Below I have selected my top 10 for the best freestyle snowboards for the 2020/21 season.
As per tradition here at SnowboardingProfiles.com, each board will each get a rating out of 100.
In compiling this list I rated 37 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: Lib Tech Skate Banana
- CANADA
- UK/EUROPE
Flex: Medium-Soft (4/10)
Feel: Loose
Smart rating score: 85.2/100
*HARD/ICY SNOW OPTION
One of the better jibbers in the list, the Skate Banana, starts us off at #10.
The biggest weakness of the Skate Banana (in the most important freestyle factors) was in jumps – but it still performed really well in that category.
And if hitting rails, boxes and any other obstacle you can find is your thing then the Skate Banana will be an awesome deck to have beneath your feet.
If you often ride in hard/icy conditions but still like a loose feel for your freestyle board, then this might be the ideal ride for you.
Check out the video for more about the Skate Banana
Score Breakdown for the Skate Banana
RATING | SCORE WEIGHTING | |
|---|---|---|
JUMPS | 3.5 | 14/20 |
JIBBING | 4.5 | 18/20 |
SWITCH | 4.5 | 13.5/15 |
BUTTERING | 4.5 | 9/10 |
SPINS | 4.0 | 8/10 |
UNEVEN TERRAIN | 4.0 | 4/5 |
POWDER | 3.0 | 3/5 |
CARVING/TURNS | 2.0 | 2/5 |
SPEED | 2.5 | 2.5/5 |
PIPE | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 85.2/100 |
FREESTYLE BOARD #9
Board: Capita Scott Stevens Pro
- CANADA
- UK/EUROPE
Flex: Medium-Soft (4/10)
Feel: Stable
Smart rating score: 85.2/100
At #9 we have the Capita Scott Stevens Pro.
If you're looking for a board to dominate the jib line and that is super buttery and playful, then look no further. It can hold it's on jumps too, particularly smaller ones, but the strength of the Scott Stevens pro is to press and butter everything in sight.
Check out the video for more about the Scott Stevens Pro
Score Breakdown for the Scott Stevens Pro
RATING | SCORE WEIGHTING | |
|---|---|---|
JUMPS | 3.5 | 14/20 |
JIBBING | 5.0 | 20/20 |
SWITCH | 4.5 | 13.5/15 |
BUTTERING | 5.0 | 10/10 |
SPINS | 4.0 | 8/10 |
UNEVEN TERRAIN | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
POWDER | 2.0 | 2/5 |
CARVING/TURNS | 2.0 | 2/5 |
SPEED | 2.5 | 2.5/5 |
PIPE | 2.0 | 2/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 85.2/100 |
FREESTYLE BOARD #8
Board: Burton Kilroy Twin
- CANADA
- UK/EUROPE
Flex: Medium-Soft (4/10)
Feel: Stable
Smart rating score: 85.2/100
If you're looking for a snappy energetic park board and like full camber, but want it with a softer flex, then the Kilroy Twin should be on your list.
This board kills it for park (particularly down the jump line) and sidehits.
Check out the video for more about the Kilroy Twin
Score Breakdown for the Kilroy Twin
RATING | SCORE WEIGHTING | |
|---|---|---|
JUMPS | 4.5 | 18/20 |
JIBBING | 3.5 | 14/20 |
SWITCH | 4.5 | 13.5/15 |
BUTTERING | 4.0 | 8/10 |
SPINS | 4.5 | 9/10 |
UNEVEN TERRAIN | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
POWDER | 2.0 | 2/5 |
CARVING/TURNS | 3.0 | 3/5 |
SPEED | 3.0 | 3/5 |
PIPE | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 85.2/100 |
FREESTYLE BOARD #7
Board: Slash Happy Place
- CANADA
Flex: Medium-Soft (4/10)
Feel: Stable
Smart rating score: 85.7/100
Coming in at #7 is the Happy Place by Slash. A staple in this top 10 list for a few years now - and for good reason.
If doing sick park laps all day is your thing, whether down the jump line or jib line, then riding this board will definitely take you to your happy place!
Oh yeah and if your wallet isn’t bulging, this board will make you even happier. It’s the equal cheapest on this list – the performance-to-cost ratio of this board is outstanding! A great choice for anyone on a tight budget.
