You can toggle (by clicking the "+" sign) each year below to see the lists from past season's.
Category Stats
Of the 33 current model freestyle snowboards that we tested:
- The average score was 83.5/100
- The highest score was 91.3/100
- The lowest score was 70.7/100
- The average price was $490
O.k. let's get going with the top 10!
#10=: Burton Good Company
Flex: Medium-Soft (4/10)
Feel: Semi Locked-In
Smart rating score: 85.9/100
Starting off the list at #10, we have Burton's Good Company.
Following on from the legacy left behind by the Kilroy Process and Kilroy Twin (both predecessors which were very similar boards), the Good Company is, like the Relapse below, a board that can carve really well, but still manages to be an easy turning board that rips anything in the terrain park.
It also excels at finding side-hits off groomers or buttering around/doing ground tricks wherever it pleases. And of course, has a great time in the park.
There's just something about softer flexing full camber boards that's just so much fun!
#10=: Arbor Relapse
Flex: Medium-Soft (4/10)
Feel: Semi-Locked In
Smart rating score: 85.9/100
Speaking of softer flexing, full camber boards - next up we have the Relapse. OK Arbor's camber doesn't feel quite like full camber, but it's camber dominant - and that helps the Relapse to be such a great carver, despite it's friendly flex.
But while the Relapse's carving is certainly above average for this type of board, it's how it performs in the park that has it making this list.
And if you're looking for value-for-money in your park deck, look no further than the Relapse. It's the least expensive in this list - and actually went down in price for the second year running, making it even more affordable now.
But even completely taking price out of the equation, the Relapse is a rad deck!
#9: Bataleon Evil Twin Plus
Flex: Medium (5/10)
Feel: Stable (bordering on Semi-Loose)
Smart rating score: 86.4/100
Bataleon's Evil Twin + is a souped up, slightly stiffer, lighter version of the Evil Twin (which we've also linked to below as it's a great freestyle deck in it's own right).
While it may not be quite as jib friendly as the regular Evil Twin, it packs more punch for jumps and carves. And it feels pretty much what you'd expect it to. A slightly more aggressive, slightly burlier version of the Evil Twin (but still overall not overly aggressive or anything like that).
#8: Rome Agent
Flex: Medium (4.5/5)
Feel: Stable
Smart rating score: 87.0/100
Next up, in the #8 spot, we have the Rome Agent.
The Agent dominates jumps, but is certainly no slouch on boxes/rails etc. And it loves finding side hits on groomers, when riding outside the park.
But as well as its freestyle prowess, the Agent can rip a pretty decent carve too, when you just feel like leaving some thin lines on the groomers.
#7: YES Halldor
Flex: Soft (3/10)
Feel: Loose
Rating score: 87.5/100
If you want stable, predictable and reliable, then the Halldor might not be for you. But if you like you're riding on the edge of the seat.
Something that requires very little in the way of physical effort - with the board doing most of the work for you - but having to get in sync with what it's doing.
And what it's doing isn't typical of your regular snowboard, but provides you with thrills and a seemingly infinite number of possibilities in terms of creativity.
If you want a freestyle board that can also carve and handle a bit of speed, this isn't it - but if you want one that will allow you to get super creative with your tricks, then only your imagination is the limit.
#6: Rome Gangplank
Flex: Medium-Soft (4/10)
Feel: Semi-Loose
Rating score: 87.5/100
At #6, we have Rome's Gang Plank. Another playful, creativity inspiring board, like the Halldor above. But not quite as loose/soft. It gives you a little more stability, but still on the looser side of things.
But like the Halldor, the Gang Plank is at its best when getting creative with tricks. Tweaking grabs, spins, butters, etc are its forte and it's really at east on rails/boxes.
#5: Capita Ultrafear
Flex: Medium-Soft (4.5/10)
Feel: Stable
Rating score: 88.0/100
Capita's Ultrafear manages to be a relatively stable board (up to certain speeds) but still something you can easily press and tweak. And, while it's not going to tear up the mountain with carving at high speed, it is pretty fun for lower speed carves.
And this thing can handle larger jumps better than the likes of the previous 2 boards.
If you like your freestyle feeling a little more stable and want to go bigger, then the Ultrafear is definitely worth a look.
#4: GNU Headspace
Flex: Medium-Soft (4/10)
Feel: Stable
Smart rating score: 88.6/100
*TOP TIER HARD/ICY SNOW OPTION
The Headspace retains it's place as our #4 board for 2025, for the third year running.
The Head Space is so snappy and fun and will make you want to launch off whatever you can find, be it in the park or on the groomers - and, if your so inclined, it's a joy to spin on too.
Despite the camber dominant C3 profile, it transitions in/out of switch with ease and is also nice and easy to butter around on.
When it comes to riding the park and getting freestyle on the groomers, the Head Space has it all.
#3: YES Jackpot
Flex: Medium (5/10)
Feel: Stable
Smart rating score: 89.1/100
*TOP TIER HARD/ICY SNOW OPTION
The YES Jackpot is a great option if you like to break up your park laps and feel the need for a little speed or if you want to lay down some carves – and whenever you see natural hits on your journey down the rest of the mountain – this board becomes super fun.
It would also score very well as an all-mountain-freestyle board. But where it really dominates is in the park - and particularly down the jump line - this board can hit any sort of jump and feel good.
It’s a great option for anyone who likes to go big and also for anyone who often rides in hard/icy conditions a lot too.
#2: Bataleon Disaster Plus
Flex: Medium-Soft (3.5/10)
Feel: Semi-Loose (bordering on loose)
Rating score: 90.8/100
At #2, we have the Disaster Plus and have included the Disaster as well.
The Disaster Plus is slightly stiffer than the regular Disaster, but it's still a really playful, looser feeling board, that owns the jib line.
While it takes that little bit more effort (and really still basically no effort!) to press than the Disaster, it's less prone to over-flexing, making it also a buttering master. Some prefer their boards to be a little stiffer tip/tail to butter with but I like it easy, so long as it doesn't over-flex too easily.
While you shouldn't expect it to be super solid or expect it to stay stable at speed, this board should give you limitless creativity for rails/boxes etc and ground tricks and side-hits and is super quick edge-to-edge at slow speeds and super effortless to turn on a dime.
#1: Never Summer Proto Slinger
Flex: Medium-Soft (3.5/10)
Feel: Semi-Loose
Smart rating score: 91.3/100
Rating it's #1 position, as it has for a few years now, we have Never Summer's Proto Slinger.
The Proto Slinger manages to walk that tightrope between being super playful and buttery but also having enough oomph to kick it down the L line in the park.
It also has that magic ability to be a really quick, easy turner, but still decent on a carve (at lower speeds) - which also really helps when approaching jumps, as well as just having fun on the groomer on the way to the park.
Its ability to be playful, snappy and buttery but at the same time having the energy, pop and some degree of aggressiveness to lay down a good carve and hit jumps and side hits with intensity is uncanny.
When you want to attack and be more aggressive the Proto Slinger responds, but when you want to dial it back and be playful, it has the ability to change it's personality.
FREESTYLE BOARD #10=
Board: Bataleon Evil Twin
IS THIS GEAR RIGHT FOR YOU?
Flex: Medium-Soft (4/10)
Feel: Stable (but bordering on loose)
Smart rating score: 85.9/100
Starting off the list at #10 is the Bataleon Evil Twin.
The Evil Twin is a playful, snappy snowboard that excels at everything park and freestyle. Whether you want to butter around, attack side-hits, hit jumps or features in the park, the Evil Twin has you covered.
Score Breakdown for the Evil Twin
RATING | Contribution to Final Score | |
|---|---|---|
JUMPS | 4.0 | 16/20 |
JIBBING | 4.0 | 16/20 |
SPINS | 4.5 | 13.5/15 |
SWITCH | 4.5 | 9/10 |
BUTTERING | 4.5 | 9/10 |
UNEVEN TERRAIN | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
POWDER | 2.5 | 2.5/5 |
SPEED | 2.5 | 2.5/5 |
CARVING | 2.5 | 2.5/5 |
TURNS/SLASHING | 4.5 | 4.5/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 85.9/100 |
FREESTYLE BOARD #10=
Board: Slash Happy Place
IS THIS GEAR RIGHT FOR YOU?
Flex: Medium-Soft (4/10)
Feel: Stable
Smart rating score: 85.9/100
Next up we have the Happy Place by Slash. A staple in this top 10 list for several years now - and for good reason.
If doing sick park laps all day is your thing, whether down the jump line or jib line, then riding this board will definitely take you to your happy place!
Score Breakdown for the Happy Place
RATING | Contribution to Final Score | |
|---|---|---|
JUMPS | 4.0 | 16/20 |
JIBBING | 4.0 | 16/20 |
SPINS | 4.0 | 12/15 |
SWITCH | 4.5 | 9/10 |
BUTTERING | 4.5 | 9/10 |
UNEVEN TERRAIN | 4.5 | 4.5/5 |
POWDER | 3.0 | 3/5 |
SPEED | 2.5 | 2.5/5 |
CARVING | 2.5 | 2.5/5 |
TURNS/SLASHING | 4.5 | 4.5/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 85.9/100 |
FREESTYLE BOARD #9
Board: Arbor Relapse
IS THIS GEAR RIGHT FOR YOU?
Flex: Medium-Soft (4/10)
Feel: Semi-Locked In
Smart rating score: 85.9/100
The #9 position goes to the Relapse.
If you're looking for value-for-money in your park deck, look no further than the Relapse. It's one of the least expensive in this list - and actually went down for the 2024 model (without any downgrades).
But completely taking price out of the equation, the Relapse is a rad deck! It's got plenty of snap, crackle and pop and can actually lay down a pretty good carve - but still somehow manages to handle the jib line as well as the jump line.
Score Breakdown for the Relapse
RATING | Contribution to Final Score | |
|---|---|---|
JUMPS | 4.0 | 16/20 |
JIBBING | 4.0 | 16/20 |
SPINS | 4.5 | 13.5/15 |
SWITCH | 4.5 | 9/10 |
BUTTERING | 4.0 | 8/10 |
UNEVEN TERRAIN | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
POWDER | 2.0 | 2/5 |
SPEED | 3.0 | 3/5 |
CARVING | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
TURNS/SLASHING | 4.5 | 4.5/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 85.9/100 |
FREESTYLE BOARD #8
Board: Burton Good Company
IS THIS GEAR RIGHT FOR YOU?
Flex: Medium-Soft (4/10)
Feel: Semi Locked-In
Smart rating score: 85.9/100
In at #8, we have Burton's Good Company.
Following on from the legacy left behind by the Kilroy Process and Kilroy Twin (both predecessors which were very similar boards), the Good Company is, like the Relapse above, a board that can carve really well, but still manages to be an easy turning board that rips anything in the terrain park. And also excels at finding sidehits off groomers or buttering around.
Score Breakdown for the Good Company
RATING | Contribution to Final Score | |
|---|---|---|
JUMPS | 4.5 | 18/20 |
JIBBING | 3.5 | 14/20 |
SPINS | 4.5 | 13.5/15 |
SWITCH | 4.5 | 9/10 |
BUTTERING | 4.0 | 8/10 |
UNEVEN TERRAIN | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
POWDER | 2.0 | 2/5 |
SPEED | 3.0 | 3/5 |
CARVING | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
TURNS/SLASHING | 4.5 | 4.5/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 85.9/100 |
FREESTYLE BOARD #7
Board: Bataleon Evil Twin Plus
IS THIS GEAR RIGHT FOR YOU?
Flex: Medium (5/10)
Feel:
Smart rating score: 86.4/100
Bataleon's Evil Twin + is a souped up, slightly stiffer, lighter version of the Evil Twin (see #10 above).
While it may not be quite as jib friendly as the regular Evil Twin, it packs more punch for jumps and carves. And it feels pretty much what you'd expect it to. A slightly more aggressive, slightly burlier version of the Evil Twin (but still overall not overly aggressive or anything like that).
Score Breakdown for the Evil Twin Plus
RATING | Contribution to Final Score | |
|---|---|---|
JUMPS | 4.5 | 18/20 |
JIBBING | 3.5 | 14/20 |
SPINS | 4.5 | 13.5/15 |
SWITCH | 4.5 | 9/10 |
BUTTERING | 4.0 | 8/10 |
UNEVEN TERRAIN | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
POWDER | 2.5 | 2.5/5 |
SPEED | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
CARVING | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
TURNS/SLASHING | 4.0 | 4/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 86.4/100 |
FREESTYLE BOARD #6
Board: Rome Agent
IS THIS GEAR RIGHT FOR YOU?
Flex: Medium (4.5/5)
Feel: Stable
Smart rating score: 87.0/100
Next up, in the #6 spot, we have the Rome Agent.
The Agent dominates jumps, but is certainly no slouch on boxes/rails etc. And it loves finding side hits on groomers, when riding outside the park.
But as well as its freestyle prowess, the Agent can rip a pretty decent carve too, when you just feel like leaving some thin lines on the groomers.
