The following 10 boards have been selected as my picks for the top all mountain snowboards for the 2018/19 season.
Each board is given a rating out of 100 for easier comparison.
Price has not been considered in the ratings.
Of the 35 different all-mountain boards that I rated:
O.k. let’s get into the top 10, starting with #10.
ALL-MOUNTAIN BOARD #10
Board: Burton Custom Flying V
Price: View More Info and Current Prices Here
Flex: Medium (5.5/10)
Feel: Semi-Loose
Smart rating score: 82.9/100
The Custom Flying V is one of those boards that can ride any style, so it's great if you're after one board to ride the park, groomers, trees and in the backcountry - and however you like to ride in all those areas.
Which is basically my definition of all-mountain riding.
This board is just consistent across all categories - and has a feel that is more on the playful rather than aggresive side. If you're looking for a more aggressive version of this it also comes in a traditional camber model - but that makes it a very different board (and less versatile in my opinion).
If versatile, light and on the playful side is what you're looking for, this is a great option.
Check out the video for more about the Custom Flying V
Score Breakdown for the Custom Flying V
FACTOR | rating (OUT OF 5) | contribution to final score |
|---|---|---|
Powder | 3.5 | 10.5/15 |
Carving | 3.0 | 9/15 |
Speed | 3.5 | 10.5/15 |
Uneven Terrain | 4.0 | 12/15 |
Switch | 3.5 | 7/10 |
Jumps | 4.0 | 8/10 |
Jibbing | 3.0 | 6/10 |
Pipe | 2.5 | 5/10 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 82.9/100 |
ALL-MOUNTAIN BOARD #9
Board: Arbor Coda Rocker
Price: View More Info and Current Prices Here
Flex: Medium-Stiff (7/10)
Feel: Semi-Loose
Smart rating score: 83.5/100
Whilst the Coda Rocker is technically an all-rockered snowboard, you would swear that there's some camber in there somewhere, when riding it. But there isn't - it's just Arbor's "system" rocker - which is a subtle rocker that gradually decreases the amount of rocker towards the tip and tail.
So it doesn't feel as loose as a continuous rocker usually does - and can handle speed better and has better edge-hold than you would normally expect from a full rocker. Part of that is also down to the extra flex - the stiffest board on this list.
It also has a centered stance - but it's got a directional twin shape - and definitely feels more all-mountain when riding it, than all-mountain freestyle, which is why I've included it in this catogory.
Check out the video for more about the Coda Rocker
Score Breakdown for the Coda Rocker
FACTOR | rating (OUT OF 5) | contribution to final score |
|---|---|---|
Powder | 3.0 | 9/15 |
Carving | 3.5 | 10.5/15 |
Speed | 3.5 | 10.5/15 |
Uneven Terrain | 3.5 | 10.5/15 |
Switch | 4.0 | 8/10 |
Jumps | 3.5 | 7/10 |
Jibbing | 3.0 | 6/10 |
Pipe | 3.5 | 7/10 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 83.5/100 |
ALL-MOUNTAIN BOARD #8
Board: Yes Typo
Price: View More Info and Current Prices Here
Flex: Medium (4.5/10)
Smart rating score: 84.8/100
*HARD/ICY SNOW OPTION
Described as a YES Basic on steroids, the Typo just gives you a little bit more aggression than the Basic. It has less rocker in the tip and tail giving it a bit more of a camber feel, and has a harder/faster sintered spec base.
And with a small setback stance it has a subtly more directional feel to it, than the Basic.
But it's still on the more freestyle end of all-mountain and is proficient with jumps, jibs and riding switch with ease, so it’s a great all-rounder.
Learn more about the Typo in the video below
Score Breakdown for the Typo
FACTOR | rating (OUT OF 5) | contribution to final score |
|---|---|---|
Powder | 3.0 | 9/15 |
Carving | 3.5 | 10.5/15 |
Speed | 3.0 | 9/15 |
Uneven Terrain | 4.0 | 12/15 |
Switch | 4.0 | 8/10 |
Jumps | 3.5 | 7/10 |
Jibbing | 3.0 | 6/10 |
Pipe | 4.0 | 8/10 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 84.8/100 |
ALL-MOUNTAIN BOARD #7
Board: Slash Brainstorm
Price: View More Info and Current Prices Here
Flex: Medium
Smart rating score: 87.2/100
And the #7 all-mountain snowboard on the list – the Brainstorm by Slash.
Alongside the YES Typo (see #8 above) this is the least expensive board in the list.
This is a seriously high quality all-mountain machine ready to tear up the park, pipe, the groomers and the backcountry a-like.
I can’t say enough how fun this board is all over the mountain – I found it super-hard to return this deck after demoing it!
It's slipped a few places in this list compared to the last couple of years - and that's simply down to the fact that it hasn't been upgrade at all since the 2017 model, so other boards have caught up - but still a mean all-mountain machine.
Check out the video below for more on the Brainstorm
Score Breakdown for the Brainstorm
FACTOR | rating (OUT OF 5) | contribution to final score |
|---|---|---|
Powder | 4.0 | 12/15 |
Carving | 3.5 | 10.5/15 |
Speed | 3.5 | 10.5/15 |
Uneven Terrain | 3.5 | 10.5/15 |
Switch | 3.5 | 7/10 |
Jumps | 4.0 | 8/10 |
Jibbing | 2.5 | 5/10 |
Pipe | 4.0 | 8/10 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 87.2/100 |
ALL-MOUNTAIN BOARD #6
Board: Rossignol One LF
Price: View More Info and Current Prices Here
Flex: Medium
Smart rating score: 87.8/100
*HARD/ICY SNOW OPTION
Formerly called the One Magtek, renamed the One LF (for “Light Frame”) - for the 2018 and 2019 models, the One from Rossi, coming in at number 6, is one of the most consistent boards for do-it-all riding in any condition.
The One is also awesome for anyone who often rides in hard and icy conditions – those Magtek edges really help to grip hard and icy snow.
Check out the video for more on the One LF
Score Breakdown for the One LF
FACTOR | rating (OUT OF 5) | contribution to final score |
|---|---|---|
Powder | 4.0 | 12/15 |
Carving | 3.5 | 10.5/15 |
Speed | 4.0 | 12/15 |
Uneven Terrain | 3.5 | 10.5/15 |
Switch | 3.5 | 7/10 |
Jumps | 3.0 | 6/10 |
Jibbing | 3.0 | 6/10 |
Pipe | 4.0 | 8/10 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 87.8/100 |
ALL-MOUNTAIN BOARD #5
Board: Nitro Team Gullwing
Price: View More Info and Current Prices Here
Flex: Medium (6/10)
Feel: Stable (ever so slightly on the looser side of stable)
Smart rating score: 88.4/100
The Team Gullwing, coming in at #5, is new to the list this year. The 2019 model is the first time I've been able to test the Team Gullwing and it didn't disappoint.
The Team Gullwing manages to walk that balance between aggressive and playful, the balance between being damp and smooth but also snappy.
It's very consistent across various terrain and capable for any style.
Check out the video for more about the Team Gullwing
Score Breakdown for the Team Gullwing
FACTOR | rating (OUT OF 5) | contribution to final score |
|---|---|---|
Powder | 3.5 | 10.5/15 |
Carving | 3.5 | 10.5/15 |
Speed | 3.5 | 10.5/15 |
Uneven Terrain | 4.0 | 12/15 |
Switch | 3.5 | 7/10 |
Jumps | 4.0 | 8/10 |
Jibbing | 3.0 | 6/10 |
Pipe | 4.0 | 8/10 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 88.4/100 |
ALL-MOUNTAIN BOARD #4
Board: Niche Story
Price: View More Info and Current Prices Here
Flex: Medium (6/10)
Smart rating score: 88.4/100
*HARD/ICY SNOW OPTION
And the number 4 board on the list, the Story, is from the niche snowboard company. It was good to see that the big boys aren’t the only one’s that can make great snowboards and its awesome to know there’s great competition out there to keep pushing snowboard technology further and further.
The Story is one heck of a board! The only reason you wouldn’t consider this board if you were into Jibbing in a big way.
For everything else this should definitely be an option and has no weakness outside of the jibbing (which it necessarily sacrifices to be stronger elsewhere). It is great in powder, speedy, excels on jumps and is a pipe superstar.
There’s no-where on the mountain that the Story can’t conquer – the ultimate compliment for an all-mountain snowboard.
Learn more about the story in the video below
Score Breakdown for the Story
FACTOR | rating (OUT OF 5) | contribution to final score |
|---|---|---|
Powder | 4.0 | 12/15 |
Carving | 3.5 | 10.5/15 |
Speed | 4.0 | 12/15 |
Uneven Terrain | 3.0 | 9/15 |
Switch | 3.5 | 7/10 |
Jumps | 4.0 | 8/10 |
Jibbing | 2.5 | 5/10 |
Pipe | 4.5 | 9/10 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 88.4/100 |
ALL-MOUNTAIN BOARD #3
Board: Jones Mountain Twin
Price: View More Info and Current Prices Here
Flex: Medium
Smart rating score: 89.0/100
The Mountain Twin is extremely consistent across all categories. It’s the definition of ride-everywhere, do-everything.
In fact it was only under 3.5 out of 5 for just one of the factors (Jibbing). This is a board I was definitely comfortable with everywhere on the mountain and it’s super consistent across conditions and across riding styles.
Learn more about the Mountain Twin in the video below
Score Breakdown for the Mountain Twin
FACTOR | rating (OUT OF 5) | contribution to final score |
|---|---|---|
Powder | 4.0 | 12/15 |
Carving | 3.5 | 10.5/15 |
Speed | 4.0 | 12/15 |
Uneven Terrain | 3.5 | 10.5/15 |
Switch | 3.5 | 7/10 |
Jumps | 3.5 | 7/10 |
Jibbing | 3.0 | 6/10 |
Pipe | 4.0 | 8/10 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 89.0/100 |
ALL-MOUNTAIN BOARD #2
Board: Never Summer West
Price: View More Info and Current Prices Here
Flex: Medium
Smart rating score: 90.9/100
Coming in at #2 is the Never Summer West.
This is a board that performs across the board (with only jibbing being a slight weakness) and it just has that x-factor that I can’t describe – this board feels like magic on the feet and somehow manages that elusive quality of being able to perform across a large variety of conditions and a variety of riding styles.
And it can switch seamlessly between laying down a hard carve and slowing down and slowing it down and playing around.
Want just one board for a versatile skill set, or if you're looking to develop a versatile skill set, then look no further.
Check out the video for more about the West
Score Breakdown for the West
FACTOR | rating (OUT OF 5) | contribution to final score |
|---|---|---|
Powder | 3.5 | 10.5/15 |
Carving | 4.0 | 12/15 |
Speed | 4.0 | 12/15 |
Uneven Terrain | 4.0 | 12/15 |
Switch | 3.5 | 7/10 |
Jumps | 4.0 | 8/10 |
Jibbing | 2.5 | 5/10 |
Pipe | 4.0 | 8/10 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 90.9/100 |
ALL-MOUNTAIN BOARD #1
Board: YES Standard
Price: View More Info and Current Prices Here
Flex: Medium
Smart rating score: 92.7/100
The Standard has changed quite a bit over the years and it really has evolved to be the Standard by which all other all-mountain boards are measured against, IMO.
The 2015-16 model was a more aggressive-all-mountain board and then it changed into a great all-round deck capable to do whatever you want it to. The biggest change between those two models was that the reduction of the amount of camber in the profile in the 2017 model compared to the 2016 model, making it less aggressive – and maybe a little softer flexing too.
The 2018 model evolved once more – and became even better. The main changes from the 2017 model being some tweaks in the sidecut and effective edge and also creating a wider base (incorporating Mid Bite).
2019 has kept things essentially the same as the 2018 model, but the core is now noticeably lighter - making my #1 all-mountain board, even better for 2019.
You can still get really aggressive on this board and lay down a good carve but it’s also great for jumps, riding switch and riding powder.
Check out the video for more on the Standard
Score Breakdown for the Standard
FACTOR | rating (OUT OF 5) | contribution to final score |
|---|---|---|
Powder | 3.5 | 10.5/15 |
Carving | 4.0 | 12/15 |
Speed | 4.0 | 12/15 |
Uneven Terrain | 3.5 | 10.5/15 |
Switch | 4.0 | 8/10 |
Jumps | 4.5 | 9/10 |
Jibbing | 3.0 | 6/10 |
Pipe | 4.0 | 8/10 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 92.7/100 |
What Would be Your Choice?
The perfect all mountain board for you in this list is not necessarily the one with the highest score. I encourage you to look at the score breakdowns to see what will be best suited for your own needs.
Thanks for reading and I hope that this list has helped to narrow down your options. Check out the links under each board to learn more about the boards.
This is a great post, love the detailed reviews. I will be bookmarking this site and I’m going to trust your recommendations… do you have any tips for first time snowboarders?
Hi Kristina – thanks for checking out the post and glad you liked it.
I have quite a few posts for beginners (see links below) and also have a Top 5 Men’s Beginners Snowboards post and a Top 5 Women’s Beginner Snowboards post. You can also find some individual detailed beginner snowboard reviews here.
I have linked to a few of the posts that should help you get started as a beginner (some parts of the posts may not relate to beginners).
I might even add a category to make it easy to search for anything relating to beginners – thanks for the idea!
How to Choose a Beginner Snowboard
How to choose snowboard bindings for a beginner
Should I Rent or Buy a Snowboard, That is the Question
What Are the Snowboarding Skill Levels? Discover Yours
Choosing the Best Snowboard Stance Setup
The Key Specs to Look Out For In a Snowboard Jacket
The Key Specs to Look for when Choosing Snowboard Pants
Understanding the Different Snowboard Camber Type
Snowboarding Terms Definitions: An Easy Guide
Find Out What You’ll Need on the Mountain with This Snowboarding Equipment List
@Nate: Awesome post! I’m a total newbie but am quite addicted to boarding already. Have hit the slopes 4 times on a board and have already grown the balls to ride down a blue at Jay Peak!
I was wondering if you can provide some suggestions on boards I should look at. Here are some facts/stats below:
Based on my research, I’m looking at
1. NS Snowtrooper
2. Burton Flight Attendant
Physical Stats:
~155-160 lbs, 169cm (~5’6.5″), Boot size 9-9.5,
Details:
Ride normal/regular, Will be riding mostly groomers but would like to hit the backcountry once I am more confident – do not plan on parks at ALL.. Will ride mostly Northeast US but once I am comfortable, would love to hit the western US and perhaps South America as well!
Experience:
Rides 1-3: Rode a 150cm Burton but was having trouble stopping on third day so I mentioned it to the guy at the rental place. he suggested asking for ‘next level up’ the next day. I got a 156cm Burton directional which was fine as in no problems turning or carving but at high speeds, I felt like the board was wobbling under my feet (so hard to explain). The only other issue was I slowed down too much at flat areas and it was a pain to get to a downward slope without taking off bindings. Other than that, I had no issues with the 156cm through the day.
Ask:
Can you please recommend a few boards and sizes? Bindings, boots would also be helpful. No constraints on budget etc..
Hi Dr. Haid
Awesome that you are getting into snowboarding!
I think the Snowtrooper would be a great option but I think the Flight Attendant would be a little bit too advanced at this stage. I would look at an all-mountain board for you rather than a freeride board (which the Flight Attendant is). If you get on something that’s too hard to ride it can really slow your progression (not to mention enjoyment).
In terms of size, I would say that 156cm is the max length I would go with at this stage. It sounds like you were comfortable on that, so I wouldn’t say no to that length but I wouldn’t go any longer. 150cm is a bit too short for you, even as a beginner. I would normally recommend something around 152cm to 154cm for you as a beginner – but Since you felt comfortable on the 156cm, I think anything 153 to 156 is a good range to look at.
I would say that your best choices from this list are:
~ Never Summer Snowtrooper
~ YES Typo
But anything here really (apart from Burton Process – just because it has a traditional camber profile that won’t be suitable – Process Flying V will be ok but it’s not that good in icy conditions which you will likely experience a fair bit of being on the East Coast). And probably not the Burton Trick Pony either – it will be better in icy conditions but the camber profile is probably bordering on being a bit difficult to start on.
The rest should be fine in terms of being rideable for a beginner but also boards that can take you into the backcountry in the future and that you can grow into in general – and that should do well in hard/icy conditions.
If you narrow it down to a particular board or couple of boards let me know and I can recommend what I think would be the best sizes for those particular boards.
In terms of bindings and boots, check out the following.
~ Top 7 Beginner Snowboard Boots
~ Top 5 Beginner Snowboard Bindings
~ Top 5 Freestyle Snowboard Boots (don’t be deceived by the name – I should really have called this top 5 medium flexing snowboard boots)
~ Top 5 All Mountain Snowboard Bindings
The gear in the 2nd two links will be of higher quality generally – but will also be not quite as easy to learn on. But not hard to learn on either. If you wanted that step up in quality but with a slightly steeper learning curve, this would be the way to go. If you wanting learning to be as easy as possible (but with the likelihood that you would want to upgrade in a season or 2) then the 1st two links would be the way to go, IMO.
Hope this helps
Hi, Nate. This is a great review. I had no idea that there was so much involved in purchasing a Snowboard. Love your website, you have a lot of valuable information to share. Thanks!
Hey Peggy – thanks for visiting. Yeah there is a bit to it. But well worth the effort to make sure you get the right snowboard – can make a lot of difference to how you progress.
Have you ridden the Rossi Templar? If so how does it compare on this list considering that it was designed to sit between the Taipan and the One.
Hey TN
I haven’t had a chance to ride the Templar but I hope to this winter. I didn’t really consider the Templar for this top 10 because of it’s medium soft flex. Which to me makes it more of a beginner to intermediate board – and probably more of an all-mountain-freestyle board than a straight all-mountain.
If I get a chance to ride it this winter I will definitely post a review on it but I suspect it won’t fit in this top 10 based on what I’ve seen and the board’s specs – it may make the beginner list or the all-mountain-freestyle list (when I create one!).
It’s certainly in between the Taipan and the One in terms of price but this doesn’t always translate to being in between in terms of quality – and in this case I suspect it isn’t as good an “all-mountain” board as the Taipan though it may perform better as an all-mountain-freestyle or beginner board.
Hope this helps and thanks for visiting.
>>Learn more about some different types of all-mountain snowboards
Hello Nate!
Great website, I love all the information you have here!
I’d like to get your expert opinion on what board I should proceed with. I’m one of those situations where I’m a smaller foot but not too small and not to big.
Specs:
Sex: Male
Height: 5’8
Weight: 190 lb
Level: Intermediate
Type: Mainly groomers, enjoy a mix of freestyle and freeride. Would like to work on carving and some switch riding
Location: East Coast Hard Pack / Ice
Current Board: 2013 Rossignol Templar 156 (Used since beginner)
Binding Angles: 15+/9-
Bindings: 2015 Burton Genesis Reflex Medium
Boots Sz 8 Burton Ruler
Barefoot Measurement – 259mm
I’m looking to get onto a new board. Also debating on moving up in size to a 158/159.
I’m finding it hard to find a board that has smaller waist widths, I tend to see an average waist width of 253 in the 158/159 range.
I’m in between on the following boards
1) Libtech TRS 159 – Has a waist width of 253, another forum member provided me with the insert width at the bottom measuring 260mm
2) Prior MFR – 158 – Has a waist width of 248, radius of 8.5 and a setback of 25mm. The store owner provided a measurement at the front inserts of 257 on the bottom and 250 at the topsheet.
Which would be the better option for me? I don’t know much about the Prior MFR and hard to find reviews as it is a smaller company. It’s also twice the price as the TRS i’m getting is from last season. But i’d rather go for the better option.
I’m also open to any suggestions you may have for any other mid-flex All-Mountain type boards.
I look forward to your response!
Thank you soo much!
Hey Danish
Thanks for the message and all the detail. Makes it really easy to recommend a board with all of that detail.
I agree that you should go up to a 158, 159 or 160 now and you’re right they tend to come in around that 252-254mm waist-width range which will be on the wide side for you.
However, you might have to make some compromise between getting the right length and the right width and better that you err on the side of wide in your width and not on the side of narrow. So I have tried to find some good 157cm to 158cms with as small a waist width as i can. So it’s on the shorter end of your length range and the wider end of your width range but I think these are a good compromise.
I confess to knowing nothing about Prior boards but that’s not to say that isn’t a good option – I like the waist width of that.
~ Slash Brainstorm 157cm – WW 250 – this should get you within the 5mm range (within 5mm from your toe to the edge of the board and your heel to the edge of the board) by my calculations. I measure width by the rule that you don’t want to be more than 5mm over the edge (measuring on the bottom of the board) or inside the boards edge for both toe and heel (in bare feet). So this board should get you within that range. It should have pretty good edgehold for your conditions too. And not to mention the fact that it’s at the top of this list!
~ Rossingnol Angus 157cm – WW 251 – this is a bit wider again but it’s got great edgehold for icy and hard conditions.
~ Lib Tech TRS 159cm – WW 253 – The TRS is still an option I think – especially if you can get a good deal on it. It’s great in icy and hard conditions and sounds like it would suit your purposes well. By my calculations it’s going to sit just outside of the 5mm rule that I usually have – but not by too much so it might be worth making a compromise on this. Unfortunately the 157cm TRS also has a 253mm waist – otherwise that would have been a good option. So I would go for the 159 if you choose to go with the TRS.
Hope this helps. I think any one of those 3 will work for you. Unfortunately you’ll have to make a compromise either way by the looks of it. Oh and the TRS actually makes my list of all-mountain-freestyle snowboards (yet to be published) so I definitely do rate that board as well as the other 2 which are on this list.
Hello Nate
Thank you soo much for your reply. It’s nice to get some good advice on a topic that doesn’t really get enough thought from most shops.
I’ve decided that I’m going to go the custom route with prior.
Now I say your rule that it should be within 10mm, 5mm on each side at the inserts.
If I go the custom route, what mm overhang on either side would be optimal? This is my chance to get the sizing really dialed in 🙂
Thanks
Hey Danish
Glad to be able to help.
The ideal setup is to have your bare feet go from edge to edge (on the bottom side of the board). Remember to take into account your usual bindings angles.
This will mean that there should be anywhere from a 10mm to 20mm overhang of your boots (depending on the outersole of your boots).
The reason for this is that it’s ultimately your feet that put the pressure on the edges to make a turn and if your heels and toes are right on the edge then it will be easier to apply pressure there – which means you can make faster, sharper turns with less effort. Of course you have to balance this with boot overhang but 20mm of boot overhang is absolutely fine.
Hope the board turns out sweet! It’d be awesome to hear what your impressions are once you’ve had a chance to ride the board.
Hi Nate.
Thanks for this! Helps allot.
I am going with the Slash brainstorm, now I normally ride a more Jib board ( salomonder/skatebanana) 151-152, would you recommend going longer for the brainstorm? Size 8/41, weight 70 kgs.
Thanks again for a great article.
Thomas
Hi Thomas
You’re welcome.
Yeah with the Brainstorm I would go longer than you would for a jib board. I think the 154cm would be a great length for you and the 248mm waist width would be great for your boot size too. You could probably also get away with the 157cm but would take more getting used to if you’re used to 151-152.
But yeah I would definitely go at least up to the 154cm.
Hope this helps.
Great! Thanks allot……..!!
Much appreciated.
Thomas
If it was between the brainstorm or mountain twin, which would you choose and why?
Hey Aaron
I would get the Brainstorm – just because I found it very slightly better for jumps and I like to be airbourne as often as possible. But there really isn’t much in it and I did like jumps on the Mountain Twin but the Brainstorm was just that little bit better.
I’m 5’11”, 165lbs. Size 11.5 boots. I bought the 159w, I really like both this board and the jones. I hope it’s a good fit. I have been riding an old 162 onetrack. It’s time to upgrade.
Hey Aaron
I think that’s going to be the perfect fit for you. Hope you enjoy the Brain Storm as much as I did. Let me know how it goes when you get a chance to ride it.
For sure, I only wish they made a 161w. That would have been my preference.
Yeah if you’re used to the 162 then a 161 might have been an easier transition – but I think once you get used to the 159 it might actually be an even better size for you.
I rode the 160 and I’m 6″0 and 185lbs and it felt like the perfect size.
I’ve ridden the slash brainstorm a few times so far and I like it! Lots of pop, great edge hold, and a decent carver. Would have preferred a little more setback. My old board was a old school , traditional camber freeride board, so this is quite different. I may mix it up next year, and buy the burton FA. I feel that board suits my riding style a little better. But in the meantime I’m enjoying the slash.
Hi Aaron
Thanks for your input. The Brainstorm is that kind of board that is designed to be a good all rounder – so it’s not setback too much so that it’s not too difficult to ride switch. The FA is a freeride board and I’d say it would feel more similar to your old board (it’s setback more and is mostly camber, with a rockered nose for better float in powder).
Hi Nate,
Great article, I’m thinking about purchasing the Brainstorm but can’t decide what size would be best for me. I weigh 78kg and my bootsize is US 10.5. What would you recommend?
Hey Adam
Either the 157 or 160 would be best for you. I don’t think you’ll need the wide. Your boot size is borderline and you’d be fine on both. But I prefer not to go with wide unless you really have to. I’d say the 157cm would probably be the best for you. If you can let me know your height (weight is 80-90% of the length decision but height has some influence) then I’ll can give you a more definite between the 157 and 160.
Hi Nate,
Thanks for the quick reply, I really appreciate your advice with this. I’m 5’11.
You’re very welcome.
I think both would be fine but I think that the 157 is the slightly better choice. I rode the 160 recently and I’m 85kg and 6″0. I think because you’re a little bit lighter that the 157 would be better but not much in it.
The other consideration is conditions. If you get a lot of fresh powder then having a bit of extra length can help with float in powder. In that case then go with the 160 but otherwise the 157. The Brainstorm is amazing in powder in general so the 157 will definitely do the job well but if you’re always riding powder (lucky if you are!) then go 160.
I’m sure there was a less long winded way to say that!
Hope this helps
Hey Nate,
I’ve been reading through many of your write ups the past few weeks and I feel like you write very honest and unbiased reviews compared to other websites out there.
I’m 6′ 2″ 190, Burton 12 boots, with athletic build. I picked up snowboarding while working in Alaska the last 2 winters. I’ve become comfortable on all parts of the mountain, including all types of difficulty. I haven’t touched parks, rails, etc. and for me a great day is long steep groomers and when the snow is good tree runs. Mammoth is my home mtn and I love the steeps at the top there.
I’ve rented (wasted a lot of money) the last 2 seasons and it’s time to buy my set up.
I like a board that has a solid edge over icy conditions (early and late season at mammoth can get icy) and then something that can handle big powder days (Tahoe and Mammoth).
The last board I demo’d was a 161 W never summer chairman and it was fast, with a tremendous ability to grip icy conditions. I loved it but only had the chance to ride it one day. I also rode the NS cobra in Tahoe and really enjoyed it. Can you recommend something for me or speak to the Chairman I mentioned? I’m willing to sacrifice performance in the park for performance at the top of the mountains on steep groomers and big powder days. Of course, I’m also willing to hear Any recommendations on brands, board length & width. I would assess my skill level as advanced but not expert by any means. Thanks in advance!
