Hello and welcome to my Lib tech Skate Banana review.
In this review the Skate Banana will be judged as to well it performs as a freestyle board.
O.k. let’s get straight into it.
Note: This review hasn’t been updated since the 2024 model. While there haven’t been any changes between the last time we rode it and the 2025 model, it has been a long time since we tested it, so will do a re-test of it before updating it. The board is the same, but it was 7 years since we tested it and our processes have changed in that time.
Overall Rating
Board: Lib Tech Skate Banana
Price: $579 (USD recommended retail)
Style: Freestyle
Flex Rating: Medium (4.5-6.5/10 depending on length)
Flex Feel: Medium-Soft (4/10)
Rating Score: 84.8/100
Compared to other Men’s Freestyle Boards
Out of 36 freestyle snowboard’s I rated:
- The average score was 82.8/100
- The highest score was 91.3/100 (see below)
- The lowest score was 70.7/100
- The average price was $489
- The Skate Banana ranked 14th out of 36.
Overview of the Skate Banana’s Specs
Check out the Skate banana’s specs and available sizes below.
Specs
| Style | Freestyle | Flex | Medium-to-soft |
| Ability Level | Beginner to Expert | Feel | Loose |
| Weight | Normal | Turn Initiation | Easy/Fast |
| Camber Profile | Hybrid Rocker(but practically Continuous Rocker) | Shape | True Twin |
| Stance Setback | Centered | Edge-hold | Icy Snow |
| Price | $579 (USD) | Base | Sintered |
Sizing
| Size (Length) | 150 | 152 | 153W | 154 | 156 | 156W | 159 | 159W | 162W |
| Waist Width (mm) | 250 | 252 | 261 | 253 | 255 | 265 | 255 | 265 | 265 |
| Weight Range (kgs) | 30+ | 32+ | 34+ | 34+ | 36+ | 36+ | 39+ | 39+ | 41+ |
| Weight Range (lbs) | 65+ | 70+ | 75+ | 75+ | 80+ | 80+ | 85+ | 85+ | 90+ |
Who is the Skate Banana Most Suited to?
The skate banana is suitable for a wide range of freestyle riders.
Though the Skate Banana is said to have a medium flex I’d say it’s on the softer side than their flex rating of 4.5-6.5/10 (depending no the size) suggests. Maybe more like a 4-5.5/10. So whilst I think Lib Tech do try to market this as an all mountain freestyle board I would say it’s definitely more of an outright freestyle board (but a good one!).
You can take it out of the park for sure but you’ll probably want to still be riding freestyle on the groomers when you do. This is definitely a fun playful, loose feeling board as opposed to a hard charger.
The Skate Banana in More Detail
O.k. let’s take a more detailed look at what the Skate Banana is capable of.
Demo Info
Board: Lib Tech Skate Banana 2018, 156cm (255mm waist width)*
*while we haven’t re-tested this board since the 2018 model, it hasn’t really changed since then.
Date: March 4th, 2017
Conditions: Plenty of fresh powder around. Had been puking for a good few days leading up. Still bumpy and chundery in places as it was a Saturday but mostly soft good conditions on the groomers and plenty of powder off.
Bindings angles: +15/-15
Jibbing
This board is a jibbing superstar! – it’s definitely not a noodle so it can do a lot more than just hit jibs and butter, but it still manages to really excel at buttering.
It’s no surprise really given it’s continuous rocker profile (I find rocker underfoot to be great for jibbing) and medium-to-soft flex (softer flex is also great for jibbing).
I know it says medium flex above but realistically I’d say it’s medium-soft.
Jumps
This was the weakest point out of the big three freestyle factors (Jibs, Jumps & Switch) but it’s still definitely no slouch here. The main reason for scoring slightly less in jumps is probably down to it’s virtually continuous rocker profile. This profile is not ideal for landing jumps as it’s not incredibly stable underfoot.
That loose feel is awesome (for those that like it loose) but does make it trickier for stomping landings. That said, it’s fine on any small to medium jumps and for small natural jumps but gets a bit sketchy on the really big jumps.
O.k. technically it does have a Hybrid Rocker with some mild camber sections towards the tip and tail but it’s really very mild but will help somewhat with those landings.
Also with very little camber, there’s only so much pop available.
Check out this video for more details
Switch
The Skate Banana has a true twin shape and centered stance. It is pretty much the same going either way down the mountain. This is obviously pretty important for the freestyle rider who wants to ride and land tricks in either direction.
Pipe
If you’re someone who likes to ride the pipe, and has regular access to one, the Skate Banana will hold its own. It won’t be incredible in there but you can definitely take it in there. If the pipe is where you like to spend most of your time there are better pipe boards that might sacrifice something somewhere else.
Rest of the mountain
If you want to take the Skate Banana outside of the park – to either treat the rest of the mountain like a park or just to ride some trails with mates (or both) – the Skate Banana won’t disappoint.
