Hello and welcome to my list of the best all mountain snowboards for women. This has now been updated for the 2017-18 season.
As per tradition here at SnowboardingProfiles.com each board will be given a score out of 100 for easier comparison.
Of the 15 women’s all mountain boards that I rated:
- The average score was 78.7/100
- The highest score was: 89.0/100 (see #1 below)
- The lowest score was: 64.6/100
- The average price was: $429
O.k. let’s get into the top 6!
Women’s All Mountain Board #6
Board: Never Summer Infinity
Price: View more info and current prices here
Flex: Medium-soft (4/10)
Rating: 81.1/100
The Infinity is the meaning of an all mountain snowboard – showing no weak points across all of the rating categories.
The Infinity is the softest flexing board on this list and the most playful – so if you like your riding playful and casual then this is likely to be your best bet on this list.
You can take this thing anywhere and do anything on it. So if you’re the kind of rider that likes to do a bit of everything and wants to have just one board to do it all on, then the Infinity is a great choice, especially if you want something on the playful side.
Check out more in the Video
NS Infinity Score Breakdown
| FACTOR | RATING (OUT OF 5) | CONTRIBUTION TO FINAL SCORE |
|---|---|---|
| Powder: | 3.5 | 10.5/15 |
| Carving: | 3.0 | 9/15 |
| Speed: | 3.0 | 9/15 |
| Uneven Terrain: | 4.0 | 12/15 |
| Switch: | 3.5 | 7/10 |
| Jumps: | 3.5 | 7/10 |
| Jibbing: | 3.0 | 6/10 |
| Pipe: | 3.0 | 6/10 |
| TOTAL after normalizing | 81.1/100 |
Women’s All Mountain Board #5
Board: Burton Feelgood Flying V
Price: View more info and current prices here
Flex: Medium (5/10)
Rating: 81.1/100
The Feelgood Flying V, like the Infinity above, is a playful, easy going kind of all-mountain board. Also, like the Infinity, this is a very versatile board.
Not to be mistaken with the Feelgood (Camber version) – despite having the same graphic, these 2 boards are completely different beasts (see Feelgood below).
Check out more about the Feelgood Flying V in the Video Below
Score Breakdown for the Feelgood Flying V
| FACTOR | RATING (OUT OF 5) | CONTRIBUTION TO FINAL SCORE |
|---|---|---|
| Powder: | 3.5 | 10.5/15 |
| Carving: | 3.0 | 9/15 |
| Speed: | 3.0 | 9/15 |
| Uneven Terrain: | 4.0 | 12/15 |
| Switch: | 3.5 | 7/10 |
| Jumps: | 4.0 | 8/10 |
| Jibbing: | 3.0 | 6/10 |
| Pipe: | 2.5 | 5/10 |
| TOTAL after normalizing | 81.1/100 |
Women’s All Mountain Board #4
Board: Burton Feelgood
Price: View more info and current prices here
Flex: Medium (6/10)
Rating: 82.3/100
As opposed to the Feelgood Flying V, the Feelgood (Camber) is on the aggressive end of all-mountain riding.
The Feelgood is the most aggressive board on this list and that is in large part due to its traditional camber profile. There is camber throughout. It’s also the most expensive board on this list – but you do get a seriously light and poppy board that loves to carve.
If you prefer your riding a bit faster and more aggressive and don’t mind paying a bit of extra coin for it then this might just be your snowboard sole mate.
Check out the Video for more on the Feelgood
Score Breakdown for the Feelgood
| FACTOR | RATING (OUT OF 5) | CONTRIBUTION TO FINAL SCORE |
|---|---|---|
| Powder: | 2.5 | 7.5/15 |
| Carving: | 4.0 | 12/15 |
| Speed: | 4.0 | 12/15 |
| Uneven Terrain: | 3.0 | 9/15 |
| Switch: | 3.5 | 7/10 |
| Jumps: | 4.0 | 8/10 |
| Jibbing: | 2.5 | 5/10 |
| Pipe: | 3.5 | 7/10 |
| TOTAL after normalizing | 82.3/100 |
Women’s All Mountain Board #3
Board: Rossignol Frenemy
Price: View more info and current prices here
Flex: Medium (5/10)
Rating: 82.9/100
- HARD/ICY SNOW OPTION
Even though Rossi rates this board a 6/10 for flex (with 10 being the stiffest and 1 being the softest) I would say it’s more of a 4 or 5 out of 10. It’s quite a forgiving medium.
And what does the Frenemy do best?
Consistency across all categories.
The Frenemy is above average in every aspect (see score breakdown) – the true meaning of a do-it-all, all mountain board. This is also the best board on this list for icy snow conditions. So, for those that often ride in those kinds of conditions, this is a great choice.
Check out the Videos below for more opinion on the Frenemy
Score Breakdown for the Frenemy
| FACTOR | RATING (OUT OF 5) | CONTRIBUTION TO FINAL SCORE |
|---|---|---|
| Powder: | 4.0 | 12/15 |
| Carving: | 3.0 | 9/15 |
| Speed: | 3.0 | 9/15 |
| Uneven Terrain: | 4.0 | 12/15 |
| Switch: | 3.0 | 6/10 |
| Jumps: | 3.0 | 6/10 |
| Jibbing: | 3.0 | 6/10 |
| Pipe: | 4.0 | 8/10 |
| TOTAL after normalizing | 82.9/100 |
Women’s All Mountain Board #2
Board: Jones Dream Catcher
Price: View more info and current prices here
Flex: Medium (6/10)
Rating: 87.2/100
The Dream Catcher is a new board for 2018 in Jones’ women’s line – but the men’s counterpart (the Jones Explorer) has been around for a while now.
This is the type of board that is kind of in between a freeride board, an all-mountain board and an aggressive all-mountain board.
It can get aggressive when you want it to, but when you feel like being more playful or if you get tired or make errors, it’s more forgiving than most aggressively focused boards.