Best,
Don
Hey Don
Thanks for visiting. Glad to hear you’re going with your own setup – definitely beats renting!
I think it sounds like a freeride board would be the best choice for you. They tend to be hard charging, good on the steeps and great in powder. I’ll leave a link at the end of this to my top freeride boards.
The NS Chairman sounds like it’s a good fit for you. It’s not on this list because it’s a freeride board. It doesn’t make my freeride list (but that’s only 5 long at the moment and it wasn’t far off). It’s known for being good in hard and icy snow conditions too, so that would make a good choice for that reason too. Also, because you’ve already ridden it and liked is a plus too.
In terms of length, I’d say anything from 161 to 165 would be a good bet for you. And in terms of width you’ll want to go with a wide I’d say. Although Burton do tend to have good footprint reduction tech (so the outersole is less than it would be on other boots of equivalent size) so you might get away with something like with a 257mm waist width – but I’d go wide to be on the safe side. So the 161 W or the 165 W in the chairman would work. If you were comfortable on the 161W then that would probably be the best bet. Also size depends somewhat on the individual board but I think that would be fine on the Chairman.
Of the boards in the list below I’d say to look at the YES Pick Your Line (I rode the 2017 version recently and it’s a lot of fun!), the Jones Flagship or the Rossi XV Magtek. The Pick Your Line and XV Magtek are particularly good in icy conditions and the Flagship isn’t far off. They’re all killer in powder.
>>My Top 5 Freeride Snowboards
In terms of sizing I’d go with the following:
Flagship: 162W
Pick Your Line: 160W
XV Magtek: 164W
But the Chairman is also a great option.
That doesn’t mean you couldn’t also go with an all-mountain board. From this list to suit what your after the best choices would be Slash Brainstorm, NS Cobra, Jones Mountain Twin, & Niche Story.
Hope this helps
Nate,
Wow, thanks for all of the advice! I’ll look into your recommendations and links you have provided. I’m already stoked for the upcoming season.
Last question, do you have a recommendation on a solid set of bindings? I want something middle/top of the market price wise, that will be durable and efficient. I’m not opposed to spending more money for better quality, but as this is my first board purchase I don’t need everything to be top of the line. I haven’t don’t much research on bindings and honestly just have always gone with the ones on my demo boards haha.
Keep up the great work, it really helps us boarders out here looking for honest advice/recommendations!
Best,
Don
Hey Don
You’re very welcome.
Bindings can definitely make a big difference and can be overlooked. Generally speaking you’ll want to match the flex of your bindings to the flex of your board – though this doesn’t have to be exact. I’ve also made some lists for some different types of bindings if you want to check those out.
>>Top 5 Freeride Bindings
>>Top 5 All-Mountain Bindings
Hey buddy,
Im just wondering did you test the 2016/2017 Never Summer Proto Type two?
The one with the word PROTO on base in multi colour
Its won many other “best all mountain” reviews
Keen for your feedback
Regards
Sam
Hey Sam
I did demo the Proto Type Two – and loved it!
However, I consider it an all-mountain-freestyle board rather than an all-mountain board. I have a separate list for those. The Proto Type Two will definitely be on that list when I update it for 2016/17. The predecessor to the Type Two (the Proto HD, was already on that list). Also I’m going to be updating that list to a top 10 (currently a top 5) for 2016/17 because there are so many all-mountain-freestyle decks around these days – and because I demoed a lot more of them last season.
Hi Nate
Love your reviews.
I’m looking at a new board and was after some advice.
Don’t do a great deal of boarding, but usually an annual holiday to france or the likes. A couple of trips up to scotland ( Aviemore or Glenshee) and trips to the snowdomes.
I’m a beginner to intermediate and ride piste, off piste, powder, tree lines. Don’t do very much park at all but would like to move into some smaller jumps.
I’m currently looking at the Slash Brainstorm, Yes Typo/Basic, Never Summer Cobra.
Obviously reading your review i know which YOU think is best, but which do you think may be best suited to me.
I currently have a skate banana 152 but earlier this year in France felt it was really unstable and twitchy, especially when i picked up a little speed.
Also which size.
I’m 5’8″ tall, 182lbs, wear size 9 uk boots.
Thanks for any advice you could offer.
Hey Andy
Thanks for your message. You’re definitely right to look for a new board and I’m not surprised that you found the Skate Banana unstable and twitchy – it’s definitely a loose board. Which some people like and if you’re doing purely freestyle riding in the park then the Skate Banana is a fun board but for your purposes not suited. I think that the 152cm is definitely too short for you as well. It would be ok as a freestyle length (even then prob a tad too short for you) but not for what you want to do and that would add to that twitchy unstable feel – particularly at speed.
I think the best length for you would be between 155 and 158 given your height/weight and your ability level.
Any of the 4 boards you’ve mentioned would be a big improvement for how you’re riding. They’ll take some getting used to because they’re very different boards to the Skate Banana and will be longer – but once you’re used to them, they’ll serve you better.
The Basic and the Typo are fairly similar boards in my opinion with the Basic being slightly better for freestyle and the typo more all mountain. Both should be pretty easy to get used to and would be suitable for what you want in my opinion. The Typo would be better off piste particularly as it has a bit of a setback and the basic is centered. For both the YES boards the 155 or 158 would be suitable sizes. The 158 would offer a bit more stability at speed but the 155 would be easier to maneuver and easier to get used to and probably an easier transition from the 152 you’ve been riding.
The Brainstorm might take a little bit more to get used to but once you’re used to it I think it would be ideal for what you want. The 157 would be the best size for the brainstorm for you, in my opinion.
The Cobra would be the hardest to get used to and I would say this is probably the least recommended of the 4. However, it is still suitable and still an option, it would just be a steeper learning curve. For the Cobra you would need to weight up between the 155 and the 158. The 155 will be easier to ride but the 158 will offer more stability at speed once you were used to it.
Hope this helps. Let me know what you end up going with.
Nate
Thanks for your reply.
Think i’ve now ruled two of the boards out ( cobra, basic).
I’ve also read some awesome reviews of the Jones mountain twin. How would this compare to the Typo and Brainstorm ?
With regards to the sizing, i’m worried about making the same mistake again and going too small so a little apprehensive about going down the 155 route. Would they still be ok ?
Are there any other boards you feel might suit or be better ?
Thanks again for all your help.
Hey Andy
The Mountain Twin is more like the Brainstorm than the Typo. The Brainstorm and the Mountain Twin felt like very similar boards to ride for me. As per the ratings above, I think that the only thing is that the Brainstorm was just slightly better for jumps – but really there is very little difference between the 2 in my opinion, even in that area. So yeah the Mountain Twin is definitely an option. If you need to choose between the two – get the one that you can get for the cheapest, they really are that similar.
The Mountain Twin also comes in a 157 and I think that would be the best for you. If you’re worried about going too short again then I’d choose the 158 if you go for the typo. It’s slightly longer than the 157 in the Brainstorm and the Mountain Twin but it’s a softer flex so should be easier to maneuver despite that slight bit of extra length. I think that the Brainstorm or Mountain Twin are better boards but will take more to get used to. The Typo would be a good transition board because it’s easier to get used to but doesn’t quite have the same performance as the other 2. Though it would be better at jibbing if that’s something you were wanting to get into.
Hope this helps,
Nate
Nate
Thanks a lot for all your advice.
Have gone for the Slash Brainstorm 157.
Keep up the good work.
Andy
You’re very welcome. Glad I could help. Let me know what you think once you’ve had a chance to ride it.
Nate, I am 65 180lbs 5’10” and ride an old travis rice 161.5 camber board and as I get older finding myself catching edges more on hardback. I ride mostly out west and looking for an all mountain board that is good all around and less catchy on hardback. I am a strong intermediate/weak advanced. I mostly do greens blues and a few blacks when the powder is deep otherwise I am on piste if no fresh snow. Mostly directional with +15 and 0 stance. I was looking at the Jones Mountain Twin. would this be a good choice or is there another one you might suggest for a guy my age with slowly decreasing skills.
Hi Jim
Thanks for your message.
For starters I would size down a bit – not too much, but a couple of centimeters would help with making the board easier to maneuver. Something around a 158cm or 159cm I think would be best for you.
I think the Jones Mountain Twin could work. It has a Hybrid Camber profile (camber between the feet with rocker towards the tip and tail). It will float well in powder when you are in it but it’s also good on hardpack. It’s got a bit of a setback stance and a directional twin shape. I have never found the Mountain Twin to be catchy. It’s probably similar flex-wise to the Travis Rice but maybe very slightly softer. Probably the best size would be the 160cm for you. This would make it a little shorter which should help with maneuverability.
Another option would be the Never Summer Snowtrooper. This is slightly softer flexing than the Jones Mountain Twin which would make it a little bit more forgiving and it also comes in a 159 which I think would be a great size for you. It would be a slightly less aggressive, slightly more playful option than the mountain twin but should still also be able to do everything that you want it to.
The Snowtrooper is more playful and forgiving and prob the better size in my opinion, but perhaps the Mountain Twin would be better in Hardpack.
Hope this helps.
Hi Nate
thumbs up for the help you provide to the people here, that’s really cool. I’m 40 now and was a intermediate/advanced rider 20 years ago, but without great trick skills. I lived in Mexico in the meantime and didn’t touched snow since. Now I’m back to Switzerland and wanna ride again. I was an advanced skater as a teenager. I want to get an allround board but will probably go more for powder and carving since fooling around won’t make my back too happy, but I’d like to leave the option. I’m 6.1 ft tall 72-75kg shoe size 11 to 11.5 US. The brainstorm 160 seems good or should I be looking into wide? I think i’ll probably pick up again in a couple of days so a beginner board wouldn’t be worth it right? What do you think? Thanks for the input.
Hi Max
Thanks for visiting the site.
I don’t think you need to go for a beginner board and I think the Brainstorm would be a good choice for you by the sounds of what you want and should be fine for getting back into it. As you say, you’ll likely be back to an intermediate level pretty quickly.
In terms of size, I think you should go for the 159W. I would be worried that the 160 would be slightly too narrow. You might get away with it but you’d definitely be pushing it. I think the 159 length is fine for you too and the width is definitely better suited.
Hello Nat.
Im looking to change my belove A snowboard David Vincent 159 for something more adapted to my riding style. Im east coast, riding groom and ice 75% of the time. I dont do park or big air anymore. Looking for a board that will turn quickly in the wood and that will carve well. I like to butter, im not a speed demon and need to be able to play with the kids at low speed. Im 6ft, 200pds. Got vans Infuse 12 Us boots. Im pretty sure that i need a wide board but never got any problem with the one i have atm. I rarely ride switch. Was looking at burton custom 159w or flight attendant 159. Any suggestion is welcome. Thx for your time.
Hi Marc
Thanks for the message and the info.
I wouldn’t go with the Custom or Flight Attendant. Not that I don’t rate those boards because I definitely do – but since you are riding in ice a lot I would go for something that’s better in those conditions. Something that has better edge hold in hard and icy snow.
Something like the YES Pick Your Line is great in icy conditions – and would be great for your carving – but it’s definitely not something you’d be able to use to play and go slow with – and not great for buttering.
If you were set on a Burton board, then the Custom X would be your best bet. It’s definitely more pricey than the others though but it’s better in harder conditions. That said, it’s still probably not the best when it comes to slowing things up and playing around.
I’d suggest one of the following:
>>YES Typo (159W – 261mm Waist Width)
>>Niche Story (159 – 262mm waist width)
>>Lib Tech Skunk Ape (161W – 268mm waist width)
When compared to Proto Type Two and The Greats above you’d sacrifice a little bit in carving but you’d make up for that because they are better in icy conditions.
Hope this helps.
Hi Nate
Great site!
I was hoping you could help me decide between a Yes Standard 156 or a Yes Typo 155?
If you ignore the price difference, which would you say would be best for someone who does groomers, steeps, side country, natural features, ice, powder, but only a little park?
I’m an advanced rider, 40, 175lbs, 5’11”.
Many thanks!
Hi Jon
Thanks for your message.
Because of the fact that you won’t be in the park that much I would say go with the standard. It’s a little quicker, a better carver and slightly better in powder, especially if you set your stance back.
I’d say that the Typo is marginally better in icy snow but there’s little in it – they’re both pretty good in hard-to-icy conditions. If you did more park, then I’d say the Typo just because it’s a better jibber.
Either would work but the Standard the Standard would be a better fit for you, I think.
Thanks for the reply Nate.
How do you think the Standard would compare against the Slash Brainstorm for those requirements?
Jon
Hi Jon
In terms of powder, the Brainstorm is the pick of the two.
For hard to icy snow conditions I’d say they’re about the same.
The Standard is a marginally better carver, IMO and will be marginally better at riding switch if you have it centered.
Both are about the same for jumps. The Brainstorm is a little better for jibs but not much in it and neither are amazing for jibs but you can still definitely hit the occasional rail/box etc on them.
Hi Nate- Love your site.
It’s been a handful of years since I’ve purchased a new board and there’s been a lot of progression with camber profiles and edge shapes in that time, so I appreciate your help sifting through all of the new information.
I’m 6ft, 150lbs, wear US 10 boots and my ability level is intermediate/advanced.
I do most of my riding on the east coast so I deal with my fair share of hard pack and ice but I also visit some bigger/snowier mountains from time to time.
I’m looking for something that’s responsive and can hold an edge in the east coast conditions so I’m leaning towards a board that’s a little stiffer with magne-traction or some other edge technology.
Most of my riding is done on the trails with the occasional powder and tree run sprinkled in and I don’t do a lot of park riding, just some jumps here or there, so jibbing ability isn’t a big concern for me.
What do you think would be a good fit for me?
Thanks for your help
Hi Brian
Thanks for your message.
For your conditions I would say that the Rossignol One Magtek and Niche Story would be your best bets. They both have really good edge hold in hard and icy conditions. They’re also overall just really nice boards with the one weakness for both of them being jibbing – which, as you say, isn’t a concern for you.
Outside of those two the next best on hard and icy conditions would be the Slash Brainstorm, Jones Mountain Twin, YES Standard, YES Typo and Never Summer West.
There are other options if you wanted to go for something stiffer flexing but those would be your best bet from this list.
Nate,
Great article, thanks for writing it.
Ive been contemplating the mountain twin for over a year. Now the Ultra mountain twin is out and I’m torn.
5’11 175lbs
Size 11 Burton Imperial boots
Burton cartels
I say I’m intermediate but that doesn’t tell you much. I love to carve and hit jumps. I love tree lines and plan to do some more back country this year places like Colorado and Canada.
I’m truly looking for an all mountain board. I don’t get enough time in powder but looking to change that soon. I live all the way on the east coast (I surf all winter while you guys are out snowboarding)
The board I have now is literally 14 years old.
First question is this
Between the
Jones MTN twin
Jones Ultra MTN twin
Slash Brainstorm
What would you lean towards for me and sizing is the second area where I need advise.
Thanks again for the write up. It really helps sort through the information overload out there when. It comes to board selection
PS I love a lap through the park but usually skip the pipe.
Hey Ryan
It sounds like you like to do a bit of almost everything – so an all mountain board is definitely what you want.
All 3 of the boards you’ve mentioned you can’t go wrong with really.
Between the Brainstorm and the Mountain Twin, I rate the Mountain Twin very marginally better at carving and the Brainstorm marginally better in powder and over jumps. I found the Brainstorm very very slightly quicker from edge to edge but there’s so little in it that they’re practically the same. In fact in a lot of ways, these two boards are quite similar – both in terms of their specs and how they felt to ride.
If I had to choose between the Brainstorm and the Mountain Twin for you, I’d say Brainstorm, but like I say, you’d be fine with either.
I haven’t ridden the Ultra Mountain Twin but from what I hear it’s a slightly stiffer, slightly snappier, slightly more stable at speeds and slightly quicker from edge-to-edge version of the mountain twin. Also slightly more stable on landings. So, in theory as I haven’t ridden it, it would give you the carving of the Mountain Twin and perhaps a bit better again but quicker from edge-to-edge (nice for the trees) and a bit more for jumps. So in theory it would be the best choice. But you do also pay a fair bit more for it.
If money’s no object, then the Ultra Mountain Twin is worth a crack otherwise the Brainstorm – but only just. The Mountain Twin would definitely do the job most excellently!
Hope this helps with your decision. As I say, you can’t really make a wrong choice between those 3.
Oops I forgot sizing!
Mountain Twin: 158W (258mm waist width)
Brainstorm: 159W (259mm waist width)
You’re on the cuff of wide and regular width boards with size 11s. But both these wide versions are actually really mid-wides. So there actually just right for your boot size.
In terms of length I would put you on anything from a 157 to 160 so these lengths are also perfectly in the middle of that. And in terms of the manufacturers weight recommendations you fit nicely in these sizes too.
Hi Nate,
based on your feedback and what I’m looking for in a snowboard I’m leaning towards the Yes Standard. I’ve also read your review of the Yes Greats (Top All Mountain Freestyle) and it also seems to be a good option for me but I want to clarify some of your scores and evaluation just to be sure.
So, between the two…
Uneven Terrain score:
Standard: 3.0
Greats: 4.0
Why this difference, since both 2017 versions of these boards have the same construction?
What does the 3.0 for the Standard means? Did you feel any big chatter and vibrations?
This is a big deal for me because I ride a lot on crowded days with ruined groomers..
Carving score:
Standard: 4.0
Greats: 4.0
Both have the same score. Does this means that the asym sidecut on the Greats doesn’t make a big difference?
Powder score:
Standard: 3.5
Greats: 2.5
Mountain Twin: 4.0
I’m going to be riding more mountain/groomers with the occasional (not very often) powder day.
With 2.5 does it mean that the Greats is inadequate in Powder, or isn’t ideal and you can still have fun?
The 3.5 of the Standard means that the extra back inserts and the slight directional twin shape doesn’t make that big of a difference when compared with something more directional like the Mountain Twin?
In general I want a board with less jib and park characteristics but that rides switch very good and more for the mountain.
Many thanks and great website and advice by the way!
Hi Dany
I’ll give you my opinion for each factor that you have brought up.
Uneven Terrain:
I felt that the Greats hugged bumpy terrain a little better. In terms of chatter the Standard was fine in terms of feeling chatter when riding at speed. Chatter for me is something that comes under speed. Speed for my ratings is how fast the boards rides but also, and more importantly, in my opinion, how stable the ride is at speed and how chattery it is. I would say the reason that the Greats was better with uneven terrain is that it is softer flexing than Standard, which helps it to go with the bumps a little bit more.
Carving:
I do think that the asym sidecut helps with carving for sure. But carving is a factor of a few things. One thing is that you can hold that edge without washing out even when carving at high speeds. Generally speaking a stiffer flexing board will be better at carving because it can hold an edge better. On that alone I would expect the Standard to be the better carver. However, to me they felt as good as each other for carving – and I would put that down to the asym side cut for sure.
The Asym sidecut also makes riding switch easier, IMO. In my experience with riding switch on asym boards I definitely prefer it to non-asym boards.
Powder:
I wouldn’t say that the Greats is inadequate for powder. You can definitely still have fun in powder. The score of 2.5 means it’s average. I’ve ridden boards that were worse in powder. But if you wanted a dedicated powder board or if you rode a lot of powder and wanted an all-mountain board for everything then The Greats probably wouldn’t be suitable. If it’s only occasionally I wouldn’t be put off The Greats for that reason. You might just have to work a little harder keeping the nose from sinking as you would on a board more suited to powder.
It was noticeable that the Mountain Twin was better in powder but not by a whole lot over the Standard. But the Mountain Twin is what I would deem a directional twin shape and the Standard – even though it’s deemed a “true” twin isn’t really a true twin – maybe closer to a true twin than the Mountain Twin but it’s still got a little bit more nose. Also, the Standard is centered this year but it has setback options. I rode it setback. It wouldn’t be as good in powder if you set up centered on it.
I hope that answers your questions and helps with your decision.
Hi Nate,
I think that you’ve just puxed me more into the Greats 🙂 because, if it’s still fun in powder days, then it seems to be the better option for me.
Many thanks!
You’re very welcome!
Hope you enjoy your new board and have an awesome season!
Hey Nate,
You are the man! Your reviews are super helpful.
I am debating between 4 boards and am wondering if you could weigh in…
Loaded Algernon
Jones Ultra Mountain Twin
Slash Brainstorm
OZ Woody
I mostly spend time charging pistes, with occasional ventures into some bowls and trees. I also like to hit some side hits and rollers every now and then. I really want to find a nice balance between great edge hold while still being able to cut through some of the rough stuff. I am 6’2″ 160lbs, so I am also wondering what size you would recommend. I have been riding a 162 for years, but I feel like sizing down a bit might make things a little more fun. Also I was thinking about pairing the board with either the Burton Genesis or Cartels, any thoughts on those?
Thanks again, Cheers!
Hey Ry
I don’t follow Loaded or OZ so I can’t really say much about them (can’t keep up with every brand – there’s so many of them!) but I definitely rate the Mountain Twin and Brainstorm and I think they’d definitely suit how you like to ride by the sounds of it.
To be honest the two boards are quite similar rides with only very subtle differences. See score breakdowns for relative strengths and weaknesses. So either would suit well.
In terms of size I’m only guessing that you would have boot size 11 or up? If that’s the case then I would suggest the 159W for the Brainstorm and the 158W for the Mountain Twin. I think 162 is probably a little bit long for you – though it also depends on the board. For these boards I would go with:
Brainstorm: 159W
Mountain Twin: 158W
If you can let me know your boot size I can more accurately recommend a size for you.
Hope this helps.
Totally forgot boot size: 10. I am thinking to stay away from the wide to keep it a bit faster from edge to edge.
Good call! Definitely don’t go wide if you have 10s. I wear 10s and wouldn’t go wide.
In that case.
Brainstorm: 157
Mountain Twin: 157
You could also go 160 on either but I would say 157 will be a better match for your weight. But if you like a slightly longer board or if you want something that’s better in powder you could size up to the 160. It will be a bit more stable at speed and float better in powder. The smaller 157 would be more maneuverable and better for those side hits. 157 sounds quite small for your height but it’s mostly about weight. But yeah you could definitely do either.
Hi Nate
Thanks for putting the time into some quality reviews!I am from New Zealand (often riding uneven variable snow conditions) and will spending the season at Revelstoke. Im tossing up between the Jones Mountain Twin and Rossi One Mag and ill be looking to take the board home after the season in Canada. I weigh 87kg and am 6ft tall with size 11 boots. Would you mind offering your opinion on which board and at what size you would reccomend?
Cheers again
Trent
Hi Trent
Welcome to BC!
Both of those boards would be good choices. I think there a couple of things to weigh up.
The One Magtek will be better in icy conditions. The Mountain Twin is also pretty good for hard and icy conditions but that’s something that the Rossi One is particularly great at.
The Moutnain Twin will be better in powder and also with jumps and jibs if you’re into those.
Your choice probably comes down to a couple of things.
a. Whether you ride more in ice or more in powder – though both are fine at either but one is better than the other
b. If you’re into jumps/jibs or think you’ll get into it at Revelstoke
In terms of size I would say:
Mountain Twin: 161W or 160 or 162. Any of these 3 sizes would work. The wide isn’t really that much wider than the regular’s and your size 11.0s would fir on either width (256mm waist width on the 160 and 162 regular sizes and a 260mm waist on the 161W). In terms of length it probably depends on what you’re used to and how you prefer to be riding. If you are going to be a little bit more freestyle oriented or if you are more of a beginner to intermediate rider then I’d go with the 160. If you are more advanced and prefer to bomb the mountain a bit more and are more carving/speed oriented then the 162 would be a good choice. The 161W will add a bit more stability with the extra width but will be less maneuverable/slower from edge to edge.
One Magtek: 159. In my opinion the wide versions of the One Magtek are a little too wide for 11.0s. Not undoable but I wouldn’t go that wide with 11.0s. The 159 is a bit shorter than the Mountain Twin options but it does have a longer effective edge so it will be long enough in my opinion. The waist width is 254 but it does have a deeper sidecut (so the width at the inserts will be wider than it would be if it had a shallower side cut).
This is assuming that you mean US 11.0 boots.
Deep breath!
I hope this info has given you a bit more to go on for your decision. Personally I’d go with the Mountain Twin but I don’t see that much ice and I like to be able to hit jumps and jibs when I get the feeling. But you may be different in those aspects.
Have an awesome season in Revelstoke!!
Thanks for writing this and responding to people. I’m 5’9″ and 140lab (size 10). I have not bought a new board in about 5 years, but I’ve been snowboarding for a long time with some decent gaps in between periods of lots of days. I no longer spend time in the park–looking for a board that is fun on and off the groomers, good in powder, and OK on a skinny 40+ year old’s bones. For years, I bought Burton Customs and my last board was a LIB. I’m super interested in what you think is the best board, binding, boot set up (even if it’s expensive). Thanks again for the article and responses.
Hi Josh
Thanks for your message.
There a couple of ways to make a board a bit more easy going on the body. One is to size down a bit and the other is to go for a softer flex. Another is to go with a more mellow camber profile. I think you’re on the right track with this list.
I would maybe say no to the Niche Story on this occasion – usually this is one of my top recommendations but it’s a little stiffer than the others on this list and just requires a little bit more effort to wield it. Otherwise I think you’d be safe with anything on this list. In terms of size I’d try to go for anything around a 152 or 153. This does also depend on the particular board and if you find something you like I can give you a more customized size recommendation on the board that you decide on.
In terms of boots and bindings try to match the flex. For you I’d say something medium flexing is a good bet. The boots and bindings at the following links would be good options, IMO.
>>Top 5 All Mountain Snowboard Bindings
>>Top 5 All Mountain Snowboard Boots
Hope this helps
Nate, I currently ride a Lip Tech Jamie Lynn Phoenix 160cm. I’m old and used to camber boards but have found this board too catchy. My original board was a 156cm but I took about 10 years off and started back up a few years ago. I ride East Coast conditions, so usually icy or catchy groomers. At the time I purchased the Jamie Lynn it was the smallest available, it’s a very aggressive board. While I’m pretty experienced, I’m now basically just going down the runs, carving embankments, some light jumps, etc… was looking at Rossignol One Magtech or Yes Standard. Which of these two is more forgiving or less catchy, especially on flat groomers?
Thanks for your feedback.
Hi Mitch
Thanks for your message.
Both of those boards will be less catchy and less aggressive than the Jamie Lynn Phoenix so you’re on the right track. Either one will be an improvement in terms of the issues you are having with Jamie Lynn Phoenix.
In terms of catchiness I think they’re both about equal in that respect and I didn’t find them catchy at all.
In terms of riding on a lot of ice though, I think that the Rossi One would be your best bet. The YES Standard is pretty good on hard and icy conditions but the Rossi One is just that little bit better.
I would also say that if you used to ride a 156, that you should consider getting a shorter size than your current 160 – because if the board feels too long, that will also add to the catchiness and make it more difficult to maneuver. If you can let me know your height and weight, I can give you a size recommendation for each board if you’d like.