Score Breakdown for the Agent
RATING | Contribution to Final Score | |
|---|---|---|
JUMPS | 4.5 | 18/20 |
JIBBING | 4.0 | 16/20 |
SPINS | 4.5 | 13.5/15 |
SWITCH | 4.5 | 9/10 |
BUTTERING | 4.0 | 8/10 |
UNEVEN TERRAIN | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
POWDER | 2.0 | 2/5 |
SPEED | 2.5 | 2.5/5 |
CARVING | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
TURNS/SLASHING | 4.0 | 4/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 87.0/100 |
FREESTYLE BOARD #5
Board: Niche Wraith
IS THIS GEAR RIGHT FOR YOU?
Flex: Medium-Soft (3.5/10)
Feel: Stable
Smart rating score: 87.0/100
*HARD/ICY SNOW OPTION
The Niche Wraith comes in at #5.
Just a nice soft flexing, snappy fun freestyle board that can handle the jump and jib lines equally well. It's also not bad running some fun groomer laps with your buddies, especially if your eyeing up those side hits on your way.
Score Breakdown for the Wraith
RATING | Contribution to Final Score | |
|---|---|---|
JUMPS | 4.0 | 16/20 |
JIBBING | 4.0 | 16/20 |
SPINS | 4.5 | 13.5/15 |
SWITCH | 4.5 | 9/10 |
BUTTERING | 4.5 | 9/10 |
UNEVEN TERRAIN | 4.0 | 4/5 |
POWDER | 2.0 | 2/5 |
SPEED | 3.0 | 3/5 |
CARVING | 3.0 | 3/5 |
TURNS/SLASHING | 4.5 | 4.5/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 87.0/100 |
FREESTYLE BOARD #4
Board: GNU Headspace
IS THIS GEAR RIGHT FOR YOU?
Flex: Medium-Soft (4/10)
Feel: Stable
Smart rating score: 88.6/100
The Headspace retains it's place as our #4 board for 2024.
The Head Space is so snappy and fun and will make you want to launch off whatever you can find, be it in the park or on the groomers - and, if your so inclined, it's a joy to spin on too.
Despite the camber dominant C3 profile, it transitions in/out of switch with ease and is also nice and easy to butter around on.
When it comes to riding the park and getting freestyle on the groomers, the Head Space has it all.
Score Breakdown for the Headspace
RATING | Contribution to Final Score | |
|---|---|---|
JUMPS | 4.5 | 18/20 |
JIBBING | 4.0 | 16/20 |
SPINS | 4.5 | 13.5/15 |
SWITCH | 4.5 | 9/10 |
BUTTERING | 4.5 | 9/10 |
UNEVEN TERRAIN | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
POWDER | 2.0 | 2/5 |
SPEED | 3.0 | 3/5 |
CARVING | 3.0 | 3/5 |
TURNS/SLASHING | 4.5 | 4.5/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 88.6/100 |
FREESTYLE BOARD #3
Board: YES Jackpot
IS THIS GEAR RIGHT FOR YOU?
Flex: Medium (5/10)
Feel: Stable
Smart rating score: 89.1/100
*HARD/ICY SNOW OPTION
The YES Jackpot is a great option if you like to break up your park laps and feel the need for a little speed or if you want to lay down some carves – and whenever you see natural hits on your journey down the rest of the mountain – this board becomes super fun.
It would also score very well as an all-mountain-freestyle board. But where it really dominates is in the park - and particularly down the jump line - this board can hit any sort of jump and feel good.
It’s a great option for it’s versatility and also for anyone who rides in hard/icy conditions a lot too.
Score Breakdown for the Jackpot
RATING | Contribution to Final Score | |
|---|---|---|
JUMPS | 5.0 | 20/20 |
JIBBING | 3.5 | 14/20 |
SPINS | 4.5 | 13.5/15 |
SWITCH | 4.5 | 9/10 |
BUTTERING | 4.0 | 8/10 |
UNEVEN TERRAIN | 4.0 | 4/5 |
POWDER | 2.5 | 2.5/5 |
SPEED | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
CARVING | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
TURNS/SLASHING | 4.0 | 4/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 89.1/100 |
FREESTYLE BOARD #2
Board: Bataleon Disaster
IS THIS GEAR RIGHT FOR YOU?
Flex: Soft (3/10)
Feel: Semi-Loose
Smart rating score: 90.8/100
At #2, the Bataleon Disaster is a loose, playful, jib and buttering machine.
If you want a really easy going board to get super playful and creative on in the park - or something that makes it easy to get started in the park, then the Disaster might just be your perfect match.
It's not much outside the park, but does just enough to get you back for your next park lap.
Score Breakdown for the Disaster
RATING | Contribution to Final Score | |
|---|---|---|
JUMPS | 4.0 | 16/20 |
JIBBING | 5.0 | 20/20 |
SPINS | 4.5 | 13.5/15 |
SWITCH | 4.5 | 9/10 |
BUTTERING | 5.0 | 10/10 |
UNEVEN TERRAIN | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
POWDER | 2.5 | 2.5/5 |
SPEED | 2.0 | 2/5 |
CARVING | 2.0 | 2/5 |
TURNS/SLASHING | 5.0 | 5/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 90.8/100 |
FREESTYLE BOARD #1
Board: Never Summer Proto Slinger
IS THIS GEAR RIGHT FOR YOU?
Flex: Medium-Soft (3.5/10)
Feel: Semi-Loose
Smart rating score: 91.3/100
And finally, the #1 spot goes to the Never Summer Proto Slinger.
The Proto Slinger has the uncanny ability of being playful, snappy and buttery but at the same time has the energy, pop and some degree of aggressiveness to lay down a good carve and hit jumps and side hits with intensity.
When you want to attack and be more aggressive the Proto Slinger responds, but when you want to dial it back and be playful, it has the ability to change it's personality.
Score Breakdown for the Proto Slinger
RATING | Contribution to Final Score | |
|---|---|---|
JUMPS | 4.5 | 18/20 |
JIBBING | 4.0 | 16/20 |
SPINS | 4.5 | 13.5/15 |
SWITCH | 5.0 | 10/10 |
BUTTERING | 5.0 | 10/10 |
UNEVEN TERRAIN | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
POWDER | 2.0 | 2/5 |
SPEED | 3.0 | 3/5 |
CARVING | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
TURNS/SLASHING | 4.5 | 4.5/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 91.3/100 |
Snowboarding Profiles' Top 10 list of what we consider to be the best freestyle snowboards currently on the market has now been updated for the 2022-2023 season.
As per tradition here at SnowboardingProfiles.com, each board will each get a rating out of 100.
Of 37 different freestyle/park boards rated:
O.k. here’s the top 10!
FREESTYLE BOARD #10
Board: Slash Happy Place
Flex: Medium-Soft (4/10)
Feel: Stable
Smart rating score: 85.9/100
Starting off the list at #10 is the Happy Place by Slash. A staple in this top 10 list for several years now - and for good reason.
If doing sick park laps all day is your thing, whether down the jump line or jib line, then riding this board will definitely take you to your happy place!
Score Breakdown for the Happy Place
RATING | Contribution to Final Score | |
|---|---|---|
JUMPS | 4.0 | 16/20 |
JIBBING | 4.0 | 16/20 |
SPINS | 4.0 | 12/15 |
SWITCH | 4.5 | 9/10 |
BUTTERING | 4.5 | 9/10 |
UNEVEN TERRAIN | 4.5 | 4.5/5 |
POWDER | 3.0 | 3/5 |
SPEED | 2.5 | 2.5/5 |
CARVING | 2.5 | 2.5/5 |
TURNS/SLASHING | 4.5 | 4.5/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 85.9/100 |
FREESTYLE BOARD #9
Board: Arbor Relapse
Flex: Medium (4/10)
Feel: Semi-Locked In
Smart rating score: 85.9/100
The #9 position goes to the Relapse.
If you're looking for value for money in your park deck, look no further than the Relapse. It's one of the least expensive in this list.
But completely taking price out of the equation, the Relapse is a rad deck! It's got plenty of snap, crackle and pop and can actually lay down a pretty good carve - but still somehow manages to handle the jib line as well as the jump line.
Score Breakdown for the Relapse
RATING | Contribution to Final Score | |
|---|---|---|
JUMPS | 4.0 | 16/20 |
JIBBING | 4.0 | 16/20 |
SPINS | 4.5 | 13.5/15 |
SWITCH | 4.5 | 9/10 |
BUTTERING | 4.0 | 8/10 |
UNEVEN TERRAIN | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
POWDER | 2.0 | 2/5 |
SPEED | 3.0 | 3/5 |
CARVING | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
TURNS/SLASHING | 4.5 | 4.5/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 85.9/100 |
FREESTYLE BOARD #8
Board: Capita Scott Steven's Pro
Flex: Medium-Soft (4/10)
Feel: Stable
Smart rating score: 86.4/100
At #8 we have the Capita Scott Stevens Pro.
If you're looking for a board to dominate the jib line and one that is super buttery and playful, then look no further. It can hold it's own on jumps too, particularly smaller ones, but the strength of the Scott Stevens pro is to press and butter everything in sight.
Score Breakdown for the Scott Steven's Pro
RATING | Contribution to Final Score | |
|---|---|---|
JUMPS | 3.5 | 14/20 |
JIBBING | 5.0 | 20/20 |
SPINS | 4.0 | 12/15 |
SWITCH | 4.5 | 9/10 |
BUTTERING | 5.0 | 10/10 |
UNEVEN TERRAIN | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
POWDER | 2.0 | 2/5 |
SPEED | 2.5 | 2.5/5 |
CARVING | 2.0 | 2/5 |
TURNS/SLASHING | 4.5 | 4.5/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 86.4/100 |
FREESTYLE BOARD #7
Board: Rome Agent
Flex: Medium (4.5/5)
Feel: Stable
Smart rating score: 87.0/100
Next up we have the Rome Agent.
The Agent dominates jumps, but is certainly no slouch on boxes/rails etc. And it loves finding sidehits on groomers, when riding outside the park.
But as well as its freestyle prowess, the Agent can rip a pretty decent carve too, when you just feel like leaving some thin lines on the groomers.
Score Breakdown for the Agent
RATING | Contribution to Final Score | |
|---|---|---|
JUMPS | 4.5 | 18/20 |
JIBBING | 4.0 | 16/20 |
SPINS | 4.5 | 13.5/15 |
SWITCH | 4.5 | 9/10 |
BUTTERING | 4.0 | 8/10 |
UNEVEN TERRAIN | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
POWDER | 2.0 | 2/5 |
SPEED | 2.5 | 2.5/5 |
CARVING | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
TURNS/SLASHING | 4.0 | 4/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 87.0/100 |
FREESTYLE BOARD #6
Board: Niche Wraith
Flex: Medium-Soft (3.5/10)
Feel: Stable
Smart rating score: 87.0/100
*HARD/ICY SNOW OPTION
The Niche Wraith comes in at #6.
Just a nice soft flexing, yet snappy fun freestyle board that can handle the jump and jib lines equally well. It's also not bad running some fun groomer laps with your buddies, especially if your eyeing up those side hits on your way.
Score Breakdown for the Wraith
RATING | Contribution to Final Score | |
|---|---|---|
JUMPS | 4.0 | 16/20 |
JIBBING | 4.0 | 16/20 |
SPINS | 4.5 | 13.5/15 |
SWITCH | 4.5 | 9/10 |
BUTTERING | 4.5 | 9/10 |
UNEVEN TERRAIN | 4.0 | 4/5 |
POWDER | 2.0 | 2/5 |
SPEED | 3.0 | 3/5 |
CARVING | 3.0 | 3/5 |
TURNS/SLASHING | 4.5 | 4.5/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 87.0/100 |
FREESTYLE BOARD #5
Board: YES Dicey
Flex: Medium (4/10)
Feel: Stable
Smart rating score: 87.5/100
The YES Dicey is the baby brother of the Jackpot (see #3 below).
Versus the new Jackpot, the Dicey has Camrock (2-4-2) versus the Jackpots traditional camber profile - and it's a little softer, making it more forgiving and more playful than the Jackpot.
It's still more jump dominant and prefers jumps over jibs, but it's a little more buttery and playful all round versus the Jackpot.
Score Breakdown for the Dicey
RATING | Contribution to Final Score | |
|---|---|---|
JUMPS | 4.5 | 18/20 |
JIBBING | 3.5 | 14/20 |
SPINS | 4.5 | 13.5/15 |
SWITCH | 4.5 | 9/10 |
BUTTERING | 4.5 | 9/10 |
UNEVEN TERRAIN | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
POWDER | 3.0 | 3/5 |
SPEED | 3.0 | 3/5 |
CARVING | 3.0 | 3/5 |
TURNS/SLASHING | 4.5 | 4.5/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 87.5/100 |
FREESTYLE BOARD #4
Board: GNU Headspace
Flex: Medium-Soft (4/10)
Feel: Stable
Smart rating score: 88.0/100
The Headspace is our #4 board for 2023.