So if you’re into carving, speed and powder but don’t want something that’s too stiff or that has too much aggression, then the Explorer might suit you perfectly.
More on the Dream Catcher in the Video Below
The Dream Catcher’s Score Breakdown
| FACTOR | RATING (OUT OF 5) | CONTRIBUTION TO FINAL SCORE |
|---|---|---|
| Powder: | 4.0 | 12/15 |
| Carving: | 4.0 | 12/15 |
| Speed: | 4.5 | 13.5/15 |
| Uneven Terrain: | 3.0 | 9/15 |
| Switch: | 3.0 | 6/10 |
| Jumps: | 3.0 | 6/10 |
| Jibbing: | 3.0 | 6/10 |
| Pipe: | 3.5 | 7/10 |
| TOTAL after normalizing | 87.2/100 |
Women’s All Mountain Board #1
Board: Jones Twin Sister
Price: View more info and current prices here
Flex: Medium (6/10)
Rating: 89.0/100
And coming in at #1 is the Jones Twin Sister!
If you’re looking for a board that is strong ,or at least above average in every single category, then the Twin Sister might just be that board.
This board will be a great partner on the mountain wherever you venture to and in whatever style you want to ride – be it a playful jaunt down the mountain, creative freestyle riding, laying down some hard carves, speeding down steeps, shredding through the trees or venturing into powder.
Video
The video below mentions that the Twin Sister is the most playful in Jones’ line. Whilst I do actually agree with that, Jones’ don’t tend to make incredibly playful boards overall – so it’s whilst it’s the most playful Jones board, it’s not the most playful on this list. I would consider it the perfect middle-ground between playful and aggressive.
Just quickly, the order of most aggressive to most playful on this list, in case that’s a factor in your decision, is:
- Burton Feelgood (most aggressive)
- Jones Dream Catcher (aggressive and playful)
- Jones Twin Sister (perfect middle-ground)
- Burton Feelgood Flying V (playful)
- Rossignol Frenemy (playful)
- Never Summer Infinity (most playful)
Score Breakdown for the Twin Sister
| FACTOR | RATING (OUT OF 5) | CONTRIBUTION TO FINAL SCORE |
|---|---|---|
| Powder: | 4.0 | 12/15 |
| Carving: | 3.5 | 10.5/15 |
| Speed: | 4.0 | 12/15 |
| Uneven Terrain: | 3.5 | 10.5/15 |
| Switch: | 3.5 | 7/10 |
| Jumps: | 3.5 | 7/10 |
| Jibbing: | 3.0 | 6/10 |
| Pipe: | 4.0 | 8/10 |
| TOTAL after normalizing | 89.0/100 |
Thanks for Reading
There you have my list for the top 6 all mountain snowboards for women. Thanks for reading and I hope this list was helpful for you. If you have any questions, comments or opinions feel free to leave them in the comments section below.
To learn more about each board check out the links under each heading.
Note: The Never Summer Aura and the Rossignol Diva which were #1 and #2 for the 2016-17 season have been reclassified, which is why they don’t reappear here this year. The Aura has now been classified as a Freeride board and the Diva as an All-Mountain-Freestyle board (more accurate classifications, IMO).
Jones Twin Sister is not a durable board. I am a cautious intermediate to advanced rider…cautious because of a neck injury. After riding my new board for less than 8 hours without an incident, I found that it had a small topsheet crack. Jones customer service was horrific. It took them 5 weeks to respond, and their response didn’t provide any helpful advice. Just thought I’d share this experience as I’ve noticed others commenting about topsheet cracks on their Jones boards.
I totally agree with you on NeverSummer boards….the BEST ever.
Also, the Niche Sonnet could use some more attention. A fun and durable board that I think many boarders would love.
Hi Christine
Thanks for your input and sharing your experience.
Durability is something that I don’t comment on as I typically don’t demo gear for long enough to judge.
I would consider the Sonnet an all-mountain-freestyle board but yeah Niche definitely make some nice decks.
Hi Nate!
Thanks for posting this. I am a seasoned boarder of about 20 years. I’m currently on an arbor 150, but it’s a little slow for me. I’m looking to size up and am trying to decide between the Rossi Myth 154 and the Rossi Fenemy 153. The conditions I’m in vary from choppy, to icy, with some power and the occasional trek through the trees. I’ve read the Myth is geared more toward a short term intermediate board and can be a little slow, but was wondering your thoughts.
I’m not sure I would call myself advanced as I left my park days behind, but I’m not a beginner by any means. I occasionally ride switch so I’m a little hesitant with the directionality of the Frenemy.
The camber sounds more aggressive on the Frenemy, which seems better for speed, but with the Myth being a tinge longer I wasn’t sure if that would make up for it at all. I also really like the idea of the magnatraction for icy conditions on the Frenemy, but the Myth reviews says it does pretty good there too.
I appreciate any input you may have.
Thanks!
Hi Betty
Thanks for your message.
If you’re looking for speed, then I wouldn’t go with the Myth if I was you. It’s more of a beginner board and more of a freestyle oriented board. Also, in terms of stability at speed, it’s likely to get a bit squirelly (lots of rocker and quite soft flexing) – even in the longer length. Length definitely helps with speed and stability at speed – but it can only do so much – and if you go too long you start to loose agility as well.
The Frenemy would be your better choice out of those two. It’s stiffer flexing, has more camber and has a sintered base (extruded base on the Myth).
IMO the Frenemy would be much better at speed.
Also, in terms of switch, I’ve probably given it a bit of a harsh rating on this post – it’s not going to be too difficult to ride switch, especially if you’re adept at it. The switch riding ability of the Myth wouldn’t be enough, IMO, to make it more appealing than the Frenemy, if speed is a big thing for you.