Hi Nate first of all great post you did over here very detailed and informative. i have a question for you. i`m an intermediate rider looking for a new board this year. i wanted the slash brainstorm but it`s been sold out. Im between the Never Summer west and the Yes Standard but cant figure out which one is best for me. I`m more into all mountain riding but powder and trees are my favorites but also hitting the park sometimes but not too much. my question is if the yes standard is more stiffer than the West and how much more. I preffer a medium flex to butter and do a little of freestyle. Hope you can give me the answer! Im 6`0 150 lbs
Hi Luke
I think that the YES Standard is probably the best bet overall for what you’re describing. In saying that both would be good options but I would lean slightly in favor of the Standard. I know I have it listed as medium-stiff here but I’d say that it’s on the softer side of medium-stiff if that makes sense. Maybe like a 6.5/10 and the West pn the stiffer side of medium – like a 6/10. So there’s not a huge difference in terms of flex there. The Standard felt just a touch stiffer.
But even though it’s a touch stiffer it was a bit nicer to butter, in my opinion. Not by much but it just felt that little bit easier to butter – maybe just because it has rocker sections tip and tail, whereas the West has Camber sections tip and tail.
Thanks for replying Nate!!
Im more into the Yes Standard but its been a nightmare to get it. Apparently it is out of stock.
What can you tell me about powder, trees and uneven terrain between the West and the Standard? Which one is better for that kind of riding apart from groomers which both excel at it. I cant decide between those two both are great boards. Hope you can help me decide!
Hi Luke
I’d say they are both similar for powder with the Standard being a bit quicker edge-to-edge making it probably more suitable for tighter terrain.
In terms of uneven terrain, I found the West to be a little bit better. Again not much in it but just a bit better.
You mention that you are finding the YES Standard hard to find? Did you mean the Slash Brainstorm? As far as I can tell the YES Standard is widely available but the Brainstorm is a bit harder to come by. Check out the links below for both boards. Whether or not they’re in your size I’m not sure.
>>YES Standard at evo.com
The links above are US stores. If you’re in Europe try the following.
>>Slash Brainstorm at blue-tomato
>>Slash Brainstorm at ellis-brigham
Hope this helps with your decision
Hey Nate,
Love your reviews here, I’ve found them to be some of the best, most in-depth around. I’m trying to pick out a do-it-all board to ride at Snowbird this season. I’m a pretty decent rider and was really looking hard at board’s like the gnu space case, never summer proto and YES. The Greats because I like the idea of asym for switch riding and like riding a centered stance, but I feel like these boards may come up short in the powder department? The Jones Mountain Twin has come highly recommended but it isn’t a true twin so I was worried about it’s switch performance and having to mount it back a bit. What do you think of it? I’m 5’8″ and weight about 160. Looking for a board that’s fun and freestyly, does okay in the deep stuff, and will get me down the hardpack when were taking hot laps. Do you think the Mountain Twin might fit the bill? Any other recommendations? I work for an online retailer and we don’t carry the slash brainstorm unfortunately. Let me know, your response is much appreciated.
Hi Zach
Thanks for the message.
I would say all 3 of those boards are average in powder. Not bad but not great either. But to be honest I can’t think of any boards that are twin and centered that would be any better in powder. So if you want asymmetrical twin and centered, then the 3 boards you just mentioned would be the best picks in my opinion. Also, I have ridden worse boards in powder too. I would say 2.5/5 for powder for those boards and I’ve ridden boards that I would rate as a 1/5 for powder.
That said, the Mountain Twin isn’t bad at riding switch – but it’s not going to feel as nice for riding switch as the others. It is of course better in the powder.
The Mountain Twin is one of the most versatile boards going around if you want to do everything – but it’s naturally not going to be the best at everything.
From what you’re describing I think the YES Greats and the NS Proto Type 2 would fit the bill the best. But if you think you’ll be riding a lot of powder – then you might appreciate the Mountain Twin more. If you are going to only be riding powder occasionally then the Greats and Proto will be the best options. They certainly can ride powder but it’s just going to take more effort/focus to keep the nose from sinking.
In terms of size I would say the following for each board:
Mountain Twin: 154cm – going with this length will make it a bit more freestyle oriented than if you were to go with say the 157.
Proto Type Two: 154cm as well but you could go up to the 157 – which would help to give it more float in powder but will also make it harder to spin and ride switch.
YES The Greats: 156cm – this is probably the best size for a good balance between powder and doing tricks
Hope this has given you some more to go on for your decision (and hasn’t made it more confusing!)
Hi Nate,
to be honest one of the best boards review.
The mountain twin has totally catched me but I need to know how good it is on powder compared to my current board which is a burton dominant 2008 (if you know it). I love this board but and I can not just keep the nose up on powder, very good for riding and park but to be honest the freeride is the mountain side that I love.
I am about to get one 157, I am 8.5 as boot size and 167 lbs, 1.84 cm tall.
thanks for your help
Hey Marco
I don’t know the Burton Dominant well but just doing some quick research I think that the Mountain Twin will be a lot better in powder. It sounds like the Dominant was a park board really and not designed for powder.
I think the 157 would be the best size for you.
I think the Mountain Twin would be a good choice for you too. It’s good in powder and for more freeride type riding but is also playful enough for freestyle. It’s one of the few boards around that actually does that really well.
Hey Nate,
Great thread. I am a woman looking for a good all mountain snowboard for east coast conditions. I am 5’0′ and weight around 120lbs. I learned to ride 10 years ago in Colorado and have had an awful amount of trouble making the switch to east coast riding…now living in upstate New York (Catskills area). I ski mostly blue trails here but am a better rider out west (as everyone is) and have done double black diamonds and moguls there. But I do not feel as confident taking those on here with all of the ice. I am not really into the park but would like to do an ollie here and there for fun or jump some rollers when they come up on the trails. I am really just trying to find a board that I can turn easily but without much chatter so I can do steeper runs on the East Coast mountains. Any suggestions?
Hi Brenda
Check out my top 6 all mountain snowboards for women at the link below. The Rossignol boards (Rossignol Frenemy and Rossignol Diva) in that list will be the best in icy conditions and will be able to do everything you’re looking to do. The Never Summer Infinity, Never Summer Aura and the Jones Twin Sister are good in hard conditions but won’t be as good in icy conditions as the Rossi boards.
~ Top 6 Women’s All Mountain Snowboards
Hope this helps
Thanks so much!!!
Just wanted to let you know that I bought the Diva on your suggestion. I took it out this weekend and LOVED it. Thank you so much !! I would have been too scared to throw down $500 on a board without knowing how it would perform so I am really grateful!
Hi Branda
Stoked to hear that you loved your new board! And that I could help you make the decision. Have an awesome season!
Hey Nate, love the reviews you’re putting down here. It’s really helped in narrowing down my quest for the perfect board that suits my specific riding style. I think I fit into the All Mountain category, but i’ll let you be the judge.
(ME: 6’0 185lbs) I spend most of my time on the sides of runs, blasting through trees and powder, off delicious pillows, slashing a new path every time. I like hitting jumps and drops, and I’m trying to go bigger and bigger every year. When the powder isn’t in abundance, I’ll hit the rollers on the groomed runs and side features, playing around with butters, presses, and occasionally in the park. What I really want out of a new board is something that I can still hit aggressive powder and tree runs with, but is still playful and flexible enough to do all that flatland goodness andddddd offers good pop off jumps, with a nice stable landing (and eventually more jibbing in the park, but I may get a seperate board for that).
So initially I had in my mind that I wanted to buy the Slash Brainstorm (157) this year, but another well-known reviewer of boards completely slammed it, calling it a “turd” and a “stiff overpriced, overbuilt” board. Other options I had on my list were the Burton Trick Pony, Yes Typo and Jones Mountain Twin, but none of those boards are that flexible, so i’ve heard. So I guess I might be looking for the perfect All mountain board that is Meidum-Soft (4-5) or that Freestyle board that rips all over the moutain as well.
Maybe I am over thinking this and just need to grab a board and shut up, but I figure you’re the wizard to ask when in doubt. Also, I keep getting told with my weight and height that I need to get a 160 at least, but I’ve been riding a 156 up until now and I’ve had no problems, plus I like the maneuverability and ease of throwing spins.
Phew, thanks for letting me get that off my chest. Looking forward to see what you have in mind 🙂
Hi Justice
Thanks for the message.
First of all I wouldn’t say 160 at least. I’d say 160 if you wanted a freeride oriented all-mountain board or up to 162 or 163 for a purely powder or freeride board. But for what you’re describing I wouldn’t go as long as 160. I am pretty much exactly your height/weight and I like a 160 for powder when possible but I would go as low as 154 for the park. For all mountain riding I like 158 or 159 and for all-mountain-freestyle type stuff I prefer 156 to 157. So at least 160 would be a narrow sited view.
Also, I’m not sure who slammed the Brainstorm but I couldn’t agree less with those comments. Maybe they got terrible conditions that day or a size of the brainstorm that was completely wrong for them? For starters it’s not that stiff, secondly it’s not that expensive – in fact it’s a good bit cheaper than the average price for all-mountain boards. It’s more like the average price for a park board or beginner board (which tend to be cheaper). Of the boards that I’ve rated the average all-mountain snowboard price (disregarding budget brands which aren’t worth looking at IMO) was $510. The Brainstorm is only $449 – so I’m not sure where they got expensive from – unless they’re mainly a jib rider and used to the price of a jib board? I can’t explain that.
Anyway………..I think from what you’re describing I would agree with your assessment that an all-mountain board is the way to go. For a lot of what you describe an all-mountain-freestyle board would be good but you’d loose something in the powder – so an all mountain board might sacrifice a little for riding switch and for jibbing but make up for it in the powder.
I don’t think anything in this list would be too stiff for you. They are all pretty much medium flexing except for the Story (medium-stiff) Standard (medium to medium stiff) and the Snowtrooper (medium-soft). You sound like you’re a reasonably advanced rider so I think you would appreciate a medium flex and it definitely wouldn’t feel too stiff.
If you’re after that slightly more freestyle oriented all mountain board but without entering the all mountain freestyle category, then I’d say the Burton Trick Pony or the YES Typo would be great options. If you were less into freestyle, then the Rossi One & Niche Story are better options. For the perfect middle ground, the Brainstorm, Mountain Twin, West & Standard are good calls. If you were to prefer just a casual ride for the groomers, then the Snowtrooper is a good choice.
But for you I would say either the Typo or Trick Pony or the Brainstorm/Mountain Twin if you want a bit more out of powder.
In terms of size, I think anything from that 157 to 159 mark would be best – but that would depend somewhat on the particular board that you chose.
If you make a call on which you want feel free to send me a message if you want a recommendation on the right size for that particular board or for a couple of boards if you’re weighing up between a couple of different boards.
Hope this helps with your decision. Let me know what you decide on.
Will do! Thanks for the input. It’s top notch how you answer everyone back on their specific questions. Cheers to you
You’re very welcome!
Hope you have an awesome season!
Hey Nate,
I think you have an awesome post, thank you!
I was wondering what your honest opinion on the Burton Custom board is? I’m more of an all mountain rider and want something that is great for carving in anything from powder to rougher/bumpier terrains. I’ve read a lot of reviews that talk very highly of the custom but wanted your input. Also, do you have any recommendations for bindings? I am a size 10 shoe and use DC boa boots.
Let me know what you think, thank you!
Hi Scott.
Thanks for your comments.
The Custom is a really good carver but, in my opinion, isn’t the best in powder – not the worst either but I’d say average in powder. It’s definitely a nice board to ride but if you’re in the powder a lot, then I think there are better options.
In terms of bindings you could check out my top 5 all mountain bindings at the link below. Or the second link if you want to expand that list to more bindings.
~ Top 5 All Mountain Bindings
~ All Mountain Bindings Scores Catalog
For sizing check out the next link
~ Binding Sizing
Hope this can point you in the right direction but let me know if you have any other questions.
Hi Nate,
Thank you for the advice!
With regards to bindings, how do I determine what bindings will fit the board I am getting? Would any bindings fit any board?
Hi Scott
Most bindings brands will fit most boards. The only thing you need to look out for is Burton’s EST bindings. EST bindings will only fit on Burton boards that use the channel system. All other bindings should fit all other boards – including Burton Re:Flex bindings.
Hope this answers your question
HI Nate,
Thanks for your reviews,
I’m looking for a new board. I like to go fast (mid 40s) , love going through trees but also like to take little jumps and would like to get better at doing spins. I don’t do jibs or half pipe really but would like to have the ability of doing switch as I would like to get better at it. I am also teaching my kids how to ski so need to the ability to go slow and remain stable. I’m torn between the Never Sumer 25, West, and Proto type 2. Also the Lib tech T.Rice pro. I was reading reviews on the Proto type 2 and recommends a duck stance. Would it be ok to be 18, -6 on that board. Sorry lots of questions. Happy New Year.
Hi Carlos
For what you describe I think the West would probably be the best option. The Proto Type Two will work as well but they’ll have different strengths and weaknesses.
Being a centered asymmetrical twin board the Proto Type Two will be a better board for riding switch and it will be better for jumps and spins too. But the West will be better in powder and slightly better with speed (but not by much). Both are equally good carvers and both are stable feeling and you should be able to ride them slow no problems.
The Twenty Five is a more aggressive board than the other 2. Whilst it would the best in powder and for riding at speed, it would be a difficult board to slow down on when you’re teaching the kids. Also it’s quite difficult for riding switch on – so I think it would be between the Proto and the West.
As far as having to ride the Proto with a duck stance, I wouldn’t say that. It is an asymmetrical twin and the duck stance would be best for riding switch (which it is on any board really) but I’ve ridden asymmetrical twins with that exact stance (+18/-6) so it’s definitely not mandatory to ride it with a duck stance. I often ride +18/-6, even on twins – I also sometimes ride duck on twins (+15/-15) and there is a difference but it’s mostly just for riding switch and if you’re used to riding with a +18/-6 when riding switch then it’s fine.
Hope this answers your questions and helps with your decision – Happy New Year!
Thanks for your recommendations Nate!
You’re very welcome Carlos. Hope you have an awesome season!
HI Nate,
So I’ve decided on the Never summer West. I was thinking a 156cm or should I go a little bigger?
I’m 6 ft tall and my weight ranges between 175 and 185 Lbs. Boot size is 10.
Thanks again!
Carlos
Hi Carlos
I think that the 156cm would be a little too short for you. I think that the 159cm would be the best size for you.
Enjoy the new board!
Hello, Nate,
Many thanks for such a great review.
I’d like to have an advice too.
I have boot size US11/UK10/EUR44.
My heigth is 6’1 in/184cm
My ‘dry’ weight(withouht anything) is 175lbs/79kg
Bindings: Union Travis Rice 2017
My riding style is more like all mountain – I like powder(when available), I like to carve, like riding fast, I like to make jumps where possible, try riding switch, pipe etc. – to get some versatile snowboard. But not really interested in jibbing/rails. I don’t want to be too clumsy and too slow from edge to edge, want to have a full control over my board.
I’ve chosen 2 boards with two diferent sizes:
-Jones Ultra Mountain Twin 2017 – 158W or the 161W
-Yes Standard 2017 – 159W or 161W
I’d like to go wide as I really hate toe/heel drag. I checked both Jones and Yes homepages and both of them are recommending get a wide for my feet size, so I’d like to stick with the wide.
P.S. Sorry, I know you haven’t tried Ultra version of Mountain Twin, but based on what you know and heard, maybe you have some opinion.
Many thanks,
Eduards Berzins
Hi Eduards
Thanks for your message. I agree that a wide is a good option for you in these particular boards. Both boards have a mid-wide size which will fit size 11s very well.
As you know I haven’t ridden the Ultra Mountain Twin, so this is based on my knowledge of the Mountain Twin and what I’ve heard of the Ultra Mountain Twin – the Ultra Mountain Twin over the regular Mountain Twin should add a bit of performance – a little quicker edge to edge and a little more carving performance. A little bit less playful than the Mountain Twin but the biggest thing with that would be for ground tricks and jibs. That’s not a disadvantage for anything else really.
Both the YES Standard and the Ultra Mountain Twin would suit how you ride very well, IMO, but overall I’d be leaning towards the Ultra Mountain Twin for you – but I don’t think you can go wrong with either.
In terms of sizing, the 161W sizes will give you more stability at speed and better for wide carves and better float in powder. The 158W and 159W would give you a bit more maneuverability and be a bit quicker from edge to edge and will be easier to spin. From what you’re describing I’d say that the 161W, whichever board you go for, would be the best size for you.
Hope this helps with your decision.
Hi mate. Awesome review!
Need some advice please. Im seriously fed up of renting and want to get my own board. I board mainly in europe on the groomed stuff. I think im an intermediate. I can link turns easy on most slopes but now i want to learn to carve properly leaving only a thin line in the snow. From there it would be great to start learning to butter and maybe start to hit the park. I need a board that i can try all of those with (if possible)
Im 5ft 11 and around 75-78 kilos. Medium build. My boots are burton moto imprints US size 10 UK size 9 EU size 43
I was looking at an all mountain boards in particular the skatebanana. Is this a good board for what i want to do? Which length and width do you think best? Also am i way off with board choice? I was thinking a medium flex which can carve and is still loose enough to eventually start trying tricks with?
Which boards would you recommend?
Thanks for putting up with all the questions.
Hi Ishan
Thanks for your message.
I’d say that the Skate Banana is more of a freestyle board than an all-mountain board. It can handle the rest of the mountain (outside of the park) but not ideally suited to it.
I would actually recommend an all-mountain-freestyle board for what you are describing. They are (the good ones anyway) good for carving but are also playful for buttering and playing around in the park. The only downside really is that they’re not as good in powder as an all-mountain board like the ones on this list.
But if you don’t think you’ll be doing any backcountry (off piste) missions where you’ll see deep powder – or if you don’t think you’ll be doing this for a while, then I’d definitely go with all-mountain-freestyle. Check out the link below to my list of the top 5.
~ My Top 5 All-Mountain-Freestyle Snowboards
If you want more options outside of that list, let me know and I can recommend some others too.
Yo Nate.
Thanks a lot mate. Il let you know how i get on.
Nate, Based upon your reviews and recommendations (and some others), this year I bought a Jones Mountain Twin 162 and K2 Lien AT bindings (2016) in Large. I have been riding for about 15 years. I am 6’2′ 195 lbs. and a size 11 (Salomon F4.0). I have, for the past 8-9 years, ridden a Lib Tech TRS (also 162) with Burton Mission bindings. Because of the skiers with whom I now ride, I ride more mogul-ly steep runs than before, so have changed my angle to a slight duck (worked pretty good on my old TRS). I ride everything from groomers, to bowls, to very steep, to moguls to a bit of the park boxes. Now that we have enough snow in Colorado I brought out my new board and have ridden it a couple of times, but find that my turn initiation is not as quick, less binding flex (expected perhaps) – especially going heel to toe side at speed. The 162 does not come in a wide, but the boots have a fairly small profile, so overhang has not been a problem (plus the Liens sit a bit high), although getting the heel of my boot in is a very tight squeeze. That said, however, carving an S path though powder or chunk is a joy with this new board.
After all that, my question is the somewhat awkward-feeling transition (and a bit of harder work) from my old TRS to the Mountain Twin with new stiffer bindings something that I need to hang with (i.e., not start playing with my stance, angles, etc.) due to the more rocker-camber-rocker style of board? I will leave it open ended at that.
Thanks!
DeanS
Hi Dean
The TRS and Mountain Twin are certainly very different boards – as they are now – and the 9 or so year old TRS is probably quite different to the current TRS. So these comparisons are made comparing the 2017 models of the Mountain Twin and TRS.
I found the TRS was a bit of a looser ride than the Mountain Twin – a bit twitchier at speeds but a little bit quicker from edge-to-edge.
I’m not 100% sure if your old TRS had the same camber profile but the TRS now has a Hybrid rocker (camber/rocker/camber) and the Mountain Twin has a Hybrid Camber (Rocker/Camber/Rocker) so this will certainly make for a different feel.
In terms of bindings, again we are comparing 9 year old (just an assumption) bindings with new bindings. I think there wouldn’t be a huge difference in flex between the Missions and the ATs if you were to get both new now (with the ATs being a bit stiffer) but if you’d ridden a fair bit on the Mission’s then they would likely have softened up over time – so the ATs will likely feel significantly stiffer right now.
I think given that you have this new set up, that it will take a bit of getting used to – a. because the boards have a quite different feel and b. because you are riding new gear vs gear from 8,9 years ago.
But that’s not to say that you shouldn’t play around with your angles. I always change my angles depending on the board I’m riding and I find it does make a difference. When I rode the TRS last spring I used a +15/-6 stance and when I rode the Mountain Twin, I used a +18/-6. If you still feel like the board isn’t feeling quite how you like it, then I would definitely experiment with different binding angles.
I like ride anything from a +15/-15 to a +21/+3, depending on the board (but I do ride a lot of different types of boards).
Hope this helps and I hope you can find the sweet spot and get a feel for your new setup
Thanks Nate! That is what I suspected, but feeling awkward on my board is a sensation I am not used to. Of course, if I had updated my equipment more timely . . .. And in all those years of riding, I just recently started playing around with my stance angles. I wish I started that years ago!
The stability of the Mountain Twin at speed is a great improvement, but it is good to know that the Mountain Twin may not have the edge-to-edge quickness of the TRS (even an older model). I will change the angles somewhat, but it makes sense to get used to handling of the board first to cut down on the variables.
Thanks for staying so on top of your site, it is an awesome resource.
DeanS
Hi Dean
You’re very welcome. Hopefully the board works out for. Enjoy the rest of your season!
Hi Nate,
After all the things i’ve read, i’m tempted to buy a Yes Standard. I won’t be able to test, because they seem to be sold out everywhere in Holland these days. I’ve found a webstore in Germany which still has a couple of them in stock. But i’m uncertain which size to buy, and i need a little input on that.
So i’m 76kg/167lbs and 1,78m/5’10, and US10,5 burton freestyle shoes. I’m coming from a 153cm board which is probably on the short side for me now, but when i bought that one (which is a long long time ago), i was around 68kg.
So which one to choose? Yes website suggest to consider a wide version above size 10 shoes.
My thoughts were either the 156 Wide version or the 158 normal width.
Would the wide version be a considerable different ride from what you guys experienced?
Thanks for your help,
Rojan
Hi Rojan
Thanks for your message.
Normally I’d say not to go wide with 10.5s. A wide will only feel the same as a regular if you have the foot size that suits wide boards (IMO). Which in the case of a 10.5, then if you were on something that had a 260mm+ waist width, then I’d say that wide isn’t the way to go.
However, the wide sizes for the YES Standard aren’t actually that wide.
So, for example, the 156W actually only has a 256mm waist width (which can only just be considered a wide really but is more of a mid-wide). For your boot size I would say anything between a 252mm and a 258mm waist width is the ideal range to look at. So that means that the 156W and the 158 both fall into that category.
And because the 156W does have a little bit more width, then you are probably getting a similar surface area so both will be similar when it comes to float in powder and stability at speed and stability on landings.
So it’s tough to pick between them. I think both sizes would work well but I would just lean towards the 156W. The main reason for this is that it will be less of length up-size compared to the 153cm you are currently riding but you’ll still get all the value out of the extra stability.
That’s my opinion anyway, but really there’s not much in between those two sizes.
Hope this helps.
Hi Nate,
Thanks for your input, very helpfull.
Rojan
You’re very welcome Rojan. Hope you have an awesome season!
Very helpful post, thanks.
I’m thinking of replacing an ancient Nidecker Mountain 157, and was looking at the Niche Story. I’m about 5’6″ and 175 lbs, size 8 boot. Ski mostly out west now (Utah / Colorado), groomers, bowls and some trees. No time in the park or pipe. Advanced, but rarely pushing it and now spend part of each day with the kids, who are still beginners.
Thoughts on the Story, and whether I can go with the 156?
Thanks very much.
Hi Avi
I think the Niche Story will work well for what you want. I found it really fast edge to edge which is always good for the trees and also carves well for the groomers and bowls. Handles speed really well too. I think the 156cm would be the best size for you, based on your specs and how you like to ride.
Nate – thanks for the awesome article. I’m looking to do all mountain work, mostly in Northern California which is a good amount of powder recently but can be a little compact at times. I ride a little switch and like to jump some but for the most part, I’m trying to find an all purpose board that I can have fun with carving around (looking for a bit of a nimble, relaxed feel) but also pick up some speed and have some good responsiveness. Would appreciate your thoughts.
Thanks!
Hi Jams
The first board that came to mind from your description was the NS West.
I’d say the easiest going of these boards, in terms of relaxed feel, would be the YES Typo, NS Snowtrooper, and Burton Process Flying V, with the NS West being just above that.
In terms of stability at speed, I’d say that the Standard, Trick Pony, One Magtek, West Story and Brainstorm are all up there.
In terms of a nimble feel, I’d say the quickest from edge-to-edge would be the Standard, the Typo, and the Story with the Trick Pony, the West, the Brainstorm and the One Magtek coming in after that.
For carving, the Mountain Twin, the West and the Standard and the Process (non flying V) were the best but the rest aren’t far behind.
So I’d say between the West and the Standard – though the Standard is a little bit of a stiffer flex than the West – so it would depend if you wanted a medium flexer (the West) or something that’s on the softer side of medium-stiff/stiffer side of medium (if that makes sense).
Hope this helps
This is really helpful, thanks Nate. Do you have any experience with the Bataleon The One? Just came across it and it also seems to check the right boxes.
Thanks again.
Hi Jams
Unfortunately I know very little about the Bataleon The One. Bataleon isn’t a brand that I currently demo/review. On the face of it, without having intimate knowledge about it, it’s more of a freeride board. Sounds like it’s great for powder and can ride on hard pack when you need it to. But I think it would be quite challenging to ride switch and not made for jumps – I know those aren’t your main things but it will make those things more challenging when you want to do them.
I wouldn’t say this is as all-purpose a board – I wouldn’t say it was an all-mountain board but more of a freeride board – but like I say, this is only based on a brief look at some specs.
Hiya , wish I had found this site before I purchased my new board I may have been tempted to another lol
I did by the Rossi 1 mag 157wide so that’s good it made it on ur list but in ur review there may have been a better option typical lol
Hi Matt
I think you made a good choice. The One Magtek may not have rated #1 in this list but it’s a very good board. And really there isn’t too much in it. Any of the boards in this list are good quality and great for all-mountain “do-it-all” riding.
Cheers but I don’t do any park or ride switch or anything like that, i usually go to the top of the mountain and bomb it down carving down the piste at top speed , and obviously on powder days enjoy the pow .
Also how do u rate the salomon synapse boots please ?
Hi Matt
I think the One Mag is one of the better boards in this list for doing that kind of thing. But maybe something like a freeride board or an aggressive all-mountain board would have been a better option for you if you’re not into anything freestyle.
Salomon make decent boots generally. The Synapse is a stiffer flexing option which is probably what you are looking for given your riding style – not necessarily the best in their class but will do the job for sure. If you have wider feet they also come in a wide option. There is also a Synapse Focus Boa – if you like a boa system or if you tend to have heel hold problems with boots, then the Focus Boa is probably the better bet, IMO.
If you want other options, check out the links below:
>>My Top 5 All-Mountain Boots
>>My Top 5 Freeride Boots
Hope this helps
Cheers Nate well i went with the one mag so will find out in a week how it rides 👍 But on reading ur reviews I may have gone with another board, I was looking at the slash nahual and salomon super 8 too so at least the one mag is in ur top list .
