Below I have selected my top 10 for the best freestyle snowboards for the 2019/20 season.
As per tradition here at SnowboardingProfiles.com, the boards will each get a rating out of 100.
In compiling this list I rated 38 different freestyle/park boards:
Prices have not been considered in the scores unless 2 boards have the same score, then the cheaper board gets the higher place.
O.k. here’s the top 10!
FREESTYLE BOARD #10
Board: Arbor Westmark Camber
- US
- CANADA
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.
Check out the video for more about the Westmark Camber
Score Breakdown for the Westmark Camber
RATING | Contribution to Final Score | |
|---|---|---|
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
- US
- CANADA
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.
Check out the video for more about the Ultrafear
RATING | Contribution to Final Score | |
|---|---|---|
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
- US
- CANADA
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.
Check out the video for more about the Dipstick
Score Breakdown for the Dipstick
RATING | Contribution to Final Score | |
|---|---|---|
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
- US
- CANADA
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.
Check out the video for more about the Basic
Score Breakdown for the Basic
RATING | Contribution to Final Score | |
|---|---|---|
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
- US
- CANADA
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.
Check out the video for more about the Skate Banana
Score Breakdown for the Skate Banana
RATING | Contribution to Final Score | |
|---|---|---|
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
- US
- CANADA
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.
Check out the video for more on the Happy Place
Score Breakdown for the Happy Place
RATING | Contribution to Final Score | |
|---|---|---|
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
- US
- CANADA
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.
Check out the video for more about the Paramount
Score Breakdown for the Paramount
RATING | Contribution to Final Score | |
|---|---|---|
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
- US
- CANADA
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.
Check out the video for more on the Pioneer
Score Breakdown for the Pioneer
RATING | Contribution to Final Score | |
|---|---|---|
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
- US
- CANADA
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!
Check out the video for more on the Jackpot
Score Breakdown for the Jackpot
RATING | Contribution to Final Score | |
|---|---|---|
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
- US
- CANADA
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.
Check out the video for more on the Funslinger
Score Breakdown for the Funslinger
RATING | Contribution to Final Score | |
|---|---|---|
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.
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 where available to see Snowboarding Profile’s more detailed reviews.
Hey!
I am interested in getting a new park board for this season. My current board is a 158 Capita, true twin, All-terrain camber V3 Profile with a 5 flex rating. I personally think it is too stiff and honestly hard to whip around and maneuver. I am 190lb and 6ft with an 11.5 boot size. I want a board that is soft and something I can really work the park with. Small-Medium jumps but mostly rails and jibs. I am sorta all over the place in terms of what board to get. Im looking at the Lib Tech Skate Banana BTX 156W, the Capita Ultrafear in 155W, Never Summer Funslinger 157W, Slash Happy Place 155W. Like I said I would like something shorter but wide enough for my 11.5 boot. Hope you can take these variables into account and help push me in the right direction!
-Steve
Hi Steven
Thanks for your direction. So it sounds like you have the Outerspace Living in the 158, from what you’re describing.
Any of the options you’re looking at are certainly going to be softer flexing – not by a massive amount (IMO), but enough to certainly notice it.
It’s hard to go past the Funslinger, since it’s such a sick board. But if you’re looking to go shorter/smaller, then the 157’s not really going that much smaller than the 158 you have now. However, if you wanted that really playful board that’s super easy to whip around, then you could look at even going 154W for the Funslinger. Assuming you’ll be riding it with +15/-15 angles (which is recommended for an asym like the Funslinger), then I think it will still be wide enough. And assuming you haven’t had any issues with your 158 OSL width-wise, then it’s going to be a little wider than that is, so you’ve got some leeway there. Ordinarily I wouldn’t recommend that short for your specs, mostly because it’s not going to feel very stable at speed, but if you’re using it as your dedicated park board and are mostly jibbing/small-medium jumps, I think it could work.
Happy Place 155W a great option too, from what you’re describing. Width-wise is borderline, like the Funslinger in the 154W, but I’d say you should be fine.
Skate Banana 156W would certainly be wide enough and great for jibs, in my experience with it. Not as good for jumps, I’ve found personally – there’s only a very subtle amount of camber in the profile. Width should be all good on this one too.
Capita Ultrafear in 155W again would certainly work for what you’re describing – like the Skate Banana is better for jibs than jumps. Width-wise fine too.
I’d say to maximize for jibs/rails, then the Skate Banana or Ultrafear, but if you’re wanting something better for jumps, but still really jib friendly, then the Happy Place or Funslinger would be your best bets. The Funslinger, IMO, will feel the softest/most buttery out of the 4.
Hope this gives you more to go off for your decision
Hi Nate.
What do you think about the Bataleon Global warmer? It have alot of positiv reviews, but what do you think about it?
Hi Martin
Thanks for your message.
Unfortunately I don’t currently test Bataleon gear so I can’t really comment no it. Specs-wise it certainly looks like it would fit this category, but having no experience with it, I have no opinion on how it rides.
Hi Nate,
Great reviews. I have a Burton Trickpony (2018) and SB Slushslasher. What do you think will be a good board to complement them?
Hi Damian
Thanks for your message.
Depends on what you’re wanting the freestyle board. If you want to be doing a lot of butters, jibs, flat-land tricks small spins/jumps etc, then something like the Ultrafear, Skate Banana, Happy Place or Funslinger would be your best bets, IMO. If you want something that’s a bit more aggressive then something like the Kilroy Process (renamed Kilroy Twin for 2020), Paramount, Westmark or Space Case (no 2020 model, but the new GNU Finest looks to be a pretty close replacement). Something kind of in between, then the Knew, Jackpot and Funslinger (on the playful side, but can also be a bit more aggressive).
If you’re for the biggest contrast vs something like the Trickpony, then I think one of those more buttery/jibby options would go well.
Hope this gives you more to go off
Greetings. 5’10” 185 lbs size 11 boot. Looking to pick up the Funslinger. Plan to use it as an all-mountain freestyle board. Would you recommend the 154X, 25.8 waist 117 edge or the 157X, 26.2 waist 120 edge? Do you think there is a noticeable difference between the 2 sizes when it comes to speed and powder? Thanks for the information.
Hi Sam
Thanks for your message. For your specs, and given you want to use it as an all-mtn-freestyle board, I would say go 157X. Overall I think that’s going to be the best size for you. If you were going to be predominantly using it in the park, then the 154X could come into play – but I wouldn’t go that short with your specs, if you’re looking to also ride the mountain a fair bit. For speed and powder the 157X will be noticeably better than the 154X, IMO.
Hope this helps
Hey Nate,
I’d say I’m an intermediate rider looking to progress into park. I’ve been eyeing the Never summer Funslinger and the Yes The Greats boards. Sounds like the Funslinger for more park oriented and Greats for more versatility? I’m currently riding a 162 Burton Process Flying V, which is probably a bit big for me (first board). What would you recommend size wise for these two boards? I’m 5’10” @ 185lbs with US 10 boots.
Thanks in advance!
Hi Justin
Thanks for your message. Definitely, as you say, the Funslinger more park oriented (what I label as freestyle) and the Greats more versatile (what I label as all-mountain-freestyle).
The Greats is better for carving & speed – and better for larger jumps than the Funslinger and a little better in powder too – but still average in powder.
The Funslinger still isn’t a bad little carver for it’s flex. So it is something that you can ride the rest of the mountain on. It’s a better jibber than the Greats too. Gets pretty wobbly when you really open it out at speed but can handle a little speed – just gets a bit sketchy when you really let fly.
