The snowboards featured below represent what we consider to be the best mellow freeride snowboards for the 2025-2026 season.
Category Stats
As is tradition here at SnowboardingProfiles.com each board is given a score out of 100.
Of the 28 current model mellow freeride snowboards that we tested:
OK, let's check out the top 10 for 2026!
#10=: Bataleon Cameleon
Flex: Medium (5.5/10)
Feel: Semi-Loose
Rating score: 86.1/100
Price: View More Info and Current Prices at the links in the tabs below.
Starting off this year's list at #10 is the Bataleon Cameleon.
The Cameleon is a surfy feeling ride that is most in its element when there's powder around - and whether that powder be in tight trees or open terrain, it will happily, effortlessly float over it all day.
But even when there's no powder around, this board feels like it's surfing and is super fun to whip around the groomers and in trees, so long as it's not too icy.
>>See Full Review (full review coming)
Score Breakdown for the Cameleon
| FACTOR | Rating (/5) | Weighted |
|---|---|---|
| Powder | 4.5 | 27/30 |
| Turns | 4 | 12/15 |
| Carving | 3.5 | 7/10 |
| Trees | 4.5 | 13.5/15 |
| Crud | 3.5 | 7/10 |
| Speed | 3 | 6/10 |
| Jumps | 3 | 3/5 |
| Switch | 2 | 2/5 |
| TOTAL (after normalizing): | 86.1/100 |
#10=: Burton Counter balance
Flex: Medium (6.5/10)
Feel: Semi Locked-In
Rating score: 86.1/100
Price: View More Info and Current Prices at the links in the tabs below.
Next up we have Burton's Counter Balance.
The Counter Balance is new for the 2025-2026 season and takes over from the outgoing men's Deep Thinker and women's Story Board. A power couple, if ever there was one, to produce this fine offspring!
It was a really close call whether this belonged here or in the non-mellow freeride category, but we decided it was mellow enough to squeeze it in here.
Score Breakdown for the Counter Balance
| FACTOR | Rating (/5) | Weighted |
|---|---|---|
| Powder | 4 | 24/30 |
| Turns | 3.5 | 10.5/15 |
| Carving | 4 | 8/10 |
| Trees | 4 | 12/15 |
| Crud | 4 | 8/10 |
| Speed | 4 | 8/10 |
| Jumps | 4 | 4/5 |
| Switch | 3 | 3/5 |
| TOTAL (after normalizing): | 86.1/100 |
#10=: Jones Mind Expander
Flex: Medium (5.5/10)
Feel: Stable
Rating score: 86.1/100
Price: View More Info and Current Prices at the links in the tabs below.
The Jones Mind Expander is a really easy going, yet stable feeling ride that just felt so natural to ride almost anywhere.
Sure it's not great for jumps or switch or anything, but not designed for that kind of thing. It's at its best in powder and for slashing, exploring the woods, and that kind of thing. But it can hold down a decent carve and remain stable up to pretty reasonable speeds too.
Score Breakdown for the Mind Expander
| FACTOR | Rating (/5) | Weighted |
|---|---|---|
| Powder | 4.5 | 27/30 |
| Turns | 4 | 12/15 |
| Carving | 3.5 | 7/10 |
| Trees | 4 | 12/15 |
| Crud | 4 | 8/10 |
| Speed | 3.5 | 7/10 |
| Jumps | 2.5 | 2.5/5 |
| Switch | 2 | 2/5 |
| TOTAL (after normalizing): | 86.1/100 |
#10=: Salomon Dancehaul
Flex: Medium (6/10)
Feel: Stable
Rating score: 86.1/100
Price: View More Info and Current Prices at the links in the tabs below.
The Dancehaul is a short/wide snowboard that loves powder and trees - combine the two and this board is truly in its zone.
But when there's no powder around, this board is still fun in hard pack. It's no speed demon, but it can lay down some good lower speed carves and get slashy around the groomers, when you're not ducking into the trees.