With the boots I actually went in the shop wanting the burton ion boots but as soon as I tried them on they didn’t feel good which I was disappointed about and must’ve tried on about 7 pairs of boots b4 finding the synapse.
By the way I love ur site and all the advice u give is awesome 👍
Hi Matt
Thanks man.
You bring up a good point that I forgot to mention in my last response – boot fit. This is probably the most important factor for boots – so no matter how good the boot, if it doesn’t fit then it’s not good for you. So yeah if the Synapse feels like the best fit, then that’s a good one to go with.
I think going on ur reviews now I would’ve gone with the jones explorer it’s looks a nice deck . When u rode it did u think it was a nice damp smooth ride ??
Hi Matt
I agree the Explorer would have been a good fit for your style. I found it really good at speed and for carving – really stable when riding fast and minimal chatter – so yeah I would say it’s damp and smooth for sure. It’s not quite as aggressive as some other aggressive all mountain boards – it’s a bit more forgiving – and it’s got better float in powder (IMO) than the average aggressive all mountain board. It’s aggressive all-mountain bordering on all-mountain – it’s kind of an in-betweener.
Cheers mate ,
Just out of interest for myself have u tested the salomon super 8 or slash nahual? Is so wat were ur thoughts and or why didn’t they make it on ur top list ?
Hi Matt
I haven’t ridden either of those boards. I would consider them freeride boards – so they would be on the freeride list. Based on what I’ve heard and other reviews, they wouldn’t have made that list but that’s only a list of 5, so doesn’t include all of good freeride boards, by any means.
Cheers nate like I said b4 awesome site cheers for all the helpful advice , I’m off to Austria on Friday so will be testing it all out for myself anyway lol 👍 Hopefully all is good cheers again .
Hey Matt – you’re very welcome. Hope you have an awesome trip to Austria!
Hello Nate,thank you for this great article!I am Pedja,from Serbia,EU.
I am intermediate/advanced rider,started 18 years ago,but with roughly 5-15 days per season ;(.I am 38 years old(but i am active ,snowboarding and wakeboarding and i still want to proggres)and i got bored with mostly piste and wood boarding(all my friends are skiers,only i am snowboarder) and i decided to start with smaller jumps,and learning butter.Big jumps ,park or pipe ,i am not planning to do.So,basically i would like to have board for piste carving(not soooo fast),switch,butter,flat tricks ,rarely powder and small/middle jumps on and off the piste.As i said i am 38years old,178 cm height ,83kg weight and boots size 10US.My gear now is old 2007 K2 fuse wide 155cm ,old flow camo bindings and Adidas Energy boost
Now,i would like to replace my board and bindings and i hope you will help me out.My questions;
1.what board would you suggest?please suggest the best buy option and also cheaper one ,if you have .Since i am not spending that many days on the snow per year,unfortunatelly.
Do i need wide..?i feel like this board is too heavy when i try some flat tricks,tho i had no chance to test some others…
2.what bindings?i wanted to buy again Flow (something better like NX2 )because i like how easy i get into them,but the guy who is pro said that those bindings are not good for what i want,that i should go for freestyle bi dings,from Burton or similar.what is your opinion?
Thank you and keep up the great work!
I forgot to add,i think that my boar id old camber,and i barely can flex it;(maybe i should go for some hybrid option?anyway,i am waiting for your reply
Regards
Pedja,Serbia
Hi Pedja
Thanks for your message and sorry for my slow response – have had some epic snow recently and have been in the mountains a lot.
In terms of size I think that something around a 156cm to 157cm, would be a good size for you. Something that you can balance carving and more freestyle type stuff with. I think definitely going with a hybrid profile is a good idea considering the direction you want to go in. And I think something with around a medium flex is a good way to go – to get a good balance for still being able to carve up the groomers but also that’s not so stiff that you can’t butter it.
In my opinion, you don’t need a wide board. I have size 10US also and I don’t like wide boards, generally. Anything up to a 258mm waist width I find is fine but going beyond that is getting too wide for me. But I would say that you should have a cut off point at 249mm that should be your narrowest choice.
So all in all I think that something all-mountain or all-mountain-freestyle. I would be leaning towards all-mountain-freestyle if you don’t do that much in the powder. The all-mountain would have the advantage of being better in the powder but you can definitely ride an all-mountain-freestyle board in the powder and they’ll generally be better for things like pressing, jumps, switch etc.
You can check out these links for some options – I don’t really deal with low cost brands but I will also point out some that are on the lower cost end of the boards that I can recommend.
~ My Top 5 All-Mountain-Freestyle Snowboards
~ My Top 10 All-Mountain Snowboards
In terms of the lower price end for All-Mountain-Freestyle I think you should look at the YES Basic and the Capita Outerspace Living. There are sales on 2016-17 models at the moment in a lot of places. If you can go for that or an older model – or an older model of any of the ones in the links provided, then you can save costs. I would say if you can get a good price on an older model of a good board it’s a better option than going with a budget brand – but that’s just my opinion.
I hope this gives you some options to look at.
Thanks a lot Nate.only 3 boards from your list that i was able to find nearby is burton proces ,burton proces flying V and Burton flying V custom which is most expensive.Since i aleady had camber with K2,i am leaning towards Burton flying V.Its not wide but it is 157,seller said since it has rockers on the tip and tail,this one cm (i wanted 155 or 156)will not make difference.
What do you think?
Also can you reply to my question above regarding bindings?my old flow and suggesting new ?thanks
P.s. fast reply would be great since i need to chose fast,my K2 is defected and i need to get new one,going in three days to France,Val Thorens.
Hi Pedja
I think that the Burton Process Flying V would suit your purposes well. I also think that the 157cm is a good size for you. I think 157cm will be fine and if your old K2 is a trad camber profile then the Flying V profile will definitely feel shorter size for size – so the 157cm won’t feel longer than your K2 155cm. Also the width on the Process Flying V 157cm (252mm waist width) is just right for you in my opinion, with size 10s.
Apologies for not answering your question about bindings before – I missed that one. I don’t have a lot of experience with Flow bindings – I haven’t ridden them in years – but you will want something that has good butterability – Burton do tend to be good with butterability – especially if you went for EST bindings to go with your Process Flying V – but others do it well as well. I think anything from one of the following lists would work well for you.
~ My Top 5 Freestyle Snowboard Bindings
~ My Top 5 All Mountain Snowboard Bindings
Hope this answers your questions and helps with your decision. Have an awesome trip!
Hey Nate,
I’ve been a skier for 30+ years, but switched to snowboarding after a few knee surgeries. I’ve rented for the last couple years, but seems difficult to find demos that fit my size/build. I’m 6′ and 210# with a size 12 boot and the largest I’ve been able to demo is a 157W. I live in the South, but take a couple trips a year to board 10-15 days or so. I would classify myself as an upper beginner, lower Intermediate stage. I’ve been researching every day for the last few months, and seems that every day I find another board that peaks my interest. I’m not much of a park rider, just prefer to barrel down the groomers with family and friends, so I was thinking an AM/Freeride may be suited to my style. I’ve looked at the Snowtrooper X, Agent Rocker, Process Flying V, Jones Mountain Twin, Pulse/Assassin, etc. As I said, everyday I find another that I think would work. Another forum also recommended the K2 Raygun, so that’s given me another option to consider. I want a board that I can enjoy, but continue to progress on. Any suggestions?
Hi Brent
Thanks for your message. Yeah I think size-wise something 160-162 would be a better range – and with 12s, a wide board is necessary for sure.
I think all mountain is the way to go – Freeride boards tend to be more advanced and would be difficult to transition to at this point – but that doesn’t mean that you’ll have to transition to one at some stage – you could ride an all-mountain board as the only board you ever ride. Most all-mountain boards are good to ride even as you become more advanced – if you change your style, become a more aggressive rider or get into big mountain stuff or something like that then you might want to change but you’ll know that when/if that happens. Anyway, long story short, I think all mountain is the way to go for you.
Definitely the Snowtrooper X, the Process Flying V and Mountain Twin sound like good options for what you’re describing. The Agent Rocker is the only one that I would maybe cross off the list. The only reason I say this is that it’s not really an all-mountain board – it’s what I would classify as an aggressive all-mountain-freestyle board. It’s probably a little bit advanced and more freestyle oriented. The name Agent Rocker is a little bit deceiving because there is actually very little rocker in the profile – it’s mostly camber.
The Raygun is an all-mountain board and another option – though in my opinion the others are better all-mountain boards. If you wanted to go K2 I would go for the Turbo Dream over the Raygun (though I totally get if the Turbo Dream is too expensive).
In terms of size, the following are what I would recommend for these boards.
Snowtrooper X – 160W
Process Flying V – 159W (or 162W)
Mountain Twin – 161W
Raygun – 160W
Turbo Dream – 160W
Hope this helps
Thanks again for the recommendations. One last question: I know that you recommend a soft to med-soft flex for entry to intermediates. Does that take into account the riders weight? I’m concerned over getting a 3-4 flex because I’m >200#. Should I be looking in the 5-6 range?
Hi Brent
It partly depends on the length you go for. If you go for something that’s longer and you are within the weight guideline range, then the board will feel stiffer flexing than if you are over the weight recommendations. Said another way if you are within the weight range, then the snowboard is supposed to feel like the flex rating that the board is given. But if you are above the weight range for that board, then the board will feel softer to you, if that makes sense.
For the recommended boards and sizes, in the comments above you would be slightly above the ranges for the weight guidelines for those boards so they will feel slightly softer than their flex rating. So by looking at the 5-6 flex rating range they will actually feel softer than that – which in the case of a beginner/intermediate rider, isn’t a bad thing.
All the boards we discussed are in that 5-6 flex range, except for the Snowtrooper. That is already a medium-soft flexing board, so has the potential to feel a little bit too soft. The others should be a good flex for you, IMO.
Hope this answers your questions
Nate – first off, many many thanks for this website. We got my wife started here: Rossi Myth and K2 bindings – taking her off of a stiffer Buton (lipstick & something else) with stiffer bindings – made a huge leap in her confidence and progress. She’s loving riding now (where before she was close to quitting)!
I’m advanced beginner (3ish?) and need advice on next board (or not) – hoping you can help as I’m getting loads of conflicting advice:
Style: all-mountain
Skill: 1.5 seasons in. I ride switch naturally (used to skateboard switch) and can link turns easily on greens. On steep & uneven blues my board jumps & flexes and I sometimes bite it hard when linking turns. Since I switch naturally I wind up doing a lot of 180s to control my speed, which I think may be holding my progress back. In other words I over-ride one edge a lot, and 180 on that edge to control speed and direction when going fast, especially fast+steep/uneven.
Size: 5’11”, 175-185 lbs (ride with backpack == 195lbs peak), Size 10 Burton boot.
Gear: Currently riding 155 Rossi District Amptek, with Burton Custom bindings. Love it on the greens and easy to control riding toe-side facing uphill to keep an eye on the wife.
A demo shop put me on a 163 (maybe longer?) Mod Fish and wow that thing was fast and stable. I could link turns easier but I had trouble braking it quickly – it turned me into a bowling ball when the slope got tight and crowded. Also disliked that I couldn’t ride switch.
Questions:
1. Do I get a stiffer board & bindings for Blue & Black all-mountain riding?
2. Or should I focus on practicing linking turns on greens and eventually blues on the Rossi I have now? (e.g.- is it the flex/softness, or my lack of technique, that is making me unstable at higher speeds especially on steep or uneven terrain?)
3. Given the above, if your advice is a stiffer setup, what’s the next step in an all mountain twin & bindings I should consider her?
I have no brand affinity, though the next demo shop I’m hitting has Burton. Head, and Never Summer. They’ve recommended the NS West which they have in 156 and 159 (and larger/smaller). Are the Burton Customs fine, or should I get stiffer bindings? NS said I should get mid-stiff Flux bindings for the Proto II or the West.
Thank you again – really awesome website/snowboarding resource here!
Hi Arian
I’m glad that your wife is loving riding now and progressing well. The right gear really does make a difference.
In terms of your situation – you could definitely upgrade your gear and that will make a difference. But I think in your case it will be mostly a technique thing, I imagine. Having a stiffer set up and adding a little bit of length will definitely help with stability, particularly when riding at speed – but I wouldn’t go up too much in terms of stiffness or length – because that will slow down your progress and potentially rail road your technique. A 163 Mod Fish I think would be going too stiff and too long – it’s not the stiffest board in the world but it’s stiffer than I would prefer to see you on.
The Never Summer West and Proto Type II would be a good next step up in my opinion. The West is more versatile in that it can basically do whatever you want it to – but it won’t be top notch at any one area. The Proto Type II is an all-mountain freestyle board and is more freestyle oriented than the West – it will be better at riding switch and for jumps but won’t be as good for powder – it will be the West’s equal for carving though, when you get to that level. Both will have better stability at speed than the Rossi District.
All that said, with the right technique, you should be able to ride blues smoothly on the Rossi District. I think a step up in board would help – but I think working on technique would be your best bet. If I was you, I would stick it out on the District for this season and work on technique and then think about upgrading for next season. If you haven’t already I would definitely advise taking a couple of lessons – I still take at least one lesson a year and still get heaps of value out of them. The best thing about lessons is that someone is watching you from an outside perspective, can see where your technique is lacking and know how to correct it.
If you’re really not that keen on taking lessons (though I think it’s the best/fastest way to improve) you could sign up for my email course. Go to Snowboarding Profiles and on the right hand side you’ll see a sign up form for the “7 Steps to Better Snowboarding”. This is 7 small tips to improve your basic technique.
Hope this helps
Nate – many thanks, man! Gear can definitely make a difference starting out, if you are on completely incorrect gear. My wife was put on bigger, stiffer gear to “grow into” by what I now believe are demo shops trying to sell what they have left, or were their top dollar items. From boots that didn’t fit to super stiff (or large) boards & bindings…. That combined with our not knowing what were good beginner runs, snow, or instruction (we both just started) – let’s just say we’ve learned A LOT over the last year. Our frustration led us to your website and some gear changes for both of us, that have turned out to be great choices!
She loves the flexible little Rossi & the K2 bindings you recommended. I went a similar route.
Your advice for me makes sense – pretty much every sport I’ve ever done has turned out to be about 90-95% skill, 5-10% gear, in the end.
I keep getting told I need a much bigger and stiffer board/bindings by multiple people…usually ones selling new gear. So: a 155cm Rossi District Amptek, which is rated for max 165lbs, should be okay for me running at 195lbs in full gear? I was told it can’t hold an edge with me because I’m over-flexing it. I was also told I should space my stance wider to help keep the edge flat.
If you think I should be able run Park City/Tahoe blues no sweat with that deck, then I will keep at it until I can. 🙂 Any further advice welcome.
Great suggestion on the lessons. Probably ready for another. Enough decades of martial arts have humbled me repeatedly with how often we are unaware of basic bad form and technique issues, and need help spotting it. I’m sure I have plenty of improvement opportunities – and I also signed up for your emails.
A few last questions – I’ll probably demo a board or two in Utah next week, just for fun!
1. Any general suggestions on next board, length/style, given what I posted in my first message? (current skill step – linking turns seamlessly on blues)
2. The demo shop I’m visiting has the NS Proto II in multiple lengths, and from reading it sounds like my kind of board, but most of the ones they have are “Xs” (wides). Any drawbacks or considerations to a wide?
NS told me that I can run shorter on a wide – e.g.- a 155/156 X will ride like a 160 slim and ride perfect for my weight. Thoughts?
3. When I upgrade to a stiffer deck, should I upgrade bindings as well, or are the Burton Customs fine for something medium/medium-soft like an NS Proto II?
4. Any good training/skill videos you recommend on snowboarding basics?
Once I get the Blues figured out, if you want I can email you a writeup you can post about all the lessons the wife and I have learned so far, that we couldn’t find written up anywhere, if that’s useful. Figure there’s got to be lots of other new couples like us, unsure where to start.
Have a good one,
Hi Arial
1. In terms of length to go to next, I would say that something around 158cm to 159cm would be a good length for you – depends on the particular board but generally speaking that’s what I would go to next.
2. For the Proto Type 2, I think that the 157cm would work well for you (it has an effective edge of 1220mm as opposed to the 1090mm of effective edge on your District – so even though it’s only a 2cm step up, you’d be going to a board with a good bit more effective edge). You could go up as much as the 160cm, which would be doable but would be a steeper learning curve. In terms of going wider, it is a good idea to go shorter if the board is too wide for your feet. But I prefer to stick to a board that is better suited to foot length. If your feet are too far inside the edges of the snowboard, then it makes it harder to apply leverage to the edges. This means it’s physically harder (which also tends to make proper technique harder to achieve) and slower to get from edge to edge. A shorter board is naturally quicker and easier to get from edge to edge so it makes up for that lack of leverage in a lot of ways. Personally I prefer boards that my feet are as close to edge-to-edge on. But you can go wider and then go shorter to make up for it. In that case the 155W would be the best bet. I also have size 10s (and I’m similar specs – 6″0 and 185lbs-ish) and I would go with 157cm rather than 155W.
3. The Customs won’t be perfect for a stiffer board but they would do the job. Ideally, you would probably upgrade – to get some better response – but it’s definitely not necessary. If you were to go beyond medium in stiffness then I would say change for sure but as long as you don’t go beyond medium (which I would suggest you do), I think you’ll be fine on the Customs for a while yet.
4. I’ve found Snowboard Pro Camp’s videos – Snowboard Pro Camp Videos to be good but you could also check out Snowboard Addiction or Snow Professor
In terms of being over the weight recommendations, I agree that if you are too far over the weight recommendations, then it can flex the board too much and make the board feel softer than it is meant to be. If you’re just over, then it wouldn’t make much difference – 195lbs compared to 165lbs is quite a bit over – but I find Rossignol’s weight recommendations to be on the light side. I’d say that that board would more be for a 180lbs top – so you’re still a good bit over that with gear but not as much as the 165lb rating would suggest, IMO. You could try widening your stance and see how that goes. I always think it’s a good idea to experiment with stance width and stance angles anyway to try to find that sweet spot for you.
If you wanted to do a write up about your snowboarding experience so far, that would be awesome! I’d love to post something like that on the site.
Hey Nate!
Awesome reviews here! Glad I stopped in to check ’em out. I just bought a new board and wanted to get your thoughts. This is my first season out on the West Coast and I’ve been having a blast learning on my Burton Clash 164W. I’ve been out about 10 times this season, and I think that I was able to progress so quickly because of the gear (super conditions with all the snow this year helped too!). However, I decided to upgrade to a stiffer board because the Clash was definitely beginning to feel a bit soft for me, especially washy when trying to carve the steeps!
So I decided to go with a Capita Warpspeed. It’s a big guy specific board, and I’m a biggun’ for sure! 6’3″ and 260, so I feel like I needed a good stiff board to handle what I was putting down. I opted for the 161cm because I felt like the 165 Clash was a little too long. I noticed that I didn’t see any Capita sticks in your top-10 lineups, so I wanted to know how you feel about my upgrade first, and also, how do you feel about Capita boards in general. Thanks, Nate!
Hi Joe
I really like Capita boards in general. But to me they don’t really have a board that fits this category. But Capita boards do feature in some of my other categories examples at the links below:
>>Freestyle
>>Aggressive-All-Mountain-Freestyle
I would consider the Warpspeed more of a Freeride board. I haven’t ridden it as it’s not something that I could accurately test as all the sizes are too wide for me. But it does have a good reputation.
It’s definitely a step up from the Clash – it will offer a lot more in terms of performance, particularly for carving and stability at speed. But it will also be a step up in the learning curve as it is a much stiffer, less forgiving ride than the Clash. But for carving those steps you’ll definitely get more out of it.
Sizing down to the 161 will make it more forgiving than going with the 165 though – so this could be a really good step up for you. I think it was a good idea to start out on the softer Clash – starting with too stiff or too aggressive a board can really stunt progress but it sounds like it’s time to upgrade.
Like I say I haven’t ridden it but based on reputation and specs, I think it will definitely offer you a good bit more in terms of performance but it will require a step up from you as well. But it sounds like you’re ready for that.
That’s my take anyway. Have you had a chance to ride it yet? If so, what did you think?
Hey Nate,
Thanks for the reply! Sorry I didn’t see your reviews on the more freestyle-oriented boards…I was focusing more on all-mountain and freeride sticks. Would the Capita Mercury (aka TFA) fit in a category like this? It’s a bit on the stiffer side at a 7.5/10 (according to Capita), but Capita puts it in the all-mountain category. I would love to see you review this one since the Warpspeed is essentially the same board, but in the wide variation.
I’m glad you think this is a step in the right direction. I was on the fence about the board since most reviews say that it’s a pretty advanced board. But at the same time I didn’t want to get an intermediate board and end up trading it in after one season like I’m doing with the Clash now. Don’t get me wrong, I totally agree that the Clash was the perfect board to get me started. What I would’ve like to see with the Clash though is maybe just a little camber in the middle. I don’t know if that would’ve moved it out of the realm of beginner board, but one negative about it is that with the flat-top design it had pretty much no pop at all.
Sadly, I have not had a chance to ride my Warpspeed yet. It was supposed to be here on Wednesday (Mar. 22nd), which was perfect because I was heading to Sierra-at-Tahoe the next day. Instead, UPS delayed the shipment due to the storms that came through (and dropped some beautiful powder on the mountain), so it didn’t get here until today. But from what I see here, I’m loving it already. It’s certainly stiffer than the Clash, but not rigid. With my body weight, I should be able to do nicely with that flex. The base on this thing is sick! It looks like it’s ready to soak up half of my 1 pound brick of wax that I’m about to put on it! Compared to that extruded base on the Clash, it looks like I should be able to get at least a few days out of one wax. With the clash, the most I can get is two days before I start seeing dry spots.
Now my next decision is whether to buy stiffer bindings to go with the board. Right now I’m rockin’ Burton Customs, which have been really comfortable, but they have a good bit of flex in them too. I’ve been trying to decide between the Genesis and the El Hefe, so please chime in if you think the Customs are good or I should look for something stiffer! Thanks Nate!
Hi Joe
I would say that the Capita Mercury is an aggressive all-mountain board – bordering on freeride. It is quite similar to the Warpspeed but not exactly the same. The camber profiles are a bit different – and that’s the main reason I’d call the Warpspeed a Freeride and the Mercury an aggressive all-mountain – it’s that the Warpspeed’s camber profile is more of a freeride camber profile.
And it just so happens that I have a Mercury sitting in the wardrobe waiting to be demoed as we speak! I’ll be taking it out on Monday.
Yeah, sintered bases are much better at holding wax for sure. I find Capita bases to hold wax well in general.
In terms of bindings, I would say that you’ll get more out of the board with stiffer bindings. You could try it with the Customs for a while but I think the board will be easier to manage with stiffer, more responsive bindings.
The El Hefes are very stiff – and might be a little bit of a step too far in terms of their flex. They are very responsive but very unforgiving. The Genesis would be a good step up and even though they would be more of a 5/10 flex compared to the 7/10 of your Warpspeed (usually a good idea to try to somewhat match flex between board and bindings) I find that they are very good at working with a wider variety of boards than a lot of bindings.
Check out the following links if you want more options for bindings that are medium to medium-stiff.
>>My Top All-Mountain Snowboard Bindings
>>My Top All-Mountain-Freeride Snowboard Bindings
Let me know your experience with the Warpspeed once you get a chance to ride it. And I’ll get back to you on the Mercury once I’ve ridden it next week.
Hey there Nate,
No update on the Warpspeed yet, but I should be heading to Sierra on Thurday if the winds aren’t too bad. I just wanted to update you on my binding search, which is now officially over. I found a pair of 2016 Burton Diode for $290 and figured I couldn’t really turn that deal down. After looking at numerous reviews, it seems like they’re right up there with the Genesis X and the T.Rice. I know that they’re on the stiffer side, but I feel like they’ll pair up with the board well…much better than the Customs anyway! The Customs don’t even look right on this board! Anywho, your feedback is much appreciated! Thanks!
Hey Joe
Yeah that’s a pretty good deal on the Diodes – not the cheapest bindings on the planet, so to get them for that is good work. You’re right they are pretty stiff but also should be more responsive and able to drive the Warpspeed better than the Customs could. Also, cause you’re a big guy, you should be able to apply enough force there that they shouldn’t feel as stiff as they might do for a smaller guy.
Super nice bindings – they were my top freeride bindings for the 2015/16 season. Burton unfortunately stopped making them after that but glad you could find them.
I just rode the Mercury today too. Fun board. I think you’ll like the warpspeed. Will take some getting used to compared to your Clash for sure, with that extra bit of aggressiveness and stiffer flex. But once you get used to it, it will also allow you to do more. I would say that the Mercury felt like around a 6.5/10 in terms of flex on the snow (probably more like the 7.5/10 that Capita rate it as when flexing it by hand) but I was on the 155cm which is probably a little bit small for me – so it would have felt a little softer than on the 157 or 159 which would have been a more suitable size for me. But yeah overall a very lively and fun board!
Hi Nate,
Thanks for this site, I found your reviews very helpful. It’s a great starting point when it comes to looking for a new board.
I’m looking for a new board and I wonder if you can help me make a decision. Currently I have the Endeavor Guerrilla 2009/2010 151 cm board (did you ride it?). I pair this board with Salomon F22 boots and Rome Arsenal bindings. This board is medium flex with a camber profile. I have this board from the beginning, now I consider myself as an intermediate and I wonder if it is not a time to upgrade it. Nearly all my time on a mountain I spend just riding on a prepared slopes, occasionally I hit unprepared slopes with a deep snow. I don’t spend time in a park at all. I’m riding forward angles I tried different 21-6, 21-9,18-6, I’ve never tried a duck.
I’m 169 cm tall, 58-60 kg. What I like the most while snowboarding is to feel this acceleration when you are running on a curve, I hope you know what I mean. My current board is good but I find it sometimes difficult to really keep the heel edge. But maybe it is my skills not a board problem. So I’m looking for a board which is good for curving, stable in speed (however I’m not a speed demon), doing good in uneven terrain (slopes are becoming really messy at the end of a day) but which also allow me to ride in a powder which I would like to do more in a future. As I’m a rather slim guy I don’t want a stiff board although I know they are usually good in curving.
While reading your reviews and also reviews on different sites, I found particularly few boards interesting:
– Never Summer Proto Type Two
– Never Summer West
– Jones Mountain Twin
Especially the first one looks like a good fit for me. Based on your review it is good in curving, very good in uneven terrain, stable at speed and not stiff at the same time. The only obstacle is that you rated it as only a decent in powder.
NS West and Jones looks better in powder but they are probably also stiffer.
I wonder if you can advise me? Maybe you can think of the other board better suited for me? Have you demo an Endeavor Guerilla 2017? What do you think about this board?
Thank you in advance for your helps.
Hi Piotr
Thanks for your message.
Unfortunately I haven’t ridden a Endevour Gorilla, so I can’t say how this compares.
I think you’re on the right track with the boards that you’re looking at. And you’re right, probably the biggest downside of the Proto Type Two, for what you’re looking for is for powder, especially if you’re looking to ride more powder. In saying that, it’s not terrible in powder. It’s average. And if you like to ride switch in powder it’s ok in both directions in powder. But it won’t float as well as the West or the Mountain Twin in powder.