Which Arbor board are you on currently? You don’t necessarily need to go longer to get better speed – it helps, but if you have a board that’s more suitable for speed, you’ll notice a big difference, even without sizing up. If you’re Arbor is something not suited to speed, that could be part of the problem, not just size. Just wouldn’t want you to go too long, if you didn’t have to.
Hope this helps
Hi Nate,
I’m a 5”6 & 120 lb beginner. I am looking at a used never summer infinity 147 cm board with flow minx bindings. I live in WA/OR. Is this board too advanced for me?
Thanks!
Audrey
Hi Audrey
Thanks for your message.
I would say that the Infinity is an ok choice as a beginners board – not ideal. I would say high-end beginner/intermediate level, but doable for a beginner. However, the size isn’t ideal, IMO. I would say something around 147cm would be a good size for you as a more advanced rider – but as a beginner it’s a good idea to go a little shorter – 3-5cm shorter as a rule of thumb.
So, whilst it’s not far off, the combination of the length and not quite being a beginner’s board makes it not ideal, IMO. I think if it was the 145 or 142, then I’d say you’d get away with it, but might be just a step too far, IMO. I think the Minx would be fine as beginner bindings.
Hope this helps
Hi, Nate! I’m a 5’5″ and 160 lb intermediate rider who currently rides a 2012 K2 Fling 146. I am solidly intermediate in skills, wanting to get to the next level with my biggest issue being keeping my turns locked in. Toe side carve is fine but heel side is tough for me to feel my edge locked in. I don’t do anything in the parks; I am on the groomers in all types of conditions and occasionally shoot into the woods. I love my Fling in its flex, twin shape and ease of turning but I am looking for something that can help with feeling that locked in edge to carve my turns. Any suggestions on a board?
Hi Jamie
Thanks for your message.
A couple of things that I think will help, with your next board:
1. Something with camber in it will definitely help you to lock that edge in. The 2012 Fling was flat from what I can see – so getting something with camber will definitely help, IMO
2. I think you can go a little longer in length – on balance, given what you’re currently riding, your specs and your ability, then something around 149, 150 would be a good bet, IMO. But if you can also let me know your boot size, then we can balance your length with the width as well.
3. I think a setback stance would be a good idea. I like to carve more on a setback stance than a centered stance. It doesn’t make a huge difference, but a noticeable difference in my experience – and since you aren’t riding park, then you don’t need to be centered (unless you ride a lot of switch on the groomers, but even then a little bit of a setback stance is still fine). You’ll also get better float in powder.
So, I think the Dream Catcher (151) and Twin Sister (149) would be good options. The Feelgood Flying V (149) too, except that it won’t have as good an edge-hold in hard/icy conditions, IMO. If you don’t see those conditions very often, then that’s also a great option. The Feelgood, being full camber, might be too much in terms of going from flat to full camber, but if you think you would get along with full camber, then that becomes an option too (and a little better edge-hold in hard/icy than the Flying V version, but still prob not as good as the Twin Sister and Dream Catcher).
Never Summer Infinity might be a little too soft, since the Fling sounds like it’s relatively stiff – and going too much softer probably isn’t a good idea, especially since you’re not going to be riding freestyle. Too soft and it can be tough to lock in your carves.
Another option is Salomon Wonder.
If you wanted to keep to a centered twin, but still add in some camber and a more all-mountain orientation compared to the Fling, then you could also check out:
>>My Top 5 Women’s All-Mountain Freestyle Snowboards
And if you were to do that, then perhaps something with an asym side-cut (Never Summer Proto Type Two) would be a good idea, to help with the heel edge. Another nice Asym option is the GNU Ladies Choice.
Hope this helps
Hi, Nate! Thanks so much! Your feedback helps me a lot. Hard pack and icy conditions are routinely in my mix so I need a board that will handle that. My boot size is a 7. And you are correct that the 2012 K2 Fling is a flat base. If any of that impacts your recommendations, I would love to hear what you think. Otherwise, I am going to look into the boards you suggested and get ready to do some shopping! Thanks, again!
Hi Jamie
Everything I mentioned except for the Feelgood, should be fine for hard/icy conditions. If there’s anything you’re looking at that I didn’t mention, let me know what it is and I can give you my opinion as to it’s suitability for those conditions.
For your boot size, the width should be fine on the options I mentioned, if you stick to around a 149, 150 in terms of length. But I wouldn’t go too much longer than that as most boards in that length are on the wider side for your boot size (IMHO) so if you go too long and couple that with too wide, then overall I think that would be too big – so stick to 149, 150 and then anything around 240mm at the waist, should be a good balance. The Dream Catcher in the 151 is fine as it’s the kind of board that rides a little shorter than it’s size suggests.
Hope this helps and happy shopping!
Hi Nate!!! I broke my bindings this year and my 2008 Never Summer needs to be replaced so I have to buy gear at end of season in hopes of getting good sale prices. I’ve been boarding since 2008 and bought the Never Summer Infinity and Burton Stiletto bindings. I have never boarded on anything else. I am an intermediate that should probably be an expert but get nervous when I’m at high speeds and feel a bit of loss of control or can’t curve turns fast enough. I have an old board for sure…I am torn between the NS Proto, Aura and Infinity as they all have some appeal to me. Of note, we ski 1-2 times per season for a week each and are usually in Big Sky Montana or somewhere else that typically has great conditions. I need it to be all mountain but can help me get to that expert level so I can drop into some bowls finally!! And any binding suggestions that don’t break the bank would help too!! I’m 5’2″ and 125 with a size 6 shoe so I”m on the small side of things! I appreciated the help!
Hi Maggie
Thanks for your message.
The Infinity and Aura are going to be better in powder than the Proto, and since it sounds like you will see a bit of powder, I would go with one of those two for that reason. The Proto would otherwise be suitable, but it’s biggest weakness is powder, IMO.