The Greats is quite buttery for it’s flex. More so than you’d think it would be but it’s still not as buttery as the Funslinger – which is super buttery – one of the more buttery boards I’ve ridden. Both are great for spinning, but I would say that the Funslinger is just that little bit easier to get around, just being that softer flex.
I’d say for progressing in the park the Funslinger would be the best option – would be easier to learn jumps and jibs in the park on – and is still decent on a carve and has great pop too. The Greats would certainly work too, and gives you more in terms of the rest of the mountain – but just a steeper learning curve in the park.
Size-wise, I would be debating between 154 and 156 for the Greats and 156 or 159 for the Funslinger.
I would say 156 is the best size for the Greats for your specs – that’s the size I ride (6’0″, 185lbs, US10) and we’re similar specs. But the 154 would be doable too – and would just shift it a little more park focused, feel a little softer flexing and sacrifice a little in terms of speed and powder.
The 156 would also be the size I would usually recommend for you for the Funslinger – but that would be as a park focused size – that’s the size I like to ride it in, but I would certainly be doing mostly freestyle riding it. 159 is an option, if you were wanting to make it a little better for speed/powder and use it more as an all-mtn-freestyle option – but for best progression in the park, I’d go 156.
You wouldn’t be disappointed with either – both great boards (I own the Greats and I rode the 2018 Funslinger and recently the 2020 model too). But for the best progression in the park – and still being able to ride the rest of the mountain – just maybe not hard bombing it – I would go 156 Funslinger.
Hope this helps with your decision
Hey Nate, thanks for the quick reply! So I actually was able to get some really good deals and ended up getting both of them (both @ 156) haha. Probably going to run the Funslinger on dedicated park days and the Greats on days where I’m gonna be cruising around with friends. Hopefully there’s not too much overlap.
Thanks for the help!
Hi Justin
You’re very welcome. And awesome that you got a good deal. I wouldn’t say the boards are opposites, but they’re different enough that they’re complimentary in a quiver – and I think using them they way you’re describing is your best bet, too. If you think about it at the time (which might be a good few months away I know), let me know how you get on, once you’ve a chance to ride them.
Hi Nate!
Love these reviews! Wanted your opinion regarding buying a new board. I am an intermediate to advanced all mountain rider currently. I have been riding a k2 raygun the past 2 seasons (hand me down boards before that) and average 40 to 50 days on the mountain. I’ve really just started wanting to play around in the park this season and have been hitting park jumps and boxes in the small park. But my board feels stiff/little pop plus its twin directional. I was considering slash happy place or kilroy as I really want to start getting more into park during spring riding and I want to focus on switch, jumps, and boxes to start and I also want something I can progress on. Wanted to know your opinion on these or any other boards worth considering.
Thanks
Scott
Hi Scott
Thanks for your message.
If this is going to be your dedicated freestyle/park board, then I think the Happy Place is probably your best bet. Just because it’s a little better for jibs – and it sounds like you want to get into all round park and not just the jump line. The Happy Place will be an easier learning curve too – a bit more playful.
The Kilroy Process has more pop, and overall a little better for jumps – if you were focusing mainly on jumps and if you were looking for something that you can lay down some carves on outside the park, then this might be worth considering instead. But not like you can’t ride the Happy Place outside the park of course – just that it’s a more playful ride and not as adept for speed or carving.
Hope this helps with your decision
Hey Nate,
I’m really interested in your opinion about “Never Summer Peacemaker”.
Thanks in advance for the answer.
Andrey
Hi Andrey
Thanks for your message.
I only rode the Peacemaker for the first time this season (2020 model) – but I really enjoyed it.
It’s a really soft flexing board – one of the softer flexing. Feels even softer than I remember the Funslinger, but probably similar flex. It’s got the “blower stance” which allows you to setback more than you can on the Funslinger – so if you want a freestyle board that’s better in powder, it’s got that (I didn’t try it in the blower stance – nor did I have much powder on the day I rode it, but I imagine it would be a surfy playful kind of ride in powder).
Overall I found it super easy to butter, great for spins, ultra nimble, great pop and overall felt snappy and lively. Good for jibs too. Got pretty wobbly at speed, even medium speeds and not that great on an aggressive carve. Also for approach and landings on bigger jumps, it can feel a bit wobbly. But great for ollies, smaller jumps and small side hits.
Hope this helps
Hi Nate,
Thanks for the answer.
Wish you all the best.
You’re very welcome Andrey. Happy riding!
Hey Nate,
I’ve been testing out a few of the boards on your list. I got a change to ride the Proto Type 2 and Funslinger. Had a lot of fun on both, but prefer the funslinger. I can’t find any sizing information on the never summer website.
I’m 6 foot, 195 pounds, and wear a size 10 ride boot. This board is mainly for riding switch, jumping side hits, and learning a few freestyle tricks. I’ve got a different board for charging, carving, riding trees, and powder.
What size funslinger would you put me on? Also, what size space case would you recommend?
Thanks Nate!
Hi John
Thanks for your message.
I would say probably 159 for both Funslinger and Space Case. But since you have another board and would be using this one predominantly for freestyle, you could ride the 156 of either too – if you wanted a really playful, freestyle feel from them. And it would depend on the size of your other board too. For a better compliment to your other board, you might want to err on the shorter side and that makes the 156s more attractive in that respect.
Hope this helps with your decision
Thanks for the feedback, Nate. I think I’m going to get the funslinger. Boots are actually 10.5 Is that still safe for the 156? Any reason to consider the wide version of the snowboard for my boot size and weight?
Hi John
Certainly pushing it more with 10.5s, but if you ride with +15/-15 on that board (which that, or similar like +12-12, is recommended for an asym board like the Funslinger) and you’re not planning on doing any super aggressive carves on it, I think you’d still be fine if you went with the 156.
But you could look at the wide version too (157X). The advantages of going wider are that you get a wider more stable landing platform (and more float in powder – but for the purposes of this board it’s more the landing platform that we’re concerned with) and would be more leeway for doing deeper carves. The disadvantage is that if it’s too wide, then it can make it harder to initiate turns, affecting the edge-to-edge speed of the board. I think with 10.5s, and at your weight on the 157X that that wouldn’t too big an issue, but that’s the biggest downside of going wide. I would predict the 156 to be roughly 260 to 262mm at the inserts – which is certainly on the narrow side for 10.5s, but doable depending. On the 157X I would predict that to be more like 269 to 271mm at the inserts.
Hope this gives you more to go off
Hi Nate, I saw this post in search of a new snowboard for me (trying to find something for freestyle in parks and for powder) I really like the look of the Niche Knew and the Arbor Westmark (btw are they available in the EU?) I’ve been snowboarding for three years, (I’m 13 now almost 14), would you be able to recommend me something, I wouldn’t like to make the wrong choice since these boards aren’t really cheap… Thanks in advance
-Max
Hi Max
Thanks for your message.
Most of these boards are great for powder – but if you’re willing to work hard in there, keeping the nose up, then they can work.
Not sure about availability in the EU, unfortunately, but you could check out Blue Tomato (a European online store that has a good range).
Size is also an important factor, for picking the right board. If you’d like my opinion on a good size for you, if you could let me know your height, weight and boot size.
Hope this helps
Hi Nate! Thanks for reply on boots reviews!
This is the main question. I bought last year the board Rossi one lf 153. I’m 174cm and 60kg and 9.5US on vans infuse and low power on legs. Last year I learn a lot but so hard to flow well.
This year i go to test a diferent board, and I test a GNU carbon credit 153cm 2017 no asym and a C2 mervin based middle flex.
First i test the C2 and is a litlle more easy than my rossi but still cacthy and without power to move correctly, later test Carbon 153 and seem a lot better with BTX shape, less chacthy and better flex BUT still to hard for me, The board still riding me. After 2h i’m tired with no power, and impossible to ride ok.