Score Breakdown for the Dancehaul
| FACTOR | Rating (/5) | Weighted |
|---|---|---|
| Powder | 4.5 | 27/30 |
| Turns | 4 | 12/15 |
| Carving | 3.5 | 7/10 |
| Trees | 4.5 | 13.5/15 |
| Crud | 3.5 | 7/10 |
| Speed | 3 | 6/10 |
| Jumps | 3 | 3/5 |
| Switch | 2 | 2/5 |
| TOTAL (after normalizing): | 86.1/100 |
#9: Rome Ravine
Flex: Medium (6/10)
Feel: Stable
Rating score: 87.2/100
Price: View More Info and Current Prices at the links in the tabs below.
Our #9 selection, the Rome Ravine, is a true workhorse and provides a super consistent feel that doesn't feel out of its depth wherever you take it on the mountain.
It has a sort of smooth, damp feeling to it that belies its underlying easy going nature. This helps it to feel chill in even the most choppy environment.
Score Breakdown for the Ravine
| FACTOR | Rating (/5) | Weighted |
|---|---|---|
| Powder | 4.5 | 27/30 |
| Turns | 4 | 12/15 |
| Carving | 3.5 | 7/10 |
| Trees | 4 | 12/15 |
| Crud | 4 | 8/10 |
| Speed | 3.5 | 7/10 |
| Jumps | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
| Switch | 2 | 2/5 |
| TOTAL (after normalizing): | 87.2/100 |
#8: Jones Storm Chaser
Flex: Medium, bordering on medium-stiff (6.5/10)
Feel: Stable (bordering on semi-locked in)
Rating score: 87.8/100
Price: View More Info and Current Prices at the links in the tabs below.
The Jones Storm Chaser is a highly directional, short/wide snowboard.
The Storm Chaser is the stiffest equal on this list and is much burlier than you'd expect (still not quite stiff/burly enough to make the non-mellow freeride list, but burly for this list. And certainly not as stiff/burly as its close relative the Storm Wolf).
The Storm Chaser is more adept at carving than it is at short/sharp slower speed turns and can handle speed and crud really well. Even riding switch, because of how stiff the tail is, it holds its own, despite looking like it would be super awkward.
Of course, where this board thrives the most is in deep powder, but that almost goes without saying here.
Score Breakdown for the Storm Chaser
| FACTOR | Rating (/5) | Weighted |
|---|---|---|
| Powder | 5 | 30/30 |
| Turns | 3.5 | 10.5/15 |
| Carving | 4 | 8/10 |
| Trees | 4 | 12/15 |
| Crud | 4 | 8/10 |
| Speed | 3.5 | 7/10 |
| Jumps | 2 | 2/5 |
| Switch | 1.5 | 1.5/5 |
| TOTAL (after normalizing): | 87.8/100 |
#7: Burton Alekesam
Flex: Medium (6/10)
Feel: Stable
Rating score: 88.3/100
Price: View More Info and Current Prices at the links in the tabs below.
Our #7 entry, the Burton Alekesam was this year moved from the non-mellow freeride category to the mellow freeride category. This is because it has...well umm...mellowed out.
The 2025-2026 Alekesam now feels, at least to us, more like the outgoing Gril Master than it does the 2024-2025 Alekesam. It's almost like the Gril Master and Alekesam absorbed one another, but the Gril Master's DNA turned out to be stronger.
It's certainly a blend of the two, but with strong Gril Master vibes.
Score Breakdown for the Alekesam
| FACTOR | Rating (/5) | Weighted |
|---|---|---|
| Powder | 4.5 | 27/30 |
| Turns | 4 | 12/15 |
| Carving | 3.5 | 7/10 |
| Trees | 4.5 | 13.5/15 |
| Crud | 3.5 | 7/10 |
| Speed | 3.5 | 7/10 |
| Jumps | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
| Switch | 2.5 | 2.5/5 |
| TOTAL (after normalizing): | 88.3/100 |
#6: Lib Tech T Rice Orca
Flex: Medium (6/10)
Feel: Stable (bordering on semi-loose/surfy)
Rating score: 88.9/100
Price: View More Info and Current Prices at the links in the tabs below.