I wouldn’t say that the Mountain Twin or West are that much stiffer than the Proto Type Two – maybe ever so slightly but there’s not much in it. I know Jones rate the Mountain Twin as a 7/10 for flex – but I would say that it feels closer to 5.5 or at most 6/10 for on snow feel. And the West is similar to that for sure. I think so long as you get a size that isn’t too big for you, that they shouldn’t feel too stiff.
In terms of sizing, I think that the following would be best for you for those boards:
~ Proto Type Two: 152cm
~ West: 152cm
~ Mountain Twin: 151cm
Hope this helps
Thanks Nate, really appreciate your reply.
Hi Nate
I ultimatelly bought Proto Type 2 as I found the best deal for it.
I wonder what bindings would you recommend for it? I’m looking for something with good response for carving but still good butterability. I was thinking of:
– Union Atlas
– Union T.Rice
– Salomon Defender
– Burton Cartel (Genesis/X are too expensive for me)
In your opinion, will they fit this board and my preference?
Hi Piotr
I would say the following:
~ Union Atlas – response 4/5 – butterability 4/5
~ Union T Rice – response 5/5 – butterability 4/5
~ Salomon Defender – response 4/5 – butterability 3/5
~ Burton Cartel – response 3/5 – butterability 4/5
So, on the face of it that would make the T rice the front runner. However, based on your previous comment, you say that you didn’t want a board that was too stiff and given your weight, I think that the T Rice would be too stiff for you. You will notice that extra stiffness I think. So I would say that either the Cartel’s or the Atlas.
The Atlas are still a medium-stiff option but I’d say they are bordering on medium a 7/10 for flex but bordering on 6.5/10. The T Rice an 8/10. Also, even though I said 4/5 for butterability I would say maybe 3.5/5. I think that the Cartels are a little bit more buttery.
I think the Cartels are the best flex level for you. I would say 6/10. They aren’t as responsive as the Atlas (IMO) but probably have a little bit more butterability (as per comment above). Also the flex of the Cartels is the best match for the Proto Type Two.
On balance I would say go for Cartels but the Atlas would also be a good choice – I’m just not sure if they’re bordering on being a little too stiff for you.
You probably know this already but I like to tell everyone just in case – if you do go with the Cartel’s go for the “Re:Flex” model – the “EST” model will only fit on Burton boards with the channel system.
Oh and great board choice by the way – love that board!
Hope this helps and answers your questions
I was tempted to buy T.Rice, but after I red your comment I will try to find a good deal for Cartel or Atlas.
Thank you very much Nate. Happy Easter!
You’re very welcome Piotr – hope you have a great Easter too!
Hi Nate,
I am going to get a Slash Brainstorm and would like your suggestion on the size. I am 169cm tall and my weight is 60kg. I mostly ride fast on groomer, but also put time in backcountry, tree run and enjoy power day.
Moreover, is there any difference in the 15/16 edition with the latest 16/17 edition for the brainstorm?
Thank you in advance for your helps.
Hi Ed
I think the best size for you is definitely the 151cm.
15/16 and 16/17 models are exactly the same. The only difference is the graphic.
Hope this helps
Thanks for your advise Nate.
You’re very welcome Ed.
Nate,
Sorry about the delayed response about the warpspeed. My house was literally robbed twice this week, the second time happening while I was upstairs getting ready to head to the mountain! Anyway, I finally got to head up and play with my new toys today, so I wanted to give you some of my insights.
This board was an amazing step up in performance, I’m simply astounded! From top to bottom it was better than the clash. I’m getting off the first lift, and as much as I’ve progressed this season, I always had an issue with getting off while on the clash. I just thought that I sucked at life here because the board was always just so squirrelly one footed. Not so! As soon as this capita hit the snow and I plant my rear foot down, it locks into the snow and just coasted perfectly. I was so happy!
So I was first on the lift and the snow was pretty darn icy, but I knew it was gonna soften up pretty quickly. So I start down the hill and holy cow this thing just starts screaming! The acceleration was jarring! So I put this bad boy up on my heelside and the edge just bites right into this frigid ice, cutting this beautiful pencil line behind me. I pop out of my squat to turn toeside and the board just explodes and like magic, I’m carving toeside! My fears of catching an edge in the ice soon subsided because this v2 rocker profile was just amazing. The board was just so locked in and responsive, it did exactly what I wanted it to. Edge to edge was lightning quick, that camber I the middle just provided so much pop that turning was just a ton of fun. And this board combined with the diodes just destroyed the chunder and the chatter. With the clash, my knees felt every little bump, but this was like a gentle massage on my feet, just great.
And you were absolutely right. This is not a beginner board. I’m not sure I could’ve progressed well on this board, but after getting on with the clash most of the season, this was a very good upgrade. But it took an extra effort on my part for sure. You really can’t just stand up and cruise with this board. It wants to be on an edge, going crazy fast down the hill. I could feel the burn in my legs after every run because I was squatting so low to feed this beast the speed it craves. It’s just a really powerful board meant for a powerful rider!
One last thing that really made me appreciate this board was the feedback I got from it. It felt very forgiving, but at the same time it made me very aware when my weight wasn’t centered or if I wasn’t heading down the fall line properly. I really feel like my skill can progress tremendously on this board and that as I do, it is going to reward me in spades. This is most definitely a board for the big guy that wants to ride the snot out of a mountain!
Hey Joe
Thanks so much for your response! Good to hear that you’re enjoying your upgrade. Sux about the break-ins, but hopefully the thrill of your new deck has made up for it at least somewhat.
Keep up the good work and I hope you get the chance to ride your new beast again before the end of the season!
Hi Nate. What are your thoughts on the ride warpig? Is this board as good as people make it out to be? Is it a good all mountain board. I’d like to add one to my quiver but I’m a little hesitant. I’m curious what your thoughts are on the board. Thanks
Hi Dan
I thought the Warpig was a fun board. If you’re adding it as an extra board to existing boards, then that’s probably the best place for this board. I wouldn’t ride it as my one board quiver.
Just so you know too, this board designed to be shorter and wider. So, the one I rode was the 154cm. This is shorter than I’d normally ride for this type of board but you’re supposed to ride shorter on the Warpig. That 154cm has a 270mm waist width – so it’s super-wide. The width adds back the stability lost in the length and the shorter length makes up for maneuverability lost in the extra width.
It certainly wasn’t sluggish edge-to-edge as I find with regular length wide boards – so that drop down in length helps there – and I don’t know if they do anything else to help with that.
It comes in 2 sizes – “small” and “large” which are 148cm and 154cm respectively. I almost feel like I could have gone with the 148cm size to really get the most fun out of it.
It didn’t blow me away – but I don’t ride a lot of short/wide boards like this. But in terms of short/wides, I think I had more fun on the Capita Slush Slasher (151cm with 286mm waist) – but maybe with this type of board 154cm was too long for me.
When I was demoing it the guy said it is supposed to have the feel and surface area of a 160cm for the 154cm.
To me this kind of board isn’t really an all-mountain board. It’s good for powder and just fun in the slush and the trees (with that shorter length but still that surface area for the powder, I felt this was a good board in the trees – I think it would have been even better if I had the “small” size). You get that surface area and the rockered nose and a tapered directional shape. Poppy and fun but not an all-rounder, IMO.
Hope this gives you more to go off
Ok nate thanks for the response. Most of the reviews I’ve read have been about the 148 cm size. Most people say it’s pretty good but I’m not sure it’s a one board quiver. Like you said, maybe just to add to the quiver. Thanks again and cheers.
Yeah for you I would go for the 148cm size. I think that would be the best fit for you if you were to add it to your quiver
Hi Nate,
This is a terrific website. I am an athletic 43 year old father of four and have been snowboarding for the better part of 20 years. However, I have only averaged 2-3 days a season on the slopes. I consider my skill level an intermediate, but I like to get to advanced. I can carve with relative ease on any blues but have some issues with blacks and high speeds. I’m so jealous when guys fly right past me at 70-80 mph. I don’t know how they do it! I snowboard mainly in Mammoth and the west coast. After reading your site I definitely want to purchase new gear. I have a Burton Custom board and bindings that are 20 years I’m sorry to say. I enjoy carving at a decent speed on groomed runs, but love powder and going through trees – slowly – when possible. Sometimes I try a small jump or two but I really have no plans to do any park stuff or ride switch. I’m 5’7″ and 135 lbs. What board and bindings would you recommend that I purchase? Thank you in advance!
Hi Tony
Sorry about the late reply. Have had a busy weekend testing snowboards.
Based on what you’re describing, I think you’re looking at the right types of snowboards. I think something all mountain would suit you well.
I think that the Jones Mountain Twin, the NS West, the Rossignol One and the YES Standard would be your best bets from this list. I would say Brainstorm too, but I don’t know of anywhere they have them in stock – but if you can find one, that’s an option too. I would say the Niche Story too but i think that the shortest size would be a bit too long.
In terms of size, I would say the following for each board:
~ Mountain Twin – 151cm
~ West – 152cm
~ One – 153cm
~ Standard – 152cm
This sizing is based on height weight & ability, and trying to strike a balance between trees (where a shorter more maneuverable board can be better) and powder/speed (where a longer board is better).
For bindings. I would say that anything from the following list would work for you and would match the boards above. The only thing is to make sure that if you go with a Burton binding that you get the “Re:Flex” version. Unless you get a Burton board, in which case the “EST” version is fine. But the EST version won’t fit no non-Burton boards.
~ Top 5 All Mountain Bindings
Hope this helps
Hi Nate,
Thanks so much for the recommendations. I’m actually snowboarding with my family and my bindings just broke today so this is very timely. Also, since it was so long ago, I didn’t even realize that I was riding a 156cm board. I’m super excited to get new equipment and hope it will help me enjoy the slopes that much more while improving my skills. Again, thanks for responding!
Cheers,
Tony
Hi Nate,
Two more questions. I wear size 8 Burton boots. For the Genesis bindings I can either go with size S (6-8) or size M (8-11). I’m assuming I go with the S. Also, I can’t seem to find any Mountain Twin boards in 151cm. The only board I can find for sale at this late in the season is the 152cm West. I was going to just purchase both the board and the bindings now since there is only one left of each that I can find. Is there any reason to hold off?
Thank you!
Tony
Hi Tony
No reason to hold off. I think the West 152cm and the Burton Genesis would make a great combo for your specs and the style of riding you’re describing.
For the bindings size I’d say go with the S – with your boots you would be fine in either S or M but I would say go for S. I have 10s and prefer Ms over Ls even though both work fine. I just prefer the slightly snugger fit of the Ms. In your case this would be the S – but you can’t really go wrong with either size.
Thanks again, Nate!
You’re very welcome Tony. Thanks for visiting the site!
Hey Nate, just wondering what snowboard as well as size you would recommend for me. I’m 5’10 155 pounds size 11 Burton imperials with Burton medium cartel bindings. I’ve now grown into an intermediate level snowboarder moving to Whitefish Montana. Any suggestions based on exp, size/weight & resort area for all mountain riding groomers & powder/tree skiing mainly. I’ll hard let ever hit the park. Thanks , Quin
I hardly ever hit the park. Mainly groomers & some snowboarding powder through trees. Thanks Nate-Quin
One more comment I forgot, I’ve been riding a Lib tech skate banana 156cm & it was very shaky at low speeds. I know it is basically a park board but bought it bc of great beginner board reviews but not very stable whatsoever.
Hi Quin
Thanks for your message.
First of all – you should definitely gain a good bit of stability from any of these boards over the Skate Banana. The Skate Banana is quite a loose feeling board and not really made for stability.
From what you describe I think you’re looking in the right place by looking at all mountain boards. Based on the fact that you enjoy riding trees, want something good in powder and want more stability at speed, I think that the following would be the best options for you and their sizes:
– Niche Story 156cm (258mm waist)
– YES Standard 156W (256mm waist) or you could even go 159W (258mm waist) if you were looking to size up but I think the 156cm would be the better size for your specs
– Rossignol One 157W (264mm waist – though I think this might be a little bit too wide)
– Never Summer West 157W (261mm waist)
I think those would be your best bets in terms of edge-to-edge speed (important for the trees), float in powder, stability at speed and just all round good all mountain boards.
Hope this helps
Appreciate your help Nate, your website is very helpful & your response time couldn’t have been any quicker. Thanks again!-Quin
You’re very welcome Quin. Thanks for visiting the site!
Hey Nate, I had spoken with you earlier & you recommended me a 156 W of a Yes Standard or a 157 W of a Never Summer West X(I’m 155, 5’10,-Burton imperials size 11) I had recently told you I was going to Whitefish but now I have a job transfer to Crested Butte. What all mountain board would you recommend for Mt crested butte considering they have a little less powder & more hard pack on an average? Thanks- Quin
Hi Quin
I would still say the Standard or the West and still in those sizes. Both boards are good in hard pack. I would say there are some boards that are better when it comes to very icy conditions – and if you were to encounter those more – like if you were on the East Coast, then maybe, but even then these boards are decent for that too. But in Colorado, even on a mountain that gets less snow, those two will serve you well, IMO.
I went ahead & ordered the Yes Standard W you recommended from backcountry for a sweet deal bc of my recent mountain-bike purchase. I like how their wide is really a semi-wide deck. Near perfect reviews I have read online everywhere regarding the standard. Can’t wait for our next winter!! Thanks again for all the advice Nate!
You’re very welcome Quin.
It’s always hard buying a board when the winter seems so far away and you’re itching to try it! Would love to hear what you think of it once you do get a chance to try it
Hey Nate,
Coming back to bother you with more questions. Since the brainstorm is out of stock everywhere I am torn between the NS West 159 or Typo 161. The powder rating between the two is only .5. Is that 1/2 point substantial? Across the rest of the field the Typo seems like it would suit what I am looking for more. I just want to make sure the board I choose has close to effortless float in the powder and something I can play around with on groomers. One thing I heard the Typo lacks in is dampening at high speed. I don’t believe I ever go too fast anyway but I don’t want a cattery board. I don’t know when the new line of boards come our for 2018 but I leave for Chile at the end of August and need a board for the trip. Am I better off waiting to purchase something like the brainstorm closer to then?
Hi Jason
I think that the NS West is probably the better bet for what you’re describing and a closer comparison to the Brainstorm.
The Typo wouldn’t be a bad choice but the West is a little better in powder, and the Typo can get a little chattery at speed. I’d say they would definitely be the major areas that the West excels over the Typo. That and carving. But the Typo is a little better in the more freestyle side of things – switch, jumps, jibbing.
I do also think that the 159 size for the NS West is probably a little better based on what you were saying in a previous comment about your current Custom feeling a bit long for you now. Whilst the West and Typo will both feel a little shorter than the trad cambered Custom, I think going down that little bit more might be the better option. Of course the longer length of the Typo would give you more surface area for float but with the West being better in powder overall, the 159 West would still likely float a little easier than the 161 Typo, IMO.
Hope this helps
Nate, thank you and it was very helpful but unfortunately I was impulsive and ordered the Typo and Burton Cartel bindings. The phrase “playful and forgiving” kept pushing me towards the Typo. Is it worth me canceling the order and paying the extra $50 for the West? Sorry just really concerned with being 100% happy with this set up after not enjoying the Custom at all.
Also, the camrock profile over the Hybrid Rocker, to me, seemed to be a better option.
Hey Jason
I think you’ll be fine with the Typo. It will definitely be a very different board to the Custom. It will have better float and be a lot more playful. And if you like the sound of the Camrock profile, then that’s another thing. I’m a big fan of the Typo – just on balance I thought the West was a slightly better option for your particular case but I definitely think that both will work well for you.
Cartels should go well with the Typo too.
Hi Nate,
Its late 2017 and am having a difficult time with all the choices out there. I have been riding a K2 Raygun for about 5 years (1st board) and have realized I am outgrowing it. I mostly ride groomed runs and powder with the occasional off-path boarding. Switch is not too important for me and I occasionally will hit the park. I always like to challenge myself in terms of speed and carves. I live in Norcal and ride at Tahoe, Whistler, and CO resorts. The Turbo Dream can be purchased at a decent price, but am afraid that it won’t be much of an upgrade over the Raygun (plus you did not review it well). I would say I am an intermediate-advance boarder that rides mostly blues and sometimes blacks. What are your thoughts? Other boards I am considering are the Slash Brainstorm, Burton Custom Process V, Custom X, Flight Attendant, Yes Standard, Rossignol One, NS West, and Ride Bezerker. I am 6′ 185 lbs and size 13 shoe. Thanks in advance!
Hi Jordan
Thanks for your message.
There’s definitely a lot of choices out there – so it’s good to be able to narrow them down.
I think your best choices from those you’ve listed, based on what you descibe are.
~ YES Standard
~ Never Summer West
~ Ride Berzerker
And some other options:
~ Jones Explorer
~ Capita Mercury
The reason I’ve chosen these is that their strong on Carving and Speed, which sound like 2 very important characteristics for you – but they’ll also be able to occasionally hit the park and won’t be too aggressive/stiff. But can get aggressive enough.
The Custom X is great for speed and carving but it’s also really aggressive, really stiff and doesn’t offer anything for the park – and is really unforgiving if you’re off your game. The Flight Attendant is another one that would be suitable in terms of carving and speed – and also for powder – but doesn’t offer the versatility of the other boards mentioned.
The Flying V profile doesn’t offer much in the way of carving which is why I wouldn’t suggest anything with a flying V profile.
In terms of size, I think something between a 159 and 163 would be a good choice – if you want to lean more towards that powder, speed, carving end then going to the longer end of that range is a good option. If you want something a bit more playful, then the shorter end of that range is better. Since it sounds like speed & carving is your main game – then something around 161 to 162 would be a good bet.
In terms of width, since you hve 13s, you’ll want to make sure the waist width is at least 265mm – so you’re looking at quite a wide board.
With that in mind, the following would be the best sizes for you, IMO:
~ YES Standard 159cm (263mm waist) – probably a little short and a little narrow – though if you have low profile boots the width shouldn’t be an issue
~ Never Summer West 160W (263mm waist) – again a low profile boot would be a good idea for this one – or if you thought you’d like to go longer then the 164W is an option. I wouldn’t personally go that long with your specs – but some people like that to go longer
~ Ride Berzerker – 163W (261mm waist) – again pushing being too narrow – would probably get away with it with low profile boots but would definitely need low profile boots
~ Jones Explorer 161W (264mm waist) – I think probably the best size for you out of this lot.
~ Capita Mercury 161 (261mm waist) – like the Berzerker pushing it in terms of width
Actually another great option for you would be the Lib Tech Skunk Apes. It only comes in wide sizes. The 161W (268mm waist) would be a good size for you, IMO. I haven’t ridden the board though (I have size 10s, so I wouldn’t be able to test the board properly as it only comes in wide sizes) so I couldn’t say how it was in terms of carving and speed. From the specs I would class it as an all-mountain board though.
What length is your Raygun? Do you know the waist width of it?
Hope this helps and gives you some options.
I cannot express on here how much your response guided me. My Raygun is 157w and has a 262mm waist which just a bit thin for my DC boots (not low profile). I am looking into new boots and bindings though. I currently ride the Raygun with Cartels.
Somehow I missed all the excellent reviews of the Jones Explorer. People seem like it over the Flagship and Mountain Twin. Given the 264mm waist and 161w length, this seems like a great fit. What would you say the difference between the West, Standard, and Explorer is?
I recognized that you didn’t mention the K2 Turbo Dream or Brainstorm in your response…for educational purposes, what is the reason? I would like to be able to spot the differences as I plan to own multiple boards.
Random question – I will ride greens with my friends, but I get sick of slowing down and stalling on the flatter parts…is this have anything to do with the board? Or is just not enough speed?
Once again, your response was a huge help.
Hi Jordan
You’re very welcome.
I would definitely recommending something from Adidas, Burton or Ride for your next boots. They all have good reduced footprint that should help you to fit on slightly narrower boards.
I’d say that the biggest difference between the West and the Standard is that the West has a slightly loose feel to it (not majorly but noticeable) and this is mainly down to the camber profile – the West has a hybrid rocker (rocker between the feet and camber from inserts to tip and tail) and the Standard has a hybrid camber profile (camber between the feet and rocker towards tip and tail).
The Explorer is a board that I consider part way between an all-mountain board and an aggressive all-mountain board. It’s got the performance in powder that aggressive all-mountain’s typically sacrifice for other things – but it’s also got more of an aggressive all-mountain feel to it on carves – but you can definitely slow it down and play around with it too – which is something often missing from an aggressive all-mountain board – it’s in my Top 6 Aggressive All Mountain Snowboards list if you want to check that out.
I think the Brainstorm would be suitable – but just because I think the West and Standard are slightly better carvers, I thought you would appreciate that. But it would still be an option. The 163W (263mm waist) would be the most appropriate size for that.
I actually really enjoyed riding the Turbo Dream but I think in terms of carving and speed, it sounds like you’re looking for a bit more. It’s quite a quick board edge to edge and quite maneuverable but when you really lean into a carve – especially at decent speed, it just felt a bit washy for me – I didn’t feel like I could really lay into a carve with confidence. It’s a fun board to ride but it’s more of a casual ride, IMO.
In terms of stalling on flats, that’s mostly to do with the base of the board, IMO. A board with a sintered base will typically run faster over flats than an extruded base (the Raygun has an extruded base), provided you keep it waxed up. A bit of camber in the camber profile and a stiffer flex can help there too – but in my opinion it’s mostly down to the base when it comes to flats. Keeping up speed obviously helps as well – but the base makes a big difference.
Hi Nate, I have a Yes basic which I am really enjoying, but I would like to step it up next year, and the Standard is one board that catches my eye. However I have size 7.5 / 8 feet, and i’m thinking the increase in width may not favour me. In fact, I was wondering what you thoughts were about the trend towards shorter wider boards with respect to riders with small feet. Is it something best left to dudes with bigger feet, or do some of the modern edge tech (like Yes’s mid-bite) compensate enough to give it a go?
Many thanks
Tim
Hi Tim
Thanks for your message.
I think you could give it a go, if there’s a size that will work for you. You would need to size down to compensate for the extra width.
I think the trend towards shorter wider boards isn’t something that’s going to take over and be the norm but there’s definitely a place for it – I really like them for the trees, especially.
The Standard isn’t as extreme as some short/wide boards – in terms of it not being that wide – and you don’t want to size down as much as you would for something like a K2 Cool Bean for example. But you do want to size down a little bit in length. It’s an in between kind of thing – but probably still closer to a traditional shape than something like the Cool Bean or that type of board, if that makes sense.
In terms of for those with smaller feet, it’s tricky but I think it’s still doable but it probably also depends on other specs, to see if there is a good length. If you can let me know the following, then I can make a recommendation as to a good size for the 2018 Standard for you (if any):
1. Your height and weight
2. The length of your YES Basic
3. Your ability level and how you like to ride (i.e. tricks, jumps, just cruising, powder, steeps, trees, a bit of everything etc)
Hi Nate, I’m really impressed with your information and with how much help you’ve given others. I’m in the market for a new board and need some advice.
I’ve been snowboarding for about 10 years, entirely on a cheap 158cm Lamar board my wife bought for me. We visit exclusively NY and New England resorts so a lot of ice and hard pack. I stick to the blue groomers and the occasional easy diamonds when I’m feeling adventurous. I just like to cruise and take it easy for the most part. No parks or Backcountry.
That being said, I do want to start learning some small jumps, but no jibs, just as I’m heading down the trails.
Based on what you’ve advised to others, I’m leaning towards Burton Process, Rossignol One Magtek, NS West, and Trick Pony. I’m trying to pick up a 2017 model on discount to save a few dollars. I’m 5’10 150 lbs and wear a size 10.5/11 boot.
Am I on the right track for boards? Anything else you can advise, such as waist width?
Hi Dan
Thanks for your message.
I think you’re definitely on the right track, looking at an all-mountain board – and the boards you’ve mentioned all have decent edge hold for hard conditions.
In terms of size I would say something around the 155 to 156 range would be good for you. Since you’re used to a 158cm, then I would say you could probably go as long as that if you wanted. But generally speaking around that 156cm range would be good I think. In terms of waist width, based on a size 11 boot, I would say don’t go narrower than 254mm at the waist – and you can get away with slightly narrower if you have low profile boots. But, generally try to get something 254mm +.
Because you need something with good edge-hold in hardy/icy conditions I would say the following are the best for that from this list. I’ve put what I think are your best size options and a rough rating for how well I rate them in hard/icy conditions.
~ Jones Mountain Twin (155W) – 4/5 hard/icy conditions
~ Never Summer West (157W or 156 if you have low profile boots) – 4/5 hard/icy conditions
~ Niche Story (156) – 5/5 hard/icy conditions
~ Rossignol One (157W or 156 if you have low profile boots) – 5/5 hard/icy conditions
~ YES Standard (156) – 5/5 hard/icy conditions
~ YES Typo (156W) – 5/5 hard/icy conditions
The Burton Process could also be an option – it’s not as good in hard/icy conditions as the above though – and it is a traditional camber profile – which isn’t necessarily a bad thing but some people don’t like the unforgiving nature of this kind of profile. If you like to cruise and take it easy, this might not be the most fun profile for you. The Trick Pony is an option too – not as unforgiving a profile as the Burton Process – but again, not quite as good as the boards mentioned above, in terms of hard/icy conditions. Slash Brainstorm would also rate as a 4/5 in hard/icy conditions but in my opinion, there’s not really a suitable size there for you.
Hope this helps with your decision.
Thanks again for this help. The ski shops around me simply don’t have the snowboard knowledge to help make an informed decision.
Looking around I can’t seem to find a 2017 board in my size based on your recommendations so it looks like a 2018 model is in my future. I am gravitating towards the Rossignol One LF and the Yes Standard, although I do like the Niche Story and the company’s sustainability of their manufacturing so possibly that board.
Based on those boards I’m looking for bindings that match. I read your reviews and I like the Burton Cartels and seem like that would be a match. If not, what binding should I look at?
Hi Dan
You’re very welcome.
In terms of bindings, the Cartels would be a great match with any of these boards. If you’re not familiar with Burton bindings, just be sure to get the “Re:Flex” model as the “EST” model will only work on Burton boards.
Hey Nate,
I’m a high beginner/low intermediate looking for a new board. I ride mostly on the east coast (NY) and deciding between the Rosi One Mag or Never Summer West. I feel these boards are very similar and my concerns with the West might be that it won’t be great in harder packed snow/icy conditions or would it be good on those too? I weigh 150-155lbs, 5’9.
Hi Van
Thanks for your message.
The Rossi One is the better board in hard/icy conditions – but it is one of the better boards going around for those conditions. The West certainly isn’t bad. To rate them I would say that the West is 4/5 in hard/icy conditions and the West is 5/5.
I find a couple of differences between these board. The West has a slightly looser feel – certainly not a loose feel overall, but slightly looser than the One, which is a very stable feeling board (this is mostly down to the rocker sections underfoot on the west). Also the One is slightly better in powder but the West has better pop is overall more fun for jumps.
In terms of size I would say, assuming you have a boot size less than US10.5, the 154 or 156 for the West. If you’re concerned with powder, carving and speed, then the 156, if you want to be doing more freestyle type stuff, then the 154, would be your best bet.