The Head Space is so snappy and fun and will make you want to launch off whatever you can find, be it in the park or on the groomers - and, if your so inclined, it's a joy to spin on too.
With it's asym shape it's awesome to ride swith and, despite the camber dominant C3 profile, transitions in/out of switch with ease. It's also nice and easy to butter around on.
Score Breakdown for the Headspace
RATING | Contribution to Final Score | |
|---|---|---|
JUMPS | 4.5 | 18/20 |
JIBBING | 4.0 | 16/20 |
SPINS | 4.5 | 13.5/15 |
SWITCH | 5.0 | 10/10 |
BUTTERING | 4.5 | 9/10 |
UNEVEN TERRAIN | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
POWDER | 1.5 | 1.5/5 |
SPEED | 2.5 | 2.5/5 |
CARVING | 3.0 | 3/5 |
TURNS/SLASHING | 4.0 | 4/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 88.0/100 |
FREESTYLE BOARD #3
Board: YES Jackpot
Flex: Medium (5/10)
Feel: Stable
Smart rating score: 89.1/100
*HARD/ICY SNOW OPTION
The YES Jackpot is a great option if you like to break up your park laps and feel the need for speed or if you want to lay down some carves – and whenever you see natural hits on your journey down the rest of the mountain – this board becomes super fun.
It would also score very well as an all-mountain-freestyle board. But where it really dominates is in the park - and particularly down the jump line - this board can hit any sort of jump and feel good.
It’s a great option for it’s versatility in that sense and also for anyone who rides in hard/icy conditions a lot too.
Score Breakdown for the Jackpot
RATING | Contribution to Final Score | |
|---|---|---|
JUMPS | 5.0 | 20/20 |
JIBBING | 3.5 | 14/20 |
SPINS | 4.5 | 13.5/15 |
SWITCH | 4.5 | 9/10 |
BUTTERING | 4.0 | 8/10 |
UNEVEN TERRAIN | 4.0 | 4/5 |
POWDER | 2.5 | 2.5/5 |
SPEED | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
CARVING | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
TURNS/SLASHING | 4.0 | 4/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 89.1/100 |
FREESTYLE BOARD #2
Board: Bataleon Disaster
Flex: Soft (3/10)
Feel: Semi-Loose
Smart rating score: 90.8/100
At #2 and a newcomer to this list for 2023, the Bataleon Disaster is a loose, playful, jib and buttering machine.
If you want a really easy going board to get super playful and creative on in the park - or something that makes it easy to get started in the park, then the Disaster might just be your perfect match.
Score Breakdown for the Disaster
RATING | Contribution to Final Score | |
|---|---|---|
JUMPS | 4.0 | 16/20 |
JIBBING | 5.0 | 20/20 |
SPINS | 4.5 | 13.5/15 |
SWITCH | 4.5 | 9/10 |
BUTTERING | 5.0 | 10/10 |
UNEVEN TERRAIN | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
POWDER | 2.5 | 2.5/5 |
SPEED | 2.0 | 2/5 |
CARVING | 2.0 | 2/5 |
TURNS/SLASHING | 5.0 | 5/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 90.8/100 |
FREESTYLE BOARD #1
Board: Never Summer Proto Slinger
Flex: Medium-Soft (3.5/10)
Feel: Semi-Loose
Smart rating score: 91.3/100
And the #1 spot goes to the Never Summer Proto Slinger.
The Proto Slinger has the uncanny ability of being playful, snappy and buttery but at the same time has the energy, pop and some degree of aggressiveness to lay down a good carve and hit jumps and sidehits with intensity.
When you want to attack and be more aggressive the Proto Slinger responds, but when you want to dial it back and be playful, it has the ability to change it's personality, seemingly with just a thought!
Score Breakdown for the Proto Slinger
RATING | Contribution to Final Score | |
|---|---|---|
JUMPS | 4.5 | 18/20 |
JIBBING | 4.0 | 16/20 |
SPINS | 4.5 | 13.5/15 |
SWITCH | 5.0 | 10/10 |
BUTTERING | 5.0 | 10/10 |
UNEVEN TERRAIN | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
POWDER | 2.0 | 2/5 |
SPEED | 3.0 | 3/5 |
CARVING | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
TURNS/SLASHING | 4.5 | 4.5/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 91.3/100 |
In compiling this list I rated 36 different freestyle/park boards:
FREESTYLE BOARD #10
Board: Capita Scott Stevens Pro
Flex: Medium-Soft (4/10)
Feel: Stable
Smart rating score: 85.2/100
At #10 we have the Capita Scott Stevens Pro.
If you're looking for a board to dominate the jib line and that is super buttery and playful, then look no further. It can hold it's own on jumps too, particularly smaller ones, but the strength of the Scott Stevens pro is to press and butter everything in sight.
Score Breakdown for the Scott Stevens Pro
RATING | SCORE WEIGHTING | |
|---|---|---|
JUMPS | 3.5 | 14/20 |
JIBBING | 5.0 | 20/20 |
SWITCH | 4.5 | 13.5/15 |
BUTTERING | 5.0 | 10/10 |
SPINS | 4.0 | 8/10 |
UNEVEN TERRAIN | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
POWDER | 2.0 | 2/5 |
CARVING/TURNS | 2.0 | 2/5 |
SPEED | 2.5 | 2.5/5 |
PIPE | 2.0 | 2/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 85.2/100 |
FREESTYLE BOARD #9
Board: Lib Tech Skate Banana
Flex: Medium-Soft (4/10)
Feel: Loose
Smart rating score: 85.2/100
*HARD/ICY SNOW OPTION
Another of the better jibbers in the list, the Skate Banana, comes in at #9.
The biggest weakness of the Skate Banana (in the most important freestyle factors) was in jumps – but it still performed really well in that category.
And if hitting rails, boxes and any other obstacle you can find is your thing then the Skate Banana will be an awesome deck to have beneath your feet.
If you often ride in hard/icy conditions but still like a loose feel for your freestyle board, then this might be the ideal ride for you.
Score Breakdown for the Skate Banana
RATING | SCORE WEIGHTING | |
|---|---|---|
JUMPS | 3.5 | 14/20 |
JIBBING | 4.5 | 18/20 |
SWITCH | 4.5 | 13.5/15 |
BUTTERING | 4.5 | 9/10 |
SPINS | 4.0 | 8/10 |
UNEVEN TERRAIN | 4.0 | 4/5 |
POWDER | 3.0 | 3/5 |
CARVING/TURNS | 2.0 | 2/5 |
SPEED | 2.5 | 2.5/5 |
PIPE | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 85.2/100 |
FREESTYLE BOARD #8
Board: Burton Kilroy Twin
Flex: Medium-Soft (4/10)
Feel: Stable
Smart rating score: 85.2/100
If you're looking for a snappy energetic park board and like full camber, but want it with a softer flex, then the Kilroy Twin should be on your list.
This board kills it for park (particularly down the jump line) and side hits.
Score Breakdown for the Kilroy Twin
RATING | SCORE WEIGHTING | |
|---|---|---|
JUMPS | 4.5 | 18/20 |
JIBBING | 3.5 | 14/20 |
SWITCH | 4.5 | 13.5/15 |
BUTTERING | 4.0 | 8/10 |
SPINS | 4.5 | 9/10 |
UNEVEN TERRAIN | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
POWDER | 2.0 | 2/5 |
CARVING/TURNS | 3.0 | 3/5 |
SPEED | 3.0 | 3/5 |
PIPE | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 85.2/100 |
FREESTYLE BOARD #7
Board: Slash Happy Place
Flex: Medium-Soft (4/10)
Feel: Stable
Smart rating score: 85.7/100
Coming in at #7 is the Happy Place by Slash. A staple in this top 10 list for a few years now - and for good reason.
If doing sick park laps all day is your thing, whether down the jump line or jib line, then riding this board will definitely take you to your happy place!
Oh yeah and if your wallet isn’t bulging, this board will make you even happier. It’s the second cheapest on this list – the performance-to-cost ratio of this board is outstanding! A great choice for anyone on a tight budget.
Score Breakdown for the Happy Place
RATING | SCORE WEIGHTING | |
|---|---|---|
JUMPS | 4.0 | 16/20 |
JIBBING | 4.0 | 16/20 |
SWITCH | 4.5 | 13.5/15 |
BUTTERING | 4.5 | 9/10 |
SPINS | 4.0 | 8/10 |
UNEVEN TERRAIN | 4.5 | 4.5/5 |
POWDER | 3.0 | 3/5 |
CARVING/TURNS | 2.5 | 2.5/5 |
SPEED | 2.5 | 2.5/5 |
PIPE | 3.0 | 3/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 85.7/100 |
FREESTYLE BOARD #6
Board: Arbor Relapse
Flex: Medium (4/10)
Feel: Semi-Locked In
Smart rating score: 86.3/100
The #6 position goes to the Relapse.
If you're looking for value for money in your park deck, look no further than the Relapse. It's the least expensive in this list.
But completely taking price out of the equation, the Relapse is a rad deck! It's got plenty of snap, crackle and pop and can actually lay down a pretty good carve - but still somehow manages to handle the jib line as well as the jump line.
Score Breakdown for the Relapse
RATING | SCORE WEIGHTING | |
|---|---|---|
JUMPS | 4.0 | 16/20 |
JIBBING | 4.0 | 16/20 |
SWITCH | 4.5 | 13.5/15 |
BUTTERING | 4.0 | 8/10 |
SPINS | 4.5 | 9/10 |
UNEVEN TERRAIN | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
POWDER | 2.0 | 2/5 |
CARVING/TURNS | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
SPEED | 3.0 | 3/5 |
PIPE | 4.0 | 4/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 86.3/100 |
FREESTYLE BOARD #5
Board: Niche Wraith
Flex: Medium-Soft (3.5/10)
Feel: Stable
Smart rating score: 86.8/100
*HARD/ICY SNOW OPTION
The Niche Wraith comes in at #5.
Just a nice soft flexing, yet snappy fun freestyle board that can handle the jump and jib line equally well. It's also not bad running some fun groomer laps with your buddies, especially if your eyeing up those side hits on your way.
Score Breakdown for the Wraith
RATING | SCORE WEIGHTING | |
|---|---|---|
JUMPS | 4.0 | 16/20 |
JIBBING | 4.0 | 16/20 |
SWITCH | 4.5 | 13.5/15 |
BUTTERING | 4.5 | 9/10 |
SPINS | 4.5 | 9/10 |
UNEVEN TERRAIN | 4.0 | 4/5 |
POWDER | 2.0 | 2/5 |
CARVING/TURNS | 3.0 | 3/5 |
SPEED | 3.0 | 3/5 |
PIPE | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 86.8/100 |
FREESTYLE BOARD #4
Board: GNU Headspace
Flex: Medium-Soft (4/10)
Feel: Stable
Smart rating score: 87.4/100
The Headspace is our #3 board for 2022.
I've been looking to get on this deck for years. And when I finally did, it definitely didn't disappoint.
It's so snappy and fun and will make you want to launch off whatever you can find, be it in the park or on the groomers - and, if your so inclined, it's a joy to spin on too.
Score Breakdown for the Headspace
RATING | SCORE WEIGHTING | |
|---|---|---|
JUMPS | 4.5 | 18/20 |
JIBBING | 3.5 | 14/20 |
SWITCH | 5.0 | 15/15 |
BUTTERING | 4.5 | 9/10 |
SPINS | 4.5 | 9/10 |
UNEVEN TERRAIN | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
POWDER | 1.5 | 1.5/5 |
CARVING/TURNS | 3.0 | 3/5 |
SPEED | 2.5 | 2.5/5 |
PIPE | 4.0 | 4/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 87.4/100 |
FREESTYLE BOARD #3
Board: YES Dicey
Flex: Medium (4/10)
Feel: Stable
Smart rating score: 88.5/100
The YES Dicey is the baby brother of the Jackpot (see #2 below). It's very similar to the 2020 Jackpot (which changed for 2021 & 2022), but just a little softer flexing.
Versus the new Jackpot, the Dicey gets the Camrock (2-4-2) that the 2020 Jackpot had - so all round just a little softer, more forgiving and more playful than the new Jackpot (which is full camber).
Score Breakdown for the Dicey
RATING | SCORE WEIGHTING | |
|---|---|---|
JUMPS | 4.5 | 18/20 |
JIBBING | 3.5 | 14/20 |
SWITCH | 4.5 | 13.5/15 |
BUTTERING | 4.5 | 9/10 |
SPINS | 4.5 | 9/10 |
UNEVEN TERRAIN | 4.0 | 4/5 |
POWDER | 3.0 | 3/5 |
CARVING/TURNS | 3.0 | 3/5 |
SPEED | 3.0 | 3/5 |
PIPE | 4.0 | 4/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 88.5/100 |
FREESTYLE BOARD #2
Board: YES Jackpot
Flex: Medium (5/5)
Feel: Stable
Smart rating score: 90.7/100
*HARD/ICY SNOW OPTION
The YES Jackpot got a rebuild for 2021 (and remains the same for 2022). It now has a full camber profile and feels just a little stiffer (don't think the core is supposed to be any stiffer, but more camber can sometimes do that to the feel).