Previously riding Lib Tech's Orca, I failed to see the hype. I mean, I found it a decent board and didn't hate it or anything, but I wasn't overly excited by it either. But, I rode it again last winter, and I have to eat my words and have a good serving of humble pie, because boy did this time change my mind!
It was so much fun - super nimble, great floaty feel and everything to back it up for being great in deeper powder, and a combination of being a nice easy ride but still with some decent stability to it.
I'm not too proud/stuck in my ways to admit that I've changed my tune with this board. It won me over this time around.
Score Breakdown for the Orca
| FACTOR | Rating (/5) | Weighted |
|---|---|---|
| Powder | 4.5 | 27/30 |
| Turns | 4.5 | 13.5/15 |
| Carving | 3.5 | 7/10 |
| Trees | 4.5 | 13.5/15 |
| Crud | 3.5 | 7/10 |
| Speed | 3.5 | 7/10 |
| Jumps | 3 | 3/5 |
| Switch | 2 | 2/5 |
| TOTAL (after normalizing): | 88.9/100 |
#5: Capita Powder Racer
Flex: Medium (6.5/10)
Feel: Stable
Rating score: 88.9/100
Price: View More Info and Current Prices at the links in the tabs below.
If you have had the pleasure of riding the record holder for the longest named snowboard in history (just guessing here but let's just put it this way - it was faster for me to type in "displace in the search box and find my old review of it and copy paste the title than it was to type it out!), the Capita Ultralight Powder Displacement Snowcraft, then you'll be happy to know that the Powder Racer shares some of its feel/personality.
But without being your bank accounts biggest nightmare.
>>See Full Review (full review coming)
Score Breakdown for the Powder Racer
| FACTOR | Rating (/5) | Weighted |
|---|---|---|
| Powder | 5 | 30/30 |
| Turns | 4 | 12/15 |
| Carving | 3 | 6/10 |
| Trees | 4.5 | 13.5/15 |
| Crud | 4 | 8/10 |
| Speed | 3.5 | 7/10 |
| Jumps | 2 | 2/5 |
| Switch | 1.5 | 1.5/5 |
| TOTAL (after normalizing): | 88.9/100 |
#4: Never Summer Nokhu
Flex: Medium (5.5/10)
Feel: Stable (bordering on semi-loose/surfy)
Rating score: 89.4/100
Price: View More Info and Current Prices at the links in the tabs below.
Never Summer's Nokhu, our #4 entry, had all the elements I love in this type of board.
It was easy riding, fast turning and highly suited to taking advantage of powder days, particularly when in the trees. But it was also a lot of fun on groomers when carving and stable enough to push it to moderately high speeds without it feeling wobbly.
It excels in trees and powder at its core, but it's complimentary factors make it a pretty versatile ride too.
Score Breakdown for the Nokhu
| FACTOR | Rating (/5) | Weighted |
|---|---|---|
| Powder | 4.5 | 27/30 |
| Turns | 4.5 | 13.5/15 |
| Carving | 3.5 | 7/10 |
| Trees | 4.5 | 13.5/15 |
| Crud | 3.5 | 7/10 |
| Speed | 3.5 | 7/10 |
| Jumps | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
| Switch | 2 | 2/5 |
| TOTAL (after normalizing): | 89.4/100 |
#3: Jones Frontier 2.0
Flex: Medium (5/10)
Feel: Stable
Rating score: 89.4/100
Price: View More Info and Current Prices at the links in the tabs below.
A new entry to this list this year and a board that switched categories (the Frontier 2.0 is technically a new board, but there was a Frontier (without the 2.0) previously) this year, due to becoming more directional, Jones' Frontier 2.0 is next up.
And it just feels like it really found its place more than it ever did in the all-mountain category. And the updates it received certainly didn't hurt either.