Check out the video for more on the Happy Place
This video is a couple of season's old now, but the Happy Place hasn't changed, apart from the graphics.
Score Breakdown for the Happy Place
RATING | SCORE WEIGHTING | |
|---|---|---|
JUMPS | 4.0 | 16/20 |
JIBBING | 4.0 | 16/20 |
SWITCH | 4.5 | 13.5/15 |
BUTTERING | 4.5 | 9/10 |
SPINS | 4.0 | 8/10 |
UNEVEN TERRAIN | 4.5 | 4.5/5 |
POWDER | 3.0 | 3/5 |
CARVING/TURNS | 2.5 | 2.5/5 |
SPEED | 2.5 | 2.5/5 |
PIPE | 3.0 | 3/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 85.7/100 |
FREESTYLE BOARD #6
Board: Burton Paramount
- CANADA
- UK/EUROPE
Flex: Medium (5/10)
Feel: Semi-Locked In
Smart rating score: 85.7/100
The #6 position goes to the Paramount.
It's the most aggressive board on this list and has heaps of pop and power when it comes to jumps and really solid on landing and approach.
As well as all that camber, it also has a nice light core, making it easier to get air and spin.
Not ideal for the jib line, IMO, and not the easiest to butter - but for the jump line and for carving up groomers on the way to the park or natural hits, it's a beast. If you're looking for an aggressive jump park board that would fit almost as well in an aggressive all-mountain-freestyle category, the Paramount should be on your list.
Check out the video for more about the Paramount
Score Breakdown for the Paramount
RATING | SCORE WEIGHTING | |
|---|---|---|
JUMPS | 5.0 | 20/20 |
JIBBING | 3.0 | 12/20 |
SWITCH | 4.5 | 13.5/15 |
BUTTERING | 3.0 | 6/10 |
SPINS | 4.5 | 9/10 |
UNEVEN TERRAIN | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
POWDER | 2.0 | 2/5 |
CARVING/TURNS | 4.0 | 4/5 |
SPEED | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
PIPE | 4.5 | 4.5/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 85.7/100 |
FREESTYLE BOARD #5
Board: Niche Wraith
- CANADA
Flex: Medium-Soft (3.5/10)
Feel: Stable
Smart rating score: 86.8/100
*HARD/ICY SNOW OPTION
The Niche Wraith comes in at #5.
Just a nice soft flexing, yet snappy fun freestyle board that can handle the jump and jib line equally well. It's also not bad running some fun groomer laps with your buddies, especially if your eyeing up those side hits on your way.
Score Breakdown for the Wraith
RATING | SCORE WEIGHTING | |
|---|---|---|
JUMPS | 4.0 | 16/20 |
JIBBING | 4.0 | 16/20 |
SWITCH | 4.5 | 13.5/15 |
BUTTERING | 4.5 | 9/10 |
SPINS | 4.5 | 9/10 |
UNEVEN TERRAIN | 4.0 | 4/5 |
POWDER | 2.0 | 2/5 |
CARVING/TURNS | 3.0 | 3/5 |
SPEED | 3.0 | 3/5 |
PIPE | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 86.8/100 |
FREESTYLE BOARD #4
Board: Endeavor Pioneer
- CANADA
Flex: Medium-Soft (4/10)
Feel: Stable
Smart rating score: 87.4/100
The Pioneer is our #3 board for 2021.
It's most suited to jumps and spins, but is fine for jibs too - and is nice and easy to butter. It's also not bad outside of the park - so a great option if you want to get outside the park every now and then for some groomer laps or smash some side hits.
Check out the video for more on the Pioneer
Score Breakdown for the Pioneer
RATING | SCORE WEIGHTING | |
|---|---|---|
JUMPS | 4.5 | 18/20 |
JIBBING | 3.5 | 14/20 |
SWITCH | 4.5 | 13.5/15 |
BUTTERING | 4.5 | 9/10 |
SPINS | 4.5 | 9/10 |
UNEVEN TERRAIN | 4.0 | 4/5 |
POWDER | 2.5 | 2.5/5 |
CARVING/TURNS | 3.0 | 3/5 |
SPEED | 3.0 | 3/5 |
PIPE | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 87.4/100 |
FREESTYLE BOARD #3
Board: YES Dicey
- CANADA
Flex: Medium (4/10)
Feel: Stable
Smart rating score: 88.5/100
New for 2021, the YES Dicey is the baby brother of the Jackpot (see #2 below). It's very similar to the 2020 Jackpot (which has changed for 2021), but just a little softer flexing.