So my question is, I’m Looking for a Carbon credit 150 or 147 ASYM (I think 150 is for me like a all mountain board and 147 the natural flex for my size,weight and power) and I have a little of fear to small o to much flex, but I think is the best option. And the other option is Skate banana 148N or 145N and is a litlle more hard than carbon credit.
You feel more a size down on a board or a 1 point flex down in flex? After all this research, I think if some day like to buy a more hard board, i go to womens mind expander or similar, because the normal sizes, are too much for me.
thanks
Hi RST
Thanks for your message.
For your specs, I would usually say around 151cm for an all-mountain board, assuming an advanced level. For the Rossignol One, the shortest is 153, so best option for that board, but probably still too long. But if you’re riding more freestyle and/or are more intermediate level, then sizing down from there is a good idea. Also since you describe yourself as someone who doesn’t necessarily have a lot of power, then going shorter will also help there.
So, I would be leaning towards 147 for you, because of those things. You could certainly ride the 150, and you would see some difference to the 153 for sure, but I would be leaning towards 147 at this stage. The only thing is the width. The 147 Carbon Credit Asym only has a 242mm waist width. Usually I would say that’s too narrow for 9.5s. But if you ride with binding angles like +15/-15 (which I would recommend anyway for an asym board) and since you have low profile boots, I think you could get away with the width on it, assuming you’re not going to be doing any really hard carves on it, like Euro carves.
For the Skate Banana I would go 148N. I think the 145N is getting too short and also too narrow even given all the things mentioned above.
So yeah I would go 147 Carbon Credit Asym, first choice. Then the 150 Carbon Credit and 148N Skate Banana.
Hope this helps with your decision
I like the answer! and yes is for learn some freestyle arount the mountain, butters, jumping , test some jibbing and go on pow around the slopes and trees, and stable at normal speed, not racing speed. With my test on gnu carbon credit 153 make all this things correct, without any strange movements.
I ride normally +15 /-3 or-6, for twin is possible to run +9/-9 or smilar, never i like +15/-15 🙂
Paired with union strata is good or like contact pro?
You thing vans infuse is too much for this board? (I run without inserts)
thanks Nate
Hi RST
You could probably get away with something like +9/-9. Doesn’t have to be +15/-15 on asym, but a mirror duck is preferable. Only reason I suggest more angle is because of the width being marginal. Have you tried +12/-12? Would just give you a bit more leeway in terms of width, though only a very small amount, so you might get away with +9/-9.
I would go Contact Pro for the Carbon Credit Asym. I think it would be a better match for the board and for you, IMO.
The Infuse are quite stiff for the overall setup. Even without the tongue inserts, I would say the flex is around 6/10. But if you’re used to them, then going with stiffer boots, in a softer setup is fine. I wouldn’t do it the other way around (6/10 board with 3/10 boots) but that way around is doable, assuming your comfortable with the flex of the boots in the first place.
Perfect I go to 147 carbon credit!
Yes vans infuse are confortable, some times, on my hard board a little of pain, but the foot are making a lot of pressure to control de board, with the gnu I test, seems no pain.
Is possible I test to sell my boots, this or next season.
For boards like gnu carbon or possible a mind expander 146 for women, a medium flex board is good with 4/5 stiffness boots no?
The minium footprint for 275 MP, narrow akles and narrow foot in medium flex… i think… Vans hi standard pro , aura pro are good right? and for adidas, the tactical adv i think is hard like my infuse, which from adidas?
If my future are narrow boards, i need the shortest footprint
I like the hold held on my infuse. I test thirtytwo TM3 on a shop, and feel instantly with pain on my base of foot.
This is the last answer, sorry for long discussion, you are a open book, thanks
Hi RST
With narrow feet and ankles, I think sticking with Vans is a good idea. And if you wanted to go with a slightly softer flexing Vans in the future, then the Aura Pro would be a good bet, IMO. Adidas tend to be on the wider side in the toe box, which might not be as good a fit for you. If you did go Adidas, the Samba (5/10) flex would be a good bet, but it’s not that much shorter than the Aura Pro, and might not be as good a fit or heel hold for you. But I would definitely see how you go with that setup with the Infuse first, to see how that feels for you.
My height is 6’2. Do you think the 156 will be too much of a noodle at my weight? This will be my play around board that will be mainly focusing on trying to learn butters, jumps, flatland tricks and some park as I already have an all mountain.
Thanks Nate.
Hi Nate,
Love this website!
I’m looking for a playful freestyle deck that I can ride playful around the mountain and practise in the park. Even though I’ve been snowboarding for many years I would say I’m a beginner at freestyle. I want a board that I can progress working on s/m jumps, butters etc.
I have my eyes on the funslinger. Would this be a good option for me?
My stats
9.5uk
210lbs
I’m thinking 156?
Many thanks,
Luke
Hi Luke
Thanks for your message.
I think the Funslinger would be a good option for what you’re describing, IMO.
Size wise, I would be weighing up between 156 and 159. Based solely on weight, I would be looking at the 159, but if you can let me know your height as well, that would help to make a more accurate sizing recommendation.
Hope this helps
Or there’s the 154X option but I guess that will be too small?
Hi Luke
Yeah, I think the 154X would be too small. If you were going to go wide, then the 157X would probably be the better option, but with Tactical ADV 10s, it’s wider than ideal, IMO.
Based on your specs, I would be leaning towards 159. But given that you already have an all-mountain board, I think the 156 could work. What size is your all-mountain? If it’s around 160, 161, then I would go 156 Funslinger and 164 Flagship (as per your other comment). And that would be a good range of different boards for your quiver and a good range of sizes. The 156 Funsligner would certainly feel very soft and playful, so wouldn’t work that well for riding at speed and for really big jumps, but for playful riding you could get away with it. But if you would be wanting to hit bigger jumps and if you wanted to still carve the groomers a bit on it, then I would go 159.
Hope this helps
Hi Nate,
Thank you so much for the great review. After reading, i have decided to buy a NS Funslinger. I am having a hard time deciding what size of board to go with. I am 5’10”(178cm), 175lbs(80kg) and 9.5 foot size. I am learning buttering tricks and love it so much. Will do little bit jibbing, but mostly buttering on the groomer and carving as well. I don’t know if i should get a 153 or 156. Thanks again for your great review!
Best,
Z
Hi Z
Thanks for your message.
Both of those sizes are definitely options for you. If you want it really buttery, and want your riding super playful and really easy maneuverability at slower speeds,and are going to be mostly riding the park, then the 153 would be a good choice for you, IMO.
But the 156 will offer more stability at speed and better carving ability. It’s still going to be a playful board for you at that length and will still be really nice to butter, but those things would be accentuated in the 153.
If you think you’ll be doing a fair amount of carving, then I would go 156. But if buttering tricks and the most playful ride is what you’re after, then 153.
Both sizes will be a good fit for your boot size, IMO.
Hope this helps with your decision.
Thank you so much for your reply. This is super helpful.
Do you have any recommendations on bindings and boots? Thanks Nate.
Happy Holidays!
Hi Zihang
I would check out the following for some options for bindings and boots. If you have any questions regarding any of them, let me know.
>>Top 5 All Freestyle Bindings
>>My Top Freestyle (medium flex) Snowboard Boots
Hi Nate,
I’m 6’2″, 187lbs with shoe size 11. I’m considering getting a NS Funslinger. Would you recommend size 159? Thanks.
Hi George
Thanks for your message.
For your specs, for the funslinger, assuming you’ll be using it for mostly freestyle riding, I think the 159 would be a good size. And should be fine width-wise for 11s, assuming you use binding angles something like +15/-15 or +12/-12 (which is recommended for this board anyway as it’s an asym).