Whilst not a great carver and not super-fast, the rocker profile helps it in powder. It has a centered stance so not amazing in powder but you can take it in there. It’s also pretty good in the bumpy stuff.
Edge-Hold
For a softer flex board the Skate Banana has great edge-hold. This is at least partly down to Lib Tech’s magne-traction technology. So if you’re a freestyle rider who likes a loose feel and often rides in the hard and icy stuff this might well be your board of choice.
The Score Breakdown
Check out the score breakdown for the Skate Banana in the table below.
| FACTOR | RATING (OUT OF 5) | CONTRIBUTION TO FINAL SCORE |
| Jumps: | 3.5 | 14/20 |
| Jibbing: | 4.5 | 18/20 |
| Spins: | 4.0 | 12/15 |
| Switch: | 4.5 | 9/10 |
| Buttering: | 4.5 | 9/10 |
| Uneven Terrain: | 4.0 | 4/5 |
| Powder: | 3.0 | 3/5 |
| Speed: | 2.5 | 2.5/5 |
| Carving: | 2.0 | 2/5 |
| Turns/Slashing: | 4.5 | 4.5/5 |
| TOTAL after normalizing | 84.8/100 |
This board is super easy to butter and is really playful and fun. It’s a great choice for the freestyle rider that mostly wants to ride the park but wants to still be able to have fun on the groomers and a particularly good choice if that’s you and you also ride in icy conditions a lot.
More Info, Availability and Current Prices
The Skate Banana is a very popular board and so it was easy to find it in various stores. Check out the links below for more info, availability and current prices.
Thanks for reading and I hope this review has helped in your search for a killer freestyle deck.
If you’re interested in checking out some other freestyle options or want to see how the Skate Banana compared to other freestyle decks, check out my top 10 freestyle boards at the link below.
Hi Nate,
I love to read your comments and suggestions every year about the best snowboards.
Right now I have the Jones Tweaker 157w but it feels a bit too stiff for me while (trying to) butter. I like to play a the groomer and go for small tricks into the park so the Skate Banana seems like a great choice. I use the Burton Step on because I am a bit lazy and I love the comfort of just, yeah, stepping on.
I am 6’1 and 180 lbs, boot size 11, so I am looking for a wide version. Do you think the slats banana or maybe the Never Summer Proto Slinger would be a great decision? From your description it seems like a perfect board for everything.
Thinking about 156w but don’t have any experience on board without a true camber.
Thanks for your help!
Hi Jan
Thanks for your message. Both are nice and easy to butter in my experience and would suit what you’re describing well. The Proto Slinger would be my choice, personally, but the Skate Banana would certainly work too.
Size-wise, I would put your “typical all-mountain length” at around 161 but for the style you’re riding and for the type of board, I would be looking to size down a good bit from that. So yeah, I’d be eyeing the 156W for the Skate Banana and the 157W for the Proto Slinger – and you could even go down to the 154W in the Proto Slinger, if you wanted it to be really optimized for playfulness and ease of buttering.
Hope this helps with your decision
Thank you very much for your support!
I will try the proto slinger 154x and am already pretty excited about it =)
You’re very welcome Jan. Hope it treats you well.
Hey Nate,
First of all, thanks for your fantastic work.
Could you tell me where are the difference to the Gnu Gwo?
Which one is better for a beginner?
The other options for me are Arbor Foundation, Arbor Westmark Rocker and Capita Outerspace Living.
I do kitesurfing and I want to keep that surf feeling. I don´t need highspeed and extreme carving.
Have a great day!
Hi Christian
Thanks for your message.
There’s more similar than different between the GWO and Skate Banana, but the main difference is that the Skate Banana is a little stiffer. Not by a whole lot, but a touch. They have different bases and subtly different in other ways, but very similar boards all round. I’d say the GWO is the slightly better beginner board, because of that slightly softer flex, but Skate Banana still a good beginner board. But would depend on your specs too. The GWO might be a little too soft, even for a beginner board, if you’re a bigger guy, in which case Skate Banana could be the better bet. Otherwise, I’d say GWO.
Both Skate Banana and GWO will be the surfiest feeling options, IMO, followed by the Arbor Foundation, then Westmark Rocker, then OSL. The Westmark Rocker and OSL aren’t as easy as beginner boards as the other 3.
Hope this helps with your decision
Thank you for your quick and helpful reply. That helps me a lot. I’d say I’m not a bigger guy haha (178cm, 75kg and MP 275) so the Gnu is probably a better choice for me. Could you recommend a size for my board?
Could you tell me how Gnu compares to Yes Basic and Nidecker Play?
If I can support you and your site in any way, please let me know.
Greetings from Germany!
Hi Christian
Yeah for your specs, I think the GWO would be a better beginner option.