The Jackpot was and still is a great option if you like to break up your park laps and feel the need for speed or if you want to lay down some carves – and whenever you see natural hits on your journey down the rest of the mountain – this board becomes super fun.
It would also score very well as an all-mountain-freestyle board. But where it really dominates is in the park - and particularly down the jump line - this board can hit any sort of jump and feel good.
It’s a great option for it’s versatility in that sense and also for anyone who rides in hard/icy conditions a lot too.
Overall for 2021 (and 2022) it's just that little bit more aggressive. If you want something more similar to the 2020 Jackpot, check out the Dicey (see #3 above).
Score Breakdown for the Jackpot
RATING | SCORE WEIGHTING | |
|---|---|---|
JUMPS | 5.0 | 20/20 |
JIBBING | 3.5 | 14/20 |
SWITCH | 4.5 | 13.5/15 |
BUTTERING | 4.0 | 8/10 |
SPINS | 4.5 | 9/10 |
UNEVEN TERRAIN | 4.0 | 4/5 |
POWDER | 2.5 | 2.5/5 |
CARVING/TURNS | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
SPEED | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
PIPE | 4.5 | 4.5/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 90.7/100 |
FREESTYLE BOARD #1
Board: Never Summer Proto Slinger
Flex: Medium-Soft (3.5/10)
Feel: Semi-Loose
Smart rating score: 91.8/100
And the #1 spot goes to the Never Summer Proto Slinger.
It was new for 2021 (the same for 2022), but essentially a replacement for the old Funslinger. The main way it differs from the Funslinger is in the camber profile. It got more camber - Never Summer's Shock Wave camber - which essentially adds more camber and reduces the amount of rocker.
But the Proto Slinger still has all the butterability of the Funslinger and is still remarkably playful, snappy and super fun. You could say it got mildly more aggressive, but only really when you go for a more aggressive carve.
They've somehow improved it for carving, without taking away from everything that was great about the Funslinger.
Not going to lie, I was worried when they said they were replacing the Funslinger, which I really loved and just such a fun board, but as soon as I popped my first ollie on the Proto Slinger, all my fears evaporated (and I ended up buying one!)
Score Breakdown for the Proto Slinger
RATING | SCORE WEIGHTING | |
|---|---|---|
JUMPS | 4.5 | 18/20 |
JIBBING | 4.0 | 16/20 |
SWITCH | 5.0 | 15/15 |
BUTTERING | 5.0 | 10/10 |
SPINS | 4.5 | 9/10 |
UNEVEN TERRAIN | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
POWDER | 2.0 | 2/5 |
CARVING/TURNS | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
SPEED | 3.0 | 3/5 |
PIPE | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 91.8/100 |
Over to You
There you have my top 10 freestyle decks for the 2021-22 season.
If you’re interested in any of these boards, check out the links under each board for more info, prices and where to buy or check out the “full review” links to see Snowboarding Profile’s more detailed reviews.
In compiling this list I rated 37 different freestyle/park boards:
FREESTYLE BOARD #10
Board: Lib Tech Skate Banana
Price: $499
Flex: Medium-Soft (4/10)
Feel: Loose
Smart rating score: 85.2/100
*HARD/ICY SNOW OPTION
One of the better jibbers in the list, the Skate Banana, starts us off at #10.
The biggest weakness of the Skate Banana (in the most important freestyle factors) was in jumps – but it still performed really well in that category.
And if hitting rails, boxes and any other obstacle you can find is your thing then the Skate Banana will be an awesome deck to have beneath your feet.
If you often ride in hard/icy conditions but still like a loose feel for your freestyle board, then this might be the ideal ride for you.
Score Breakdown for the Skate Banana
RATING | SCORE WEIGHTING | |
|---|---|---|
JUMPS | 3.5 | 14/20 |
JIBBING | 4.5 | 18/20 |
SWITCH | 4.5 | 13.5/15 |
BUTTERING | 4.5 | 9/10 |
SPINS | 4.0 | 8/10 |
UNEVEN TERRAIN | 4.0 | 4/5 |
POWDER | 3.0 | 3/5 |
CARVING/TURNS | 2.0 | 2/5 |
SPEED | 2.5 | 2.5/5 |
PIPE | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 85.2/100 |
FREESTYLE BOARD #9
Board: Capita Scott Stevens Pro
Price: $529
Flex: Medium-Soft (4/10)
Feel: Stable
Smart rating score: 85.2/100
At #9 we have the Capita Scott Stevens Pro.
If you're looking for a board to dominate the jib line and that is super buttery and playful, then look no further. It can hold it's on jumps too, particularly smaller ones, but the strength of the Scott Stevens pro is to press and butter everything in sight.
Score Breakdown for the Scott Stevens Pro
RATING | SCORE WEIGHTING | |
|---|---|---|
JUMPS | 3.5 | 14/20 |
JIBBING | 5.0 | 20/20 |
SWITCH | 4.5 | 13.5/15 |
BUTTERING | 5.0 | 10/10 |
SPINS | 4.0 | 8/10 |
UNEVEN TERRAIN | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
POWDER | 2.0 | 2/5 |
CARVING/TURNS | 2.0 | 2/5 |
SPEED | 2.5 | 2.5/5 |
PIPE | 2.0 | 2/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 85.2/100 |
FREESTYLE BOARD #8
Board: Burton Kilroy Twin
Price: $399
Flex: Medium-Soft (4/10)
Feel: Stable
Smart rating score: 85.2/100
If you're looking for a snappy energetic park board and like full camber, but want it with a softer flex, then the Kilroy Twin should be on your list.
This board kills it for park (particularly down the jump line) and sidehits.
Score Breakdown for the Kilroy Twin
RATING | SCORE WEIGHTING | |
|---|---|---|
JUMPS | 4.5 | 18/20 |
JIBBING | 3.5 | 14/20 |
SWITCH | 4.5 | 13.5/15 |
BUTTERING | 4.0 | 8/10 |
SPINS | 4.5 | 9/10 |
UNEVEN TERRAIN | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
POWDER | 2.0 | 2/5 |
CARVING/TURNS | 3.0 | 3/5 |
SPEED | 3.0 | 3/5 |
PIPE | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 85.2/100 |
FREESTYLE BOARD #7
Board: Slash Happy Place
Price: $399
Flex: Medium-Soft (4/10)
Feel: Stable
Smart rating score: 85.7/100
Coming in at #7 is the Happy Place by Slash. A staple in this top 10 list for a few years now - and for good reason.
If doing sick park laps all day is your thing, whether down the jump line or jib line, then riding this board will definitely take you to your happy place!
Oh yeah and if your wallet isn’t bulging, this board will make you even happier. It’s the equal cheapest on this list – the performance-to-cost ratio of this board is outstanding! A great choice for anyone on a tight budget.
Score Breakdown for the Happy Place
RATING | SCORE WEIGHTING | |
|---|---|---|
JUMPS | 4.0 | 16/20 |
JIBBING | 4.0 | 16/20 |
SWITCH | 4.5 | 13.5/15 |
BUTTERING | 4.5 | 9/10 |
SPINS | 4.0 | 8/10 |
UNEVEN TERRAIN | 4.5 | 4.5/5 |
POWDER | 3.0 | 3/5 |
CARVING/TURNS | 2.5 | 2.5/5 |
SPEED | 2.5 | 2.5/5 |
PIPE | 3.0 | 3/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 85.7/100 |
FREESTYLE BOARD #6
Board: Burton Paramount
Price: $519
Flex: Medium (5/10)
Feel: Semi-Locked In
Smart rating score: 85.7/100
The #6 position goes to the Paramount.
It's the most aggressive board on this list and has heaps of pop and power when it comes to jumps and really solid on landing and approach.
As well as all that camber, it also has a nice light core, making it easier to get air and spin.
Not ideal for the jib line, IMO, and not the easiest to butter - but for the jump line and for carving up groomers on the way to the park or natural hits, it's a beast. If you're looking for an aggressive jump park board that would fit almost as well in an aggressive all-mountain-freestyle category, the Paramount should be on your list.
Score Breakdown for the Paramount
RATING | SCORE WEIGHTING | |
|---|---|---|
JUMPS | 5.0 | 20/20 |
JIBBING | 3.0 | 12/20 |
SWITCH | 4.5 | 13.5/15 |
BUTTERING | 3.0 | 6/10 |
SPINS | 4.5 | 9/10 |
UNEVEN TERRAIN | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
POWDER | 2.0 | 2/5 |
CARVING/TURNS | 4.0 | 4/5 |
SPEED | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
PIPE | 4.5 | 4.5/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 85.7/100 |
FREESTYLE BOARD #5
Board: Niche Wraith
Price: $449
Flex: Medium-Soft (3.5/10)
Feel: Stable
Smart rating score: 86.8/100
*HARD/ICY SNOW OPTION
The Niche Wraith comes in at #5.
Just a nice soft flexing, yet snappy fun freestyle board that can handle the jump and jib line equally well. It's also not bad running some fun groomer laps with your buddies, especially if your eyeing up those side hits on your way.
Score Breakdown for the Wraith
RATING | SCORE WEIGHTING | |
|---|---|---|
JUMPS | 4.0 | 16/20 |
JIBBING | 4.0 | 16/20 |
SWITCH | 4.5 | 13.5/15 |
BUTTERING | 4.5 | 9/10 |
SPINS | 4.5 | 9/10 |
UNEVEN TERRAIN | 4.0 | 4/5 |
POWDER | 2.0 | 2/5 |
CARVING/TURNS | 3.0 | 3/5 |
SPEED | 3.0 | 3/5 |
PIPE | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 86.8/100 |
FREESTYLE BOARD #4
Board: Endeavor Pioneer
Price: $499
Flex: Medium-Soft (4/10)
Feel: Stable
Smart rating score: 87.4/100
The Pioneer is our #3 board for 2021.
It's most suited to jumps and spins, but is fine for jibs too - and is nice and easy to butter. It's also not bad outside of the park - so a great option if you want to get outside the park every now and then for some groomer laps or smash some side hits.
Score Breakdown for the Pioneer
RATING | SCORE WEIGHTING | |
|---|---|---|
JUMPS | 4.5 | 18/20 |
JIBBING | 3.5 | 14/20 |
SWITCH | 4.5 | 13.5/15 |
BUTTERING | 4.5 | 9/10 |
SPINS | 4.5 | 9/10 |
UNEVEN TERRAIN | 4.0 | 4/5 |
POWDER | 2.5 | 2.5/5 |
CARVING/TURNS | 3.0 | 3/5 |
SPEED | 3.0 | 3/5 |
PIPE | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 87.4/100 |
FREESTYLE BOARD #3
Board: YES Dicey
Price: $429
Flex: Medium (4/10)
Feel: Stable
Smart rating score: 88.5/100
New for 2021, the YES Dicey is the baby brother of the Jackpot (see #2 below). It's very similar to the 2020 Jackpot (which has changed for 2021), but just a little softer flexing.
Versus the 2021 Jackpot, the Dicey gets the Camrock (2-4-2) that the 2020 Jackpot had - so all round just a little softer, more forgiving and more playful than the 2021 Jackpot.
And if your wallet isn't deep, you'll like the look on the price tag for this one!
Score Breakdown for the Dicey
RATING | SCORE WEIGHTING | |
|---|---|---|
JUMPS | 4.5 | 18/20 |
JIBBING | 3.5 | 14/20 |
SWITCH | 4.5 | 13.5/15 |
BUTTERING | 4.5 | 9/10 |
SPINS | 4.5 | 9/10 |
UNEVEN TERRAIN | 4.0 | 4/5 |
POWDER | 3.0 | 3/5 |
CARVING/TURNS | 3.0 | 3/5 |
SPEED | 3.0 | 3/5 |
PIPE | 4.0 | 4/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 88.5/100 |
FREESTYLE BOARD #2
Board: YES Jackpot
Price: $479
Flex: Medium (5/5)
Feel: Stable
Smart rating score: 90.7/100
*HARD/ICY SNOW OPTION
The YES Jackpot got a rebuild for 2021. It now has a full camber profile and feels just a little stiffer (don't think the core is supposed to be any stiffer, but more camber can sometimes do that to the feel).
The Jackpot was and still is a great option if you like to break up your park laps and feel the need for speed or if you want to lay down some carves – and whenever you see natural hits on your journey down the rest of the mountain – this board becomes super fun.
It would also score very well as an all-mountain-freestyle board. But where it really dominates is in the park - and particularly the jumps line - this board can hit any sort of jump and feel good.
It’s a great option for it’s versatility in that sense and also for anyone who rides in hard/icy conditions a lot too.
Overall for 2021 it's just that little bit more aggressive. If you want something more similar to the 2020 Jackpot, check out the Dicey (see #3 above).