But you could also ride the 157X, if you wanted to go a little wider/shorter.
Either one would work, IMO.
Hope this helps
Hi Nate,
I can get a good deal on a old rider’s choice from the 2016/2017 collection but i dont know which size to take.
Im 6’2, 165Lbs and got a foot size 11.
I will mostly go down from the slopes like touring but i want to do more little jumps next to the slopes. Next to that I want to learn to jump in the funpark starting with the smaller jumps.
There is a 154cm, 157.5 and a 162W.
Which one do you recommend?
Thanks in advance <3
Cheers Sander
Hi Sander
Thanks for your message.
In terms of length, I would say something in the range between 156 and 160, for your specs and ability and for this style of board.
Width-wise, for your boot size I would say to look at something in the range of 254 to 264 in terms of waist width, if you have a reasonably angled back binding (i.e. 12-15 degrees) and between 261mm to 266mm at the waist, if you ride with a fairly straight back binding angle (i.e. 0-3 degrees). Add a couple of mms if you like to carve deep and take off a couple off mm if you have low profile boots (e.g. Adidas, Burton, Ride and Vans).
The Rider’s choice is an asym board so it’s recommended to ride with a mirror duck stance (e.g. +15/-15) – so if you followed that recommendation, then the 157.5cm would be fine in terms of the width. It’s also the best length of the 3 for you, IMO.
Hope this helps
Thanks for your great technical advice. Thanks to lessons, I’m a solid carver, but now want a dedicated board for practicing freestyle with focus on switch, buttering, Ollies and S/M jumps. I will use some of the boxes, but hard core jibbing isn’t my thing – want to take these skills to outside the park for future All Mountain Freestyle….
As a NS past owner, your reviews helped, but my question is geared to my current and future board size choices as I move to more All Mountain Freestyle and a dedicated freestyle board for practice/learning. Early on I always wanted to bomb and went with “longer is better”, now, I’m focused on getting very deep in carving and want to add natural jumping, Ollies, Buttering switch to all mountain riding….
I own all wide boards at an 11″ boot, just what I was always “told I needed”…so my question refers to your analysis on board brand vs boot size impacted by biding angles,
I own the NS West 160X (wide) – my carver board. Max Angles used are +27/+15 (21/12 min). Board Feels great!
I was just gifted a 158X (wide) NS Prototype Two. I assume my All Mountain freestyle angles will settle around +15/-6 (?) moving the rear toward zero with skill(?). Seems like from your reviews and others, this WILL BE my All Mountain Freestyle go to board as skills are mastered. Would you have gone/did I need a wide?
I had planned to pick up a more flexible dedicated freestyle board to train on in park and for lots of buttering, switch, ollies, beginner jumps; Based on your reviews, I can stay in the never summer family with the NS Funslinger. Angles I assume will be +15/-15 to 15/-6. Still stay X (Wide/Length)??
My boot is 11, bindings are L Malla Vitas (will be using B. Step Ons in all mountain next year after a really good test last week), Weight 178-182 out of shower. 6′.
My question is, are these board lengths spot on? For freestyle dedicated work/board, should I stick to the 158-160 wide approximate board?
Thanks!
Hi Drew
Thanks for your message.
In terms of width, with 11s, often a wide is needed but not always. It largely depends on binding angles. With a reasonable angled back bindings (e.g. 12-15 degrees), then I’d say that you could get down to a 254mm waist width roughly (of course waist width doesn’t always mean the same width at the inserts, which is why I say roughly). And around that width will sometimes allow you to get on a regular width. With a very straight back foot (e.g. 0-3 degrees) then I’d say you’re looking at at least 260mm at the waist. So in that case that will nearly always mean a “wide” board. So, the safe bet is to go wide, but there are occasions where you would get onto a regular board.
Low profile boots can also give you a bit more leeway in terms of going narrower (Adidas, Burton, Ride and Vans tend to be the best in that area). With boots like that I think you could get on the 157 Proto Type Two ok, with angles like +15/-15. But otherwise the 158X is the better size for that board. Awesome gift by the way!
For a freestyle board like the Funslinger, I would go shorter again, especially if you want to progress as fast as possible with it for your freestyle stuff. And given that you have other boards, going shorter will make your freestyle progression faster. The 156 is an option there – again, with low profile boots and +15/-15 (which I would recommend for that board) you could get on that narrower size. But if you were worried about fitting on it width wise you could go for the 157X. I wouldn’t go any longer than that for your freestyle board. The advantage of going for the wider option is that you do get a more stable landing surface for landing jumps etc – you would just get a bit edge-to-edge speed on the narrower option.
Note that the Funslinger and the Proto Type Two are what are known as Asymmetrical boards – the heel-edge sidecut is different to the toe-edge sidecut. So it’s usually recommended to use a “mirror duck stance” on these boards – something like +15/-15. This isn’t like hard and fast but that’s what’s recommended – I’ve ridden asym boards with a not quite mirror duck stance in the past and it doesn’t feel super weird or anything – certainly doable but just so you know that that’s what’s recommended.
Hope this helps with your decision
Hello Nate,
I enjoyed reading your reviews on the boards on your list and I found them really informative.
I’m looking to purchase my first board, as I’ve just been renting from local shops on my trips.
I’m 5’11, weigh ~120lbs, and wear size 8.5 boots.
I was able to borrow a friends Never Summer Funslinger (size 156) and I thought it really fun to ride.
Do you think I should get a board in the same size or should I go smaller or bigger? I’m not too sure what size I should get.
Thanks for any advice
Hi Mike
Thanks for your message.
I think the 151 would actually be the best size for the Funslinger for you – for your weight, that would be a better match – and a better match for your boots too, IMO.
I would almost actually say that the 149 because of your weight or even the 146 would work, but for a couple of reasons, the 151 might be better. Firstly, 146/149 is getting quite small for 5’11” and secondly, because you enjoyed the 156, you might have a preference for something a little longer. I would usually say around 151, 152 for you for an all-mountain board – and I would usually say shorter for a freestyle board like this (or shorter if you were a beginner) but in this case, based on your experience with the 156, I think sticking with something around that 151 mark is a good way to go. If you really think you’d prefer longer than that, then you could go 153. But on balance I think the 151 is the best bet for you.
Hope this helps
Hello nate and thank you for your response.
I’m still in the market on a board to get and was thinking about the GNU Space case as well. Would you still recommend the same sizes (149/152)?
Also as for bindings, how would the K2 Lien FS work with the board, would you suggest something else?
Hi Mike
For the Space Case I would go for the 150 for you. I would even consider the 147 – but like with the Funslinger, based on your experience with the 156 – I think the 150 would be the best on balance, but at 120lbs, I probably wouldn’t go any longer than that for the Space Case. Note as well that the Space Case is a stiffer board than the Funslinger – so it’s a little more of a challenging ride.
The Lien FS would be a great match for the Funslinger, IMO, but for the Space Case, I would go with bindings that are a little stiffer. If you wanted something like the Lien FS, but stiffer, there’s also the Lien AT, which would work better on the Space Case, IMO. Or you could check out the following:
>>Top 5 All Freestyle Bindings
>>Top 5 All Mountain Bindings
Hope this helps
Thanks for your responses and help. Instead of K2 lien FS, how do you think the Union forces would do / (compared to the k2 lien AT).
Hi Mike
The Forces would work with the Space Case, IMO.