The biggest differences between the GWO and the Basic and Play are that the Basic and Play are a touch stiffer (but still nothing too stiff – 4/10 flex, rather than 3/10) and that the GWO is more of a looser, more surfy feel. The Play and Basic are more stable feeling, particularly the Basic.
Size-wise for the GWO, I’d be looking at the 156 for you.
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Hi Nate,
I’m thinking about buying the skate Banana 2023. My length is 1,84cm, my weight is 82kg and my boot size is 11 US.
I am intermediate rider that likes to ride all mountain. I like to ride switch, like to do some small jumps and like to do some 180s on the piste (nose roll 180 / butter 180). I normally dont ride in the park.
What size board would you recommend for me? 159w or 162w? Someone in the shop adviced me to get the 162w.
Thanks!
Hi Coen
Thanks for your message.
I would go 159W for sure. I would put your “standard all-mountain length” at around 160, but given that your boots are in that space where they are too wide for the regular width Skate Bananas but the wides are on the wide side for 11s, then sizing down rather than up makes more sense. And as an intermediate rider sizing down makes more sense too. As well, the way you describe your riding, I would err smaller than longer. In fact, I would be debating between the 156W and 159W, not between the 159W and 162W.
Hope this helps with your decision
Thanks, it helped me a lot!
Im going for the 159w.
Keep up the good work.
Cheers
You’re very welcome Coen. Hope you have an awesome season!
Hi Nate.
I’m thinking about buying this board for my 14 year old son, he’s 5’9 about 130 pounds and is currently wearing a 11 1/2 boot (slightly to big for him but with a extra pair of socks he says there perfect.) Would you recommend the skate banana in the 153 w or 156 w. He is a intermediate rider that likes to ride the whole mountain, from top to trees to the park.
Hi Andrew
Thanks for your message.
153W for sure, IMO. If it wasn’t for the boot size, I’d say go 150. But with 11.5s the 150 (and 152) will be too narrow. So 153W is the closest. And I’m guessing he’s probably still growing, so that’s a size he can grow into. I’m not a big fan of the “growing into” thing – but since it’s not enormous for him, I think it’s doable – but 156W definitely too big, IMO.
Hope this helps
Hey Nate,
I’ve been riding a 157 T.Rice pro for about 6 years (although some of those were very few – 0 ride day seasons). I feel like its time to change up the board as I just can’t seem to progress in my riding and feel the board is too big and stiff for what I’d like to do, which is be a lot more playful all over the mountain. (I’m 5’10” and 145lbs and yes I realize now this board is probably way oversized for my current weight). I’m probably around an intermediate 6 on your scale and will ride the whole mountain, hike off piste if there’s powder or just lap med sized features at the park if there hasn’t been any fresh snow so really looking for 1 board to do it all.
I tried a Skate banana a few years ago very briefly and loved the playful and easy feel, however, based on reviews I think it might not cut it for an all around board that would progress with me into the next level of riding. I’d love to hear your recommendations as I’m considering anything from an Attack Banana (there’s some still available second hand around me), TRS, but noticed your Capita Kazu and Jones MT reviews as well. Boot size is 10 so I can’t go too small/narrow but size tips appreciated as well.
Thanks for all you’re doing for the community !
Hi Ilya
Thanks for your message.
Yeah, I agree, for what you’re describing, that the Skate Banana might be just on the too loose feel and too freestyle focused for do-it-all. Given that you liked the feel though, you could look at something that’s similarly playful, but with just a bit more of a stable feel and a bit more all-round versatile. I never rode the Attack Banana, but it had that C2E profile, and I think going to C2X is worth doing for your level and what you’re describing. The TRS is a C3 profile (predominantly camber) which might be OK, but it’s also not great for powder and given that you like powder, that would be the biggest question mark there.
Looking at Mervin board, for better powder, but still something that’s good in the park, I’d look at the Lib tech Terrain Wrecker or if you wanted to have it a little more park oriented, but still more all-mountain than the likes of the Skate Banana, the GNU Rider’s Choice.
Kazu, IMO, not great for riding the park. Doable, but not ideal. Would be the best for powder out of everything you’ve mentioned. The MT is basically the definition of “do-it-all”, IMO and never a bad idea to look at for a one board quiver. Note that for both the Kazu and MT, you’d be making the bigger change (particularly the Kazu), in terms of switching from hybrid rocker to hybrid camber. The Kazu, you also wouldn’t be going any softer than the T Rice Pro, in terms of flex.
Size-wise, for your specs, I’d be looking at:
Terrain Wrecker: 154
TRS: 154
Rider’s Choice: 154.5
Kazu: 154
MT: 154
Generally around 154.
I’d be leaning Terrain Wrecker or MT, based on what you’re describing and Rider’s Choice would be next.
Hope this helps with your decision
Awesome thanks so much for your feedback Nate! Since I’ve been spending too much time over the holidays hunting online I came across the Nitro Team Gullwing which also seemed to hit a lot of the desired criteria. Where would you throw that into the above ranking? The choice might just come down to availability and the best deal I can find for these since they’re probably all solid options…
Hey Ilya.