Score Breakdown for the Jackpot
RATING | SCORE WEIGHTING | |
|---|---|---|
JUMPS | 5.0 | 20/20 |
JIBBING | 3.5 | 14/20 |
SWITCH | 4.5 | 13.5/15 |
BUTTERING | 4.0 | 8/10 |
SPINS | 4.5 | 9/10 |
UNEVEN TERRAIN | 4.0 | 4/5 |
POWDER | 2.5 | 2.5/5 |
CARVING/TURNS | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
SPEED | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
PIPE | 4.5 | 4.5/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 90.7/100 |
FREESTYLE BOARD #1
Board: Never Summer Proto Slinger
Price: $549
Flex: Medium-Soft (3.5/10)
Feel: Semi-Loose
Smart rating score: 91.8/100
And the #1 spot goes to the Never Summer Proto Slinger.
New for 2021, but essentially a replacement for the old Funslinger. The main way it differs from the Funslinger is in the camber profile. It got more camber - Never Summer's Shock Wave camber - which essentially adds more camber and reduces the amount of rocker.
But the Proto Slinger still has all the butterability of the Funslinger and is still remarkably playful, snappy and super fun. You could say it got mildly more aggressive, but only really when you go for a more aggressive carve.
They've somehow improved it for carving, without taking away from everything that was great about the Funslinger.
Not going to lie, I was worried when they said they were replacing the Funslinger, which was my #1 board last year and just such a fun board, but as soon as I popped my first ollie on the Proto Slinger, all my fears evaporated.
Score Breakdown for the Proto Slinger
RATING | SCORE WEIGHTING | |
|---|---|---|
JUMPS | 4.5 | 18/20 |
JIBBING | 4.0 | 16/20 |
SWITCH | 5.0 | 15/15 |
BUTTERING | 5.0 | 10/10 |
SPINS | 4.5 | 9/10 |
UNEVEN TERRAIN | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
POWDER | 2.0 | 2/5 |
CARVING/TURNS | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
SPEED | 3.0 | 3/5 |
PIPE | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 91.8/100 |
Over to You
There you have my top 10 freestyle decks for the 2020-21 season.
NOTE: This is a past seasons top 10. For the latest season's Top 10 Freestyle list, check out the link below:
>>TOP 10 FREESTYLE SNOWBOARDS (Latest Season)
In compiling this list I rated 38 different freestyle/park boards:
FREESTYLE BOARD #10
Board: Arbor Westmark Camber
Price: $469
Flex: Medium (5/10)
Feel: Stable
Smart rating score: 83.0/100
The Westmark Camber is on the aggressive side, due to it's camber and being a little stiffer than most on this list. But Arbor's system camber is a little more mellow than a traditional full camber feel - so it's not quite as aggressive as you would expect.
Still, it has heaps of pop, is super stable on landings, spins easily and can be taken out of the park for some good carves too.
Not the best on this list for jibbing/buttering but for the jump line, natural hits on the mountain, ollies and basically anything else airborne, this is a killer deck.
Score Breakdown for the Westmark Camber
RATING | SCORE WEIGHTING | |
|---|---|---|
JUMPS | 4.5 | 18/20 |
JIBBING | 3.0 | 12/20 |
SWITCH | 4.5 | 13.5/15 |
BUTTERING | 3.5 | 7/10 |
SPINS | 4.5 | 9/10 |
UNEVEN TERRAIN | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
POWDER | 2.0 | 2/5 |
CARVING/TURNS | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
SPEED | 3.0 | 3/5 |
PIPE | 4.0 | 4/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 83.0/100 |
FREESTYLE BOARD #9
Board: Capita Ultrafear
Price: $479
Flex: Medium-Soft (4/10)
Feel: Stable
Smart rating score: 83.5/100
The Ultrafear is the best jibber on this list, so if you spend a lot of time in the jib line in the park or do a lot of Urban riding, then the Ultrafear is worth looking at.
In fact, if I did a separate category for jib/street boards it would likely be quite close to the top, if not the top. But it’s certainly no slouch over jumps either. It’s super easy to spin and to press – an awesome board for all-day park laps.
Not something that’s great outside of the park, but awesome for park laps.
RATING | SCORE WEIGHTING | |
|---|---|---|
JUMPS | 3.5 | 14/20 |
JIBBING | 5.0 | 20/20 |
SWITCH | 4.5 | 13.5/15 |
BUTTERING | 4.5 | 9/10 |
SPINS | 4.0 | 8/10 |
UNEVEN TERRAIN | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
POWDER | 2.0 | 2/5 |
CARVING/TURNS | 2.0 | 2/5 |
SPEED | 2.0 | 2/5 |
PIPE | 2.0 | 2/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 83.5/100 |
FREESTYLE BOARD #8
Board: Never Summer Dipstick
Price: $539
Flex: Soft (3/10)
Feel: Loose
Smart rating score: 83.5/100
The Dipstick is new in Never Summer's line for 2020. It sort of replaces the Warlock but not exactly.
This is a super buttery, super playful loose feeling board. If you wanting something about as easy going and buttery as it gets, then the Dipstick is a great option for the job.
Score Breakdown for the Dipstick
RATING | SCORE WEIGHTING | |
|---|---|---|
JUMPS | 3.5 | 14/20 |
JIBBING | 4.0 | 16/20 |
SWITCH | 4.5 | 13.5/15 |
BUTTERING | 5.0 | 10/10 |
SPINS | 4.0 | 8/10 |
UNEVEN TERRAIN | 4.0 | 4/5 |
POWDER | 3.0 | 3/5 |
CARVING/TURNS | 2.5 | 2.5/5 |
SPEED | 2.0 | 2/5 |
PIPE | 3.0 | 3/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 83.5/100 |
FREESTYLE BOARD #7
Board: YES Basic
Price: $399
Flex: Medium-Soft (4/10)
Feel: Stable
Smart rating score: 84.6/100
*HARD/ICY SNOW OPTION
The YES Basic is one of those boards that could be considered a mellow all-mountain-freestyle or freestyle. I've chosen to include it in the Freestyle list this year, as I think that's where it's at it's best.
The Basic is a nice consistent, buttery yet stable board that is a great board for beginners, intermediate riders and freestyle/park riders a like. A great all-round freestyle option, especially for those who encounter hard/icy conditions regularly.
Score Breakdown for the Basic
RATING | SCORE WEIGHTING | |
|---|---|---|
JUMPS | 3.5 | 14/20 |
JIBBING | 4.0 | 16/20 |
SWITCH | 4.5 | 13.5/15 |
BUTTERING | 5.0 | 10/10 |
SPINS | 4.0 | 8/10 |
UNEVEN TERRAIN | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
POWDER | 2.5 | 2.5/5 |
CARVING/TURNS | 3.0 | 3/5 |
SPEED | 3.0 | 3/5 |
PIPE | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 84.6/100 |
FREESTYLE BOARD #6
Board: Lib Tech Skate Banana
Price: $499
Flex: Medium-Soft (4/10)
Feel: Loose
Smart rating score: 85.2/100
*HARD/ICY SNOW OPTION
Another great jibber in the list, the Skate Banana, comes in at #6.
The biggest weakness of the Skate Banana (in the most important freestyle factors) was in jumps – but it still performed really well in that category.
And if hitting rails, boxes and any other obstacle you can find, is your thing then the Skate Banana will be an awesome deck to have beneath your feet.
Just a great all-round freestyle board that isn't too bad outside of the park too.
If you often ride in hard/icy conditions but still like a loose feel for your freestyle board, then this is going to be the ideal ride for you.
Score Breakdown for the Skate Banana
RATING | SCORE WEIGHTING | |
|---|---|---|
JUMPS | 3.5 | 14/20 |
JIBBING | 4.5 | 18/20 |
SWITCH | 4.5 | 13.5/15 |
BUTTERING | 4.5 | 9/10 |
SPINS | 4.0 | 8/10 |
UNEVEN TERRAIN | 4.0 | 4/5 |
POWDER | 3.0 | 3/5 |
CARVING/TURNS | 2.0 | 2/5 |
SPEED | 2.5 | 2.5/5 |
PIPE | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 85.2/100 |
FREESTYLE BOARD #5
Board: Slash Happy Place
Price: $399
Flex: Medium-Soft (4/10)
Feel: Stable
Smart rating score: 85.7/100
Coming in at #5 is the Happy Place by Slash.
If you are looking for a board that can handle switch, jibs and jumps with equal aplomb and can also do a bang up job in the pipe – then the Slash Happy Place is a great pick.
Whilst it doesn’t get a perfect score in any of the categories, it’s close to it on all the important ones for ripping it up in the park and pipe.
If doing sick park laps all day is your thing then riding this board will definitely take you to your happy place!
Oh yeah and if your wallet isn’t bulging, this board will make you even happier. It’s the cheapest on this list – the performance-to-cost ratio of this board is outstanding! The best choice for anyone on a tight budget.
Score Breakdown for the Happy Place
RATING | SCORE WEIGHTING | |
|---|---|---|
JUMPS | 4.0 | 16/20 |
JIBBING | 4.0 | 16/20 |
SWITCH | 4.5 | 13.5/15 |
BUTTERING | 4.5 | 9/10 |
SPINS | 4.0 | 8/10 |
UNEVEN TERRAIN | 4.5 | 4.5/5 |
POWDER | 3.0 | 3/5 |
CARVING/TURNS | 2.5 | 2.5/5 |
SPEED | 2.5 | 2.5/5 |
PIPE | 3.0 | 3/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 85.7/100 |
FREESTYLE BOARD #4
Board: Burton Paramount
Price: $519
Flex: Medium (5/10)
Feel: Semi-Locked In
Smart rating score: 85.7/100
The #4 position goes to the Paramount.
It's the most aggressive board on this list and has heaps of pop and power when it comes to jumps and really solid on landing and approach.
As well as all that camber, it also has a nice and light core, making it easier to get air and spin.
Not ideal for the jib line, IMO, and not the easiest to butter - but for the jump line and for carving up groomers on the way to the park or natural hits, it's a beast.
Score Breakdown for the Paramount
RATING | SCORE WEIGHTING | |
|---|---|---|
JUMPS | 5.0 | 20/20 |
JIBBING | 3.0 | 12/20 |
SWITCH | 4.5 | 13.5/15 |
BUTTERING | 3.0 | 6/10 |
SPINS | 4.5 | 9/10 |
UNEVEN TERRAIN | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
POWDER | 2.0 | 2/5 |
CARVING/TURNS | 4.0 | 4/5 |
SPEED | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
PIPE | 4.5 | 4.5/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 85.7/100 |
FREESTYLE BOARD #3
Board: Endeavor Pioneer
Price: $550
Flex: Medium-Soft (4/10)
Feel: Stable
Smart rating score: 87.4/100
This was the first time I tested Endeavor boards and the Pioneer really impressed - enough so to get the #3 spot.
It's most suited to jumps and spins, but is fine for jibs too - and is nice and easy to butter. It's also not bad outside of the park - so a great option if you want to get outside the park every now and then for some groomer laps or smash some sidehits.
Score Breakdown for the Pioneer
RATING | SCORE WEIGHTING | |
|---|---|---|
JUMPS | 4.5 | 18/20 |
JIBBING | 3.5 | 14/20 |
SWITCH | 4.5 | 13.5/15 |
BUTTERING | 4.5 | 9/10 |
SPINS | 4.5 | 9/10 |
UNEVEN TERRAIN | 4.0 | 4/5 |
POWDER | 2.5 | 2.5/5 |
CARVING/TURNS | 3.0 | 3/5 |
SPEED | 3.0 | 3/5 |
PIPE | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 87.4/100 |
FREESTYLE BOARD #2
Board: YES Jackpot
Price: $479
Flex: Medium-soft but bordering on Medium (4.5/5)
Feel: Stable
Smart rating score: 89.0/100
*HARD/ICY SNOW OPTION
The YES Jackpot. This board is a demon in the park – no matter what you like to do in there – so if you like to do it all, the Jackpot will be a great weapon.
But if you like to break up your park laps and feel the need for speed or if you want to lay down some carves, then the Jackpot can tackle that too – and whenever you see natural hits on your journey down the rest of the mountain – this board becomes super fun.
It would also score very well as an all-mountain-freestyle board.
It’s a great option for it’s versatility in that sense and also for anyone who rides in hard/icy conditions a lot too.
NOTE: The Jackpot underwent more changes for the 2020 model. It's now a wider platform overall and has a different sidecut radius. IMO this has been an improvement to an already sick deck!
Score Breakdown for the Jackpot
RATING | SCORE WEIGHTING | |
|---|---|---|
JUMPS | 4.5 | 18/20 |
JIBBING | 3.5 | 14/20 |
SWITCH | 4.5 | 13.5/15 |
BUTTERING | 4.0 | 8/10 |
SPINS | 4.5 | 9/10 |
UNEVEN TERRAIN | 4.0 | 4/5 |
POWDER | 3.0 | 3/5 |
CARVING/TURNS | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
SPEED | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
PIPE | 4.5 | 4.5/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 89.0/100 |
FREESTYLE BOARD #1
Board: Never Summer Funslinger
Price: $539
Flex: Medium-Soft (3.5/10)
Feel: Semi-Loose
Smart rating score: 90.7/100
And the #1 spot goes to the Never Summer Funslinger.
