Hello and welcome to my YES Libre review.
In this review, I will take a look at the Libre as a all-mountain snowboard.
As per tradition here at SnowboardingProfiles.com I will give the Libre a score out of 100 (based on several factors) and see how it compares with other all-mountain snowboards.
NOTE: The 2020 model was the last model of the Libre.
Overall Rating
Board: YES Libre 2020
Price: $369 (USD recommended retail)
Style: All-Mountain
Flex Rating: Medium (6/10)
Flex Feel on Snow: Softer side of Medium (4.5/10)
Rating Score: 84.0/100
Compared to other Men’s All-Mountain Boards
Out of the 34 men’s all-mountain snowboards that I rated:
Overview of the Libre’s Specs
Check out the tables for the Libre’s specs and available sizes.
Specs
Style: | All Mountain |
Price: | $369 |
Ability Level: |  |
Flex: |  |
Feel: |  |
Turn Initiation: | Medium-Fast |
Edge-hold: |  |
Camber Profile: | Hybrid Camber (Camrock 4-4-4) |
Shape: | |
Setback Stance: | Setback 5mm |
Base: | Extruded |
Weight: | Heavier than normal |
Sizing
LENGTH (cm) | Waist Width (mm) | Rec Rider Weight (lb) | Rec Rider Weight (kg) |
|---|---|---|---|
152 | 248 | 120-160 | 54-73 |
154 | 249 | 130-170 | 59-77 |
156 | 250 | 140-180 | 64-82 |
156W | 256 | 140-180 | 64-82 |
158 | 252 | 150-200 | 68-91 |
159W | 258 | 160-210 | 73-95 |
161W | 260 | 180-220+ | 82-100+ |
Who is the Libre Most Suited To?
The Libre is great for anyone looking for a do-it-all board that can be their one-board quiver and is available at a really good price.
It’s solid and consistent and doesn’t have any real weaknesses but isn’t going to blow your mind either.
Great option for high-end beginner and intermediate riders who want that one-board quiver and want to progress with a consistent, reliable ride.
If all of the above sounds like you and you often ride in hard/icy conditions, then the Libre should be high on your list.
The Libre in More Detail
Board: YES Libre 2019, 158 (252mm waist)
Date: March 15, 2018
Conditions: Icy in a lot of places, especially first thing but even first thing there were some softer patches. Icy patches decreased and soft patches increased as the day went on. Sunny as! Clear blue skies. So, goes without saying 100% vis.
Bindings angles: +15/-15
Stance width: 590mm (23.2”)
Stance Setback: 5mm (0.2”)
Width at Inserts: 265mm (10.43”) nose and 267mm tail (10.51”)
Weight: 3040grams (6lb 11oz)
Weight per cm: 19.24grams/cm
Average Weight per cm: 18.21grams/cm*
*based on a small sample size of 24 boards that I weighed.
It felt on the heavier side overall, compared to most 2019 boards.
Funny Story: Whilst I was taking pictures of the Libre, it managed to slip out of the snow and went careering across a groomer. Luckily there wasn’t anyway immediately coming down at that stage and luckily, there was a bit of a bank on the other side that stopped it going too far – but it still must have been a funny site watching me sprint after the board! First time that’s ever happened.
Powder
I didn’t have any fresh powder to speak of really, on the day I rode the Libre, but based on the general feel and on specs, I think it would be good but not amazing in powder.
Like the YES Typo it only has a 5mm setback and felt like it would be similar to the Typo in powder. However, it has a Directional Volume Twin shape (a little more volume in the nose vs the tail, which should help with float – also featured on the Standard and the Ghost) and has more rocker in the tip and tail than the Typo – so I’m going to say very subtly better than the Typo in powder.
It does have an extruded base vs the sintered base on the Typo – and I do tend to prefer a sintered base if the powder is a little wet/sticky, but otherwise I think the Libre would just tip the Typo in powder.
Carving & Turning
OK on a carve but not world beating. Not as lively/springy as the Standard and Ghost (other boards from YES) but has a nice smooth even turn radius. Easy to initiate turns and a smooth turn from start to finish. No real personality like the others but consistent and smooth. Quite easy to skid turns on too. Great for high-end beginners and intermediate riders in that sense.
Speed
Not the fastest with that Extruded base. But it’s quite stable at reasonable speeds, for its flex. It has quite a stable feel overall. But when you really get moving, it can start to get a little wobbly.
Let’s Break up this text with a Video
Uneven Terrain
Felt really good in messy afternoon resort snow – and also undulating terrain. No fatigue at all going through uneven terrain.
Jumps
It’s not super poppy – not as poppy as a lot of other YES boards, but what pop there is, is easy to access (i.e. don’t have to put too much effort in to get out the max pop that this board will give.
Landings felt stable and the approach was good for slower approaches for small jumps. But the approach got a bit wobbly when getting up higher speeds for larger jumps.
Overall good for small jumps and side hits but not as good for bigger jumps.
Switch
Apart from the small setback it would pretty much be like riding a true twin. The extra volume in the nose comes after the contact points, so only really changes the ride for powder – so for riding switch on the groomers, it’s only that small setback that makes it feel just that slight bit different riding in the other direction – but barely noticeable.
Jibbing
Felt comfortable on jibs with the Libre. Certainly not the ultimate jibbing board, but you can definitely hit jibs on this board.
Changes from the 2019 Model
As far as I can see the 2020 model is identical to the 2019 model, apart from the graphic of course.
Changes from the 2018 Model
As far as I can tell the 2019 Libre is identical to the 2018 model, except for the graphic.
Score Breakdown and Final Verdict
Check out the breakdown of the score in the table below.
RATING | Contribution to Final Score | |
|---|---|---|
POWDER | 3.5 | 10.5/15 |
CARVING | 3.0 | 9/15 |
SPEED | 2.5 | 7.5/15 |
UNEVEN TERRAIN | 4.0 | 12/15 |
SWITCH | 4.0 | 8/10 |
JUMPS | 3.0 | 6/10 |
SPINS | 4.0 | 4/5 |
BUTTERS | 4.0 | 4/5 |
JIBBING | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
PIPE | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 84/100 |
Whilst it’s not the most exciting/most electric board in YES's line, it is very versatile and smooth and great for a high-end beginner or intermediate rider, looking for a solid, consistent, do-it-all board for a price that you just don't see on snowboards this good.
More Info, Current Prices and Where to Buy Online
If you want to learn more about the Libre, are ready to buy or want to research prices and availability, check out the links below.
If you want to see how the Libre compares to other men’s all-mountain snowboards or want to check out some other options in that category, check out the next link.