The Team Gullwing also a solid choice for what you’re describing, IMO, so if you need another board to add to your list so you can take advantage of deals, that’s a good option to have there for what you’re looking for. Size-wise, though it’s a little trickier. The 155 is bordering on too long, but doable. But the width is also bordering on too narrow on the 155, with 10s. You’re looking at around 258mm on the front insert and 256mm on the back insert. Pushing it for 10s, IMO, so the width is really the biggest question mark for that one.
Hi Nate, I am a beginner and I mostly will snowboard on resort terrain condition in east coast. Do you think State banana is a good board? If so which size is good for me? I am 5’9 170 lb and size 7 shows. Thanks.
Hi Bo
Thanks for your message.
Yeah, I think the Skate Banana could work. It’s not what I would call the ideal beginner board, but it’s doable for a beginner. And for a board with as much rocker as it has, it’s got good edge hold in hard/icy conditions. There are other options that I would say are more ideal for a complete beginner, but the Skate Banana would definitely do the job – and if you’re a high-end beginner, then I think it’s a really good choice.
Size-wise for you, I would say 154. You could ride the 156 in term of length for your height/weight, but with size 7s, I would size down to the 154.
Hope this helps
Hi Nate,
I am on the search for freestyle focused board that I can take out of the park if needed. I am 6”4 220lbs size US 12 boot. Currently riding the 2019 Burton Process 159. Sadly, I messed up and didn’t buy a wide board so looks like I am giving it to my Dad. Went riding last week and tried out my friends Rossignol Circuit 165cm and realized it felt so much lighter and flexible then my Process. It made me really want a lighter and more flexible feeling board. For new boards I have been looking at Salomon Villian 158W, Salomon Craft 160W, and Lib Tech Skate Banana 159W. I really want to progress in the park, all I can do is 50-50 rails/boxes and 180/grabs off jumps(never hit and jumps bigger than 30ft)…Would really like to learn how to 360 and board slide/nose press. I was hoping to get your opinion and a recommendation from you.
Hi Bryce
Thanks for your message.
Size-wise, I think something around that 158-161 range would work for you given you’re wanting to mostly ride freestyle. You could certainly go longer for an all-mountain or freeride deck, but given you’re focused mostly on park, I think that’s a good range to look at. And yeah definitely wide with 12s, as you say.
The Circuit is a really soft flexing board (3/10 by my feel), so the others you’ve mentioned won’t be as soft as that. Certainly not stiff, but for the likes of the Skate Banana, I would say 4/10 flex and for the Craft and Villain, closer to 5/10. Though in the smaller sizes versus the 165 Circuit, that will bring their flex down a bit. But given that you’re looking for a more flexible option, I would be leaning towards the Skate Banana from that list. And I think the 159W is the size, given how you want to ride with it.
If you wanted more options, you could also check out:
>>My Top 10 Men’s Freestyle Snowboards
But as you’ll see the Skate Banana is on that list, and is one of the better options for rails/boxes.
Hope this helps
Hi Nate,
Thank you for this great review, I’m currently looking to buy lib tech skate banana 2021 or Capita DOA, still not sure which one fits better. I’m an intermediate snowboarder 176 cm (5,77″), 74 kg (161 lbs), 90% a park rider (some icy parts), boots 10,5. I was looking for 152 board, not sure if I should look for 153W.
I need your opinion and recommendation on this
Many thanks
Hi Eddy
Thanks for your message.
Those are quite different feeling boards, so I think the main thing is going to be how you want your ride to feel. The Skate Banana is quite a loose feeling ride. It’s very playful and loose, great for rails/boxes etc and really playful stuff. The DOA is a little more precise. It’s a little stiffer (certainly not super stiff or anything but a little stiffer) and has a more stable to locked-in feel. I would say the DOA better for jumps and more aggressive park riding. Between those boards, I think that’s probably the biggest thing to consider. Despite being looser feeling, I found the Skate Banana to be better in icy conditions.
With 10.5 boots and given your looking at sizes around that length, I would go 153W. With 10.5s, if you were looking at longer lengths, then it would depend on the board whether to go regular or wide. But in those shorter sizes, typically they are narrower and for the Skate Banana I would be leaning 153W over 152. Same deal for the DOA. I would be looking at the 153W there, rather than the 152.
Hope this helps
Hi Nate,
Helped a lot, then I will focus on Skate Banana 153W. Many thanks
You’re very welcome Eddy. Happy riding!
Hi Nate,
I end up buying the board recommended and I can say a big thank you, I bought the skate banana 2022 and I can really feel the difference, great board which fits me and my riding style.