Versus the 2021 Jackpot, the Dicey gets the Camrock (2-4-2) that the 2020 Jackpot had - so all round just a little softer, more forgiving and more playful than the 2021 Jackpot.
And if your wallet isn't deep, you'll like the look on the price tag for this one!
Check out the video for more about the Dicey
Score Breakdown for the Dicey
RATING | SCORE WEIGHTING | |
|---|---|---|
JUMPS | 4.5 | 18/20 |
JIBBING | 3.5 | 14/20 |
SWITCH | 4.5 | 13.5/15 |
BUTTERING | 4.5 | 9/10 |
SPINS | 4.5 | 9/10 |
UNEVEN TERRAIN | 4.0 | 4/5 |
POWDER | 3.0 | 3/5 |
CARVING/TURNS | 3.0 | 3/5 |
SPEED | 3.0 | 3/5 |
PIPE | 4.0 | 4/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 88.5/100 |
FREESTYLE BOARD #2
Board: YES Jackpot
- CANADA
Flex: Medium (5/5)
Feel: Stable
Smart rating score: 90.7/100
*HARD/ICY SNOW OPTION
The YES Jackpot got a rebuild for 2021. It now has a full camber profile and feels just a little stiffer (don't think the core is supposed to be any stiffer, but more camber can sometimes do that to the feel).
The Jackpot was and still is a great option if you like to break up your park laps and feel the need for speed or if you want to lay down some carves – and whenever you see natural hits on your journey down the rest of the mountain – this board becomes super fun.
It would also score very well as an all-mountain-freestyle board. But where it really dominates is in the park - and particularly the jumps line - this board can hit any sort of jump and feel good.
It’s a great option for it’s versatility in that sense and also for anyone who rides in hard/icy conditions a lot too.
Overall for 2021 it's just that little bit more aggressive. If you want something more similar to the 2020 Jackpot, check out the Dicey (see #3 above).
Check out the video for more on the Jackpot
Score Breakdown for the Jackpot
RATING | SCORE WEIGHTING | |
|---|---|---|
JUMPS | 5.0 | 20/20 |
JIBBING | 3.5 | 14/20 |
SWITCH | 4.5 | 13.5/15 |
BUTTERING | 4.0 | 8/10 |
SPINS | 4.5 | 9/10 |
UNEVEN TERRAIN | 4.0 | 4/5 |
POWDER | 2.5 | 2.5/5 |
CARVING/TURNS | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
SPEED | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
PIPE | 4.5 | 4.5/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 90.7/100 |
FREESTYLE BOARD #1
Board: Never Summer Proto Slinger
- CANADA
Flex: Medium-Soft (3.5/10)
Feel: Semi-Loose
Smart rating score: 91.8/100
And the #1 spot goes to the Never Summer Proto Slinger.
New for 2021, but essentially a replacement for the old Funslinger. The main way it differs from the Funslinger is in the camber profile. It got more camber - Never Summer's Shock Wave camber - which essentially adds more camber and reduces the amount of rocker.
But the Proto Slinger still has all the butterability of the Funslinger and is still remarkably playful, snappy and super fun. You could say it got mildly more aggressive, but only really when you go for a more aggressive carve.
They've somehow improved it for carving, without taking away from everything that was great about the Funslinger.
Not going to lie, I was worried when they said they were replacing the Funslinger, which was my #1 board last year and just such a fun board, but as soon as I popped my first ollie on the Proto Slinger, all my fears evaporated.
Check out the video for more on the Funslinger
Score Breakdown for the Proto Slinger
RATING | SCORE WEIGHTING | |
|---|---|---|
JUMPS | 4.5 | 18/20 |
JIBBING | 4.0 | 16/20 |
SWITCH | 5.0 | 15/15 |
BUTTERING | 5.0 | 10/10 |
SPINS | 4.5 | 9/10 |
UNEVEN TERRAIN | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
POWDER | 2.0 | 2/5 |
CARVING/TURNS | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
SPEED | 3.0 | 3/5 |
PIPE | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 91.8/100 |
Over to You
There you have my top 10 freestyle decks for the 2020-21 season.
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.
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