The Aura is going to be the pick for carving and stability at speed over the Infinity, but you would also need to get used to the extra stiffness. It will be less agile at slower speeds, but more responsive when riding fast. It will be a more aggressive ride. It’s something that I would say is for high-end intermediate and up. The Infinity on the other hand more like high-end beginner to advanced. Considerably softer flexing and more playful because of that and because of it’s camber profile and shape.
I’m not sure what size you’re riding now, but I would say 142 for the Infinity for your specs, and the 143 for the Aura.
In terms of bindings I would say something like the Union Legacy or Flux GX for the Aura would be a good match and are relatively reasonably priced, but not sure how cheap you need. The Flux GS and Union Trilogy are a little cheaper and would be a good match for the Infinity (and would work on the Aura too, but not quite as well, IMO). The Union Milan is a little cheaper again and would work on the Infinity but probably not stiff flexing enough for the Aura. Burton Scribe would also be a good match for the Infinity.
Hope this helps with your decisions
Yes this helps a ton!! You re-iterated a lot that the person at our ski shop said but I’m always weary of their advice. He actually recommended the same bindings so that makes it easy for me to decide. Ok so definitely powder happens in Montana (yeah!) so I’m going to think about Aura vs Infinity. I love my current Infinity – but many of the reviews out there just love the Aura for sure. I come from a skiing background so I have a tenancy to want to carve hard turns so I’m leaning towards giving the Aura a try but going to sleep on it. When you say get used to the extra stiffness… would this contribute to more leg fatigue? Or would it be less fatigue since the board does more of the work?
Hi Maggie
In terms of leg fatigue it can be a little of both in some ways. Certainly in situations where your riding fast, steep and in powder it can reduce fatigue, but will certainly increase fatigue when riding slower. More effort to maneuver at slower speeds. I would say overall a little more in terms of leg fatigue when you go stiffer, but there are of course a lot of advantages too – and your legs tend to adjust and get used to it.
Hi Nate,
Firstly, I wanted to thank you so much for your recommendation of the Rossignol Frenemy 147 around this time last year. Since my purchase, I have ridden about 22 days over 2 seasons (more than I expected), and the board helped me enormously to gain so much more confidence in my riding, and increased my skills from about Intermediate Level 4 to about Advanced Level 6 (only small jumps, and super basic freestyle). I have loved the board, and bonus that I got so many compliments on how good/unique it looked too! 🙂
I have run into a tiny issue though. While I love it, and it still rides well, I feel it was a tiny bit unstable/chatter at higher speeds for me on my recent Colorado trip. I’m wondering whether this is partly a combination of being beyond the weight range of the board (I’m more 138lbs than the recommended upper limit of 130lbs), and moving up slightly in skill level.
Ever since I read your reviews, I’ve been eyeing the Twin Sister 149 (or Dream Catcher 148/151) for the past few months. A few questions to help me decide:
1) Does it seem strange/wasteful to be buying a new board already? I know women who hold on to their board for years, without any issues or need to upgrade.
2) If looking at the Twin Sister, would there much difference in 2017 vs 2018 models, in terms of ride and/or quality of the board?
3) Would these boards still be good for icy/hard pack conditions, like the Frenemy? My main riding will still be in Australia, with probably another week or two in Japan or Colorado (hoping for powder).
4) Could I keep my Salomon Mirage bindings, or would I need to also upgrade this?
Looking forward to hearing from you Nate!
Many thanks,
Melissa
Hi Melissa
Thanks for your message.
Glad to hear that the Frenemy has helped you to progress to this point.
1. I wouldn’t say it’s wasteful. You’re looking to upgrade after progressing. It’s something a lot of riders do – it’s just that it seems you’ve progressed quickly. Some people buy above their level to begin with – so they don’t need to upgrade but it slows progression usually. Also, some people either don’t advance that much or don’t feel the need to upgrade (even though in some cases they might enjoy an upgrade). There are plenty of reasons why you wouldn’t necessarily – but there’s nothing wrong with upgrading to better align your skills. A lot of riders have more than one board anyway (one for the park, one for powders, one for the trees, one as an all-rounder etc.) You could potentially use your Frenemy in the park, if you get into that more – or you could sell it and some else will get a good deal and would be good for them for where they are at.
2. 2017 & 2018 Twin Sister’s are fairly similar. There were a couple of tweaks. One of which was making the 2018 a little stiffer torsionally between the feet but it was a subtle thing (based on the men’s boards that they did the same thing to).
3. The Twin Sister and Dream Catcher (Jones boards in general) are good in hard conditions – but not as good as the Frenemy (IMO) – I would say Frenemy 5/5, Twin Sister & Dream Catcher 4/5. It would be a step up in powder though, IMO.
4. You could still ride your Mirage with the Twin Sister or Dream Catcher, IMO. If you’re happy with them, I wouldn’t change them.
Hope this helps
Hey Nate, thanks for the above. You have me some things to think about. I’ve noticed you’ve mentioned about effective edge when talking about sizing in the responses on this page. The Frenemy 147 and the Twin Sister 149 (assuming this is the best size for US7 feet, 65kg weight and 165cm height) both have an effective edge of 111 centimeters, as well as a rocker-camber-rocker profile. Will it ride too similarly to each other?
Given the similar characteristics, I can’t tell whether the Twin Sister will be more like a board that can replace my Frenemy as the do-it-all snowboard, or different enough to have as a second powder or more freeride board (and Frenemy as the hard-pack/park board)?
Hi Melissa
They are relatively similar boards. And will ride similarly. But the Twin Sister will handle speed better. Be more stable at speed. These are what I would consider the main differences.
1. The Twin Sister is a stiffer board
2. The Twin Sister has longer camber sections – the camber on the twin sister goes to just outside the inserts before transitioning to rocker. So there is more of a camber feel, which is good for holding carves, and for stability at speed (in addition to the extra stiffness). It also offers a bit more in terms of pop. On the Frenemy, the camber extends to around halfway through the inserts – so the rocker starts a little earlier. This offers a bit more of a playful feel.