Few days back I bough also a pair of 32 TM-3XD – still waiting to go on the slopes and see the combination, but now I need your help again with some bindings recommendation, hope I will not disturb the thread to much. I was looking to your bindings review but still I’m not decided. Still I have on my list the Union Strata, Atlas 2023 but I’m very open to see your any other opinion on different brand or model for my intermediate level and all mountain bindings
Thank you again,
Hi Eddy
Thanks for the update and glad to hear you’re getting on well with your board!
For the Skate Banana I think the Strata would work, but the Atlas will be a bit too stiff for it. I would go anywhere from a 4/10 flex to a 6/10 flex on the Skate Banana in terms of bindings, but going stiffer than 6/10 might result in the board feeling a little twitchy. So, anything from the following would work on the Skate Banana, IMO:
>>Top 5 All Mountain Bindings
>>Top 5 All Freestyle Bindings
Hi Nate,
The skate banana is one of multiple boards I’ve been looking at. I’m 5’7, 145-150lbs, size 7 boots. Would the 152 work for me?
Hi Aaron
Length-wise the 152 is a good length for you, IMO. However, it’s wide for your boots, so preferably, you would size down a little from that 152 length to compensate for it being a little too wide. There’s nothing shorter than 152 in the Skate Banana, so there’s not really an ideal size for this board for you, IMO. If you still really wanted to go Skate Banana, I would certainly go 152 though.
Ok thanks for the reply
Hi, thanks for the great review!
I am about to buy a board and am struggling to decide which board.
I’m 180cm tall and 77kg. I’ve got size UK 12 boots.
I like to go round the whole mountain, go fast and carve, a small bit of off piste and am beginning to go to the park but haven’t done any rails yet, and would like to do a bit more park.
However I find the most fun is when I’m just playing around with butters, Ollie’s, 180s and hopefully soon 360s. I usually just do this on the piste or on side hits and natural small jumps.
I’ve been suggested the yes basic 2020, the Salomon assassin 2020 and the lib tech skate banana 2020. I was thinking of getting the 159W In all these.
I’m currently on a rented Burton progress 156w.
I’m leaning towards getting the lib tech but I’m worried that I may find it too chattery at speed. Do you think this board sounds suitable, or compared to the Burton progress will I find it a bit too soft and chattery at speed?
Thanks very much!
Hi Jack
Thanks for your message.
Did you mean the Burton Process? I haven’t heard of the Progress, but it could be a rental only model?
If you did mean Process, then I wouldn’t say the Skate Banana would be more chattery at speed. Maybe not quite as stable at speed. It’s got a looser feel. But then that also depends on if you’re on a Process Fyling V or on the PurePop camber model. If the Flying V, then that’s quite loose in itself. And in terms of flex, the Skate Banana is fairly similar. Maybe just a touch softer, but not massively so.
You would get more at speed, subtly on the Basic, and then another step up again on the Assassin. The Basic (4/10 by my feel) is similar flex-wise to the Skate Banana (4/10), with the Assassin being a touch stiffer (5/10) – compared to the Process (4.5/10).
Length-wise, something around 159 is a good bet as an all-mountain size, assuming your ability is relatively advanced. Going a little shorter would give you a bit more in terms of ollies, spins and butters etc, but at the sacrifice of a little stability at speed and float in powder. I think you’d be good on the 159Ws, but just if you wanted more in terms of the park and for your butter/spins etc, then you could look at 156W too, if it was the Skate Banana or the Basic. The Assassin’s smallest wide size is 158W.
Hope this gives you more to go off
Hello Nate, thank you for you’re awesome guide! This did really helped me out as beginner to choose board. I started out with a Burton process Flying V (2018) 159W length.
Now I want to order my all mountain/freestyle board. I like to do go down at the piste and have fun with my girlfriend, it I also like to learn new things in the park. I prefer small and normal jumps and jibbing, but I’m still learning to do more!
My length is 1,83cm and my weight is 80kg (I always be in the 75 to 80kg range). I also bought new bindings named Rome Crux (L). I have Vans Auro Pro shoes (size: US 12, UK 11, EUR 46) and now I was wondering which Skate Banana 2020 I should get. I had 156W in mind. Or maybe even a 159W, a guy from the shop here said even that I could do a 153W.. so with that said I’m very lost..
So my main questions are, what is the perfect size for me to have some fun on the piste (all mountain) and have some fun in the park?
And should this be the best board for me?
Thank you so much if you could answer thoise questions for me.
Greets from the Netherlands!
Hi Mark
Thanks for your message.
I wouldn’t go as short as 153W if you’re looking to use it the way you describe. I think if you were going to be using it as a dedicated park board, then you could consider that, but otherwise I would cross that off the list. Also, with 12s, it might be too narrow as well. It’s a “wide” board for a 153, but it’s not going to be that wide overall.