For the One, a similar argument – 153 or 156, depending on preferences, but I’d be leaning more towards the 156 in this case. But also take into account that the shorter sizes will be easier to ride, which might be a factor as a high beginner/low intermediate.
Hope this helps to weigh up your decision.
Thank you very much! I’ve been very undecided between the two. I’m coming from a 155 Burton Process Camber which I really dislike. It’s way too unforgiving whenever I wasn’t paying attention to what I was doing and also wasn’t that great at all in icy conditions so I’m looking for something to satisfy those needs.
That being said, after reading your post, I just ordered a 156 West. I prefer a slightly looser feel and I just think the West will fit me better overall. I chose the 156 because I have a 153 Funslinger for more freestyle orientated riding. I hope the West is forgiving enough as I still skid turns here and then, but it seems as though it is.
Thank you again!
Hi Van
Just got your second message, after I answered your first one. I agree that since you already have a separate park board that 156 is the better size choice.
I found the West was fine for skidding turns, and should definitely be more forgiving for skidding turns than the Process Camber – and should have a bit more in terms of edge-hold in harder conditions. I think you’ve made a good choice there.
Thank you so much for clearing this up! Cant wait to get out on the slopes with the new board.
Hey Nate,
I am currently on a 155 Burton Process Camber. I’m looking to replace it with either the One Magtek or the Never Summer West. I weigh 150-155lbs so I was looking into the 156 for both the West and One Mag for my all mountain needs. Im on the east coast (NY) so I don’t get too much powder, but I would like a board that can handle it. I am a high beginner/low intermediate and still skid my turns so I’m wondering which is better for that? Also, how does the West compare to the One Mag with harder/icier snow? I have a 153 Funslinger for the park so I wouldn’t really be venturing into the park with the West or One Mag except for a few jumps/natural hits and also maybe a few boxes.
I look forward to your response!
Hi
I’m a 34 year old beginner, with 8 days of snowboarding on the clock, progression is good I think. But I would like to buy another board. And I want your opinion. I now have a burton clash 2017. Great bord for learning how to turn, linking turns and all that, but when I try to hold it on the edge it skids away on the more firm icy groomers. Maybe it is my lack of technique (and for that I plan another lesson on my next trip) or is it the crapy edgehold of the clash? Therefor I’m looking for a do it al board because I don’t know yet if I will lean more towards park or going fast. The clash also doesn’t give much confidence when building up speed. So I looked for some other boards and I think I would like something in the Yes range. The basic (2017/2018), typo (2017/2018) or standard (2017) Would they all three be suitable for a beginner that can link turns on blue and red (less confident on black) How do they carve and will they be suitable for a little basic jumping, boardsliding on rails, buttering.
Thx mate!
Hi Fred
I think that the Typo is the board for you. Definitely beginner friendly but you can also carve and is one of the most versatile boards going around. I think that the Standard is just that bit more advanced and not so beginner friendly.
The Basic would also be a good option – but the Typo is going to be a little better for speed, carving and in powder. The Basic will have it a bit over the Typo for riding switch but only just and the Typo is a good board for that too.
Either of the 3 will give you heaps more in terms of edge-hold in hard/icy conditions compared with the Clash but yeah, overall I’d say the Typo is your best bet.
If you’d like any opinions on the right size to get I’d be happy to give you my input. I’d just need your height, weight, boot size and the size of your Clash.
Hope this helps
Hi and thanks for the advice.
I ‘m 1.85m for 81kg (converted to us messurements that will be 6.07 feet for 178.57 pounds in my nakie that is.). I have the Burton moto boots in Eur 44.5 (US 11.5) and the Union flight pro bindings in L. (You see, I followed your advice for those things.) My clash ’17 was a 157W.
I saw you rode the typo 2018 during a test day, I’m waiting for the review. And how it compares to the 2017. Besides that, do you have any other recomendation? I’m curently looking at the yes range because I prefer to buy in a local shop. But they have also a burton proces or capita… And what about the greats? So many questions, so little time.
And when can you say that you made the transition from beginner to intermediate? Just to know if you recommend something to a specific group, that it is suited for me. If I look to the level classification I guess i’m in between 4 and 5. comfy with linking turns on blue and red. Trying to carve (wich works in softer conditions.) Less confident on black runs. So let’s say a level 4.
I’m trying to analize/understand everything, so …
grtz
Hi Fred
Funny you should mention the 2018 Typo review – I’ve just finished writing this up and will be ready to publish tomorrow!
Come back to the site tomorrow and it should be up. The 2018 Typo is pretty much the same board as the 2017 model.
In terms of size I think the 159W would be a great size for you. It’s adding a little bit of length to your clash but I think that’s fine at this stage and it’s a good width. If you really didn’t want to go any longer than your current board, then the 156W is an option, but I think the 159W would be the best size for you.
In terms of ability, the Typo is definitely a good fit for you, IMO.
In terms of the Greats, I don’t think there would be a suitable size for you there. There aren’t any wide options.
Thx for the input. Just bought a jones ultra mountain twin today. I keep you updated if it was a safe bet for a beginner. 🙂
You’re welcome Fred. Hope the new board works well – and yeah, I’d definitely be interested to hear what you thought of it for a beginner.
Couldn’t wait for my trip to Hintertux in november so I went to the indoor slope. First impressions: Turning is as easy as with the clash, even managed to go down in switch, actually my first time I tried the whole bunnyslope switch. You can feel that this is a faster base. Absolutely no problems with skidded turns and even managed to do some carves as well. So great board for a beginner! 🙂
Hope to read a test of the Ultra mountain twin from you, so I can compare if I feel it the same way.
Hi Fred
Awesome to hear! And great to hear your take on the board from a beginner’s perspective. Thanks for sharing!
Hey Nate,
Im totally lost man haha but here are some things to consider. I currently am riding the Burton Jeremy Jones 2008 board…have been for over 6-7 years. the board still feels brand new. Ive rode the board over 300+ times easy with the burton cartel bindings…ive worn through both of the cartels but the never felt super responsive to me. I ride the entire mountain and am not afraid to do anything aside a 60ft kicker due to getting messed up on a backflip and having a gnarly season ending wipe out. Now i mainly like to ride pow and hit all the natural features to get creative. I still hit all the features in the park (aside from the 60 ft kickers still) and even come in contact with hard/icy conditions. I do not know the right board for me honestly.
I am 5’7 and weigh 165. foot size is a 9.
Can you please give me some direction before I go through seasons of trial and error. Im going on a trip to Colorado to hit up every mountain befor my military leave is over.
Thank you so much for any and all advice you can give me.
V/R
Alexander Hurley
Hi Alex
It sounds like you want one board to be able to do everything on and since you want to hit park and pow and everything in between, then I think you’re in the right place looking for an all-mountain deck.
And that’s half the battle won.
As you’re coming from an all-camber board (which as far as I’m aware is what the Jeremy Jones was), I think looking at a hybrid camber is a good option. It’ll still have the camber between the feet that you’re used to but has some rocker towards tip and tail – one advantage of that is better float in powder and another is that it feels nice on presses – but I think you’ll still want something with a good bit of camber in there.
The other thing is that it sounds like jumps (even if not the 60ft kickers anymore!) are a big part of your repetoire – so something with good pop and stability for landings is another thing to look out for. And also we want something that can handle hard/icy snow conditions pretty well.
Taking all of that into account I think the following would be good options:
~ Jones Mountain Twin
~ Slash Brainstorm
~ Burton Trick Pony
~ YES Standard
In terms of sizing, based on your specs, and how you describe your riding I would say the following:
~ Jones Mountain Twin 154 or 157
~ Slash Brainstorm 154 or 157
~ Burton Trick Pony 154 or 158
~ YES Standard 153 or maybe 156 but that’s getting pretty wide for size 9s.
I’d be leaning towards the longer of those lengths, just because you are looking to ride in powder, but since it sounds like you like to do a lot of creative freestyle stuff, the shorter lengths are definitely an option. I’m guessing you were on the 156 Jeremy Jones? But if you could let me know the size that you have, that can also be taken into account.
Hope this helps
Hey Nate,
Thanks for the great article!
I am hoping you can help me pick out my next board.
I am going into my 3rd season in Colorado and am addicted to snowboarding! I currently have a Jones All Mountain Twin 158W 2014-2015 model. I have enjoyed a lot about this board but have a couple of complaints that make me want to get a new one.
I feel like it may be a bit heavy? I love to launch off of “natural” jumps on the slopes (not necessarily in the parks as much) and I don’t feel like I am catching air as big and long as I could. I love popping jumps on natural terrain and keeping up my speed to pop a mother if available… I also feel like I could be catching more speed going down the mountain. I like charging the slopes high speed but carving them up when I want to as well. I sometimes go off the trails into the trees to have fun exploring. Maybe once or twice a day I’ll dip into the park to catch air off the big jumps and will hit the half pipe just for fun and test myself.
I don’t know if I should switch to a “set back” board as opposed to a “twin”? Also, I would love your opinion on if I should stick with All Mountain or change to an Aggressive All-Mountain board? I love riding in powder but don’t always have a choice…last season not much powder, the season before tons of it…so, I need a board that can do well in all conditions…your top two rated boards look good to me-maybe the never summer west because it is made in CO….but I am having a hard time deciding.
Again, I would greatly appreciate your advice!
My specs:
Weight: 152-155lbs
Height: almost 5’11
Boot size:13
Adam
Hi Adam
Thanks for your message and sorry for the slow response – have been in the process of moving apartments all weekend!
Yeah, I think that the West is probably your best choice. I think that there isn’t really a size that would be suitable for the YES Standard for you. I would say the 156 is close – but I just think it would be too narrow for size 13s – even though that board does cinch at the waist more than most boards, I think it would still be a bit narrow at the inserts for 13s.
The 157X West has a 261mm waist and should be ok. I would normally say even wider for size 13s, but if you’re not having any heel or toe drag issues on the 158W Mountain Twin, then it should be fine. I would say that 158 is the longest we want to go for you, given your specs and how you like to ride – so going longer to go wider, isn’t something I’d want to do. What boots do you own out of curiosity? Actually, if you’re having no problems on the 158W Mountain Twin, then the 156 Standard might still be an option – but ordinarily I wouldn’t go that narrow for 13s. And I still think that for what you’re describing the West is possibly the better option – just because it feels a little lighter on snow, in my opinion.
The other option would be to go for an all-mountain-freestyle board – you’d get more out of them for your jumps – and there are some really light options going around in that category. If going light is important then something like the Salomon Assassin or Capita Outerspace Living. Is an option. But you’d sacrifice performance in powder, in my opinion, over an all-mountain board.
Actually, the Capita Mercury might be an option too. It’s like a setback, directional version of the Outerspace Living. Really light – not as focused on jumps, but a little better for powder than the Outerspace Living.
But yeah, I think that the West 157X would be a great option anyway but if you did want to check out some all-mountain-freestyle options check out the link below. I haven’t updated that list for 2018 yet, but there are some other options that I haven’t mentioned here.
>>My Top All-Mountain-Freestyle Snowboards
Hope this helps
Nate, thanks for all you do… it’s appreciated! I do have a question. Would the NS West be foregiving enough so that I can be a little lazy while cruising the mountain with my kids??
Hi KV
Thanks for your message.
The 2018 West has a bit more of an aggressive profile than previously (Never Summer’s Ripsaw Rocker in place of their Original Rocker Camber – which basically means the camber sections are a bit more pronounced and are longer than they are on the Original Rocker Camber). But it’s still the same flex and still playful enough. I think you can still slow it down and play around a bit on it – maybe not as much as in the past – but it’s still not a super aggressive ride.
If you want to go more playful and cruisey but wanted something that was very similar to the West you could try the Never Summer Snowtrooper – it’s pretty much the West but with a slightly softer flex and it has the Original Rocker Camber profile, which is less aggressive. I just published my review of the Snowtrooper today – you can check it out at the link below.
~ Never Summer Snowtrooper Review
Hope this helps
Hi Nate! I’m 192cm, 190 pounds and I have a shoe size 12.5. I was thinking of getting the capita doa with the union force bindings, I would also want a tradicional lacing boot. Any recommendations? I’m mostly interested in carving, being stable at high speeds but also ride a bit of park and do butters. Do you think this is a good setup? Would you change the board or the bindings or do you have any recommendations?
Hi Leonardo
It sounds like the DOA would be a good board for you, based on what you’re describing. I would say that the 162W is the best size for you. Just so you know this an aggressive feeling board (a good thing assuming that’s what you’re after) and also that it’s not great in powder or amazing for jibbing (but not terrible there). But it’s super poppy and great for jumps – and I found it to be really stable at speed and a good little carver for a twin.
If you haven’t already, also check out my DOA review:
~ Capita DOA Review
Or if you want to check out some other options that I think would also be suitable, check out the following:
>>My Top All-Mountain-Freestyle Snowboards
The Force are a good option for this board, IMO. They are a little stiffer than medium and this board, I find, rides better with a slightly stiffer binding. I’ve ridden it with medium-soft bindings, medium bindings and medium-stiff bindings and the mid-stiff bindings felt best on this board. It was amazing with the Union Ultra FC (but those are seriously pricey). But yeah, I think the Force would work well on it.
Same probably goes for boots – something a little stiffer than medium would work well, I think.
So something from the following list would be a good call:
>>My Top All Mountain Snowboard Boots
The Vans Infuse are basically traditional lace but have a boa coil that works to pull your heel down – but they’re predominantly traditional lacing. There’s also the Tactical ADVs there that are traditional lace that would be a great option – especially given that you have 12.5s and Adidas have great reduced footprint in their boots.
Another trad lace option, not on that list would be the Ride Fuse (again has a Boa coiler but predominantly trad lace.
Hope this helps
Hi Nate!
This website is amazaning as your attitude to help others!
I am wondering if you could help me to find a snowboard. It would be really great.
My “specs”:
Weight: 95kg/209lbs
Height: 1.95m/6.4f
Boots size: 46-47/ US 13-14 ( I’m not sure)
Level: Intermediate-Advanced
I’m looking for an all mountain board which I would use for freeriding mostly,but I am also visiting parks too.In additon I would like to improve my switch riding too.
My problem is that I’m not familiar in the market, specially not with board wide enough for my feet.
Could you please suggest a couple of boards with it’s height?
Thank you for your help in advance.
Greetings from Hungary,
Gábor
Hi Gábor
Thanks for your message.
46-47 would likely be US12 or US13 depending on the brand of the boots (different brands have different conversions). So, assuming it’s around 12.5, then I think looking at something with at least a waist width of 264 would be a good idea. If you can let me know the brand of your boots, that would help to be more accurate, but I think either way you should be fine if we look at something with at least that 264mm waist.
And I think length wise, something around 166cm is a good option but we can look at something slightly shorter or longer than that too, but around that is a good bet, IMO.
Because it sounds like you’re looking for a board that can do a bit of everything, then I think you’re looking in the right place on this list.
So of the all-mountain options, I think the following would be suitable for you.
~ Never Summer West 164X (266mm waist) – you could also potentially go 168X – the 164X will be better in the park and the 168X a little better for speed, powder, stability – but overall I think the 164X is probably the better size if you’re going into the park.
~ Niche Story 162W (265mm waist) – getting on the short side for you, but doable at that length and the width is good
~ Jones Mountain Twin (or Ultra Mountain Twin) 164W (262mm waist): pushing being too narrow for US13s but if your boots translate to US12, then it would be a good option
~ Slash Brainstorm 163W (263mm waist): Like the Mountain Twin pushing it to be too narrow for 13s but good for 12s
~ Rossignol One 165W (268mm waist): A good size all-round, IMO
Hope this gives you some options
Hi Nate!
Thank you for your answer!
I just found a great offer for a Nitro Magnum 2016.
Do you have any experience with this board? What do you thin would it be good for my specs?
Thanks again.
Gábor
Hi Gábor
Nitro isn’t a brand I demo currently so I haven’t had any experience on the Magnum. Also, I wouldn’t be able to really test that particular board properly because it only comes in wide sizes and I don’t have large enough feet to get the most out of boards that wide.
For you though, they would likely work.
The 163W has a 270mm waist, so it would certainly be wide enough and not too wide. So that would be a good size. The other option would be to go up to the 167, if you felt like you’d like a longer board.
Based on the specs and a quick bit of research it does look like it’s an all-mountain board leaning on the side of freeriding, so I think it sounds like it would suit your riding – but as I haven’t ridden it, I can’t really say for sure what it’s like to ride.
Hope this helps
Hi Nate,
It’s awesome all the advice/help you are giving people to help them in their snowboard adventure. Like others have said, I can tell your responses are genuine and really with the best interests of the person you are helping in mind. Maybe you can point me in the right direction.
I am 45. I have been snowboarding for about 14 years but not a lot of days each year and some years have been quite lean. At least 1 year I didn’t even make it up once. In recent years I have been almost exclusively riding at Loveland ski area in Colorado but I would like to get to some other places, maybe even other states if possible. I guess I am intermediate but not really sure. For the most part I like to ride all over…..groomers, greens, blues, some blacks if there is good snow but not so much when they’re really tracked in. Love riding the powder in the trees, small to medium jumps, I want to work on riding switch a bit too. I really enjoy cruising through a nice stand of trees with all the varied terrain, obstacles, woops, and hopefully some powder, then at the end of the trees jump on the trail and get a little speed the rest of the way down. I do kind of want take my riding up a notch this year – what ever that looks like, not sure yet. I typically gravitate towards gear that is a bit lighter weight whenever possible. I am very interested in a board that does well at varied terrain and conditions – like and all-mountain board. Good edge-to-edge sounds attractive as well.
I am a little under 5′ 10″ and around 183 lbs. and I wear size 10 snowboard boots.
Out of your top all-mountain list, what would be your top 2 or 3 boards you would recommend to me and what size would you suggest?
Thanks a bunch for your advice!!
Mike
Hi Michael
Thanks for your message.
First of all, I think you’re looking in the right place for sure (all mountain boards), based on the info you gave me.
Generally speaking I would say something like 157 to 159 for you for an all-mountain board. And with a size 10, you’re pretty much good for any regular width. You have very similar specs to me (185lbs, 6’0″, size 10).
I would say one of the top 4 in this list would be the best bets for you – I know it sounds like a cop-out to suggest the top 4, but based on what you describe, I think those are the best options. All but one thing – none of these boards are particularly on the light side – not heavy either, very middle of the road in terms of weight, from what I felt.
If lighter than normal is really important for you, then the Capita Outerspace Living and the Salomon Assassin and Assassin Pro were the lightest boards that I demoed last season. Those boards are noticeably lighter than everything else I tried – but they’re all-mountain-freestyle boards and you’d be taking a bit of a hit in terms of powder performance. But if you were willing to sacrifice powder for lightness, those are great options. Actually, the other option is the Capita Mercury which is also lighter than normal – I would class it as more of an aggressive all-mountain board – but only just. I had to debate whether or not it should be classed as all-mountain or aggressive all-mountain. So if you were happy with something a little more aggressive that’s also an option.
But if you wanted to stick with something on this list, then the following sizes would be great for you, IMO.
~ YES Standard: 156 (258mm waist) – a little shorter than the 157 to 159 we discussed but it’s a bit wider and designed to be ridden shorter (which is nice to have for the trees.
~ Never Summer West: 159cm
~ Slash Brainstorm: 157 (could do 160 as well if you wanted longer but I think you’d enjoy the 157 slightly more, there are pros and cons with each size but on balance I think 157cm)
~ Jones Mountain Twin: 157 (same as per Brainstorm)
And if you wanted to look at the others I mentioned, then I think the:
~ Capita Outerspace Living: 158cm
~ Salomon Assasssin: 158
~ Salomon Assassin Pro: 158
~ Capita Mercury: 157 (since it’s a little more aggressive and a little wider, I think the 157 is the best size option out of the 157 and 159)
Hope this helps
Awesome reviews Nate! I’m looking for a new all mountain snowboard and am trying to figure out which one would be the best for me and my riding. I am 6’4″ and 170 lbs. I am an advanced/expert rider, and ride both on east coast (NY, VT) and west coast (CO, UT, WY). My favorite stuff to ride is trees, bowls, off piste (but still on resort), and powder. I also like steep groomers, moguls, and jumps off natural features I find around the mountain. I like to ride switch every now and again. I don’t really spend any time in the terrain park. I have been looking at the Jones Ultra mountain twin (have you ridden that or just the regular mountain twin?), Mountain twin & Explorer, and Never Summer West & Ripsaw. I was also interested in yes standard, but have heard the new model is pretty slow turning? Do you have any recommendations on boards, or thoughts on what would be best for what I like? Thanks
Hi Kurt
Thanks for your message.
I haven’t ridden the Ultra Mountain Twin – unfortunately. A board that seems to escape my grasp every season – but I vow to ride it this season!
As for the other options, I think the Mountain Twin, Explorer, West and Standard are all options. The only reason I don’t include the Ripsaw, is that it’s more park oriented than the others – and wouldn’t be as good for powder as the others, IMO.
With the YES Standard, if you size it properly I don’t think it’s too slow turning at all. The idea with this board, IMO, is to size down a little bit – you go a little wider but a little shorter. For example for the 2017 model sizings I would have rode the 158 but for the 2018 models, the 156 was the better size for me. The advantage of doing this is being slightly better for the trees and for spins (and any other situation where a shorter length is appreciated). But it’s still something that you don’t want to be overly wide for your feet. So, in the right size, the Standard is an option – but I’d need to know your boot size to determine what would be the best size for that board.
In terms of the Mountain Twin. I would say Ultra Mountain Twin for you. Like I say I haven’t ridden it – but it is supposed to offer up a bit more performance and as an advanced/expert rider, you would be able to take advantage of that.
If you want any opinions for sizes for any of these, I’d be happy to give you mine, if you can let me know your boot size – though I’m sure you know what you like at this stage? The only thing would be the Standard really as this is sized slightly differently.
Hope this helps
Thanks for the info! I wouldn’t mind getting your opinion on board sizes for Ultra Mountain Twin, West, and Standard. Boot size is 10.5/11 depending on brand.
Hey Kurt
I think the following would work well for you, but also keep in mind the size that you’re used to will influence it as well. As an established rider, you’re probably used to a certain size.
Ultra Mountain Twin: 161W or 162
West: 160W or 162
Standard: 159
But if you can let me know what size you ride now, and I can adjust based on that. Also, if you can let me know the width you ride. If we know that you already ride a board with say a 255mm waist and you’ve never had heel or toe drag issues, then that would influence width choices. Also, do you like to get really low in your carves? In that case we’d want to look at something a little wider.
Hey Nate,
Im a advanced to expert rider and i ride Colorado and Utah every winter and I’m trying to find a good all mouton board for me this upcoming winter. Im 5’9 weigh 175 and my boot size is 11.5. Ive been looking at the ride wild life and burton trick pony mostly even some never summer boards. i ride mostly some powder and resort riding some natural jumps and terrain I tend to stay out of the park. is ther any board you could suggest for me? thanks
Hi Kyle
Thanks for your message.
Definitely different feeling boards those two. The main differences are, I would say:
1. The Trick Pony is overall a slightly more aggressive board and a little more advanced
2. The Wild Life will perform better in powder
3. The Trick Pony is going to be better for riding switch and for jumps
4. Even though I’ve scored them the same, I think the Trick Pony is better for carving, but the Wild Life is definitely easier to skid your turns on – but as an advanced/expert rider you probably won’t have any issues there.
5. Overall the Trick Pony (directional twin, 12.5mm setback) is slightly more freestyle oriented than the Wild Life (directional, 20mm setback) – the latter being almost more of a more easy going/forgiving freeride board.
In terms of sizing, I would say for you:
Trick Pony: 158W
Wild Life: 158W
But you should also weight up what size you’re currently riding. If you’re used to something shorter or longer, then there might be a better size, but generally speaking, I think those would be good sizes for you for those boards.
Hope this helps
Hi Nate,
I’ve read a ton of your reviews all across the board and they are a huge help to me. I am in the market for a new snowboard and bindings, and I am having a bit of trouble deciding on one. There are a few candidates I found that I feel will fit my style, but I’m not sure on the camber part. I would consider myself an intermediate to advanced rider. Basically, I love charging down diamonds and carving at high speeds, but also want something that’s slightly playful (maybe medium flex?) and can do a little park, but not that important. The reason being is most of the people I ski/board with all like park, but are willing to freeride too. I board mostly at resorts on the east coast around Pennsylvania, but want to take a few trips to Colorado to experience fresh pow as well. Right now, I am currently on a 2014 Ride Wild Life which was pretty fun to learn on, but I want something more like a camber profile. I would prefer to buy a snowboard that’s made in America from Never Summer, but I am also willing to go with a brand like Burton or Nitro if they have something that matches what I want better. I know the difference between a camber and a rocker, but what is slightly confusing is the the camber/rocker/camber and the rocker/camber/rocker. A lot of the NS boards seem to be camber/rocker/camber, but one review on youtube said they were more of a rocker, and I’d prefer a camber. Originally, I was looking at the NS Ripsaw and West which seemed like awesome boards, but again, they have that camber/rocker/camber profile. Then I looked a little bit at Nitro’s Woodcarver and a Burton Custom. As for the bindings, I already decided Burton Cartels were the way to go. I am really torn though I hope this wasn’t to lengthy for ya, but thank you in advance.
Height: 5’10” Weight: 185-190 U.S Foot Size: 10-10.5
Hi Nick
Thanks for your message.
It sounds like an all-mountain board is the right place for you to look. They’re typically more freeride oriented but are softer flexing and more forgiving and less directional and so they’re also fine for taking in the park – but still more towards the freeride side of things, which it sounds like is more important for you.
Never Summer basically have 3 different camber profiles – Fusion Rocker Camber, Ripsaw Rocker Camber and Original Rocker Camber. They all have rocker between the feet but they have different amounts of rocker and camber. The Fusion Rocker Camber won’t be on any of the boards you’re looking at since you’re looking all-mountain. So the difference between the Original and the Ripsaw is:
1. The Ripsaw Rocker Camber has rocker between the feet but its only a short section of rocker. Camber starts before the inserts and extends all the way to the tip and tail. The camber is also more pronounced than it is on the Original Rocker Camber
2. The Original Rocker Camber has rocker between the feet that extends to under the feet and the camber doesn’t start until around the outside of the inserts. The camber extends to tip and tail but isn’t as pronounced as it is with the Ripsaw Rocker Camber.
The main difference this makes is that the Ripsaw profile (which is on a number of boards – not just the Ripsaw) provides a more aggressive more poppy feel and gives more of a camber feel to it compared to the Original Rocker camber, which is more playful, loose feeling and has a more rocker feel to it. That said, the rocker between the feet, even on the Ripsaw profile is definitely still noticeable and gives a looser feel than full camber or hybrid camber (where the camber is between the feet and rocker towards tip and tail).
The West has the Ripsaw Rocker profile so would be more suitable to what you’re looking for – but there is still a slightly looser feel – but certainly not to go as far as to say that it’s loose, if that makes sense.
I think the West would be a good option for you – but if are concerned about getting a really stable, more camber like feel, then there isn’t really that option with Never Summer.
I don’t currently test Nitro gear, so I can’t really comment there.