After riding the 2020 model, I liked this board even more than before. It's just a super fun and lively ride.
The Funslinger nails all the important freestyle performance factors – and can definitely play in the pipe and over the rest of the mountain too.
This thing has got plenty of pop, is super easy to spin and is really fun for anything park or for natural hits – and as a bonus it actually carves pretty well for a freestyle deck.
But you can also hit the jib line with confidence on this board and it butters with ease - making it a great all-round freestyle option.
Score Breakdown for the Funslinger
RATING | SCORE WEIGHTING | |
|---|---|---|
JUMPS | 4.5 | 18/20 |
JIBBING | 4.0 | 16/20 |
SWITCH | 5.0 | 15/15 |
BUTTERING | 5.0 | 10/10 |
SPINS | 4.5 | 9/10 |
UNEVEN TERRAIN | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
POWDER | 2.0 | 2/5 |
CARVING/TURNS | 3.0 | 3/5 |
SPEED | 2.5 | 2.5/5 |
PIPE | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 90.7/100 |
Over to You
There you have my top 10 freestyle decks for the 2019-20 season.
NOTE: This is a past seasons top 10. For the latest season's Top 10 Freestyle list, check out the link below:
>>TOP 10 FREESTYLE SNOWBOARDS (Latest Season)
In compiling this list I rated 36 different freestyle/park/jib boards:
FREESTYLE BOARD #10
Board: Capita Ultrafear
Flex: Medium-Soft (4/10)
Feel: Stable
Smart rating score: 82.4/100
The Ultrafear is the best jibber on this list, so if you spend a lot of time in the jib line in the park or do a lot of Urban riding, then the Ultrafear is worth looking at.
In fact, if I did a separate category for jib/street boards it would likely be quite close to the top, if not the top. But it’s certainly no slouch over jumps either. It’s super easy to spin and to press – an awesome board for all-day park laps.
Not something that’s great outside of the park, but awesome for park laps.
The Ultrafear has more of a stable feel to it, as opposed to a loose feel.
Check out the video for more about the Ultrafear
Score Breakdown for the Ultrafear
FACTOR | rating (OUT OF 5) | contribution to final score |
|---|---|---|
Switch | 4.5 | 22.5/25 |
Jumps | 3.5 | 17.5/25 |
Jibbing | 5.0 | 20/20 |
Uneven Terrain | 3.5 | 7/10 |
Powder | 2.0 | 2/5 |
Carving/Turns | 2.0 | 2/5 |
Speed | 2.0 | 2/5 |
Pipe | 2.0 | 2/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 82.4/100 |
FREESTYLE BOARD #9
Board: Niche Knew
Flex: Medium-Soft (4/10)
Feel: Stable
Smart rating score: 83.5/100
The Knew is the 2nd lowest priced board on this list so if your budget is low then this board should be high on your list.
This is a sweet little, agile freestyle deck that rides in either direction with ease, loves jibs and is lively over jumps. Definitely a fun ride through the park.
Check out the video for more about the Knew
This video is for 17/18 model but still relevant.
Score Breakdown for the Knew
FACTOR | rating (OUT OF 5) | contribution to final score |
|---|---|---|
Switch | 4.5 | 22.5/25 |
Jumps | 4.0 | 20/25 |
Jibbing | 4.0 | 16/20 |
Uneven Terrain | 3.5 | 7/10 |
Powder | 3.0 | 3/5 |
Carving/Turns | 2.0 | 2/5 |
Speed | 3.0 | 3/5 |
Pipe | 2.5 | 2.5/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 83.5/100 |
FREESTYLE BOARD #8
Board: Burton Kilroy Process
Flex: Medium-Soft (4/10)
Feel: Semi-Locked In
Smart rating score: 83.5/100
Compared to most boards on this list, the Kilroy process has a more aggressive feel. It's still quite soft-flexing, but has a full camber profile.
All that camber, among other things, helps to give this board some mean pop, as well as stability for the approach to jumps and landing. Overall, this board is sick on jumps!
It's also capable on the rest of the mountain (bar powder), if you want to lay down some carves on the way to the park.
Not a super buttery board, and not the best on jibs - but great for all other freestyle elements.
Check out the video for more about the Kilroy Process
Score Breakdown for the Kilroy Process
FACTOR | rating (OUT OF 5) | contribution to final score |
|---|---|---|
Switch | 4.5 | 22.5/25 |
Jumps | 4.5 | 22.5/25 |
Jibbing | 3.0 | 12/20 |
Uneven Terrain | 3.5 | 7/10 |
Powder | 2.0 | 2/5 |
Carving/Turns | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
Speed | 3.0 | 3/5 |
Pipe | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 83.5/100 |
FREESTYLE BOARD #7
Board: Lib Tech Skate Banana
Flex: Medium-Soft
Feel: Loose
Smart rating score: 84.1/100
*HARD/ICY SNOW OPTION
Another great jibber in the list, the Skate Banana, comes in at #7.
The biggest weakness of the Skate Banana (in the most important freestyle factors) was in jumps – but it still performed really well in that category.
And if hitting rails, boxes and any other obstacle you can find, is your thing then the Skate Banana will be an awesome deck to have beneath your feet.
Just a great all-round freestyle board that isn't too bad outside of the park too.
If you often ride in hard/icy conditions but still like a loose feel for your freestyle board, then this is going to be the ideal ride for you.
Check out the video for more about the Skate Banana
Score Breakdown for the Skate Banana
FACTOR | rating (OUT OF 5) | contribution to final score |
|---|---|---|
Switch | 4.5 | 22.5/25 |
Jumps | 3.5 | 17.5/25 |
Jibbing | 4.5 | 18/20 |
Uneven Terrain | 4.0 | 8/10 |
Powder | 3.0 | 3/5 |
Carving/Turns | 2.0 | 2/5 |
Speed | 2.5 | 2.5/5 |
Pipe | 3.0 | 3/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 84.1/100 |
FREESTYLE BOARD #6
Board: Arbor Westmark Camber
Flex: Medium (5/10)
Feel: Stable
Smart rating score: 84.1/100
The Westmark Camber is on the aggressive side, due to it's camber and being a little stiffer than most on this list. But Arbor's system camber is a little more mellow than a traditional full camber feel - so it's not quite as aggressive as you would expect.
Still, it has heaps of pop, is super stable on landings, spins easily and can be taken out of the park for some good carves too.
Not the best on this list for jibbing/buttering but for the jump line, natural hits on the mountain, ollies and basically anything else airborne, this is a killer deck.
Check out the video for more about the Westmark Camber
Score Breakdown for the Westmark Camber
FACTOR | rating (OUT OF 5) | contribution to final score |
|---|---|---|
Switch | 4.5 | 22.5/25 |
Jumps | 4.5 | 22.5/25 |
Jibbing | 3.0 | 12/20 |
Uneven Terrain | 3.5 | 7/10 |
Powder | 2.0 | 2/5 |
Carving/Turns | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
Speed | 3.0 | 3/5 |
Pipe | 4.0 | 4/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 84.1/100 |
FREESTYLE BOARD #5
Board: Slash Happy Place
Flex: Medium-Soft (4/10)
Feel: Stable
Smart rating score: 86.3/100
Coming in at #5 is the Happy Place by Slash.
If you are looking for a board that can handle switch, jibs and jumps with equal aplomb and can also do a bang up job in the pipe – then the Slash Happy Place is a great pick.
Whilst it doesn’t get a perfect score in any of the categories, it’s close to it on all the important ones for ripping it up in the park and pipe.
If doing sick park laps all day is your thing then riding this board will definitely take you to your happy place!
Oh yeah and if your wallet isn’t bulging, this board will make you even happier. It’s the cheapest on this list – the performance-to-cost ratio of this board is outstanding! The best choice for anyone on a tight budget.
Check out the video for more on the Happy Place
Score Breakdown for the Happy Place
FACTOR | rating (OUT OF 5) | contribution to final score |
|---|---|---|
Switch | 4.5 | 22.5/25 |
Jumps | 4.0 | 20/25 |
Jibbing | 4.0 | 16/20 |
Uneven Terrain | 4.5 | 9/10 |
Powder | 3.0 | 3/5 |
Carving/Turns | 2.5 | 2.5/5 |
Speed | 2.5 | 2.5/5 |
Pipe | 3.0 | 3/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 86.3/100 |
FREESTYLE BOARD #4
Board: YES Jackpot
Flex: Medium-soft but bordering on Medium (4.5/5)
Feel: Stable
Smart rating score: 86.8/100
*HARD/ICY SNOW OPTION
The #4 board on this list is the YES Jackpot. This board is a demon in the park – no matter what you like to do in there – so if you like to do it all, the Jackpot will be a great weapon.
But if you like to break up your park laps and feel the need for speed or if you want to lay down some carves, then the Jackpot can tackle that too – and whenever you see natural hits on your journey down the rest of the mountain – this board becomes super fun.
It would also score very well as an all-mountain-freestyle board.
It’s a great option for it’s versatility in that sense and also for anyone who rides in hard/icy conditions a lot.
NOTE: The Jackpot's camber profile changed a little for the 2019 model - it now has less rocker in the tip/tail, giving it a more camber dominant feel, which gives the board an overall different feel. I've kept it in the Freestyle category but the ratings have changed based on the different feel of the board now. See the full review link above for my updated 2019 review.
Check out the video for more on the Jackpot
Score Breakdown for the Jackpot
FACTOR | rating (OUT OF 5) | contribution to final score |
|---|---|---|
Switch | 4.5 | 22.5/25 |
Jumps | 4.0 | 20/25 |
Jibbing | 3.5 | 14/20 |
Uneven Terrain | 4.0 | 8/10 |
Powder | 3.0 | 3/5 |
Carving/Turns | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
Speed | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
Pipe | 4.5 | 4.5/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 86.8/100 |
FREESTYLE BOARD #3
Board: Burton Paramount
Flex: Medium-Soft (4/10)
Feel: Semi-Locked In
Smart rating score: 87.8/100
The Paramount is new for 2019 and is like a souped up Kilroy Process (see #8 on this list).
It's the most aggressive board on this list and has heaps of pop and power when it comes to jumps and really solid on landing and approach.
As well as all that camber, it also has a nice and light core, making it easier to get air and spin.
Not ideal for the jib line, IMO, and not the easiest to butter - but for the jump line and for carving up groomers on the way to the park or natural hits, it's a beast.
Check out the video for more about the Paramount
Score Breakdown for the Paramount
FACTOR | rating (OUT OF 5) | contribution to final score |
|---|---|---|
Switch | 4.5 | 22.5/25 |
Jumps | 5.0 | 25/25 |
Jibbing | 3.0 | 12/20 |
Uneven Terrain | 3.5 | 7/10 |
Powder | 2.0 | 2/5 |
Carving/Turns | 4.0 | 4/5 |
Speed | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
Pipe | 4.0 | 4/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 87.9/100 |
FREESTYLE BOARD #2
Board: Never Summer Funslinger
Flex: Medium-Soft (3/10)
Feel: Semi-Loose
Smart rating score: 90.1/100
Now for the last two – and 2nd place goes to the Never Summer Funslinger.
The Funslinger nails all the important freestyle performance factors – and can definitely play in the pipe and over the rest of the mountain too.
This thing has got plenty of pop, is super easy to spin and is really fun for anything park or for natural hits – and as a bonus it actually carves pretty well for a freestyle deck.
But you can also hit the jib line with confidence on this board and it butters with ease - making it a great all-round freestyle option.
Check out the video for more on the Funslinger
This video is for the 2018 model but it's basically the same board as the 2019 model.
Score Breakdown for the Funslinger
FACTOR | rating (OUT OF 5) | contribution to final score |
|---|---|---|
Switch | 5.0 | 25/25 |
Jumps | 4.5 | 22.5/25 |
Jibbing | 4.0 | 16/20 |
Uneven Terrain | 3.5 | 7/10 |
Powder | 2.0 | 2/5 |
Carving/Turns | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
Speed | 2.5 | 2.5/5 |
Pipe | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 90.1/100 |
FREESTYLE BOARD #1
Board: GNU Space Case
Flex: Medium
Feel: Semi-Loose
Smart rating score: 90.7/100
*HARD/ICY SNOW OPTION
And in at #1, the GNU Space Case!
The GNU FB Space Case Asym C2X! might have the highest price-tag on this list but you definitely get what you pay for in this case – a beast of a park board that could just as easily be categorized as an all-mountain-freestyle deck.
The Space Case is seriously fun over jumps and natural hits and was super stable for landings.
It's also decent on jibs. Not the best on this list, so if that's more your forte, there are better options, but it's also not bad - and it's something you can definitely butter on too.