Between the 156W and 159W, I would probably be leaning towards the 156W for you, given that it does sound like you want to use it a fair bit for freestyle/park riding. And from what you’re describing, it sounds like you prefer more to have fun on piste, rather than really bombing or riding aggressively (but correct me if I have that wrong). So, based on those things I would say the 156W is a good bet for you. You could certainly ride the 159W too, and if you were looking to ride more in powder/ride faster/more aggressively than I am assuming, then it’s an option, but based on what you’re describing, I would go 156W.
Hope this helps with your decision.
Hi Nate,
I am a beginner in snowboarding and I want to ask if this snowboard would be suitable for me, what length would you recommend – weight 65Kg, height 165CM.
Kind regards,
Hi Peter
Thanks for your message.
I would rate the Skate Banana as a good beginner board, so I think it could work for you, for sure.
Size-wise, I would look at the 152. Ideally, for your specs, I would probably look at something around 147,148 but the 152 is the shortest length of the Skate Banana, if your set on that board. There aren’t heaps of options around 148 in Men’s boards, but there are some. The GNU Carbon Credit Asym is a very similar board the Skate Banana, but comes in a 147, which might be the better choice. Can you also let me know your boot size? That also comes into consideration for the width of the board.
Hope this helps
Hi Nate,
I am 6 foot 195. I ride all over the mountain. Park, try to hit any fresh untouched trail if there is powder, go as fast as possible down groomers or anything with not as much snow, and love hitting the glades. Do you think a 159wide or a 156wide would be a better fit for me?
Hi Michael
Thanks for your message.
For you I’d go 159 for sure, in terms of length. It’s a better size for your specs for doing a bit of everything, IMO. In terms of going wide or regular, that would depend on boot size, but I’m guessing you already know you need to go wide?
Aug. 16,2019 …..Hi, I am a female about to purchase a new snowboard and I need some advice please . I would say that I’m an intermediate snowboarder. I want to learn how to butter and do 180 jumps in the park, carve icy groomers etc. I am 5’7” , 150 lbs. , size 8 1/2 boots. Would the Lib Tech 148 Narrow work for me ? Thank you
Hi Jenna
Thanks for your message.
Since you’re looking to learn butters and 180s, I think the Skate Banana would be a great option – and that size for that purpose is also a good bet, IMO. And it’s good in icy conditions, particularly for a board without much camber. A good with too, IMO.
Note that the 2020 model of the Skate Banana no longer has the shorter narrow sizes because Lib Tech are now doing women’s specific boards. However, the Lib Tech Glider is pretty much the same board. But if you’re looking at 2019 models, then yeah Skate Banana 148 narrow should work well, I would say.
Hope this helps with your decision
Definitely late to the party here but this review is great, Nate!
Found some great deals after doing some research, and got the Skate Banana 154cm board, along with K2 boots (size 10), and Mission bindings. I’d presume that the boots and board combo is a normal one, but it just looks like there is more overhand from the boot than I would have expected, like around an inch on both toe and heel sides (bindings are shipping so not in yet). I know the bindings will lift the boot off the board a little
I’d plan to do duck stance (perhaps 12 for the back foot), but wanted to hear from you if perhaps I should exchange and get the 153 wide board instead. I’m an intermediate all-mountain snowboarder (163 lbs) and take a variety of turns, and just want peace of mine that I wouldn’t slide on my toes on some of the steeper slopes. Is there much downside to the wider board aside from “less” responsiveness on turns?
Thanks! Sean
Hi Sean
Thanks for your message.
I haven’t measured the width at inserts of the Skate Banana but based on other Lib Tech boards, I would imagine it’s around 259mm at the inserts (but you could double check this yourself. Measure at the reference stance on the base of the board, from the outside of the metal edge to the outside of the other metal edge).
Usually that should be fine for 10s – especially with 12 degrees angle. I ride 10s and often ride with boards that are around that 258, 259mm mark and sometimes even a bit narrower.
K2 boots do have a longer footprint than most – so that gives you a little less leeway. From what I have measured K2 boots tend to be around 3.5cm longer than their mondo. The Mondo in 10s should be 28, so I would expect the K2s to be around 31.5cm long (the 10s that I ride are quite low profile and are only 30.3cm – so it’s over a cm difference, if that is the length of your boots). Straight across the board that would mean total overhang of 5.6 (2.8 per edge). That’s a little more than I would recommend to be safe – but with an angle that probably comes down to more like 2.5cm per edge (2.5cm basically being 1″ – so that fits with what you eyed on your board), which, if you wanted to play it really safe, I would try to keep it to 2cm per edge. But in saying that, I have personally never had issues with 2.5cm of overhang – and if you setup so that you have just a little more overhang on your heel and a little less on your toe, I don’t think you’ll have any issues, but no guarantees.