Now fully congruent with its identity, the Frontier 2.0 has come into its own.
Score Breakdown for the Frontier 2.0
| FACTOR | Rating (/5) | Weighted |
|---|---|---|
| Powder | 4.5 | 27/30 |
| Turns | 4.5 | 13.5/15 |
| Carving | 3.5 | 7/10 |
| Trees | 4.5 | 13.5/15 |
| Crud | 3.5 | 7/10 |
| Speed | 3 | 6/10 |
| Jumps | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
| Switch | 3 | 3/5 |
| TOTAL (after normalizing): | 89.4/100 |
#2: Capita Navigator
Flex: Medium (6/10)
Feel: Stable
Rating score: 90.0/100
Price: View More Info and Current Prices at the links in the tabs below.
Our #2 pick this year, and a longstanding fixture in this list, is Capita's Navigator.
The Navigator is a nice, easy riding, forgiving freeride snowboard that is at it's best in powder and in the trees, but it's also surprisingly good on groomers.
You can whip this thing around easily in tight spaces, but it can lay down fairly decent carves on groomers and isn't bad for jumps either.
Score Breakdown for the Navigator
| FACTOR | Rating (/5) | Weighted |
|---|---|---|
| Powder | 4.5 | 27/30 |
| Turns | 4.5 | 13.5/15 |
| Carving | 3.5 | 7/10 |
| Trees | 4.5 | 13.5/15 |
| Crud | 3.5 | 7/10 |
| Speed | 3.5 | 7/10 |
| Jumps | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
| Switch | 2.5 | 2.5/5 |
| TOTAL (after normalizing): | 90/100 |
#1: Never Summer Swift
Flex: Medium (6/10)
Feel: Stable
Rating score: 92.8/100
Price: View More Info and Current Prices at the links in the tabs below.
And finally, in at #1, we have Never Summer's Swift.
When you've been doing this (testing snowboards) for as long as I have (II star ted Snowboarding Profiles in 2014) there's not much that surprises you anymore. Still plenty of things that get me excited, but not much that surprises me.
But when I got tested the Swift... the edge-to-edge quickness of it left me with my jaw around my ankles!
With that quickness of turns, coupled with its powder ability, the Swift becomes the ultimate tree weapon, with or without powder in there.
And given that description you might be forgiven for thinking that it's a powder/tree specialist. But far from it. This thing was decent at speed and could actually lay down a nice deep carve. Wasn't bad for jumps either. No surprise then that it scored so well.
Score Breakdown for the Swift
| FACTOR | Rating (/5) | Weighted |
|---|---|---|
| Powder | 4.5 | 27/30 |
| Turns | 5 | 15/15 |
| Carving | 4 | 8/10 |
| Trees | 5 | 15/15 |
| Crud | 3.5 | 7/10 |
| Speed | 3.5 | 7/10 |
| Jumps | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
| Switch | 1 | 1/5 |
| TOTAL (after normalizing): | 92.8/100 |
Over To You
This is quite a diverse category, so even though this list is in order, what suits you best will depend on what you're looking for.
Everything thing here is at least above average in powder, but some are more powder specialists, some have a surfy feel, whilst some have a more precise, more stable bordering on locked-in feel (for those just looking for a softer freeride board, but still want a more carvy/precise feel).
Thanks for reading and I hope this post has helped you find your perfect mellow freeride board.
If you want to learn more about any of these boards or check out current prices/availability, check out the links in each of the boards descriptions.
This List versus the Top 10 Freeride Snowboards list
Compared to the other freeride list, the ratings for this list give a higher importance to powder, trees/bumps & maneuverability and less importance to carving and speed.
Note that the "mellow freeride" category represents freeride boards that are in that softer flex range - 6.5/10 or less.
To be eligible for this list the board had to:
- Be 6.5/10 or less for flex; and
- Have a freeride shape
Some boards might be more powder specialized, some might have a more surfy feel and some a more precise feel.
Recent Comments