They are a touch stiffer, in my opinion, and a little more responsive, but not quite as good for board feel. You can check out more details on what I thought of both in the reviews at the links below:
~ Union Force Review
~ K2 Lien AT Review
Hope this helps
Hi Nate,
Just found your site. Really enjoying it. Reading your review of Capita Outer space living made me think it’s the board I’ve been looking for. I do have concern about size as I’m 6’1 at 190lbs and wear DCJudge sz 11.5. I typically ride slight duck stance +15 -9 And prefer a shorter board for my size(157/158). Do you think I can pull off the OSL 158? Or can you recommend something similar. Thanks for your time and great content.
Hi Steve
Thanks for your message.
I think the OSL 158 is going to be a bit narrow for your boot size/binding angles, unfortunately. Even with 15 degrees on the back foot, I think you’d still want to go with a 258mm waist to be safe and with a 9 degree angle, I’d say at least 262mm at the waist. So, even the 160 would be too narrow, IMO. It would be great to see the OSL in wide sizes but unfortunately it doesn’t.
But there are lots of good options for this type of board (the OSL is what I would consider an all-mountain-freestyle board). You can check out the link below for some more options in that category.
>>My Top All-Mountain-Freestyle Snowboards
The Proto Type Two, Greats and Rider’s Choice on that list are all asym boards – and it’s recommended that you go with a mirror duck stance (e.g. +15/-15) on asym boards. You don’t have-to have-to, I’ve ridden without mirror duck on them and it’s not like super weird or anything but that’s something to consider for those.
But something like the Assassin Pro (or the regular Assassin – which is softer/more playful, more freestyle oriented than the pro) in the 157W (261mm waist) would be an option.
If you were ok with your angles on an asym (or willing to switch to mirror duck), then the following sizes:
~ Proto Type Two: 158X (263mm waist)
~ Rider’s Choice: 158W (268mm waist) – though that’s getting quite wide
~ YES Greats: No wide options, unfortunately
Some other options:
Lib Tech TRS: 157MW (260mm waist)
Niche Aether: 159 (262mm waist)
YES Basic: 159W (261mm waist) – though I’d say this is a little softer flexing than the other options we’ve looked at so far
Hope this helps and gives you some more options
Nate,
Thanks for responding. Looking into some of the great options you suggested. I think I settled on Proto Type 2 158x with Union Falcor bindings. IYO will this setup work as a playful setup able to ride all parts of resort. Trees, bowls, groomers and natural jumps? Thanks again for your great work.
Hi Steve
The Falcor’s are a little stiffer – what I’d rate a 7/10. The PT2 is something I’d rate a 5/10. So, they’re not way off in terms of flex, but the Falcor’s are on the stiffer side – they do still have good board feel and flex well with boards – largely because of their mini disc, but they are a very responsive binding – and whilst they’re playful considering their flex, I wouldn’t say they were super playful. But they would work. If you wanted to go a little more playful but stick with Union, and still take advantage of the mini disc, then the Ultra’s (“Ultra” rather than “Ultra FC”) would be a good match, IMO (though, I know they are quite pricey).
But if you’re open brand wise, check out the following, which I think would all be a good match for the PT2:
>>Top 5 All Mountain Bindings
Not to say don’t go with the Falcor’s, but if you’re looking for something a little more on the playful side.
Hope this helps
I’m looking into getting the Rome reverb rocker or the flow era, I want something that rides the whole mountain well, freestyle/park oriented and I want to be able to butter with ease, what board would you recomend if these two? Do you have any other suggestions?
Hi Lachlin
Thanks for your message.
Between these two, I would say the Flow Era would be the best bet, based on what you’re describing. I don’t have experience with the Reverb Rocker but Rome rate it as a 7/10 flex-wise (or more “powerful” than “pressable” on their scale) and it seems to be mostly camber (despite the name Reverb Rocker though I guess it does have more rocker than the full camber version).
I own the 2013 version of the Flow Era and you can definitely butter on it. It’s not the easiest board I’ve buttered on but on the easier end of the scale – but it’s a medium flex, bordering on medium-soft. It’s got camber tip to tail (with some flat transition zones) and has a healthy dose of rocker between the feet.
So yeah, without really knowing how the Reverb Rocker feels to butter, but based on specs, I would say the Era out of those two.
For pressing/buttering I think softer and with rockered tip and tail tends to be easier, but then if you want something that also performs over the whole mountain, then going something like medium flex is a good way to go – and that’s still definitely not too stiff to butter on, IMO.
If you want some more options for some freestyle oriented all-mountain options, check out the list below (note that most in this list tend to be medium-soft and in the list below are more like medium, in terms of flex).
>>My Top All-Mountain-Freestyle Snowboards
Hope this helps
Hey Nate,
I was wondering if you could help me here:
My wight is 143 lbs, Im 182 cm tall and my Boot Size is 11.
I mostly want to Jib and ride in the park and ride powder on powder days
Would the Yes Jackpot 156 be the right choice ?
And if so would you consider buying the 2016-2017 or 2017-2018?
Since the jackpot is a wider board do I don´t need to buy it in wide, do I (because I really dont want to)?
Thanks for responses
Hi Stan
Thanks for your message.
I think the Jackpot would be a good option for you. It’s probably not the easiest to jib with on this list – but still very jib-able, but if you’re a strong jibber, then that won’t be an issue for you. It’s pretty hard to find a board that’s good for the park and good in powder – so you won’t find anything that’s amazing in powder – but as far as freestyle boards go, the Jackpot isn’t bad – so that’s another reason why it’s a good choice for you. I think it strikes a good balance for what you need.
In terms of length, I think the 156 is probably getting a bit long for your weight. At 145lbs, I would say 154 would be better. I know at your height that might seem short – but length sizing is predominantly down to weight. And you can still get out to a 23.6″ stance width on the 154 if you like a wide stance.
In terms of width, I think you will be ok if you have binding angles like +15/-15 or +12-12. If you’re back foot is any straighter, then it might be pushing it. Ordinarily I would say a board with a 251mm waist width (on the 154) or 252mm waist width (on the 156) would be too narrow for 11s. But with the mid-bite tech on the Jackpot, the width is wider at the inserts than it would be on most 251mm waist widthed boards.
So yeah, I don’t think you need to go wide on this particular board, and I think it’s a good board for your needs (I mean ideally, you’d have a separate board for powder but I know that not everyone wants or can get more than one board) but I think 156 is a touch long for your weight. I was on the 154 (183cm, 180lbs) and I actually enjoyed that size. If I was to buy this board I would go 156 though. But for your weight I would at least go down to the 154.
Hope this helps
Hi Nate
Last time I’ll pester I promise.
Sort of narrowed it down a little more
Salomon assassin
Yes jackpot
Gnu riders choice
Really fancy the assassin but wondering if it’ll be too much of a board for me or too stiff. Looking at 155. How will the flex be compared to my brainstorm ?
How does the flex and riding of the yes jackpot and gnu compare to the assassin and the brainstorm ?
Sorry for all the questions, it’s just I feel I’ve already made two mistakes with snowboard purchases and don’t want to make a third.
Cheers.
Andy
Hi Andy
I totally get wanting to get the decision right. It’s a reasonable investment and I don’t mind the questions – it’s what I do!
I’d say the Assassin is the best choice as an all round board – it’s what I would call an all-mountain-freestyle board. You can check out my review of it at the link below.
>>Salomon Assassin Review
It’s probably a little softer than the Brainstorm but a little stiffer than the Jackpot. Similar to the Rider’s Choice. It’s got a bit more camber than the Rider’s Choice and the Jackpot but I still found it quite easy to butter. If you go with the 155cm – which is what I would recommend for you, then I think it will certainly be more easy going than the Brainstorm. It’s certainly lighter/snappier. But it’s also a more stable ride compared to the looseness of the Skate Banana.