It can also rock the pipe and if you want to ride the rest of the mountain, the Space Case will tackle that better than some all-mountain boards! And to top it all off, it’s a great choice for anyone who rides hard/icy conditions.
Check out the video for more on the Space Case
Score Breakdown for the Space Case
FACTOR | rating (OUT OF 5) | contribution to final score |
|---|---|---|
Switch | 5.0 | 25/25 |
Jumps | 4.5 | 22.5/25 |
Jibbing | 3.5 | 14/20 |
Uneven Terrain | 3.5 | 7/10 |
Powder | 3.0 | 3/5 |
Carving/Turns | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
Speed | 3.0 | 3/5 |
Pipe | 4.5 | 4.5/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 90.7/100 |
Over to You
There you have my top 10 freestyle decks for the 2018-19 season.
NOTE: This is a past seasons top 10. For the latest season's Top 10 Freestyle list, check out the link below:
In compiling this list I rated 42 different freestyle/jib boards:
- The average score was 79.6/100
- The highest score was 92.3/100 (see below)
- The lowest score was 69.8/100
- The average price was $439
Freestyle Board #10
Board: Lib Tech Box Scratcher
Price: $479
Flex: Medium-Soft (3/10)
Feel: Loose
Smart rating score: 82.4/100
Starting off the list in #10 is the Box Scratcher. I would class this as a jib board, first and foremost and, along with #9, is the best option for jibbing on this list.
But it’s got enough going for it in other areas to score enough to warrant a place in a freestyle top 10 – so for anyone who wants a freestyle/park deck and does a lot of jibbing, this is definitely a good option.
Check out the Score Breakdown below
| FACTOR | RATING (OUT OF 5) | CONTRIBUTION TO FINAL SCORE |
| Switch: | 4.5 | 22.5/25 |
| Jumps: | 3.0 | 15/25 |
| Jibbing: | 5.0 | 20/20 |
| Uneven Terrain: | 4.0 | 8/10 |
| Powder: | 2.0 | 2/5 |
| Carving/Turns: | 2.0 | 2/5 |
| Speed: | 2.5 | 2.5/5 |
| Pipe: | 3.0 | 3/5 |
| TOTAL after normalizing | 82.4/100 |
Freestyle Board #9
Board: Capita Ultrafear
Price: $479
Flex: Medium-Soft
Feel: Stable
Smart rating score: 82.4/100
In addition to #10, the Box Scratcher, the Ultrafear is the best jibber.
In fact, if I did a separate category for jib/street boards it would likely be the top spot or at least very close to. But it’s certainly no slouch over jumps either. It’s super easy to spin and to press – an awesome board for all-day park laps.
Unlike the Box Scratcher, though, the Ultrafear has more of a stable feel to it, as opposed to a loose feel.
Check out the Score Breakdown below
| FACTOR | RATING (OUT OF 5) | CONTRIBUTION TO FINAL SCORE |
| Switch: | 4.5 | 22.5/25 |
| Jumps: | 3.5 | 17.5/25 |
| Jibbing: | 5.0 | 20/20 |
| Uneven Terrain: | 3.5 | 7/10 |
| Powder: | 2.0 | 2/5 |
| Carving/Turns: | 2.0 | 2/5 |
| Speed: | 2.0 | 2/5 |
| Pipe: | 2.0 | 2/5 |
| TOTAL after normalizing | 82.4/100 |
Freestyle Board #8
Board: Niche Knew
Price: $419
Flex: Medium-Soft
Feel: Stable
Smart rating score: 83.0/100
The Knew is the 2nd lowest priced board on this list so if your budget is low then this board should be high on your list.
This is a sweet little, agile freestyle deck that rides in either direction with ease, loves jibs and is lively over jumps. Definitely a fun ride through the park.
Check out the Score Breakdown below
| FACTOR | RATING (OUT OF 5) | CONTRIBUTION TO FINAL SCORE |
| Switch: | 4.5 | 22.5/25 |
| Jumps: | 4.0 | 20/25 |
| Jibbing: | 4.0 | 16/20 |
| Uneven Terrain: | 3.5 | 7/10 |
| Powder: | 3.0 | 3/5 |
| Carving/Turns: | 2.0 | 2/5 |
| Speed: | 3.0 | 3/5 |
| Pipe: | 2.0 | 2/5 |
| TOTAL after normalizing | 83.0/100 |
Freestyle Board #7
Board: Rossignol Trickstick
Price: $399
Flex: Medium-Soft
Feel: Semi-Loose
Smart rating score: 83.5/100
One of 3 asymmetrical twin boards on this list, the Trickstick is a fun ride that can do a bit of everything in the park and can handle itself on the groomers.
It’s on the looser side of stable but not loose-loose and it is super-easy/intuitive for riding switch.
This is also the equal lowest cost board on this list – so you definitely get value for your dollars.
Check out the Score Breakdown below
| FACTOR | RATING (OUT OF 5) | CONTRIBUTION TO FINAL SCORE |
| Switch: | 5.0 | 25/25 |
| Jumps: | 4.0 | 20/25 |
| Jibbing: | 3.0 | 12/20 |
| Uneven Terrain: | 4.0 | 8/10 |
| Powder: | 2.5 | 2.5/5 |
| Carving/Turns: | 3.0 | 3/5 |
| Speed: | 2.5 | 2.5/5 |
| Pipe: | 3.0 | 3/5 |
| TOTAL after normalizing | 83.5/100 |
Freestyle Board #6
Board: Lib Tech Skate Banana
Price: $499
Flex: Medium-Soft
Feel: Loose
Smart rating score: 84.1/100
- HARD/ICY SNOW OPTION
Another great jibber in the list, the Skate Banana, comes in at #6.
The biggest weakness of the Skate Banana (in the most important freestyle factors) was in jumps – but it still performed really well in that category.
And if hitting rails, boxes and any other obstacle you can find, is your thing then the Skate Banana will be an awesome deck to have beneath your feet. It’s not quite on the level of the Ultrafear or Box Scratcher featured earlier on this list – but it’s not far off.
Just a great all-round freestyle board that will serve you outside of the park too.
If you often ride in hard/icy conditions but still like a loose feel for your freestyle board, then this is going to be the ideal ride for you.
Check out the Score Breakdown below
| FACTOR | RATING (OUT OF 5) | CONTRIBUTION TO FINAL SCORE |
| Switch: | 4.5 | 22.5/25 |
| Jumps: | 3.5 | 17.5/25 |
| Jibbing: | 4.5 | 18/20 |
| Uneven Terrain: | 4.0 | 8/10 |
| Powder: | 3.0 | 3/5 |
| Carving/Turns: | 2.0 | 2/5 |
| Speed: | 2.5 | 2.5/5 |
| Pipe: | 3.0 | 3/5 |
| TOTAL after normalizing | 84.1/100 |
Freestyle Board #5
Board: K2 Fastplant
Price: $529
Flex: Medium-Soft
Feel: Stable
Smart rating score: 85.2/100
Like the Ultrafear, Box Scratcher and the Skate Banana, the Fastplant excels at Jibs.
Where the Fastplant excels over those other great jibbing options and why it makes it higher on this list is mostly due to being slightly better over jumps.
You do have to pay for this awesomeness though – it’s the highest priced board in this list. But if you’ve got it in your budget, then this is a great board for tearing up the park.
Check out the Score Breakdown below
| FACTOR | RATING (OUT OF 5) | CONTRIBUTION TO FINAL SCORE |
| Switch: | 4.5 | 22.5/25 |
| Jumps: | 4.0 | 20/25 |
| Jibbing: | 4.5 | 18/20 |
| Uneven Terrain: | 4.0 | 8/10 |
| Powder: | 2.0 | 2/5 |
| Carving: | 2.5 | 2.5/5 |
| Speed: | 2.5 | 2.5/5 |
| Pipe: | 2.0 | 2/5 |
| TOTAL after normalizing | 85.2/100 |
Freestyle Board #4
Board: Slash Happy Place
Price: $399
Flex: Medium-Soft
Feel: Stable
Smart rating score: 86.8/100
Coming in at #4 is the Happy Place by Slash.
If you are looking for a board that can handle switch, jibs and jumps with equal aplomb and can also do a bang up job in the pipe – then the Slash Happy Place is a great pick.
Whilst it doesn’t get a perfect score in any of the categories, it’s close to it on all the important ones for ripping it up in the park and pipe.
If doing sick park laps all day is your thing then riding this board will definitely take you to your happy place!
Oh yeah and if your wallet isn’t bulging, this board will make you even happier. It’s the cheapest on this list – the performance-to-cost ratio of this board is outstanding! The best choice for anyone on a tight budget.
Check out the Score Breakdown below
| FACTOR | RATING (OUT OF 5) | CONTRIBUTION TO FINAL SCORE |
| Switch: | 4.5 | 22.5/25 |
| Jumps: | 4.0 | 20/25 |
| Jibbing: | 4.0 | 16/20 |
| Uneven Terrain: | 4.5 | 9/10 |
| Powder: | 3.0 | 3/5 |
| Carving: | 2.5 | 2.5/5 |
| Speed: | 2.5 | 2.5/5 |
| Pipe: | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
| TOTAL after normalizing | 86.8/100 |
Freestyle Board #3
Board: YES Jackpot
Price: $479
Flex: Medium-soft but bordering on Medium
Feel: Stable
Smart rating score: 89.0/100
- HARD/ICY SNOW OPTION
The #3 board on this list is the YES Jackpot. This board is a demon in the park – no matter what you like to do in there – so if you like to do it all, the Jackpot will be a great weapon.
But if you like to break up your park laps and feel the need for speed or if you want to lay down some carves, then the Jackpot can tackle that too – and whenever you see natural hits on your journey down the rest of the mountain – this board becomes super fun.
It would also score very well as an all-mountain-freestyle board.
It’s a great option for it’s versatility in that sense and also for anyone who rides in hard/icy conditions a lot.
Check out the Score Breakdown below
| FACTOR | RATING (OUT OF 5) | CONTRIBUTION TO FINAL SCORE |
| Switch: | 4.5 | 22.5/25 |
| Jumps: | 4.5 | 22.5/25 |
| Jibbing: | 3.5 | 14/20 |
| Uneven Terrain: | 4.0 | 8/10 |
| Powder: | 3.0 | 3/5 |
| Carving/Turns: | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
| Speed: | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
| Pipe: | 4.0 | 4/5 |
| TOTAL after normalizing | 89.0/100 |
Freestyle Board #2
Board: Never Summer Funslinger
Price: $519
Flex: Medium-Soft
Feel: Semi-Loose
Smart rating score: 90.1/100
Now for the last two – and 2nd place goes to the Never Summer Funslinger.
The Funslinger nails all the important freestyle performance factors – and can definitely play in the pipe and over the rest of the mountain too.
Along with the Jackpot (#3) and the Space Case (#1), the Funslinger is the best jumper on this list. This thing has got heaps of pop, is super easy to spin and is really fun for anything park or for natural hits – and as a bonus it actually carves really well for a freestyle deck.
Check out the Score Breakdown below
| FACTOR | RATING (OUT OF 5) | CONTRIBUTION TO FINAL SCORE |
| Switch: | 5.0 | 25/25 |
| Jumps: | 4.5 | 22.5/25 |
| Jibbing: | 4.0 | 16/20 |
| Uneven Terrain: | 3.5 | 7/10 |
| Powder: | 2.0 | 2/5 |
| Carving/Turns: | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
| Speed: | 2.5 | 2.5/5 |
| Pipe: | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
| TOTAL after normalizing | 90.1/100 |
Freestyle Board #1
Board: GNU Space Case
Price: $579
Flex: Medium
Feel: Semi-Loose
Smart rating score: 92.3/100
- HARD/ICY SNOW OPTION
And in at #1, the GNU Space Case!
This was #1 on my 2015, 2016 & 2017 lists and tops it again for the 2017-18 model.
The GNU Space Case Asym XC2 BTX! might have the 2nd highest price-tag on this list but you definitely get what you pay for in this case – a beast of a park board that could just as easily be categorized as an all-mountain-freestyle deck.
The Space Case was seriously fun over jumps and natural hits and was super stable for landings.
If money is no obstacle the only reason you wouldn’t have this as your freestyle board of choice is if jibbing is your number one concern. With a perfect score in switch and near perfect over jumps and, in all fairness, a pretty darn good score in jibbing (3.5 out of 5) this is the ultimate freestyle board.
It can also rock the pipe and if you want to ride the rest of the mountain, the Space Case will tackle that better than some all-mountain boards! And to top it all off, it’s a great choice for anyone who rides hard/icy conditions.
Check out the Score Breakdown below
| FACTOR | RATING (OUT OF 5) | CONTRIBUTION TO FINAL SCORE |
| Switch: | 5.0 | 25/25 |
| Jumps: | 4.5 | 22.5/25 |
| Jibbing: | 4.0 | 16/20 |
| Uneven Terrain: | 3.5 | 7/10 |
| Powder: | 2.5 | 2.5/5 |
| Carving/Turns: | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
| Speed: | 3.0 | 3/5 |
| Pipe: | 4.5 | 4.5/5 |
| TOTAL after normalizing | 92.3/100 |
Over to You
There you have my top 10 freestyle decks for the 2017-18 season.