3. The sidecut radius is a little different. The Frenemy favoring a tighter sidecut and the Twin Sister a slightly shallower side cut (which tends to favor smoother longer turns, compared with a tighter radius, which favors shorter/sharper turns). The difference is subtle because the sidecuts aren’t drastically different (6.7 on the 147 Rossi vs 7.2 on the 149 Twin Sister) but will still affect the feel.
So they certainly won’t feel the same, but are still similar boards. Probably not the ideal in terms of a two board quiver. That said, you could certainly still use the Frenemy as your park/hard pack board. But ideally you might want a more park specific board for that. I would certainly say that the Twin Sister is more freeride oriented overall than the Frenemy, and the Frenemy more freestyle oriented, but they’re both all-mountain “do-it-all” boards, IMO – just that the Twin Sister is slightly more on the freeride end of the scale and the Frenemy slightly more on the Freestyle end of the scale, if that makes sense.
If you do go with the Twin Sister, the 149 would be the best size for you, IMO.
Hope this gives you more to go off for your decision.
Hi Nate! I’ve been boarding for 15 years and I’d never stop, but this year I’ve turned 61 and I start to tire more easily. I ride a Feelgood Camber that is almost as old as me, so it’s time to buy a new board. I like carving (forward and switch) and powder, I never ride the park but I can perform some easy flat tricks. In North Italy, where I live, the temperatures are pretty warm in winter due to the climate change, so we usually have hard snow in the morning and wet snow in the afternoon, with powder from time to time. I’ve found an Italian on-line shop that offers last year’s Salomon Wonder at a very good price: do you think it would be a good choice for me? It’s flexier than the Feelgood, which should help me in my old age, but according to the specs it still has a good hedge hold and carves very well.
I appreciate any suggestions.
Thanks!!
Hi Elena
Thanks for your message.
I think the Salomon Wonder would be a good option. It has a more forgiving camber profile than the Feelgood, and will likely feel softer/more forgiving overall – and should be fine riding switch too. Whilst not what I’d call a ultra powder board, it should be better than the Feelgood camber in powder.
Size is another important consideration. If you’re not sure about sizing, I would be happy to give my opinion (would just need height, weight and boot size) – but if you know your size and it’s a good deal, I think this board would be suitable for you, IMO.
Hope this helps
Hi Nate, thank you, you’ve been very helpful!
I’d read many reviews and technical specs and I was almost sure that the Salomon Wonder could be a good choice for me, but now I’ve no more doubts and I can get a good deal too. The Feelgod was and is soooo expensive! I know that the Wonder is far from the best in powder, but I don’t care because we never get deep powder, it’s too warm in winter.
As regards sizing, when I bought the Feelgood the general opinion (at least in Italy) was that if you weren’t a beginner your board should be almost your size, so it’s a 149. I’m 152, my weight is 46 Kg an my boot size (USA) is 6. Now everybody is telling me that my board is too long, I think it’s right. The choice (boards on sale) is between 139 and 143, I’d go for the 139, what do you think?
Thanks again! Elena
Hi Elena
I agree that 149 is too long. Weight is the most important factor for length sizing these days (as well as height, ability and style of riding).
Ordinarily I would say 139 for sure, for you. But since you’re used to a 149, it’s a big difference going 10cm shorter. So the 143cm is an option. It’s a tough choice. I would say the biggest pros and cons for each size:
~ The 139 would be more agile at slower speeds, better for freestyle stuff, better in the trees and the most appropriate for your height/weight
~ The 143 would be more stable at speed, have better float in powder and would be an easier transition from the 149
I think the 139 is the best bet, but it will take some getting used to. If you want an easier transition, then the 143 is an option.
Hope this helps with your decision
Hi Nate,
you’ve put everything into focus! I’ve got a good skiing background, my first board was a hard one and I liked speed very much, but now I’m going slower, I’m afraid of hurting myself badly if I fall. That’s why last winter I started to do new things, like riding switch, flat tricks, etc. I’m happy and I want to get on with it, so my choice is the 139, definitively. I’ll let you know how it goes.
Many thanks again!!
Elena
You’re very welcome Elena.
Look forward to hearing how you go with your new board!
Hi Nate! I’m an upper intermediate snowboarder trying to find my new perfect board. I’ve read a lot of reviews and now choosing between Jones Twin sister and Gnu Ladies choice. I know that these boards are both for all-mountain riding but have some differences. I ride on and off piste, like to have some fresh snow in trees and natural terrain. My current snowboard is really soft so I can’t go with speed, it’s sad.
I like that Gnu Ladies choice is asymmetric and playful and in some reviews it’s said to be nice in deep snow to. As about Twin sister, characteristics of that snowboard are really good and it’s freeride friendly but I’m afraid that it could be tough and stiff.
So I need advice what to choose and in what sizes. I’m 5.2”, 99 lbs, foot 6.5.
Would like to add that I’m not a park rider at all but like to do ollies and nollies, want to learn 180 🙂
Also it will be cool if you tell your opinion about cambers of these boards.
Hope to hear from you soon.
Cheers,
Tanya
Hi Tanya
Thanks for your message.
The Twin Sister is what I would call an all-mountain board and is something that is leaning more towards freeride. The Ladies Choice is all-mountain-freestyle – and is leaning more towards freestyle riding – but freestyle riding over the whole mountain. It’s something you can definitely take off the groomers and ride in powder, but not as good (IMO) at that side of things as the Twin Sister. But overall, I think all-mountain-freestyle sounds like a good match for you.
In terms of flex, the Twin Sister is a little stiffer than the Ladies Choice but not by a huge amount (in my experience with the men’s equivalent models – the GNU Rider’s Choice and Jones Mountain Twin). I would say Ladies Choice squarely a 5/10 in terms of flex – right in the middle and the Twin Sister more like 6/10 or maybe pushing 6.5/10.