Any of these boards will be more stable than the Skate Banana and a little softer flexing/more easy going than the brainstorm. But I also think the size should be more like that 154-156cm range, which will also help. The Assassin will be the best in terms of all-round riding, IMO.
Hope this helps
Thank you very much for all your help. Really appreciated.
Is there much difference between the assassin and the villain ?
Can get both for a decent price in a 155.
Promise this is the last question.
Keep up the good work.
Your time and effort helps so many boarders out.
Andy
Hi Andy
You’re very welcome.
There’s a little bit of difference between the Assassin and the Villain. I think the Assassin would be more suitable for you.
Thanks for your reply mate.
Really appreciate.
And congratulations on the wedding.
I’ve sort of narrowed it down to the following.
Slash happy place
Yes jackpot
Yes basic
Salomon assassin
Dc ply
Gnu riders choice
I know this is a quite long list at the minute but they all seem to get good reviews and seem pretty similar.
Which do you reckon for all over general boarding and messing about ?
Thanks again, won’t pester you any more. ?
Cheers
Andy
Nate
Thank you so much for the reply, really appreciated.
With regards to sizing, is there a reason for sizing smaller than the size charts suggest ? For my weight, it recommends the 158 in the happy place.
Also, the riders choice and funslinger are asym boards, now on occasions i seem to struggle with my toeside turns, especially when the run becomes steep or really choppy. Would an asym board help with this or would they highlight this even more ?
Just a quick one on the subject of boots, do stiffer boots tend to make it easier or harder to ride a snowboard in general day to day boarding ?
Thanks again for all the help.
Andy
Hi Andy
Sorry for the late reply. I just got married on Friday and the organization and everything has been really hectic.
Weight guidelines in my opinion are useful but are also only part of the picture. Based on not just your height/weight but also the fact that the Happy Place is a freestyle oriented board, the fact that you’re looking for a board that’s easier to press, that you are coming from a 152 and that the 157 felt potentially a little too long (even if the Happy Place will have a different feel). IMO on balance the 156cm would be a better size for you considering all of the factors.
I’m 6’0″ and 180-185lbs and I would go 156cm.
In terms of the asym, the toe side turn isn’t usually different to what you would expect. It’s usually the heel-side that’s changed to make the heel side feel as easy to turn as the toe-side. Potentially by making both turns feel more similar it could, just by contrast, improve the feel of the toe-side turn for you. But it would be hard to say.
In terms of boots, a stiffer boot is more responsive but it’s also harder work. If you’re really bombing it a lot then a stiffer boot is great to have but just for causal riding or freestyle type stuff, I don’t like to go too stiff. I like a medium flex personally for all-round riding. Overall, stiffer boots are harder to ride with but you can more out of them if you’re really riding hard. Softer boots are easier to ride on but don’t give you as much response when you’re really carving your turns.
Hope that makes sense and answers your questions
Hi Nate
Awesome review as always and very informative.
I’m currently in a bit of a predicament. At the minute i own a slash brainstorm 157, before that i had a skate banana 152 ( bad choice of size i think ). I’ve been riding for a couple of years, i’m 5’8″ tall and 182lbs.
Now , the brainstorm is an awesome board and is super stable and easy to ride normally. I went for this as wanted something more stable than the skate banana which was amazing going slow and spinning/messing about etc, but once you got a bit quicker or flat riding felt really twitchy and unstable.
With living in the uk, i tend to get an annual trip to the alps, some local boarding when we are lucky enough to get snow and a few trips to the indoor domes. Earlier in the year i had a trip to France with the brainstorm, but it just felt hard work when trying to press or mess about and i was struggling to have fun on it. I tend to ride on piste mainly but enjoy doing tree runs and off piste as well as small jumps and general messing about.
I’m thinking of changing the brainstorm for one of the above.
Namely either the Never summer funslinger, Slash happy place or Gnu riders choice.
I’m looking for a board that will be fun on the flat, spinning and pressing, but offers a stable ride all round.
Any advice on what to go for and an idea of sizing.
Also i currently have Rome 390 boss bindings, are these suited to all different types of terrain or would something different be better.
Just to confuse things slightly, when i changed my skate banana for the brainstorm, i also went from Nike vapen boots to Thirtytwo tm2’s. Think i’ve just jumped a little too far in the all mountain direction.
Any help would be appreciated.
Cheers
Andy
Hi Andy
Thanks for your message.
I think that the Slash Happy Place is probably going to be the most stable out of those 3. But all 3 will be more stable than the Skate Banana, IMO, which is quite a loose feeling board. I would say Slash Happy Place or GNU Rider’s choice for what you are describing. They’re fun and playful and good for the park but also decent over the rest of the mountain.
Moving from the Skate Banana to the Brainstorm is quite a big shift – especially since you also added 5cm to your ride too. But I do agree that 152cm is likely too short for you. In terms of size, I think something around the 155cm mark would work well for you. For the Riders Choice that would be the 154.5 and for the Happy Place I’d say go 156 but you could also go 154 if you’re leaning towards shorter.
I think those 2 would work well for you and the Funslinger would also work fine too – the 156cm – but also check out the link below to check out some all-mountain-freestyle options. These are in between all-mountain and freestyle boards.
>>My Top All-Mountain-Freestyle Snowboards
Hope this helps
Oh yeah and the 390 Boss are a good binding for doing a bit of everything, so I think they suit your needs fine.
Thanks for the info nate.
I’ve realised the gnu is an asym bord. Sometimes I struggle with my toe side turns, especially when things get steeper or gnarly. Would an asym board help with this or would I’d make it harder ?
I’ve been looking at the yes basic and the Salomon assassin too, would these be a lot stiffer than the happy place or jackpot ?
Does wearing stiffer boots make turning and pressing etc harder or easier ?
Cheers
I’d say the Basic has a very similar flex to the Happy Place and the Assassin is a touch stiffer but not by that much – and it’s a super light board so you don’t necessarily feel that little extra stiffness except maybe for pressing. I’d say the Assassin is like a 5/10 flex with the Basic and Happy Place more like a 4/10.
I think I answered your other questions in my last post?
Sorry to oppose your reviews again mate but you got the Space Case and Riders Choice boards marked with super low scores for powder. Have you even ridden them in powder? They crush it in the deep stuff!! Just look at the videos for each of them. They are smashing huge powder hits and landing in the deep stuff in any direction from any height at any speed…. These things are not powder specific, but if you have the right length then your gonna have a blast in the powder on either of them. Come on mate!!
Hey man
I definitely wouldn’t say that these boards are bad in powder and a 2.5/5 rating isn’t to say that they are bad – just that they are average.
You can certainly ride any board in powder but the way I rate them is based on how they perform in powder and how effortless they are to ride in powder.
I have no doubt that you can have a blast on these boards in powder (it’s hard not to have a blast on powder) but in my opinion I thought you had to put in a bit of effort into keeping them floating – had to really lean back on that back leg – it wasn’t effortless like it is on some boards.
And it’s a scaled rating – so a board that gets 5/5 for powder gets that because, for me personally, that board performed really well in powder AND was effortless in powder. Compared to those boards these get 2.5/5. The hardest/worst performing board in powder would get a 1/5 – so these certainly aren’t bottom of the pile.
Being centered and true twin, I never expected them to be great in powder but they’re certainly not bad but compared to the best that I’ve ridden, this is where they rate. The advantage of being true twin and centered though is that they ride the same in powder switch too – so if you like to ride/land switch in powder, then you could up the powder score for yourself.
Hope this explains the rating I gave them and helps with your board search.
