate level and better in powder than the average all-mtn-freestyle
– GNU Rider’s Choice 154.5 – better in powder than the average all-mtn-freestyle
– Never Summer Funslinger – softer and more freestyle oriented than the 2 above, you loose a little in terms of riding at speed and powder, but the most buttery of this list
– Never Summer Proto Type Two – loose a bit in terms of powder vs the first 2, gain back some speed vs the Funslinger at the cost of butterability (but as buttery as the first 2)
– Salomon Assassin – good in powder for an all-mtn-freestyle like the first 2
– YES Typo – on the border of being more all-mountain than all-mountain-freestyle – but on the freestyle end of all-mountain if that makes sense. But still great for side-hits, as buttery as everything else (bar the Funslinger) and as good in powder as the OSL, Rider’s Choice and Assassin – and a very good option for beginner going on intermediate too. Or go YES Basic for something a little less in powder, but more buttery
The OSL and Typo both feature in my >>Top 10 Intermediate Snowboards so that’s something to consider. But everything else there are solid choices too, IMO. The Funslinger (and YES Basic) is the most buttery if you want to maximize that aspect.
Hope this gives you more to go off for your decision