In terms of size, I would say the 142.5 for the GNU Ladies Choice. For the Twin Sister, the 139. You could go a little smaller on the Ladies Choice too, except that the 142.5 is the smallest size it comes in. The 139 Twin Sister is a little wider than the 142.5 Ladies Choice, so you go a little shorter but also a little wider with that option.
In terms of camber, the Twin Sister is Hybrid Camber (camber between and under the feet in the Twin Sister’s case and then rocker towards tip and tail) and, like most hybrid cambers, has a very stable feel. Not to the point of feeling too locked-in, but not loose/surfy feeling at all. The Ladies Choice isn’t super loose by any means, but it’s what I would say is on the looser side of stable, certainly slightly looser feeling that the Twin Sister. So, overall, being slightly softer and slightly looser, it has a more playful feel overall. It’s Hybrid Rocker (so rocker between the feet and camber to tip and tail).
Hope this gives you more info to go off for your decision.
Hi Nate
Thanks a lot for your answer, its very helpful! And finaly I’ve chosen GNU LC 🙂
I’d like to ask about the size one more time. A seller in my local shop suggested to buy 145.5. Do you think it will be big and difficult to manage? Not easy to decide for me. Currently i ride 143 mellow-camber board.
I also would be very grateful for suggestions about any bindings which are suitable for LC.
Thank you again.
Hope to hear from you soon
Hi Tanya
100% the 142.5, in my opinion. For your specs, this board and how you like to ride, the 145.5 would be too long for you, IMO. Very surprised the local shop suggested 145.5 – is it the only size they have left in stock?
Actually yes, it was their last size in stock 🙁
Hi Tanya
If I was you I would try to find the 142.5 online or wait until next season’s stock. The only reason I can’t think that they would suggest the 145.5 to you would be that they were trying to sell their only size left. But, IMO, it’s worth waiting or doing some extra research to get the 142.5, or look at getting a different board.
Did I answer your question about bindings? Don’t think I did. Something from the following list would do a great job, IMO.
>>Top Women’s All-Mountain Bindings
Or the Burton Scribe or Union Milan as well.
NOTE: If you go with anything Burton just make sure to get the “Re:Flex” version as opposed to the “EST” version as the “EST” version will only fit on Burton boards, whereas the Re:Flex will fit on all boards.
Hope this helps
Hi Nate! Thank you so much for your help 🙂
You’re very welcome Tanya. Thanks for using the website. If you think of it at the time, I would be interested to hear what you end up going for.
Hi Nate,
Thanks for your reviews they have been really helpful in my research! I have been riding my 145 Gnu B-nice for 8 seasons now and am looking to upgrade. I live in Colorado and typically see all sorts of conditions (minus extreme ice since leaving the east coast). I would say I am advanced level, and typically do all-mountain and freeride with a lot of trees. Id like to get more into backcountry but don’t currently do a lot. I have been looking at the Jones Dream Catcher and Yes Hel Yes boards- but am not sure what will be best! Do you have any other recommendations for other boards or think either of these boards would be better?
Thanks!
Sam
Hi Sam
Thanks for your message.
For your style/ability, I think you would appreciate either of these boards over your current board. The main difference, I would say, is that The Hel Yes is a little more aggressive than the Dream Catcher – and also the Hel Yes is probably a little better in hard/icy conditions but the Dream Catcher still not bad and since you don’t see those conditions often, not a big thing.
The other thing to think about is the size. I would be happy to give my opinion on size (would just need your height & weight as I already have an idea of your ability and style).
Hope this helps
Thanks Nate! I am 5 2, 120lbs. I was looking at getting around a 148-149 but not sure if that would be too big.
Hi Sam
I would say 146 would be the best size for the Yes Hel Yes – and the 148 for the Dream Catcher – the 148 is the shortest dream catcher, but also it’s a board you can go a little longer for. The effective edge on the 148 Dream Catcher is very similar to that on the 146 Hel Yes. Both have a longer effective edge than your current B Nice 145.
You could also go shorter (not for those boards as those are the shortest size, but in general) for your specs if you wanted, but if you felt like you wanted a bit more length, those sizes would work well in my opinion. And if you’re used to the 145 B Nice, I think those sizes would work well.
Note that the Dream Catcher is going to come in smaller sizes for the 2019 model when that comes out.
Hope this helps
Hi Nate,
I live in Australia and ride a lot of varying snow conditions here. I love riding powder and trees mostly but also love just riding the whole mountain.
I’ve been riding about 20 odd years and consider myself an intermediate rider as I don’t do a lot of jumps or tricks. I like jumping of small natural jumps though. I don’t mind steepish terrain but find that I am not confident in my board with holding the edge when the snow is a bit firmer.
I currently ride a 2008 143cm Burton Feelgood V-Rocker. I am about 154cm tall and weigh roughly 130-132 pounds. My shoe size is about 22.5 US5 UK3.
I have never been happy with the Feelgood V-Rocker as I had always risen Camber in the past. I’ve just been too lazy and stuck with it but I feel that it holds me back.
What would you suggest in terms or board type and size?
Many thanks.
Janelle
Hi Janelle
Thanks for your message.
The Feelgood V Rocker isn’t known to be very good in hard/icy conditions, so I’m not too surprised there.
So, something like the Jones Dream Catcher or Jones Mountain Twin would be a step up in harder conditions (IMO) or the Rossi Frenemy would be better again. Another option is the YES Hel Yes, which is very good in hard/icy conditions. These would also work well in powder. Going for something hybrid camber (camber between/under the feet and rocker towards tip and tail) would be a good way to go for you, IMO. You get the benefits of camber, but a bit more in terms of float in powder compared to a fully cambered board.