Hey Nate, it is great all that you have done with these snowboard ratings. It has really helped me choose my selection (gnu space case) and that is not because it is number 1 on your list. It truly fits my needs as I wanted a more park oriented all mountain board. I need to ride the powder and I am using park to advance my bag of tricks for the rest of the mountain. One question I have about this board is the width. I would consider myself an advanced rider who has no problems stomping 360s, double blacks, and things of that nature. This board seems to be thicker than most other boards. I am 5 foot 7 and 150 (probably going to be gaining weight though at college next year) with a shoe size of US 9 (which probably translates to a size 8 boot). Will the 153 be to wide for my foot? I was thinking the 153 would be a better all mountain board but I also want to progress my freestyle riding which the 150 would be better for. But would the difference be that noticeable in my park/freestyle riding. Also another factor is I found a 153 for 350, which is 50 less than any other sizes/sites I have looked at. Sorry for the long comment, and if you do not get back to me it is ok. And jeez, looking at half these comments I feel frustrated for you as half the things are answered in the post.
Hi Riley
Thanks for your message.
I think the 153cm should be fine for you. I’d probably normally suggest the 150 for your specs if you were going to be using it predominantly in the park. But if you are going to be riding all-mountain a fair bit, then the 153cm is probably the better bet. And assuming you do add weight, then the 153cm will be a better bet then too. That and the fact that you sound like you’re quite an advanced rider too also leans you towards that 153cm.
In some ways the 153 won’t be as good as the 150 in the park but not by a whole lot – that size will make a difference (150 a bit better for spins and jibs) but a small difference. The extra length of the 153cm will give a bit more stability on landings too.
I think the width should be fine for you too. Probably at the wide end of ideal but not outside of that range. For me I find that snowboard boots tend to be 1/2 a size down from shoe size and sometimes even my shoe size, depending on the brand. Everyone is different there though and some people do need to go a full size down or even a size up sometimes. I imagine you’ll be on an 8.5 snowboard boot though. Being on the wide end of your range isn’t necessarily a bad thing either – that extra width can also add stability on landings and will also add a bit of surface area for riding the powder.
Hope this helps with your decision
Thats great Nate, I appreciate the help. There are so many reviews of so many boards out there but I find you do the best job out of all of them. You respond quickly and with more then adequate responses. Thank you for the help, I really appreciate it!
You’re very welcome Riley. Thanks for visiting the site!
Hi Nate. Have you had a chance to ride the smokin buck ferton. How would a board like that compare to a riders choice ? Thanks I’m trying to decide between the two. I do more freestyle all mountain. Cruising as well. No park.
Hi Joe
I haven’t ridden any Smokin boards unfortunately. But based on specs, I think they would both work for you. Since I haven’t ridden the Smokin Buck Ferton I would suggest the Rider’s Choice – but that’s only because I know it to be good – but the Buck Ferton does come with a good rep, from what I’ve heard about it.
The main differences from what I can tell is that the Smokin board is slightly softer flexing (medium-soft flex compared to the GNU’s medium flex) and the GNU board is an asym board and the Smokin isn’t. I would say that the Smokin would be better on jibs and the GNU better for switch (personally I prefer asym for switch but there wouldn’t be too much in it – the smokin is a true twin so very good for switch). Otherwise quite similar.
Hope this helps
Thanks Nate. What about the yes jackpot. Would this be a bit better at all mountain the the riders choice. I want to play in the mountain but also want to cruise. Thanks again much appreciated.
Hi Joe
Yeah I think that the Jackpot is probably just a little bit better over the rest of the mountain – in terms of carving and speed anyway. Similar in terms of powder – but I’d say that the Rider’s Choice is a little better in icy conditions – but again, just a subtle difference as the Jackpot handles those conditions decently too.
So overall, just slightly but I would still rate it as a freestyle board rather than an all-mountain-freestyle, which might actually suit you more? Check out the boards in the list below anyway and see what you think. I think that the Jackpot and Rider’s Choice would work for how you like to ride but I think these will too.
>>My Top All-Mountain-Freestyle Snowboards
Thanks Nate. Much appreciated as always.
You’re very welcome Dan.
Also, I can trade it for a gnu space case which is 159 cm. do you think this would be too big for me. I mainly cruise the mountain. Also, is there much difference in carving between the riders choice and space case? Again my specs are 160 pounds. 510. Intermediate. I’m just worried hat the riders choice will be to washy when I turn and carve.
Hi Dan
I think the 157.5cm Rider’s Choice is a better size for you than the 159cm Space Case. Also, the Space Case isn’t going to be any better – will be the same – when it comes to carving.
Hey Nate. I’m 510 and about 160 pounds with a size 10 burton moto boot which has the burton smaller print technology. I picked up a 157.5 gnu riders choice cause I got a killer deal on it. They didn’t have anything smaller. Do you think the 255mm waist would be too big. I don’t do jumps or park. I mostly just cruise the mountain doing S shapes. I pick up some speed but not too crazy fast. Do you think this size will work for me? Thanks.
Hi Dan
Thanks for your message. The 255mm waist width will be perfectly fine for you. The maximum width is more to do with foot size than boot length. It’s the minimum width that has more to do with boot length if that makes sense. You are well above the minimum for your boot size with the 255mm but you are also within a good range for your foot length (assuming roughly your feet are the mondoprint of the boot). Or the short version – that width is all good for you!
The length I think is good too. Given that you don’t do freestyle stuff, I think it’s a great length for you. And yeah this board is great for park and jumps etc but it’s also a good all round board otherwise, so I think it’s suitable for you, for sure.
Hope this helps
Hi, I was looking for soft real freestyle however I guess these are tent to be all mountain-freestyle.. why there are not much soft boards around?
Hi Volkan
I do have a separate all-mountain-freestyle list. The boards in this list are what I consider to be freestyle rather than all-mountain freestyle (perhaps with the exception of the Rider’s Choice and Space Case really bordering on being all-mountain freestyle). The boards are what I consider to be more freestyle/park oriented and their secondary function is the rest of the mountain.
I think the type of board that you are referring to is what I would call jib/street boards. I think there are a lot of different names for these things going around. There are soft boards out there – and these tend to be more focused on jibbing or doing tricks in the street etc (hence the term) but I really don’t ride these types of boards. I ride between Freestyle and Freeride and everything in between but I don’t really ride Powder boards at one end of the extreme or Jib/Street boards at the other end.
Probably the softest/most jib/street board on this list is the Capita Ultrafear, IMO:
Some others (that I haven’t ridden) but might be good options for you are:
~ Burton Name Dropper
~ Capita Scott Stevens Pro
~ Lib Tech Box Scratcher
~ YES Public
~ GNU Headspace
Hope this helps
Awesome list Nate! I’ve been looking for a website like yours for awhile now. Just writing to wish you good luck and to keep up the great work for the snowboarding community! 😉
Hey Charles
Thanks for your message. Really appreciate it!
Hey Nate,
I must say you have some really awsome content man! one of my go to for reviews of boards.
I am 5 8 and 168lbs and size 9 boot.
I ride mostly on the east coast, groomers and hardly any powder. Like to butter and play around the whole mountain and still hit small to medium jumps and occasional rails.
I am choosing between the arbor westmark rocker 155cm, libtech attack banana and skate banana @ 156 cm, and gnu rider’s choice 157cm (too big?). possibly the 2017 Burton Trick pony in a 154cm.
I would really appreciate your thoughts on narrowing down my choices.
Hey Mike
For an all-mountain size, I would say that 157cm would be fine – but I think for your purposes for what your describing then it’s bordering on being too big but only just. Otherwise the Rider’s Choice would be a good choice – if you could find it in the 154.5cm
The Trick Pony to me is probably more of an all-mountain ride – certainly doable for what you’re describing but I think the other options are more suitable – and I think they’re probably a little bit better in harder/icy conditions (which the East Coast is known for) than the Trick Pony.
