The following is a quick overview of the 2022 Niche snowboards lineup.
First I will look at any new boards for the 2021-22 season, and any old 2020-21 boards that aren't returning with a 2022 model.
Then I'll place each board into the categories where I see them fitting best.
New 2022 Niche Snowboards
The new boards for 2021-22 are:
Exiting 2021 Niche Snowboards
All 2021 Niche models are returning with a 2022 model.
All 2022 Niche Snowboards by Category
I have categorized Niche's 2021-22 collection below. This is according to the categories here at SnowboardingProfiles.com and not necessarily the same as how Niche might label them.
Of course these are only broad categories as every board is different, but this is a rough guide.
NICHE BEGINNER SNOWBOARDS
I wouldn't class any Niche board as being strictly beginner. The closest would be the men's Wraith and the women's Minx.
NICHE PARK/FREESTYLE SNOWBOARDS
Men's
Women's
NICHE ALL-MOUNTAIN-FREESTYLE SNOWBOARDS
Men's
Women's
NICHE AGGRESSIVE ALL-MTN-FREESTYLE SNOWBOARDS
Men's
Women's
NICHE ALL-MOUNTAIN SNOWBOARDS
Men's
NICHE AGGRESSIVE ALL-MOUNTAIN SNOWBOARDS
*No Niche boards match my definition for this category. The Story is very close though - it's on the more aggressive side of all-mountain, but not quite enough so to be in this category, IMO.
NICHE FREERIDE SNOWBOARDS
Men's
NICHE POWDER & SHORT/WIDE SNOWBOARDS
Men's
Women's
NICHE SPLIT BOARDS
Men's
NICHE YOUTH SNOWBOARDS
*Niche don't make any youth boards
Summary
So there you have the 2022 Niche snowboards.
Not a lot has changed for 2022 - and it's still a small line. But within the small line, there is a good variety.
Old with the old
Everything from 2021 is returning with a 2022 model.
In with the New
Niche have brought in their first Splitboard - the Fathom. It's the only new board, but expands their line into the splitboarding realm.
Changes to Existing boards
As far as I can tell the 2022 models of existing boards are identical to the 2021 models (with new graphics of course), including sizing options, so the Fathom looks to be literally the only change in the whole line up.
For all of Snowboarding Profiles' Niche reviews, check out the link at the button below.
Hi Nate.
Thank you for your reply. You are right. I totally forgot about the effective edge. The difference is -11.2cm in Ember but the surface area is a lot more so it is way better in powder.
We never go to the trees. We ride in open powder fields in Switzerland and she is trying to stay on top of my lines in order to float with the sonnet which is a twin board. So that made me think that the 150 would be a better choice over the 145. We don’t want to replace the Sonnet. Only to compliment it with a powder specific board.
Also with her 27cm foot size, the fit is not bad. If her weight was around 65kg and boot size 8US or less then I would have gone with the 145 for sure.
I think for a powder specific board the 150 is OK. The ideal would be if the 150 had the waist width of the 145 but anyway.
According to an older post of Niche, Ember and Pyre are medium volume shifted boards which are supposed to be ridden 3 to 5 cm less than your “normal” size board. Go figure… I wish they had a size recommendation in their site.
I hope my thoughts have a point haha.
Thanks again for your time.
Hi Chris
I think you’ve got good reasoning there. And given that it’s a powder compliment to the Sonnet rather than trying to replace it and given you’re going to be in open terrain powder and not in trees, I think the 150 is the right way to go.
Hello again Nate,
I need your opinion please.
My wife is an intermediate 175cm tall, 73kg-75kg, size 9.5 US Nitro stiff boot.
Currently she is riding a Niche Sonnet 151cm as a freestyle board. (She should have been in a 154-155 but it was her first board). I noticed that she is booting out with a 9.5US but it is fine for a playful ride.
She likes riding powder a lot so I bought her the Niche Ember in 150cm (26.6cm waist width). Her boots fit perfectly over the edge of the board with her binding angles: +9, -3. The overhung is 0mm-5mm toes and heels.
My only concern is if I made the right size choice buying the 150cm over the 145cm. I still have some time to exchange it.
What do you think? Thanks in advance.
Regards,
Chris
Hi Chris
Thanks for your message.
It’s a tough call and I see your dilemma.
I think around 154 would be a good bet for a regular width board (assuming a relatively advanced level, which it sounds like she is now) – and definitely a good idea to size down from that with a short/wide like the Ember. Whether to size down as much as the 145 or if sizing to 150 is enough, given the width of it (sorry I know that just summed up your question – just thinking out loud!)
The 145 will certainly be wide enough to not boot out. So it’s definitely fine width-wise. And it is still a little on the wide side for her boot size (which is good, given you would be sizing down a lot), but is it sizing down too much? The 150 is going to be rather wide for her boot size, so overall I would say more the equivalent (certainly in terms of surface area) of a 156/157 – though with a good bit less effective edge, will ride a little shorter than that. The 145 more of an equivalent of a 151/152, roughly speaking. I think ideally there’d be a 148 just slightly narrower than the 150 and then you’d be in the sweet spot, but I know we don’t have that choice!
I think it’s going to depend on what your wife values the most with her board between being something that’s stable, able to ride fast and have good float in powder (the 150) or a board that’s easier to ride, more nimble at slower speeds, etc. I think with the 145 will feel closer to the size of the 151 Sonnet ,all be it with less effective edge. Certainly a different feel though, of course. The 150 will ride a little bigger, even though it’s got less effective edge. That width will make for a bigger feel. So, in short, I think if she feels she wants something a little bigger and mostly wants it for riding faster, powder etc, then I’d stick with the 150. If she’s wanting to ride it more casual, slower and/or ride a lot of trees, then I’d probably exchange it for the 145.
Hope this gives you more to go off