Another good option (which is a little different in that it’s camber to to tip and tail and rocker between the feet) would be the Never Summer Aura.
In terms of size, I’d say something around 144 would be a good size for you, give or take. So for the boards mentioned, I would say:
~ Jones Mountain 143
~ Jones Dream Catcher 148 (only because that’s the shortest size they do that board in (though the 2019 model will have shorter sizes). This is also a board that you can ride a little longer, but 148 might be a little too long. I believe they are going to be doing a 145 (but can’t confirm as I don’t have my catalog in front of me at the moment) for the 2019 model, which would be a good size for this board for you
~ Rossignol Frenemy 144
~ YES Hel Yes 146 (this is the shortest size it comes in)
~ Never Summer Aura 143 (one plus of this option for you, is that it’s the narrowest and would suit your foot size the most)
Hope this helps and gives you some options
Thanks so much for getting back to me. Your reply gave me some great options and pretty much confirmed what I thought about the V-Rocker Feelgood. I’m glad it’s just not me.
Thanks again!!
You’re very welcome Janelle.
Let me know what you go with in the end.
By the Jones Mountain, are you meaning the Twin Sister?
I think I might be tossing up between that and the Rossi. The Hell Yes sounds great but I am thinking it may be a bit long for me (although I used to ride a Salomon back in the early 2000’s that was a 146. Not sure I want to go back there or not.)
Oooh tough decisions
Thanks Nate
Hi Janelle
Ooops, yes I meant Twin Sister! I always mix up Mountain Twin and Twin Sister (Mountain Twin being the equivalent men’s board).
Hi Nate,
I bit the bullet today and purchased a 2019 145cm Dream Catcher. My only hope is that I should not have got the 142cm, given my height. I know that weight plays a big part in choosing the correct size as well.
Thanks so much for the advice.
Hi Janelle
Exciting!
The 142 Dream Catcher would be ok for you, but I think the 145 is the best size for you. The Dream Catcher has a relatively small effective edge compared to overall length, so it’s more like riding a 143 for a lot of other boards anyway. E.g. Aura 143 has 110cm effective edge and Frenemy 144 has 108 effective edge. And the effective edge is what you are going to feel whilst riding – it’s only in powder that the extra length will count (which is where extra length is good anyway).
If you think of it at the time, let me know how you get on, once you’ve had a chance to get it on snow
Will let you know for sure!
I’m now thinking of bindings. I currently have an old pair of Burton Escapades.
What would you suggest?
Thanks again
Hi Janelle
If your escapades are still in good condition, then they should work fine with those boards mentioned. But if you are looking to replace them, then something from one of the following lists would be a good bet, IMO, for those boards.
>>Top Women’s All-Mountain Bindings
>>Top Women’s Freeride Bindings
Hope this gives you some options
Hi Nate,
You’re a champ. I’ll take a look. Thanks for all of your articles and reviews. They’re great.
Thanks
You’re very welcome Janelle!
I was looking at the Twin Sister and it seems like its score is 73%, not 89%, which would put it at the bottom of the list, IF it makes it. Unless there was a mistake in the rating. This board caught my eye and I can’t seem to find too many customer reviews. I found it in store at 30% off, I think it would fit me according to the specs. Is there a mistake in the ratings? I hope there is ! Thanks for your answer 🙂
Hi Maude
Yes, the rating system is normalized. It’s a little bit complicated (but so are snowboards!). The total scores for each category of board are normalized based on the scores in that particular category. In the case of women’s all-mountain, they are normalized to 82. Which basically means that the total score added up is divided by 82 and multiplied by 100.
The main reason this is done is that a score like 73/100 wouldn’t sound very good and wouldn’t accurately represent how good the board is at doing what it does. This is the particularly the case for all-mountain boards, which don’t tend to score big in any one category because they are designed to be good at a bit of everything. More specialized boards tend to have a smaller normalization number (which makes the final score closer to the raw score) because they might get 5/5 in some categories – and the rating system is more weighted towards certain categories – whereas for all-mountain boards, the weightings are spread quite equally across all performance categories (which reflects that they are boards that are good at doing a bit of everything).
Hope this makes sense! But if it doesn’t, the Twin Sister essentially received the best score of all the all-mountain boards that I rated. 73/100 was the highest raw score.
Hi Nate !
Thanks for your explanation, It makes sense now. I saw the Twin Sister and fell in love with its design last weekend. I thought to myself that one can’t buy a board because it’s pretty, but it stayed in my head. It looked a bit long for me, I’m just 5’3” tall (160 cm) but I weight close to 170 pounds. According to Jones website, by weight, I should go for a 155. Then I found this website that gives an idea taking into account height and weight :
https://whitelines.com/snowboard-gear/before-you-buy/how-to-choose-your-snowboard-size.html#FMaExP6Uu6DFyyP8.97
According to this website, once again I should go for something in the 156-158 range.
I started learning March 11th , I’ve been 11 times so far. My board is 145cm, its a flow that was rented 3 years until I got it. I would consider myself an intermediate level 4 according to an earlier article you wrote.
Long story short, I bought the Twin Sister in the only size they had left (152cm) for a good price I believe (350$). Do you think this is a good move? I spoke to the seller at BasinSports and she was encouraging me to get the Never Summer Proto 2 (148cm) instead. She was really enthusiastic about that one, putting emphasis on the fact that the deeper heelside sidecut was helping a lot making it as easy on your heelside as on your toeside.
Any thoughts?
Thank you!
Hi Maude
In terms of size I would say you are spot on with the 152. I would put you at around 153cm give or take, so 152 is just right, IMO, as an intermediate rider. The 155 would be a touch too long, IMO, and whilst the 149 would probably be the better size for you as a beginner, I think the 152 is something that you can ride forever, whereas the 149 is probably something you would have wanted to size up a bit from at some stage if you went for that. But year, IMO, the 155 would be too long for you.