Yeah, biggest downside if you go too wide is that it’s harder to get leverage onto the edges of the board (because your feet – with your feet ultimately being what puts pressure on the edges – are too far inside the edges). Wider has advantages too – like providing a more solid landing platform and floating better in powder – as well as giving more leeway for deep carves. But ideally you don’t want your feet too far inside the edges if you can help it – as it can make turning more arduous. In saying that, I would predict the 153W to have width at the inserts of around 267mm – which isn’t super wide – certainly doable for 10s. So, both would work. The 154 being a little easier to turn/more nimble and the 153W having those advantages of being a little wider.
That’s the great thing with low profile boots, is that you tend to be able to get your feet closer to the edges – or even a little over, which is fine too – without having boot drag concerns, when the boot isn’t that much longer than the foot size it’s made for. But all that being said, I suspect you won’t have any issues on the 154 width-wise.
Hope this gives you more to go off for your decision.
Oh yeah and if you wanted to measure your boot to see, the way I do it is by placing the heel against a wall on top of a sheet of paper (with the paper flat against the wall too. Then mark, using a square if you have one on the paper where the longest part of the toe is. Then measuring from the edge of the paper to the mark.
Hi Nate,
Just picked a 162W one of these in a sale. It was the only size left and it was a good deal so I went for it. Since then a 159W has been returned unused and because I haven’t used the board yet they have offered to swap it out for me.
I’m 6’4 around about 200lbs. I’d probably what would be considered intermediate level, happy all over the mountain and riding switch. Tend to stick to boxes and the small to medium jumps in the park. I do quite a lot of riding on dry slope on the uk and I’m currently using a friends 156 which I get on okay with, but I’m also equally happy on the 160W boards that I usually end up hiring on snow.
Would you suggest swapping it out or no. Any help would be much appreciated.
P.s love the reviews.
Hi Joe
Thanks for your message.
Both sizes would be suitable for you. If you were riding mostly park, then I’d say go 159W, but since you’re riding all-mountain, then 162W would certainly work for you. Because you are riding it all over the mountain, I think I would stick with the 162W, especially if you’re going to get powder days to ride in. But just quickly:
1. The 162W would give more float in powder, better carving and more stability at speed
2. The 159W better in trees, the park and generally more maneuverable, particularly at slower speeds
Hope this helps with your decision
Hi Nate,
really enjoyed your review! I’m pretty sure this will be my next board.. Can you recommend any sort of bindings for the skate banana? I’m more likely an all mountain rider and hit the park not very often (but sometimes I do). Maybe you have an idea for a suited bindings?
Furthermore, as I said already I’m looking for an all mountain board that is good for butters. Is the skate banana suited for my riding style or would you recommend some other board?
Cheers
*Sorry for my English but I’m not a native speaker.
Hi Alex
Thanks for your message and your English seems fine to me.
The Skate Banana would work as an all-mountain board that butters well but certainly more on the freestyle side of things than all-mountain, IMO. Also it’s quite a loose board, which is a good thing if that’s what you like but just so you know.
In terms of bindings, if you are going to be using it for all-mountain riding/all-mountain-freestyle riding, then something from the following list would work well:
>>Top 5 All Mountain Bindings
But you could also check out this list as well:
>>Top 5 All Freestyle Bindings
Some other options that are good for butters but otherwise riding all-mountain and occasional park use:
>>My Top All-Mountain-Freestyle Snowboards
Except perhaps not the Assassin Pro as it’s not as easy to butter – you could put in the regular Assassin in its place.
Hope this helps
Hi Nate, thanks for a great review! I’m thinking about buying a Skate Banana for a long time now, but I’m not sure about the size. I’m 184 cm and 78 Kg and I have recently switched to 10,5 US Vans aura boots. I have always been choosing 159W boards and now I’m not sure if it’s the best match for me. I want SB for allmountain freestyle (goofing and buttering around the slope, some small park features) and I also want some performance on the slope and pow when I pick the SB from a boardbag (I also have a stiffer camber board for hard charging). Is 159W a good fit or should I go for some other size? I’m also a little bit worried about the TNT base (modified extruded technology), I have been reading some mixed feelings in that matter. Thanks a lot for your tips!
Hi Matt
Thanks for your message.
In terms of width, you could get on the regular width 159 (or 156 – more on that later). With 10.5 Auras, assuming you have binding angles similar to +15-15 – or something with at least a decent angle on the back foot, then the width of the 159 or 156 Skate Banana would be fine for you. Of course, if you’re used to wide boards and think you’d prefer the extra width you could still go wide. You’ll get extra stability and more float in powder on the wide version – but if you went regular you would get quicker edge to edge speeds and maneuverability.
In terms of length, I’d say that something around 159, 160 is a good length for your specs, but I like to take off some length when riding a freestyle board like this. So the 156 becomes an option then, especially if you already have a longer, stiffer cambered board already for hard charging days. The shorter length has the advantage of being more maneuverable, easier to butter, better for jibs, and better in the trees (IMO). You would however sacrifice some performance in powder, for carving and in terms of stability at speed, compared with the 159. If you went 156W, you’d get some of that stability and float back again – and you’d be more agile than the 159W, because of the shorter length but not quite as agile as the 156.