Between the Skate Banana, Attack Banana and the Westmark Rocker, I think they would all be suitable. I haven’t ridden the Arbor Westmark so this is just based on specs and reputation. The Attack Banana and Skate Banana both have good edge-hold in icy conditions but feel loose in hard conditions and pretty loose rides in general. The Westmark, from what I know, is similar in feel. If you like that loose feel, then these are great options.
If I had to choose I would say the Skate Banana (but like I say I haven’t ridden the Westmark – but it does come with a good reputation and I think the 155cm would be a good size for you). If you wanted something with a bit more of a stable feel – but still reasonably loose and playful, then the Rider’s Choice, if you could get it in the 154.5cm.
Hope this helps you to narrow down the options
Hi Nate,
I’ve been back and forth between the ’17 Gnu Space Case and the ’17 Yes Greats. I’m looking for an all mountain freestyle asymmetrical board. The usual places I ride have a more soft and groomed top where I just cruise, carve, and butter around while middle and base of the mountain is where I do some boxes, occasional rails, and smaller to mid sized jumps. Rarely any deep powder. Any input would help. I’m a size 10 shoe, 165lbs.
Thanks,
Chris
Hi Chris
I think that the Space Case is probably going to suit you a little bit more. The reason I say that is that it’s better on Jibs than the Greats and it sounds like you want to hit jibs. The Greats will be a faster board and a better carver. So I think between the 2 it comes down to whether you want a better carver or a better jibber.
In terms of sizes I would say:
Space Case: 153
Greats: 154
But to make a more accurate size recommendation can you also let me know your height.
Hope this helps
Thanks for the quick reply Nate!
I’m 5 foot 7 inches tall, sorry about forgetting that info.
I’m currently am riding on a GNU Street BTX I picked up several years back in a 154.
I do enjoy carving a lot. But I’m trying to get better at jibbing. It’s hard to choose between the two boards, especially after reading your reviews on each! But I hear you, so I’ll probably go with the space case.
Would the 150 be too short and unstable? I was figuring that size would be a lot easier for spins and control while jibbing compared to the 154 I’m using currently.
Thanks again!
-Chris
Hi Chris
You’re very welcome. Thanks for the extra info.
Between the 150 and 153, I would say that you’d have to weigh up the following:
The 150 would be, like you say, easier to spin and slightly easier on jibs
The 153 would be better for carving, more stable at speed and more stable on landing jumps
So, I guess that’s what you’d have to weigh up, which is more important. Personally I’d go for the 153, if I was you – but if you were wanting this as a second board and one that was smaller, then you could go for the 150. But if you want this to be your main board, I think the 153 would be a better balance.
Hope this gives you something more to go off.
Hello Nate,
Great list!
I have been noobing around for 10 years with my Kemper board, and recently been practising on my 180’s and butters. I am now looking around for a good park-style board as a replacement.
I’m around 165 cm and 63 kgs, is a 151 NS funslinger too long? For some reason some shops have horded all 150 and under boards and are selling them at 700 USD!?! (I’m in Japan)
I have also seen some GNU space case for 450 and even a 2015-16 model for 350 USD.
My bias aside for funslinger’s good looks and that awesome neon sole, do you reckon it is better to go for the GNU? Maybe even the older models?
Thanks in advance!
Hi Naze
The 2015-16 Space Case is a little bit different but still an awesome deck. The 2017 model is a little more aggressive (but still playful overall) – so if you want something playful then the 2015-16 model would be a perfectly good choice.
In terms of size I would say somewhere around the 146cm to 148cm mark. Sucks that shorter boards are more expensive in Japan – that seems really strange to me.
I think the 151 would be a bit too long for you as a park board.
Hope this helps with your decision
Hi Nate. What do you know about the rossignol Jibsaw 2016. The guys from shred cred gave it a 94 on their rating system. Also, I found a good deal on the 2017 version of this board but it didn’t make the shred cred too snowboards for 2017. Do you know if they made the board stiffer? Also thanks for the information you share. It’s helped me a lot of the last few years with gear selection.
Hi Dan
I’ve heard good things about the Jibsaw as a freestyle deck – but not quite enough to make this list and I haven’t ridden it personally. But hoping to get a chance to demo it this season.
I don’t think that the Jibsaw has changed too much from 2016 to 2017. The Jibsaw 2017, as far as I know, is still the same flex as the 2016 model. Rossignol rate this at a 7/10 for flex – but I find that Rossignol rate their boards stiffer in flex than they are in reality (compared to other brands flex ratings). I would say that the Jibsaw is a 4/10 or max 5/10, based on other peoples reviews. The Jibsaw Heavy Duty, however, is a bit stiffer flexing. That would be more like a 6/10 flex.
I don’t think the 2017 Jibsaw is any worse than the 2016 model, just that maybe the guys at Board Insiders maybe rate other freestyle boards more highly than the Jibsaw this year.
Hope this helps
Hi Nate,
Great site! I used your guide In choosing the board for my wife.
Btw now I’m looking for a freestyle/parkboard for myself. I’ve been snowboarding for around 5 years and I would say I’m just a normal snowboarder, usually just on the groomers and like to go full speed. Lately ive been trying to go off-piste and try small kickers.
Now I want to really be serious in learning the freestyle/park side of snowboarding- tricks, butters, hit kickers and boxes, etc. but im just a beginner.
Ive had a ride machete 2012 as my board which is more like an all mountain board. Im looking for a playful freestyle board but is poppy and stable on jumps and still can go at reasonable speeds. But the thing is i dont want to end up with another all mountain board.
I’m torn between the neversummer funslinger or the capita ultrafear. What can you say about the ultrafear?
Also if you have another recommendation, please let me me know.
I am around 5’10” and 74kgs
Thanks
Hey Luffy
Thanks for your message. Glad you like the site!
I haven’t ridden the Ultrafear (though hoping to demo it next week!) but based on what others have said about it and my experience with the Funslinger I think that the funslinger is going to be the better bet, in my opinion but I think either deck would serve you well for park/freestyle riding.
There’s not too much in it but I think the Funslinger will be better on jumps and will definitely be more poppy – it’s got some killer pop! I think the Ultrafear is probably better on Jibs but not hugely so because the Funslinger is definitely a good jibber.
Based on your specs I’d say that the 156cm Funslinger would be the best option and the 155cm if you were to go with the Ultrafear. But this also depends on what size you’re used to riding. Try to take off a few cms from your usual “all-mountain length” for your freestyle board.
Hope this helps your decision – have fun in the park!
Nice list! I recently picked up a Funslinger and it’s nice to see someone else also rates it as well.
Hey Simon – thanks man. Glad you liked the list. Hope you have an awesome time for the rest of the season on the Funslinger (assuming you still have some season left!)
Hi Nate
“The Best Freestyle Snowboards in 2015”, what a great article! Looks like you’ve covered all the best boards. That GNU Space Case, is a real sweet looking ride. Thanks
Hey Ed – thanks for visiting. Yeah the Space Case looks like an awesome ride alright. Hope to get the chance to demo it soon.
Great informative graphs you got there. All these boards look like they’re pretty decent!
Hey Vince – yeah don’t think you can really go wrong with any of these boards. They’re all pretty up there in terms of freestyle boards.
I’m new to the snowboarding arena so I’m plugging away at your site for all the info I can gather. Awesome boards you’ve got on display, trying to get more familiar with these numbers.
Thanks for sharing.
Ty
Hey Ty – thanks for visiting. Let me know if you have any questions regarding any of the info. Plenty to sink your teeth into as a new rider. Can be a lot to take in at first so I’m happy to answer any questions you might have.