This is my take on length sizing:
https://snowboardingprofiles.com/choosing-snowboard-length-how-to-make-sure-you-get-it-right
I think the 145 wasn’t a bad choice to begin with as it’s easier to learn on a smaller board. But something around 151, 152 is a better bet as you progress, IMO. That would be the other thing with going 155 – you would have had to adjust to a 10cm difference which would have been a huge adjustment. As it is you’re adding 7cm which will take a little to get used to.
The Proto Type Two is something you can actually ride a little smaller (as the effective edge compared to overall length is quite long compared to a lot of boards). E.g the 148 PT2 has a 114cm effective edge compared with the 113.4cm effective edge on the Twin Sister 152. So the longer 152 Twin Sister actually has a smaller effective edge than the 148 PT2. So for the PT2, I would agree that the 148 would be the better size for you, for that particular board. The PT2 is what I would consider an all-mountain-freestyle board and is something you would typically, IMO, size down for a little bit. The Twin Sister is what I would consider an all-mountain board.
The PT2 is an asym board – it has an asymmetrical side cut. So the side cut on the heel edge is deeper than it is on the toe edge. I personally like asym boards, but not everyone does. There are a few going around these days. It’s not a deal breaker, IMO, but I do enjoy it for certain boards.
If you like the sound of the PT2, then it is a great board – but so is the Twin Sister. They are slightly different in what they’re good at too. If you want to check out my Top 5 All-Mountain-Freestyle snowboards at the link below, you can see how the Twin Sister compares (IMO) to the PT2. The main things are that the Twin Sister is better for riding powder and the Proto Type Two is better for jumps and riding switch. The PT2 also has the advantage of that asym side cut, which helps it to be a better carver, IMO.
>>My Top 5 Women’s All-Mountain Freestyle Snowboards
Hope this helps
Thank you so much for your detailed response !
I chose the Twin Sister in the end.
I went to pick it up and showed it to a friend of mine who is an avid snowboarder. I found out he rides a Proto and he was in love with it. It made me question my decision a bit, but I think I will have fun with mine too. My friend is definitely an advanced rider and he was describing the Proto as a quiver killer.
I’m riding on the East Coast and hoping to put a lot of time in next season. I want to be able to do tree rides and enjoy powder. Jumps probably more on the trails than in the park. I’m not there yet anyways, but I can’t wait to try this new board.
Your advice was very appreciated. I will have to look for bindings, if you have any recommendations, I’m all ears.
Thanks again!
Maude
Hi Maude
You’re very welcome, and thanks for the follow up.
In terms of bindings, I would check out the following links:
>>Top Women’s All-Mountain Bindings
>>Top Women’s Freeride Bindings
Anything from there would work with the Twin Sister, IMO. Just note that if you go for Burton bindings to get the “Re:flex” model as the “EST” model will only mount to Burton boards.
Hope this gives you some options
Hi Nate! I’m 4′ 10″, 97lbs and this was my first season riding. Looking for a beginner board to learn how to link turns and just cruise down groomed runs (maybe even carve?). I bought a pass for next season and really want to progress.
Currently have:
32 Lashed double boa, size 5
Union Rosa bindings, size small (2016)
Any suggestions? I live in California if that helps.
Hi Cy
Thanks for your message.
First of all, in terms of length, I would say that something around 136 would be a good length for your specs, if you were an advanced rider. As a beginner it’s a good idea to take off a bit of length (roughly 3-5cm) so something areound 131 to 133 would be a good range to look at. That would mean looking at a youth sized board, as women’s boards don’t come in that short. There are some that come in a 136, so if you were really keen to get a women’s board rather than a youth board, then there are options (check out link below):
>>My Top 10 Women’s Beginner Snowboards
But yeah, I would say try to go for something a little shorter as it will make progression easier/faster for you, initially.
Also, in terms of width, with size 5s, going for a youth board would allow you to get on something narrower. A lot of women’s boards will be a little too wide for size 5s, IMO.
That said, unfortunately I’m no expert on youth boards but these are some options that would be beginner friendly (based on specs) and in a good size range.
~ YES Fun Inc 133
~ Never Summer Starlet 130
~ K2 Kandi 134
~ Rome Royal Girls 134
~ Burton Deja Vu Smalls 130 (or 134)
~ Roxy Inspire 134
Like I say, I don’t have too much experience with youth boards but these would be good options in terms of being beginner friendly and also in a good size. But yeah if you really wanted to go Women’s I’d totally get that, and in that case try to find something no longer than 136, IMO.
Hope this helps
Hi Nate,
Thank you for the reviews! I found them all super useful. May I ask for some advice when choosing btw Never summer proto type 2 and Salomon wonder? I am an intermediate & light weight (103lb), looking to learn some tricks. Which board do you recommend? Which is more stable/catch free? Thank you!
Hi Vanessa
Thanks for your message.
Overall I would recommend the Proto Type Two. But these are 2 slightly different boards.
The Wonder is more all-mountain oriented and the Proto Type Two more freestyle oriented (what I class as all-mountain-freestyle).
The Wonder has a small setback (10mm) and a directional twin shape (nose slightly longer than the tail) whereas the Proto Type Two is a true twin (or an asym twin to be more precise as it has a tighter sidecut on the heel side compared with the toe side), with a centered stance.
In terms of being catch-free, neither are the most catchy or the most un-catchy either. But I’d say that the Proto Type 2 would be the least of the 2. It’s pretty easy to skid your turns on and should be fine for an intermediate level rider. The Wonder would be fine too, but maybe just a little easier to catch an edge on. Both boards are quite stable.
Given that you’re looking to learn tricks, then I think the Proto Type Two would be the best pick for you. If you’d like a size recommendation, as it’s also important to get the size right, if you could just let me know your height and boot size (already have your weight from your post above), then I’d be happy to give you my opinion on the right size for you.
Hope this helps