I also have mixed feelings about the TNT base – but I think it was actually fine on the Skate Banana for me. On the TRS, I found the TNT base to be “slippery”, for lack of a better term, which just gave me a looser overall feel and I felt affected my feeling of stability at speed, which I didn’t like on the TRS (compared to the old TRS). But with the Skate Banana, I find this a loose board anyway and don’t feel that the TNT base made that much difference – also, the Skate Banana, for me, is supposed to be a more playful, fun board so it’s not something that I was expecting to ride fast or get in low carves on, so for what I would use the Skate Banana for, I thought the TNT base suited it fine.
Hope this gives you more to go off for your decision.
Hi Nate,
Thanks for all informative articles, I almost read them all. I dont want to trust dealers anymore therefore I decided to ask to you. I am a rookie snowboarder, just started this season and love it. Unfortunatelly I bought a Burton Custom camber board and cartel bindings 2 weeks ago. With rentals I can easly link my turns at easy hills but with custom it turns a nighmare for me. It is so catchy and stiff, any wronge move ends up with fall and it speeds up so fast that I cannot control. I tried a rental yesterday and the life was so easy for me. I need a playfull cruising board, I dont want to go high speed, no park, no free style just all mountain. My friend advise me to buy a skate banana. So what would be your choice for me. I am end of beginner to int level according to your article. Please advise me couple brands and boards in case I might not find a dealer in Turkey. Grate to follow you. Thanks for your help.
Hey Ozan
Thanks for writing.
I’m not surprised you found the Burton Custom hard to ride. It is definitely not a good board for a beginner to intermediate rider. It has a traditional camber profile which will be very catchy (as you seemed to have experienced) and is too stiff for beginners (as you have also seemed to experienced). The custom also comes with a sintered base which is a faster base for snowboards. It’s great if you want to go really fast but not so good when you’re still learning to control the snowboard.
The Skate Banana is definitely a better option than the custom (by a long way) but is still not quite the ideal beginners snowboard in my opinion. The flex is just right on the Skate Banana and it has an extruded base which would be slower. And it has a continuous rocker camber profile which is definitely better than traditional camber for a beginner but might feel a little bit too lose underfoot to be perfect.
Check out my post on the Best Snowboards for Beginners here if you haven’t already and then check out my beginner snowboard reviews catalogue page here – this page has what I think are the best 10 snowboards for beginners. They should all be cheaper than the skate banana too.
If you want to go with the Skate Banana this would be a good choice (way way better than the Custom!) but one of those top 10 beginner boards would be an even better choice. It’s up to you.
Hope this has helped and thanks for visiting.
Hi Nate,
I am seeing some decent deal on this board and ended up reading your (very good) review.
First thanks for the review!
I am usually a skier (expert) but want to board on the east coast (rare powder and mostly icy) to stay with friends and have fun.
According to your article I would land on 4/5 level in snowboard and I am 6″/195 lbs/13 US (thinking 159W).
Backcountry, pow, and trees would most likely see me taking my pair of skis for the time being but I would love to have a board that allows me to progress into an advance level. Playfulness is important as I would also use the board to snowkite which is why I am looking for a freestyle board. Ideally I would like to try ungroomed trails at some point (as all the boarders I know try to convince me it’s better than with skis) and I tend to go in BC or UT when possible.
Would the skate banana a good fit?
Thanks,
Hi Yannick
Based on what you’re describing, I think the Skate Banana would work well for you. And I agree with 159W. 159 would be a good length for your specs for this particular board and with 13s you’ll definitely need to go wide. Even some wide boards can be too narrow for 13s but I’d say you should be fine on this one. But it would be a good idea to ride with angles with a reasonable angle on the back foot. If you ride with too straight a back foot, even the wide might be a little narrow. But for a freestyle oriented board like this, riding with a duck stance is usually recommended (though you certainly don’t have to but in your case it’s doubly recommended). Not necessarily a mirror duck (e.g. +15/-15) if you weren’t comfortable with that – but I would say at least 9 degrees on the back foot.
Hope this helps
Thanks Nate.
I have no issue with a symmetric duck stance and it is clearly a good point to avoid dragging my toes on the hill.
I was also thinking of Flow hybrid bindings to have rear entry (useful for snowkiting and riding with skiers) and classic strap. I couldn’t find a review of this brand of bindings . Have you ever had a chance to try them?
Thanks,
Hi Yannick
I haven’t ridden Flow (or any other rear entry bindings) for a few years now. I decided to limit myself to traditional strap bindings (can only test so much gear!)
But when I have ridden rear entry, I haven’t liked them as much as traditional strap bindings. I liked the convenience of entry, but didn’t think the performance was as good at that stage. Of course, that could have changed since I tried them, so I couldn’t say for sure.