Burton, definitely do have camber options for all-mountain boards (like the Burton Process on this list). But they do tend to be fully camber, with the exception of the Trick Pony (which I think would be your best Burton option). Their Flying V profile, tends to be on the looser side (probably more so than the Never Summer Ripsaw Profile). Flying V has rocker between the feet, camber under the feet and then rocker again, tip and tail. Also their flying V doesn’t tend to play too well in hard/icy conditions, which I’m guessing you encounter out East a fair bit. Never Summer boards actually do have pretty good hard snow conditions grip.
If you wanted to go fully camber, then you could look at Burton Process or Burton Custom – but they will be harder work in powder. The Trick Pony is probably your better bet for Burton.
So, I would say Never Summer West or Burton Trick Pony.
In terms of sizing, I would say:
Never Summer West: 159cm
Burton Trick Pony: 158cm
But if your Wild Life is anything significantly longer or shorter than that, then we might have to revisit those sizes.
There are of course other options we could look at outside of those brands but for those brands, those 2 boards would be your best bet, IMO. Though there might also be something Nitro suitable.
Burton Cartels are a good all round binding, that will work with pretty much any board, except for the softest and stiffest boards, so I think that’s a good bet.
Anyway, hope this gives you a bit more to go off for your decision.
Nate, I honestly cannot thank you enough for your answer. Not only was it fast, but it was also super informative. You’re reviews are a huge help, and you’re answer made my decision so much easier! I did a bunch of research on the Trick Pony as well as the West and decided to go with the West. Since it’s made in USA, and the snowboarding community is in agreement that you can carve super hard on it while being able to mess around in the park it just seemed to be calling my name. I’ll probably just go with the 159 since since the size chart recommends it. I will say this though, I got my Wild life around three years ago, and I may have weighed around 180-185. I think it would be a good size although I do tend to fluctuate between 185-195 right now, and may put on more weight in the future due to weight training, but probably not much. So depending on your definition of significant decrease and increase, I think I would otherwise be alright with the 159 because I don’t want to get the next size up and have it be too big for me.
Also, I put my regular shoe size in my original message, however my actual boot size right now is 9.5, not that it makes a difference according to the size chart, just thought I would mention it.
I am probably going to a local ski shop this weekend to see how my Ride HyPhys fit in burton bindings because right now I am wearing NOW IPOs. I’ll probably use my HyPhys for another season. The probably end up switching to normally laced boots since it’s what I’m used to from playing hockey.
Seriously though, thank you again for the help and keep up the awesome work! I’ll definitely hit this site back up if I have any other questions.
You’re very welcome Nick. 9.5s should be a good fit on the 159 West. Hope you enjoy your new gear and have an awesome season! Definitely hit me up if you have any other questions.
Will do, much appreciated!
I am looking for an all mountain freestyle board. I am 192cm,95 kg and have a shoe size 46 eu/12 us. What boards, bindings and boots would you recommend? I like capita boards, bataleon evil twin and ride warpig.
Hi Brandon
In terms of Capita boards for all-mountain riding, I’d say the Outerspace Living or Mercury are great options. The Outerspace Living is more what I would call an all-mountain-freestyle board but it’s pretty versatile – and better in powder than most all-mountain-freestyle boards. The Mercury is what I would consider a more aggressive all-mountain ride.
So, if you’re a more advanced or more aggressive rider, and not really into freestyle, then the Mercury is probably your best bet. If you are more of an intermediate or beginner rider, or if you’re more freestyle focused, then the Outerspace Living.
I don’t demo Bataleon boards, so I can’t really comment on the Evil Twin – except that it’s a popular board for sure.
The Warpig is a fun little board – but not one that I would consider the one board to have. Some would but I see it more as a fun short/wide board to have in the quiver for powder days and for riding trees. Definitely something to look at if you want it as part of your quiver – but if you’re wanting just one board, then I think there are better options.
I just saw that you’re looking specifically for all-mountain-freestyle. You should check out the link below:
>>My Top All-Mountain-Freestyle Snowboards
In terms of size for you, I would go for something around 163cm, give or take, for an all-mountian-freestyle deck, give or take and certainly something wide for size 12s – at least 260mm at the waist.
Unfortunately, there isn’t really an appropriate size for the Capita Outerspace Living.
If you’re a more advanced rider and like you’re riding more aggressive, you could look at something like the DOA (161W). I think that’s probably the only Capita all-mtn-free board that would have an appropriate size for you.
For the Evil Twin, there’s a 159W, which would be on the short side, but doable. But like I say, I haven’t ridden it so I can’t really comment on how good a ride it is.
If you’re willing to go outside those brands, then check out the link above, otherwise, I think the DOA would work, so long as you aren’t a beginner (and I would pair it with at least medium boots and bindings and even medium-stiff – as per my other comment, I don’t think it would work with the Vans Hi-Standard.
Sorry, this ended up being a thinking out loud response! Hope it gives you a bit more to go off anyway.
Hi Nate!
by dint of looking for the ideal board for me I get lost a little, I need your advice
I ride for more than 15 years, I weigh 83 kg for 183 cm, I love bombarded on the slopes, carver as much as send a bit of freestyle backcountryu and still a little in the park
I ride bataleon for several years that I love, I loved the most wide on both the French tracks in the Japanese snowy forest. I am now on an evil twin that I like a lot on track and park but much less in the pow or it is very limited ..
I’m leaving Japan in 2018 and want to enrich my quiver with an all mountain board or freeride
I hesitate between jones mountain twin or aviator, capita kokubo or navigator, or burton gate keeper or flight attendant … or maybe lib tech jack knife…
knowing that I will not go all the years in Japan unfortunately …
I ride with bindings el hefe very stiff ride that I love because very reactive and who go very well to my ride rather aggressive and committed
I wish to put less than 500 euros ..
Thank you for everything in advance
kind regards
Hi Benjamin
I think something in the freeride cateogry would be a good bet for you. Since you already have your Evil Twin for riding the park, you could get something that specializes more for speed, carving and powder.
So, I think something off the following list would work well:
~ My Top 5 Freeride Snowboards
But going with something like the Capita Kokubo (a bit of a different kind of board – kind of a powder freestyle board) is also definitely also an option.
Burton Gatekeeper isn’t on that list but is another good option if you can find it in a suitable size (it only comes in a 159 and 163).
The Mountain Twin might be softer flexing than what you would want given how you describe you like to ride and given that you have El Hefe bindings – and the fact that’s it’s more do-it-all kind of board – I think you can specialize more, given that you already have the Evil Twin for freestyle.
The Aviator is an option too.
The Navigator is probably similar in terms of flex as the Mountain Twin but it is more specialized towards riding powder – so a better pair up with your Evil Twin than the Mountain Twin, IMO.
Lib Tech Jack Knife is one I don’t know too much about yet – but from what I’ve heard this could fit your needs too – I’d say it’s a freeride board.
So yeah, I think you’ve got a good list of options there – and I think that looking for that more freeride board is the best way to go, given that you already have a board to ride freestyle on.
Hope this helps.
I enjoyed reading your reviews! Also spent quite a bit of time reading all your replies to the comments from other users.
Have just ordered a Yes Standard in 151 cm. I’m yet to receive it in the mail. In the meantime, just wondering if you could give me your 2 cents on the matter.
i’m 164 cm, about 137 lb, size 8.5US Burton boots.
Current board is a Never Summer Cobra 155 cm. On Flow NX2 GT fusion bindings.
I have boarded for about 4 years and mainly just go down the hill with occasional adventures off piste.
I do love the powder.
I’d say i’m intermediate level.
The Cobra feels great on the powder and is stable at speed. But somehow always felt the Cobra at 155 cm was a little longish for me. In the woods, had a bit of difficulty initiating quick turns.
Was contemplating the Jones Mountain Twin (151 cm) but thought it might be a bit similar to my Cobra, both character wise and appearance wise (both are blue).
Will be having a snowcat expedition during my next snowboarding trip and anticipate some nice runs and decent powder. Thought the Yes Standard with bindings set back would be great for the job. Am also hoping it serves me well during normal mountain days.
do you suppose I made the right choice with the Yes Standard? or will i end up with buyers remorse?
Hi Gavin
I actually think you’ve gone with a great option.
For your specs, I think you’ll really appreciate the extra maneuverability of a 151 over a 155 – and the Standard is pretty quick edge to edge – so was the Cobra, but at 151 you will definitely get more maneuverability for the trees and in general.
You will loose a bit in terms of deep powder over the 155cm Cobra – but with your specs, I don’t think you’ll really notice it that much at all.
You’ll be going from having rocker between the feet and camber tip to tail to having camber between and under the feet and rocker tip and tail – so that might require a few runs to get used to, but you’ll get used to that, just know that it will be a different feel to begin with.
Honestly, if you were asking for a recommendation for size before you bought I would of being weighing up between the 149 and 151 for you for the Standard and potentially would have recommended the 149 if you weren’t coming off a 155 and if you weren’t likely to be hitting much powder. But, since you are coming off a 155 and you are going to be hitting the deep stuff, I think the 151 is a perfect size for you. And you can set it into those slam backs for your snowcat days and if you feel like riding more freestyle on your resort days, then you can center it up.
So long story short, IMO, I think you’ve made a good call there.
thanks for taking the time to reply! makes me feel much more relieved.
the Standard is on its way to me and i should be getting it in the next few days!
You’re very welcome Gavin. Hope you enjoy your new board and have an awesome season!
Hi Nate,
I would like to upgrade my snowboard, i been riding a Santa Cruz Strip 2012 model for the last 3 years to learn because it has a soft flex and rocker shape but now i feel i need something more stable when going a bit faster but i would like to have the easy turns the Santa Cruz provided and also to improve into a more advanced level of snowboarding, could you help me with an advice?
Hi Ede
Thanks for your message.
I have no experience with Santa Cruz snowboards but if it was a soft rockered board – and you’re now looking for something with more stability but you still want that catch-free easy turn initiation, then going with a hybrid profile would be the way to go.
Hybrid Camber profiles have camber between the feet for stability and pop and then rocker towards the tip and tail to raise those edges to make it easier to initiate a turn and to skid turns (it’s also great for powder and for buttering to have that rocker there). How pronounced the camber is and how far the camber sections run along the board differ between boards – so some can be more camber dominant and others more rocker dominant.
The other option is the Hybrid Rocker – this has rocker between the feet and camber under the feet and towards tip and tail. This typically has a slightly looser feel but, again, the amount of rocker and camber differs depending on the board.
If you prefer the sound of the Hybrid Camber, then something like the Standard, Brainstorm, Mountain Twin, One or Typo would be great options. If you’re thinking more Hybrid Rocker, then the West & Story are your best bets. The Burton Process Flying V or Custom Flying V are also options – they have rocker between the feet, camber under the feet and then rocker again towards tip and tail (what they call “Flying V” hence the name). IMO this feels more like a hybrid rocker than a hybrid camber.
But yeah, if you’re looking for more stability but still want easy turn initiations, then I would look at those two profiles – and I’d definitely steer clear of something that’s all camber or predominantly camber and something that’s all rocker or predominantly rocker.
Hope this helps
Hey buddy, awesome reviews. Curious at your opinion on a more freeride all mountain. The review on the ride is great but not sure it’ll keep up with me. I’d say I’m more than an intermediate rider who hitting mostly west coast slopes. No necessarily going to backpack but I’ll hike to certain areas off the lifts. Love hitting freshies, finding tree runs, and steep stuff like KT22. Any recommendations? I think it makes sense to stay in all mountain category but open to a less aggressive freeride.
I’d appreciate any help here
Hi Kyle
Thanks for your message.
For a less aggressive freeride, all-mountain freeride type ride, I’d look at the Jones Explorer, Burton Flight Attendant, Capita BSOD. Those are the first boards that spring to mind. If you’re still looking for more options after checking those out, let me know and I can dig deeper.
>>Jones Explorer Review
>>Burton Flight Attendant Review
>>Capita BSOD Review
Hope this helps
Hi Nate, Thanks for putting these ratings together. Really helpful all around as I check out what board will be best for this season coming up.
I am a bit stuck as I want to take the next step from my current board and focus more on Aggressive all mountain or light freeride. My typical day is hitting West coast slopes like KT22 that involve small amounts of trekking off the lift to hit tree runs and find freshies. I like steep and hitting more natural lips but then cruising the mountain later in the day.
I wouldnt call myself an advanced rider but I think Im above intermediate… After reading your reviews I saw the Ride board but think it might be too soft for what I’m looking for. Any other suggestions? The Slash Aurora might be a good choice but cant seem to find any as its last season. ANy input would be helpful.
Hi Kyle, hopefully my other reply answered your question. But let me know if you want more options.
HI Nate it’s Nick again, I commented back in October with the dilemma between the Never Summer West and Ripsaw. In the end you recommended, either a 159 West or 158 Burton Trick Pony.
Just to reiterate, I am most definitely still interested in the West, however I think it is pretty lame to only consider two companies to buy a snowboard from. Also, I like the new Trick Pony cause it seems just a versatile for where I’ll be riding at. As for my riding style, ride mostly resorts on east coast in Pennsylvania. Like charging groomers and want to be able to mess around in the terrain park, natural jumps, side hits, and some butters. I still like the idea of a stable camber and still willing to look at the Never Summer’s ripsaw camber profile. Powder isn’t a huge concern as I’m pretty sure you can ride it with any board, you just need to pay a bit more attention to a board that’s not made for powder. As long as I get a board that can carve super hard, ride in ice, hit most jumps (natural or terrain park), some boxes, butter, and ride switch efficiently I think I’ll be happy.
My stats are around 180-190 lbs and 5’10”
I also have a question concerning boot size and whether or not I need a new pair. So right now I am in a pair of older Ride HyPhys. They are a double boa lace system and are pretty comfortable. Usually I wear a 10 or 10.5 regular shoe, but in the Rides I wear a 9.5. When I got up the lift I like to rest the edge of my board on my other boot and discovered that it cut the top of it and exposing some of the boa cord underneath. Should I be concerned about this and get a new pair? My local ski shop guy replaced the broken boa on the side of the same boot. If I need a new boot what would you recommend? Not to particular about laces, but do like the idea of traditional. Sorry about the length comment man. Thanks in advance!
Hi Nick
Since you’re willing to look outside the brands that we originally discussed, then I think the following would also be options, in addition to the West and Trick Pony you’re currently weighing up.
~ YES Standard: Great in hard/icy conditions, and just a great all round board, can do a bit of everything. Sizing is a little different (for the 2018 model – if you’re looking at the 2017 model let me know and we can look at the sizing for that) so you’ll want to go a little shorter as it’s a wider board. So, for the 2018 model, I’d say 156 for you. More details on the Standard at the link below.
>>YES Standard Review
~ Rossignol One 159 – great edge-hold in icy conditions. Probably not quite up there with Standard and West in terms of carving and in terms of jumps but certainly for the rest and for icy conditions edge-hold it’s one of the best.
>>Rossignol One Review
~ Niche Story 156 – like the Standard the Story is a wider board that I would size down to the 156 for. Again very strong in hard/icy conditions. It’s a little stiffer than the other options but not by heaps. It has rocker between the feet and camber to tip and tail like the West.
>>Niche Story Review
You could also look at something like the Mountain Twin or Slash Brainstorm – not quite as good edge-hold in icy conditions as the above 3 mentioned but still pretty good.
In terms of hard/icy conditions I’d say the following:
Rossignol One: 5/5
YES Standard: 5/5
Niche Story: 5/5
NS West: 4/5
Jones Mountain Twin: 4/5
Slash Brainstorm: 4/5
Burton Trick Pony: 3.5/5
The Standard and the West are the best carvers in my opinion and since that sounds like a very important factor for you, I think one of those two would be the best options. Standard in a 156 (if 2018 model) and West in a 159.
BOOTS
So long as your boots are still functioning I don’t see any need to replace them right away – unless you have a good deal somewhere – but as long as they still work, I’d keep riding them. They will become unride-able at some point. Snowboard boots tend to have a fairly limited lifespan. If I get 100 days on a pair of boots, I’m happy.
I do the same thing with my board on the lift sometimes and I get the same issue – the lower part of Boa boots actually aren’t loosening off properly at the moment and I suspect that has something to with leaning the board on the boot!
If you do get new boots then something from one of these lists would be a good option to match the boards (in terms of flex) that you’re looking at. If there’s nothing that quite works for you on this list, let me know and I can give you more options.
>>My Top All Mountain (medium-stiff flex) Snowboard Boots
Hope this helps
Awesome stuff man! What’s your opinion on the Proto Type Two for me? I know you rate it # one for All Mountain Freestyle, but from all the demos I’ve seen and reviews I’ve read that thing seems like it can carve just as well as the West, and my problem is that I have ridden too much park, butters, jumps, or switch up to this point so I don’t really know how I feel about the style. My concern is that if I end up liking the style in addition to my all mountain riding the Proto 2 would be better. I know setbacks are designed with a specific style in mind, and if I end up liking freestyle just as much as carving, I don’t want to be riding a setback board centered all the time especially at a resort that isn’t even technically a mountain. Also, I like the idea of the Proto 2 being a 157 and seems like a better transition for a longer board coming off of a Wild Life 155. Thanks man for taking the time as always!
Hi Nick
I think the Proto Type Two could certainly work for you as long you’re willing to work a little harder when you do hit powder. Yeah I’d say that the Proto Type Two is just as good on a carve as the West. The main differences between the two, IMO, are:
1. The West is better in powder – or to put another way takes less effort in powder
2. The Proto Type Two is naturally better for riding switch and is better for jumps
3. The Proto Type Two is a little better on jibs but neither of these boards is great in that area – but doable
I’d say those are the main differences – but yeah in terms of carving they’re the same to me.
And for sizing I’d say 157cm as you’re thinking. This is basically the equivalent of the West 159 in terms of effective edge – the PT2 just has a shorter nose/tail.
I think at some point we were discussing the Ripsaw too, and I think that was surrounding flex, for if you were wanting to go a little stiffer. The Proto Type 2 is a little softer than that. From my experience, I would say Proto Type 2 = 5/10, West = 6/10 and Ripsaw = 7/10. So if you were looking for stiffer, then Ripsaw – but if you want that mid-flex, then the Proto Type 2.
Nate, I think I have finally decided I’m just going with the PT2, it just seems like the board that will best handle all the conditions I’ll be riding in. Also, it will give me room to grow into park if I find out I enjoy that too. The nice thing about the PT2 is that I can actually go check the board out in person. I can always get a board later on down the road for charging and pow.
Thanks man you’ve been a huge help!!
You’re very welcome Nick. Hope you enjoy the PT2 as much as I did. And like you say, you can always get something down the road more suited to pow, if you feel the need.
Hi!
I’m looking a board for all mountain and freestyle. THe priority is a ICE HOLD level and My intention is a board easy to ride, easy to go fast (speed) on groomers, the second intention is a lear alittle of powder and jumps/ollies in groomer/mountain. And last learn little jibbing. I say with a correct order 🙂
IS my second year, last year i learn a lot I go fast and move on red tracks, etc. I need a board easy to learn, playful and a board for years. I looking a yes Typo, good icy hold, all mountain and easy, is possible a lack of speed stability? The other hand I see yes libre, but not have underbite and have the basic base, no need wax ( is possitive)
And later for bindings, I see burton cartel, genesis or some union, but union not have a medium flex.
thanks
Sorry for size, I have last year 152cm, my height 1.74m and 65kg with gear.
Hi Roger
Yeah, I think the YES Typo, the YES Standard, the Rossignol One would all be good options. Or you could look at the GNU Rider’s Choice.
The Typo is a good all round board and probably your biggest concern there would be stability at speed, like you say. But otherwise, it ticks all the boxes – definitely an easy ride, great in icy conditions and can do a bit of everything. With the YES Standard you would get a bit more performance in terms of carving, speed and powder – but it’s a more challenging ride and won’t be as good with jibs. The Rossignol One also something that won’t be as good jib-wise but otherwise would fit what you’re looking for.
The GNU Rider’s Choice is an all-mountain-freestyle board – you can check out more on that in the review below. It would be more like the Typo in terms of not being quite as good for powder, stability at speed as the Standard and One but better in the jibbing stakes.
>>GNU Riders Choice Review
In terms of size, I think something around that 152cm, 153cm mark is a good size for you. So with these options the best would be:
YES Typo: 152cm
YES Standard: 151cm (this is a wider board so going shorter is a better idea – depending on your boot size)
Rossignol One: 153cm
GNU Rider’s Choice: 151.5cm
If you can also let me know your boot size, I can make sure that these will be a suitable width too.
Hi!
Boot size 9.5-10
I read about yes standard, and 2018 version are to wide and not have initial turn.
I see the rossignol one LF (2018 one magtek) and i like the specs. Better on speed and powder, and less on jump /jib. But seems good, my first goal are speed and powder.
I like the old design but all out of stock. I will buy the rossignol one LF 153.
In terms of bindings, which is a best choice? Burton cartel, union contact pro or genesis?
Boots I ask you same day:
***Nate says
November 23, 2017 at 10:03 am
Hi Roger
In terms of something that’s good for skinny ankles, I think something with a double boa system is a good way to go. They usually produce the best heel hold. And if you’re looking at good reduced footrprint then yeah, Burton, Adidas, Ride are a good way to go. And Vans are also doing well, in that respect too.
I think in terms of boots with great heel hold and reduced footprint, the Vans Infuse Boa (medium-stiff flex) is a good choice. This is a mixture of traditional lacing and boa but has great heel hold with that boa working on the ankle. Or Vans Aura (medium flex). Some options from Ride are the Ride Trident (mid-stiff),
and Ride Lasso (medium flex).
Or if you want something Burton or Adidas, then the Adidas Response ADV (medium flex) or the Burton Photon Boa (mid-stiff), Burton Ion Boa (mid-stiff) or Burton Concord Boa (medium) could work for you. Since you’re looking at all-mountain-freestyle you might want something more mid-flex, so maybe Aura, Response ADV, Concord Boa or Lasso would be the best choices. But you could go more mid-stiff if you felt like you wanted something a bit stiffer.
Hope this helps***
For boots , like confortable and best heel hold for my skinny ankle.
I like adidas adv response, is good around, only is not he best looking for me. The other burton are all similar, ION BOA or PHOTON i like, but my Burton MOTO 17, fits horrible, heel lift, a lot of presure points. Only for this, I’m looking adidas.
Thanks,and I’m ready for final result of this material hehe
Hi Roger
Thanks for your reply. I did receive both of your messages (have deleted the other one) – just that all comments have to be moderated before being published so they don’t show up instantly.
I think the Rossignol One LF 153cm is a great choice for you.
I would say for bindings the Cartels are a great match to that board – the Genesis would also do a great job. The Contact Pros are also great bindings but are better for softer flexing boards, IMO – so probably a touch too soft for the One LF.
If you’ve tried on the Response ADV and the heel hold feels good and the comfort feels good, then I think that’s a good way to go – there is not substitute for trying on boots in person – everyone’s feet fit differently.
The Moto doesn’t have very good heel-hold, IMO, so I’m not surprised you had heel-hold issues there if you have smaller ankles. The Motos are speed lace – where the Photon Boa and Ion Boa are double Boas – and in my experience have significantly better heel-hold. But if your feet don’t fit Burton boots well, then it’s a good idea to go with another brand.
Hope this helps and hope you have an awesome season with your new setup!
I don’t test the adidas response in person, i buy it beacause have a 100€ discount on black friday. Around 280€ from 380€. The other hand the burton cost around 400€ and no search a discount. In your score, the adidas response scored 4.5 on heel hold, i trust it 🙂
I buy direct adidas online store, when arrive and not fit well, i have 100 days to return. no problem. Here in barcelona, is dificult to test/buy burton ION or proton.
Thanks for all info.
You’re welcome Roger.
I would try Vans if you can. They have decent reduced footprint these days. If you’re not keen on the mixed lacing of the Infuse you could try the Aura. K2, Ride and Salomon boa boots are worth a try too. Salomon boots tend to be narrower and K2 and Ride have good heel hold in their Boas, from my experience.
If you really have trouble finding something that can hold your ankles down, you could also try adding extra external J-Bars around the liner of the boot.
Nate!
I test the adidas response, it’s good, but I think, the held lift a little. You recomend the best vans infuse, no?
I return this, And look the vans infuse, or the best model you tell, for good confort, super good held hold and medium. Thanks
Hi Roger
Thanks for your update. Yeah, I think the Vans Infuse is worth a try. You never know how it’s going to fit. I found the Adidas Response to be good in terms of heel hold, but everyone’s foot is different. But yeah, try the Vans Infuse, also good heel hold for me – but no guarantees for you, but worth a try
Perfect, if not Burton BOA, like you say. I buy this boots on shop when I go to ski station. Thanks for all
Hi Nate,
Thanks so much for the detailed response (you replied way back on October 16 but I totally forgot to come back and check). Again, I really appreciate you taking the time to give such thoughtful, detailed advice.
So, when I posted my question, I left out what I was currently riding because I just wanted your ‘blank slate’ advice not knowing what I am currently on. For the last few years I have been riding a Never Summer Cobra 161 (I think it’s a 2012/13). It seems to do fairly well. I just wanted to see what other options may be out there that may be a better fit or help me take my riding up a notch. I am on Salomon F20 boots and Burton C16 bindings. (I submitted a question on your boots review page as well as I am looking to upgrade by boots and bindings)
How would you compare the NS West VS Capita Mercury VS NS Cobra? And, would I also take a hit in Powder performance with the Capita Mercury vs the top boards in your list like you said I would with the other lighter option boards you listed? Would I sacrifice dampening on the lighter Mercury?
Thanks,
Michael
Hi Michael
I would say that the Cobra and West are quite similar. In a lot of ways the West is the successor of the Cobra, even though Never Summer released both models in 2016 – I think that was the only year they overlapped. They are a little different, but the West would certainly be more similar to the Cobra than the Mercury. But it’s got Never Summer’s more aggressive camber profile – which, to me, makes it a better carver than the Cobra and with a bit more pop. The Cobra a little more float in powder, but not hugely, I wouldn’t say.
The Mercury is probably the equal of the West in powder I would say. The Mercury is also a little stiffer than the Cobra and the West, but only marginally.
The Mercury is a surprisingly damp board for it’s lightness – so there wouldn’t be any issues there.
You can compare more by checking out the Mercury here:
~ Top 6 Aggressive All-Mountain Snowboards
Even though it’s in that list, it’s less aggressive than it was in previous years.
And the West here:
~ Never Summer West Review
I will have a full review of the Mercury up soon, but I haven’t completed it/published it yet.
Hope this helps
Hey Nate, thanks a bunch! That gives me something to think about.
Hi Nate,
I hope you had a nice Christmas.
I have a few more questions.
I read a review at a different site that said the Jones Mountain Twin was a little slower edge-to-edge than some of these other top all-mountain boards. Did you feel that in your comparisons? I think you actually said in your review the JMT was quick edge-to-edge, correct? How does it compare in that respect to the Brainstorm? How to they compare to each other for trees and/or powder? Which is lighter?
I think I have for the most part narrowed my search down to the JMT and the Brainstorm but with a bit of curiosity for the Ultra Mountain Twin. I understand both the JMT an JUMT have “increased torsional response” for the 17/18 model. What does this actually mean, stiffer when twisting the board? Please elaborate if you can. Please offer any insight you can comparing the 16/17 to the 17/18 JMT.