NOTE: This list was for the 2017-18 season. For the latest Top 10 Freestyle Snowboards List, check out the link below:
>>Latest Season’s Top 10 Freestyle Snowboards
In compiling this list I rated 31 different freestyle boards:
- The average score was 80.3/100
- The highest score was 93.4/100 (see below)
- The lowest score was 69.8/100
- The average price was $442
Freestyle Board #10
Board: Niche Knew
Price (USD): $419
Flex: Medium-Soft
Smart rating score: 80.2/100
The 1st to make the list and coming in at #10 is the Niche Knew. This is the 2nd lowest priced board on this list so if your budget is low then this could be high on your list.
This is a sweet little, agile freestyle deck that rides in either direction with ease, loves jibs and is lively over jumps. Definitely a fun ride through the park.
Check out the Score Breakdown below
| FACTOR | RATING (OUT OF 5) | CONTRIBUTION TO FINAL SCORE |
| Switch: | 4.5 | 22.5/25 |
| Jumps: | 3.5 | 17.5/25 |
| Jibbing: | 4.0 | 16/20 |
| Uneven Terrain: | 3.5 | 7/10 |
| Powder: | 3.0 | 3/5 |
| Carving/Turns: | 2.0 | 2/5 |
| Speed: | 3.0 | 3/5 |
| Pipe: | 2.0 | 2/5 |
| TOTAL after normalizing | 80.2/100 |
Freestyle Board #9
Board: Capita Ultrafear
Price (USD): $479
Flex: Medium-Soft
Smart rating score: 82.4/100
I got to spend a good bit of time on the Ultrafear last season and was very glad to!
Of all the boards on this list, the Ultrafear is the best jibber. In fact, if I did a separate category for jib/street boards it would rate highly there as well. But it’s certainly no slouch over jumps either. It’s super easy to spin and to press – an awesome board for all-day park laps.
Check out the Score Breakdown below
| FACTOR | RATING (OUT OF 5) | CONTRIBUTION TO FINAL SCORE |
| Switch: | 4.5 | 22.5/25 |
| Jumps: | 3.5 | 17.5/25 |
| Jibbing: | 5.0 | 20/20 |
| Uneven Terrain: | 3.5 | 7/10 |
| Powder: | 2.0 | 2/5 |
| Carving/Turns: | 2.0 | 2/5 |
| Speed: | 2.0 | 2/5 |
| Pipe: | 2.0 | 2/5 |
| TOTAL after normalizing | 82.4/100 |
Freestyle Board #8
Board: Lib Tech Skate Banana
Price (USD): $499
Flex: Medium-Soft
Smart rating score: 84.1/100
Another great jibber in the list, the Skate Banana, comes in at #8.
The biggest weakness of the Skate Banana (in the most important freestyle factors) was in jumps – but it still performed really well in that category.
And if hitting rails, boxes and any other obstacle you can find, is your thing then the Skate Banana will be an awesome deck to have beneath your feet.
The Skate Banana turns 10 this year, and that longevity is testament to how good this board is and has been for many years.
Check out the Score Breakdown below
| FACTOR | RATING (OUT OF 5) | CONTRIBUTION TO FINAL SCORE |
| Switch: | 4.5 | 22.5/25 |
| Jumps: | 3.5 | 17.5/25 |
| Jibbing: | 4.5 | 18/20 |
| Uneven Terrain: | 4.0 | 8/10 |
| Powder: | 3.0 | 3/5 |
| Carving/Turns: | 2.0 | 2/5 |
| Speed: | 2.5 | 2.5/5 |
| Pipe: | 3.0 | 3/5 |
| TOTAL after normalizing | 84.1/100 |
Freestyle Board #7
Board: K2 Fastplant
Price (USD): $549
Flex: Medium-Soft
Smart rating score: 85.2/100
Like the Ultrafear and the Skate Banana, the Fastplant excels at Jibs.
Why the Fastplant makes it higher on the list is mostly due to being slightly better over jumps.
You do have to pay for this awesomeness though – it’s the highest priced board in this list.
Check out the Score Breakdown below
| FACTOR | RATING (OUT OF 5) | CONTRIBUTION TO FINAL SCORE |
| Switch: | 4.5 | 22.5/25 |
| Jumps: | 4.0 | 20/25 |
| Jibbing: | 4.5 | 18/20 |
| Uneven Terrain: | 4.0 | 8/10 |
| Powder: | 2.0 | 2/5 |
| Carving: | 2.5 | 2.5/5 |
| Speed: | 2.5 | 2.5/5 |
| Pipe: | 2.0 | 2/5 |
| TOTAL after normalizing | 85.2/100 |
Freestyle Board #6
Board: Slash Happy Place
Price (USD): $399
Flex: Medium-Soft
Smart rating score: 86.8/100
Coming in at number 6 is the Happy Place by Slash.
If you are looking for a board that can handle switch, jibs and jumps with equal aplomb and can also do a bang up job in the pipe – then the Slash Happy Place is a great pick.
Whilst it doesn’t get a perfect score in any of the categories, it’s close to it on all the important ones for ripping it up in the park.
If doing sick park laps all day is your thing then riding this board will definitely take you to your happy place!
Oh yeah and if your wallet isn’t bulging, this board will make you even happier. It’s the cheapest on this list – the performance-to-cost ratio of this board is outstanding! The best choice for anyone on a tight budget.
Check out the Score Breakdown below
| FACTOR | RATING (OUT OF 5) | CONTRIBUTION TO FINAL SCORE |
| Switch: | 4.5 | 22.5/25 |
| Jumps: | 4.0 | 20/25 |
| Jibbing: | 4.0 | 16/20 |
| Uneven Terrain: | 4.5 | 9/10 |
| Powder: | 3.0 | 3/5 |
| Carving: | 2.5 | 2.5/5 |
| Speed: | 2.5 | 2.5/5 |
| Pipe: | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
| TOTAL after normalizing | 86.8/100 |
Freestyle Board #5
Board: Rome Reverb Rocker
Price (USD): $419
Flex: Medium-Soft
Smart rating score: 87.4/100
The Rome Reverb Rocker is the next entry coming in at #5.
If it had any minor weakness you could say that it could be better on jibs – but that would be clutching at straws to find a weakness as it will do a great job on jibs – and an even better one on jumps.
It’s also rather handy in the pipe and will take you outside the park with merit, if you feel the need.
Check out the Score Breakdown below
| FACTOR | RATING (OUT OF 5) | CONTRIBUTION TO FINAL SCORE |
| Switch: | 4.5 | 22.5/25 |
| Jumps: | 4.5 | 22.5/25 |
| Jibbing: | 3.5 | 14/20 |
| Uneven Terrain: | 4.5 | 9/10 |
| Powder: | 1.5 | 1.5/5 |
| Carving: | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
| Speed: | 2.5 | 2.5/5 |
| Pipe: | 4.0 | 4/5 |
| TOTAL after normalizing | 87.4/100 |
Freestyle Board #4
Board: GNU Riders Choice
Price (USD): $569
Flex: Medium
Smart rating score: 90.1/100
The 1st of the 4 boards in this list to crack 90 points and the 1st of 3 to get a perfect score for switch riding, is the Rider’s Choice.
Or to use the its full name – Riders Choice Asym C2 BTX (sounds like something out of star wars!)
You’d think with a score like that there’d be no weakness in sight. However, the rider’s choice probably isn’t the jibber’s choice. That’s not to say that it won’t jib well – 3.5 out of 5 in jibbing ain’t bad – but if that’s your bread and butter (excuse the pun!) there could be better options on this list.
It more than makes up for being near perfection over jumps and riding switch and is also awesome in the pipe.
Want to tear up the rest of the mountain and make the whole damn thing your park? Then the Rider’s Choice will be the perfect tool to take you on that voyage too. In fact it felt so good riding the rest of the mountain I was tempted to put this in the all-mountain-freestyle category – but it’s just too good as a stand alone freestyle board and I couldn’t move it.
Check out the Score Breakdown below
| FACTOR | RATING (OUT OF 5) | CONTRIBUTION TO FINAL SCORE |
| Switch: | 5.0 | 25/25 |
| Jumps: | 4.5 | 22.5/25 |
| Jibbing: | 3.5 | 14/20 |
| Uneven Terrain: | 4.0 | 8/10 |
| Powder: | 2.5 | 2.5/5 |
| Carving/Turning: | 3.0 | 3/5 |
| Speed: | 3.0 | 3/5 |
| Pipe: | 4.0 | 4/5 |
| TOTAL after normalizing | 90.1/100 |
Freestyle Board #3
Board: Never Summer Funslinger
Price (USD): $519
Flex: Medium-Soft
Smart rating score: 90.1/100
Entering the top 3 now – and third place goes to the Never Summer Funslinger.
The Funslinger nails all the important freestyle performance factors – and can definitely play in the pipe and over the rest of the mountain too.
This thing has got heaps of pop, and is really fun for anything park or for natural hits – and as a bonus it actually carves really well for a freestyle deck.
Check out the Score Breakdown below
| FACTOR | RATING (OUT OF 5) | CONTRIBUTION TO FINAL SCORE |
| Switch: | 5.0 | 25/25 |
| Jumps: | 4.5 | 22.5/25 |
| Jibbing: | 4.0 | 16/20 |
| Uneven Terrain: | 3.5 | 7/10 |
| Powder: | 2.0 | 2/5 |
| Carving/Turns: | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
| Speed: | 2.5 | 2.5/5 |
| Pipe: | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
| TOTAL after normalizing | 90.1/100 |
Freestyle Board #2
Board: YES Jackpot
Price (USD): $479
Flex: Medium-Soft
Smart rating score: 90.1/100
The #2 board on this list is the YES Jackpot. This board is a demon in the park – no matter what you like to do in there – so if you like to do it all, the Jackpot will be a great weapon.
But if you like to break up your park laps and feel the need for speed or if you want to lay down some carves, then the Jackpot can tackle that too – and whenever you see natural hits on your journey down the rest of the mountain – this board becomes super fun.
Check out the Score Breakdown below
| FACTOR | RATING (OUT OF 5) | CONTRIBUTION TO FINAL SCORE |
| Switch: | 4.5 | 22.5/25 |
| Jumps: | 4.5 | 22.5/25 |
| Jibbing: | 4.0 | 16/20 |
| Uneven Terrain: | 4.0 | 8/10 |
| Powder: | 2.5 | 2.5/5 |
| Carving/Turns: | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
| Speed: | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
| Pipe: | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
| TOTAL after normalizing | 90.1/100 |
Freestyle Board #1
Board: GNU Space Case
Price (USD): $579
Flex: Medium
Smart rating score: 93.4/100
And in at #1, the GNU Space Case!
This was #1 on my 2015 and 2016 lists and tops it again for the 2016-17 model. The 2016-17 model is slightly different but that just makes this deck even better (see full review link above for more details).
The GNU Space Case Asym XC2 BTX! might have the 2nd highest price-tag on this list but you definitely get what you pay for in this case – a beast of a park board that could just as easily be categorized as an all-mountain-freestyle deck.
My #1 Freestyle board for the 2016/17 season, the Space Case, really dominates this list with 93.4 points. This board was seriously fun to ride over jumps and natural hits and was super stable for landings.
If money is no obstacle the only reason you wouldn’t have this as your freestyle board of choice is if jibbing is your number one concern. With a perfect score in both switch and jumps and, in all fairness, a pretty darn good score in jibbing (3.5 out of 5) this is the ultimate freestyle board.
To top it all off it can also rock the pipe and if you want to ride the rest of the mountain, the Space Case will tackle that better than some all-mountain boards!
Check out the Score Breakdown below
| FACTOR | RATING (OUT OF 5) | CONTRIBUTION TO FINAL SCORE |
| Switch: | 5.0 | 25/25 |
| Jumps: | 5.0 | 25/25 |
| Jibbing: | 3.5 | 14/20 |
| Uneven Terrain: | 4.0 | 8/10 |
| Powder: | 2.5 | 2.5/5 |
| Carving/Turns: | 3.0 | 3/5 |
| Speed: | 3.0 | 3/5 |
| Pipe: | 4.5 | 4.5/5 |
| TOTAL after normalizing | 93.4/100 |
Over to You
There you have my top 10 freestyle decks for the 2016-17 season.
Check out the link below for the latest season’s top 10 Freestyle boards
>>LATEST SEASON’S TOP 10 FREESTYLE SNOWBOARD
For the latest season's list, check out the link below.
>>TOP 10 FREESTYLE SNOWBOARDS (LATEST SEASON)
Buying Past Season Models
Often models don't change that much from year to year so if you can find a past season model, it will likely be close enough to the latest model but you can get it cheaper, if available and in a suitable size for you. For past year's models check out the links below to see if they still have any left.
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