Have you had a chance to ride the JUMT yet?
Also, I have been considering actually going with the Genesis X over the regular Genesis. What are your thoughts on the Genesis X on either the Brainstorm or JMT?
By the way, I did pull the trigger on the Burton Concord boots (size 10).
Thank you!
Michael
Hi Michael
Thanks for your message – I had a great Christmas – hope you did too.
I felt like the JMT was medium-fast – certainly not the fastest edge-to-edge that I’ve ridden, but pretty good. Compared to the Brainstorm, I felt they were similar. However, I rode the 157 JMT and the 160 Brainstorm – so the 157 would be naturally quicker edge-to-edge. That said, the 160 Brainstorm is actually a little narrower than the 157 JMT, and narrower is also typically quicker edge-to-edge, so that tempers it a little. Without having ridden the same length it’s hard to see – but length for length, I’d say the Brainstorm would be marginally quicker edge-to-edge – but in this case the 157 Brainstorm compared to the 157 JMT would also be narrower, so that would favor it in terms of edge-to-edge speed.
In terms of the “increased torsional response” there isn’t much information on this but my understanding is the same as what you’ve said – that it’s stiffer torsionally (so width-ways rather than end to end) and that’s supposed to increase the response. This was done across the Jones line – I can’t say I noticed the difference, so I think it’s pretty subtle.
Unfortunately, I haven’t had the chance to ride the JUMT – but my understanding is that it’s a little stiffer and a little more responsive.
In terms of bindings, you could definitely put the Genesis X on either the JMT or Brainstorm. The Genesis X will be a little stiffer in terms of flex match – but they’re also bindings that I find, I’d say because of the way they flex with the board, that can match a wider range of flex. With the Genesis X over the Genesis, the main difference will be that they’ll give a bit more response – so should help whichever board you choose to turn quicker, compared to having the Genesis on them. Sometimes going with too stiff a binding on a board that’s softer, will overpower the board – but in this case I don’t think it would. In any case they’re not far off anyway – with the JMT and Brainstorm being a 6/10 and 5.5/10 respectively (in my books) and the Genesis X being 7/10.
Hope this helps with your decision
Hey Nate,
You give some great review. I’m 6’1″ and about 160lbs. I just need some help, I have been riding a Burton Clash for a while now and its gotten a bit boring. I’m would like to stick my Genesis bindings, but I’m looking at a new board and boots. I have a more all- mountain ride with the occasional pow and the rare park. I need my board to have a really nice bit to groomers, making my carves nice and shape please. I have been looking at the Subculture, Flight Attendant, Jones Explorer and Jones Mountain Twin as my new board(but open to other options). But most of them seem on the softer side or being more pow boards. Another problem being my boots, I have a pair of K2 raiders which were good and all but not what I had a liking for. It would be great if you could give me some suggestions for an all around boot with a bit a stiffness.
Thanks,
Dan
Hi Dan
Thanks for your message.
I think an all-mountain board will probably suit you the best at the moment – and anything from this list below will definitely give you a good step up from the Clash. You could look at Freeride boards (like the Flight Attendant as well) but I think you would want to get stiffer, more responsive bindings than the Genesis for a board like that – freeride boards tend to be stiffer and require more oomph to turn well. I think all-mountain would be the way to go. Check out the list below.
Jones Explorer (6.5/10 flex) and Mountain Twin (6/10 flex) fit the bill as does the K2 Subculture (5/10 flex) – though I prefer the Jones options for those. I wouldn’t go too stiff if I was you – a. because you are coming off quite a soft board, b. at 160lbs something too stiff could feel like a dead plank of wood (though if you are quite strong and athletic you can get away with a bit stiffer) and c. Anything that goes too stiff (like beyond 7/10) will be getting too stiff for your bindings).
If you weren’t worried about powder then you could look at something all-mountain-freestyle too – but I think all-mountain is the way to go.
In terms of boots – I think something from the following list would be a good way to go. These all have a flex of either 6 or 7. There are other good options in that flex range too – so if you don’t see anything there that suits your needs, let me know and I can give you some other options.
>>My Top All Mountain (medium-stiff flex) Snowboard Boots
In terms of board size, I would say something around 159-160 would be a good length, assuming you are at a reasonable level of ability – high intermediate kind of thing. If you want sizing advice for a specific board, let me know (and also if you could let me know your boot size).
Hope this helps
Hey Nate,
I’m headed back to Colorado this coming January and am looking for a new board. I spend most of my time at Breckenridge and Vail so I tend to get into all sorts of snow conditions. I typically rent equipment, but it’s definitely not the same as riding my own board so I’m in the market for something new.
I’m 5 foot 9 and weigh around 160. I currently ride an all-mountain board but want something with a little more pop. Most stores I’ve talked to have been recommending the Burton Amplifier at 157cm as an all-mountain freestyle so that’s what I’ve been leaning towards, but I’m open to any and all suggestions. I’d have to buy a compatible disc for the channel mechanism since I have k2 bindings if I went with a burton as well. I’m not crazy about Burton’s graphic for the board either so there are a few things that kept me from pulling the trigger and going that route.
What boards are going to be similar in performance to the Burton Amplifier? Or rather, what do you think I should look at?
Thanks for your help!
Hi Nick
Thanks for your message.
I haven’t ridden the Burton Amplifier so I couldn’t say for sure, but I’m not convinced it would be the most poppy board around. It’s got a flat-to-rocker profile and usually I find that camber has more pop – not that you have to go full camber – but something with camber under the feet, I find tends to help a lot with pop. That’s not to say that flat profiles don’t have pop, because I’ve ridden some with plenty (K2 Fast Plant & Niche Knew come to mind) but typically not as much as a trad camber, hybrid rocker or hybrid camber profile.
But like i say, I haven’t ridden the Amplifier, so I couldn’t say for sure.
But if you wanted to check out some other all-mountain-freestyle options to compare the Amplifier to, check out the link below.
>>My Top All-Mountain-Freestyle Snowboards
In terms of size, I’d say around 157 is a good size – but you could even go 1 or 2 centimeters shorter if you wanted. I like to go a little shorter for an all-mountain-freestyle ride, compared with an all-mountain. But that would also depend on the all-mountain size you’re riding. If you’re riding like a 159, 160 for your all-mountain, then 157 is probably a good way to go – but if you’re on a 157 as it is, then you could go a little shorter if you wanted to. But yeah, something around there is good, IMO. And it will depend on the board too. E.g. if you went with Amplifier, 157 would be best because 154 is probably getting a little too small – but something like the YES Greats or Capita Outerspace Living, then the 156 would be the best size, IMO.
Hope this helps
Hi Nate,
really love syour posts,
sounds like you really have a clue 🙂
so i`h like to aks you about the Yes Standard too.
becaus i am think about to order one this season, since I wasn’t so happy with my last board last season.
it was Libtechs TravisRice Pro in 155.
But somehow it didnt blast me away.
Now iam really into Yes Snowboards becaus i like the brand and the ideas behind it.
so. my specs are
5,8`/ 161 lbs and used a Burton Cartel with Size 10.
mainly iam on groomers but also a little bit backcountry.
want to learn more carving and little jumps too.
I’m a little torn between Yes standard and Yes typo.
by the yes standard i would prfer the 164 but 153 could also good.
But the Typo seems to ve also nice good Board.
could try the 155 or the 156W.
so I’d like to know what you think about it.
Cheers from Europe
Bernhard
Hi Bernhard
Thanks for your message.
I’d say that the Standard, I would go 153 for you. Just because it’s a wider board. That 253mm waist isn’t that wide – but it’s got what YES call mid-bite, which cinches the waist in. For perspective, the 153 Standard has a wider tip and tail width than the 158cm Typo.
So 153 probably sounds quite short – but you get that extra surface area from the width. The other thing I would say is that I really liked the 156 and I’m 6’0″ and 180-185lbs – also with size 10 boots. So, I think for you the 153 is a good size.
For the Typo, I would say 155. Again for me I’d go 158 for that board – and I think you would be better with the 155. You could go 158 if you felt you wanted something longer, but I think the 155 is the best size for you.
The 156W Typo is also an option, depending on the binding angles you use. If you have binding angles like +15/-15 or something similar (i.e. a bit of angle on the back foot), then the 155 would be the best bet. But if you have a straighter back foot – like 0 degrees on the back foot – then going for the 156W might be the better bet. But anything like 6 degrees or more on the back foot and the 155 is the better width.
Hope this helps and makes sense!
thanks a lot Nate
yeah,
that makes perfect sense.
Thanks again for your detailed assessment.
Very helpful to see this also in connection with the bond angles.
153 Standard or the 155 Typo for me is best suitable for me
because of the angles. i just need to decide which of both one 🙂
You should be paid for it: -)
Hi Bernhard
You’re very welcome. Hope you have an awesome season!
Hi Nate
I found very helpful your texts. I consider myself high beginner/low intermediate rider. I will mostly ride in Colorado – I weight 65kg (with all the gear probably around 70kg), 1,70m tall and wear boots 10. I used to ride Burton Custom Flying V 154 . I plan to change my board but I am between the Yes Standard and Never Summer West. And Probably I should stay at the 154 size. What would you recomend? And what about the bingings any hint? Once again nice website – very helpful. Cheers r
Hi Rodry
Thanks for your message.
I agree that sticking with something around that 154cm range, probably 154 max, is a good idea. So if you go Standard that would be the 153cm (assuming 2018 model – the 154 if you’ve found a 2017 model) and for the West, the 154cm.
The Standard 153 is wider than the West 154, so will probably actually have a bit more surface area overall. So I think in terms of powder, the Standard 153 is going to have it by a little bit, especially when on those slam back inserts. But overall, they both are very versatile and high quality boards. They definitely have different personalities, with the Standard being a very stable feeling board and the West being also quite stable but on the looser side of stable – just because of that little bit of rocker between the feet. So whichever you like the sound of the feel better.
I think either board will work well for you but hope this gives you something extra to make your decision from.
In terms of bindings I would check out the following list. These options pair well with these boards, and will work for your ability level also.
>>Top 5 All Mountain Bindings
Hope this helps
Thank you so much mate.- for sure it helped. Cheers
You’re very welcome Rodry – hope you’re having/have an awesome season!
Hi Nate, I’ve fallen down the rabbit hole of your site over the last 2 nights trying to get back into the new gear tech that’s come down since I last upgraded 10 years ago.
It’s probably about time to upgrade from my 2007 GNU Carbon High Beam.
I am about 5’10”, 210 lb, size 12 boot. I just got some Rome Katana Bindings and need a new board.
While I live closer to the Michigan hills, I am only on those hills a handful of times and go out west 1-2 times per year.
Honestly, I usually stay on the groomers with the wife but like to carve it up, but need to be able to cruise lazily too. I enjoy hitting the side trails and going through trees when able but it’s a low percentage. I also like to hit powder when able, again, but it’s not as common. I am never in the park, and don’t spend any time riding switch. I am probably firmly intermediate level, and don’t have much desire to hit super steep chutes, I just like to explore and have fun.
I’ve kind of narrowed my search down to: Never Summer West, Jones Mountain Twin/Ultra Mountain Twin, Jones Explorer as these are high rated and available in wide. I think the explorer might be too aggressive though. I am having a harder time sifting through the other options that might be available in a wide.
I don’t want to go too aggressive where I can’t cruise anymore. Which of these do you think would be best? Or do you think there is one I have overlooked that might be better (which is certainly possible!)?
Thanks – and I hope I didn’t overload your site with comments!
Hi Kyle
Based on the new info here, I would say that going for an all-mountain option (like the Mountain Twin or West) is probably your best bet. If you want to be able to cruise, then these will be better for slower speeds than something like the Flight Attendant. The Explorer is still doable as well but something like the Mountain Twin or West would be that little bit cruisier.
I think the Rossignol One and Slash Brainstorm would also work well for you. Size-wise, I think the following would be a good bit for your specs, and for the type of riding you’re describing.
Mountain Twin: 161W
West: 160W
Brainstorm: 163W – though this might be getting on the long side for you if you want you’re riding more cruisey
Rossi One: 161W
Even though the Rossi One is lower in the top 10 list, the main thing that it’s behind on is jumps, and if that’s not something you’re going to be doing, then that’s a non-issue.
Hope this helps
Thanks for the replies! I will consolidate to here from now on hah! Also, so many options and now there are 2 more! The Rossi looks like a real good choice too.
I’m sure any choice would work for me. I just don’t have much locally where I can test ride things.
I also was looking at the Yes Standard, do you think that would be an option for me at 159 as something that runs wider but doesn’t need a “wide” moniker for my feet?
I always felt the 161 Gnu I have now, while stable, is tough to take through trees which I’d like to do more of. Do you think any one of these would stand out here or all about the same?
Thanks for your help again, I know I have a lot of questions still!
Hi Kyle
Yeah, I think any of these options would definitely work for you. Perhaps the Brainstorm 163W is getting a little long if you’re thinking about the trees – and just to at least cross one of them off to narrow it down a bit.
But then we could add in the YES Standard – didn’t think to add that because I was scrolling though boards in that 160 to 162 range. The Standard 159 (263mm waist) is a little shorter (but that will help in the trees) but also a little wider. Even though the waist width is similar to the other options here, the waist is cinched in on this board – so the tip/tail and inserts are wider. So, if you wanted to go a little shorter and make up that length with width, then this is a great option.
I don’t think anything really stands out above the rest, I think they would all be suitable for you. The West is a little different to the others in that it has rocker between the feet and camber under foot and to tip/tail. The other options have camber between the feet and under the feet and rocker tip to tail. Not sure if you have any preference there, but that might be another factor.
I think the Rocker in the middle of the West is the only thing throwing me off. Not sure the significance of this or how it would feel really. I don’t honestly know what to expect from the differences in the 2 builds, as I agree it does seem to be the NSW pattern vs Rock/Cam/Rock in all the rest.
And yes decisions would be easier if something stood out as obvious! Thanks for your help though it’s been very err helpful lol
You’re very welcome Kyle. Hope you have an awesome season!
After long consideration I decided to order a Yes standard 159. I’m super excited, will be nice to have something a bit shorter too. Thanks again for all your help! No need to respond I know you’re busy!
Nice One! Hope you enjoy the board as much as I did. Let me know what you think once you’ve had a chance to ride it.
Nate – love the site. all mountain intermediate (skill) groomer rider that took many years off (kids). Ive only had one board – cannot even tell what its flex/profile is (late 90s burton balance 160)- its that old. It rides fine but definitely upgrading. My issue is I need a board that both fly down blacks/blues as well as go SLOW under control with my 5 yr. old on skis on greens. I THINK those are 2 different boards – a shorter flexible? rocker board? for slugging down greens (flipping around etc. to keep an eye on her) and a different board (was thinking the YES but might be too stiff for my experience level anyway) for tackling steeps with my wife and older kids….
I can tell you my OG Burton stinks for going 2mph on greens…easy to catch edges etc.
Love to hear your thoughts….
Hi DP
Thanks for your message.
Definitely not surprised that your 90s Burton is difficult riding slow and easy to catch an edge on – I don’t think any board from the 90s was pleasant doing this on (from what I hear, I wasn’t riding in the 90s).
But yeah, definitely having something softer flexing and shorter is going to help for maneuverability at slower speeds and having rocker in the profile is going to help with catching your edges when riding slow.
You could definitely go for 2 boards and do it that way. Probably the best way, but if you only wanted to get one, then there are boards that will do that for you.
For starters – you don’t have to settle for all rocker, or all camber – a lot of boards these days, in fact probably most are hybrids, so you can get the best of both worlds. For you I would go for a hybrid camber (camber between and under the feet and rocker tip and tail) because you will be used to having camber underfoot and having a bit of rocker tip and tail is easy to get used to, compared to suddenly having rocker under or between your feet.
And in terms of flex, if you were going with just one board, then going with something mid-flexing is a good idea – you’ll still be able to bomb pretty well but also be able to slow down and still have good control at slower speeds.
In terms of length, if you want to go for just one board, then it would probably be a compromise between something a little shorter, for those slower speed days with your 5 year old but not so short that it compromises too much for speed, carving and float in powder.
But to be honest, from what I’ve heard of older boards like that, going with a mid-flexing hybrid rocker is going to feel a lot more maneuverable and catch-free at slow speeds, even if you didn’t size down a little.
If you’d like I could recommend a size for you, if you could let me know your height, weight and boot size.
Off this list, I think the Rossi One, Jones Mountain Twin, Slash Brainstorm and YES Standard (depending on boot size) would all work well for you as a one board quiver. If you think you’d prefer 2 boards, let me know and I can recommend a softer more playful option to go with. But for your second board, I think something from this list, as an intermediate rider, would still be the way to go – but in that case I would say to go for one of these in a longer size and go for a shorter size for your softer, more playful board that you’ll use with your youngest.
Hope this helps
Thanks for the long response – I actually spent many hours on your site last 48 hours and several hours on the net trying to figure out what the heck my OG Burton was – cant even find it. I assume is the lowest grade board so guessing its pretty flexible and flat? Its like turning an aircraft carrier at times – but you ride what you got i suppose and adapt to it.
my weight bounces between 175-190 – with an 11 boot size. My sweet spot is blues but love to tackle blacks if the snow is good (or the slopes are crowded) and can get away from the kids. We just do other stuff on crowded icy days, so being able to handle that is not important. Want something that can handle powder but honestly see that maybe 10% of my time. Even though my size says 159/160ish was thinking a bit shorter to be more easily putter with the kids (although i could have that wrong).
I almost pulled the trigger on a Yes Basic, which I assume to be perfect for me now BUT want something to grow into/challenge me a bit more so held back (plus to be honest did not like the way it looked).
I figured a Yes Standard in the 159 was just about right but concerned about going wide vs. length and could not find one for sale. I did find a used 156 so will try that out.
I am very torn between the Standard (156) vs. Never Summer West (157W) vs. Brainstorm (159W). I already clicked through your site and ordered the second 2 and will just return whichever. Would love your thoughts/guidance. Thanks again.
sorry one more comment – was thinking about using the 156 standard as my go to hang out with the family board and the 159W brainstorm as my more advanced terrain board.
Hi DP
Yeah going shorter will make it easier to putter with the kids for sure. So if you were going to grab 2 boards, then something around that 159, 160 mark for your longer board would work and the 159W Brainstorm, would be a good width for size 11 boots too. Without also knowing your height, I couldn’t say for sure which length I think would be better, but it sounds like you’ve sized yourself around that, so I think that would be good.
The West 157W could work too. It’s a little shorter of course, but it’s also a little wider which would compensate for that reduction in length. The other thing to keep in mind with the West is that it has Rocker between the feet – so this is going to feel a bit different to what you’re used to – but that’s not necessarily a bad thing – just might take more getting used to initially.
The Standard is quite a wide board – and wider than you’d think by looking at the waist width. It’s cinched in at the waist (what YES call “mid-bite”) so the tip/tail and insert width is a little wider. So for that, I would go for the 156 if you were going to go with that one.
However, if you already going to have the 159W Brainstorm or 157W West, I think the Standard would be too close in terms of the type of board – and even though it’s shorter, I would still go for something a little more different if you were going for 2 boards. That way you could get something that’s nice and playful for riding with the kids. Just that way you’d have a little more contrast between the boards.
If you still wanted to go with YES, then I’d look at the Basic again and also the Typo (156W for either).
That’s how I’d do it anyway.
Hope this helps
it helps ALOT thanks. I got a used 156 standard coming and since its used probably cant return. Ill probably try that out and if it works well ill return the other two i ordered….or ill keep the Brainstorm.
I love the site and MANY THANKS
You’re very welcome DP.
Just to note that the 2017 model of the Standard is narrower (they changed their sizings for the 2018 model). The 2017 156 only has a 250mm waist width, which might be pushing it being too narrow for 11s. You could probably squeeze on there – and if it’s the board you’re going to use with your kids, then you’re probably not going to be doing any big carves, so you’ll probably get away with it – but just wanted to let you know. If it’s a used 2018 model, then ignore all of that.
Hey Nate,
Wanted to echo the previous comments on just how awesome your suggestions and feedback are.
I am currently riding a High Society 165w which is probably a little big for me to be honest.
I am 6’2, 190 lbs with a 12 size boot.
I do not really get in the park much, but would like to get something a tad bit smaller (160w).
Love getting in the trees, cutting and bombing runs.
Have looked at the following boards: West, Standard, Process.
I am looking at new bindings and boots as well, but I believe my current setup would be compatible with the first 2. I also didn’t see the Standard in a wide. I didn’t know if it was possibly still wide enough.
Thanks again!
Hi Matt
Thanks for your message.
I’d put you at around a 162cm (assuming advanced level and no freestyle) so you’re not too far off – but if you like riding trees, then going shorter than that, I think you’d appreciate it, especially compared to 165 – so 160W isn’t a bad bet, IMO.
The Standard (2018 model anyway) is a wider board generally – so although it doesn’t have specific wide sizes, it accommodates bigger boots anyway. The 159 would be your best bet there and the 263mm waist width should be fine for size 12s, particularly for the fact that the Standard has what YES call “mid-bite” which essentially cinches in the waist – so the width at the inserts and tip and tail is wider than what the waist suggests – so it should definitely be suitable width-wise.
The West 160W would also be fine for 12s, IMO. If you have a completely flat back foot and love to euro carve, then it might be pushing it being too narrow – but in pretty much all other scenarios it should be fine for 12s.
The Process doesn’t come in wide sizes, unfortunately, only the Process Flying V – and that’s more freestyle oriented and not really a bomber in my opinion – so I would choose between the Standard 159 and West 160W, if I was you.
Hope this helps
Thanks – this really helps. Would UNION CONTACT PRO bindings pair well with the Standard?
Hi Matt
I would personally opt for something a little stiffer than the Contact Pros for the Standard. They would do the job, but I think something a little stiffer is preferable. Check out the following links for some options.
>>Top 5 All Mountain Bindings
>>Top 5 All-Mountain-Freeride Bindings
Hi Nate,
You have answered a few of my questions recently and I really appreciate it.
What I would like your take on now is, what 2 or 3 all mountain boards come to mind as being best in powder for an all mountain board, even if they didn’t make any of your top all mountain lists?
Thanks a bunch,
Michael
Hi Michael
It’s hard to say the best 2 or 3 in this case as there are a number of all-mountain boards that I would rate equally for powder. But in terms of what I think are the best in powder for an all-mountain board (and keep in mind this isn’t counting freeride boards or powder specific boards, which tend to be better in powder than all-mountain boards, so this isn’t what I think are the best boards for powder).
~ Jones Explorer
~ YES Standard (in the slam back inserts)
~ Slash Brainstorm
~ Jones Mountain Twin
~ Niche Story
~ Rossi One
~ Ride Wild Life
~ Burton Custom X Flying V
~ K2 Turbo Dream
Sorry that it’s not narrowing it to 2 or 3 but hope this helps anyway.
Hi Nate,
Yes, I understand there are plenty of freeride and powder specialist boards that would be better in powder. I just wanted to know the best or the top few in powder out of the all-mountain category.
So the boards you listed are not in any order of their powder performance if you had to say, is that correct?
Thank you,
Michael
Hi Michael
Yeah, pretty hard to separate them, really. If I had to say, then I’d say Explorer maybe just slightly on top. And, if you were only ever going to ride the Standard centered, then it would be at the bottom (but still surprisingly ok in powder centered, but still not as good as the others here when not in the slam backs).
Hi Nate,
I appreciate what you do here with your website. Probably the most helpful snowboarding review website that I’ve come across so far…
I’m in the market for a new all mountain board. I get out west typically twice a season and would consider myself an intermediate to advanced rider if I was comparing to myself to other all mountain riders on the slopes. My primary objective when get out is to find untouched stashes even if that means a little hiking is involved…
I’m 5′ 7” and hover right around 150 pounds give or take 3 pounds or so, boot size 9.5. I’ve been riding a (158) Forum Grudge for the past 8 years and have loved it like and extension of my body. I’ve never even demoed another bored since then but think its time to pull the trigger on something a little more technically advanced.
I was about to go right ahead and order the Yes Standard (156) after reading your review but then stumbled across a review explaining how the 156 isn’t probably the best choice if you have under a size 11 boot and almost a definite bad choice if you have anything other a ten. It mentioned this due the stance width or lack there of. I wanted to get your thoughts on this and possibly a recommendation on another board then. (the jones mountain twin, slash brainstorm and never summer west all seem like great options but sometime too many options makes things harder)
Any way once again I appreciate you, your website and your time. If you have a chance to get back with me sometime that would be dope.
May the snow gods be with you
-Drew
Hi Drew
Thanks for your message.
The Standard is a wider board. So it’s good for those with longer feet or as a semi short/wide type board. Short wide type boards typically take off some length and add width. So they’re designed to be ridden at a shorter length. The maneuverability you loose for going wider is made up for in a shorter length. I say semi short/wide because it’s not to the same degree as some outright short/wides that recommend taking off 5-10cm of length.
For your specs, I would say that the 153 would be the size you’d want to go with for this board. You would be going shorter but you make up for that shortness with extra width (so you still get decent surface area for float in powder).
If you found a 2017 model, the 156 would be a good size for you in that model – it had a more traditional shape then.
But if all of that sounds too foreign and you want to go with a more traditional shape and length, then something like the Mountain Twin, Brainstorm or West would all be great choices for you, IMO. I would add the Rossi One to that list too. A great intermediate to advanced level, do-it-all board.
In terms of length, I would typically recommend something around 154, 155 for your height and weight – but if you’re used to a 158 and think you want to stay closer to that length, then you could definitely do that.
So for those boards, the sizes you’d be looking at would be:
MT: 154 or 157 – 154 would probably have the better waist width for you, but the 253mm waist width on the 157 is doable too, if you wanted to stay at a longer length
Brainstorm: 154 or 157 again – but in this case the 157 has a 250mm waist and the 154 a 248mm waist – both would be suitable but this would be a better waist width if you decided to go for a 157, compared with the MT
West: 154 (250mm waist) or 156 (252mm waist)
Rossi One: 153 (250mm waist) or 156 (252mm waist)
Hope this helps with your decision
Hey Nate,
Thanks for the post. I’m actually in the process of picking out a new board now, this has been helpful. I’ve been finding it difficult because I’m 6’4″, 220, and a size 13 boot (stance is 15, -6.) Do you have any picks for all-mountain boards geared towards bigger riders? I’ve been snowboarding for a long time and and can ride just about any terrain. I like to go fast and to see the whole mountain. My typical day is a mix of bowls, chutes, trees, bumps, groomers, even a little park time (no rails.) I live on the East Coast, but try to get out West as often as possible. Anyway, curious to know what your recommendation would be.
Jason
Hi Jason
Thanks for your message.
The first board that springs to mind is the Lib Tech Skunk Ape – it’s not something that I’ve ridden because it’s designed only for bigger boots and I wouldn’t be able to test it properly with my size 10s. It’s also known to be really good in icy conditions and based on other boards with that magne-traction, I’d say that it would be. It’s an all mountain board, so I think it would be a good match. I think the 165W would be a good size for you. It would still be on the narrow side for size 13s with a 6 degree back angle, but you might squeeze on there – what brand boots do you have? If you prefer your ride a little longer, or you’re coming from a longer board, then the 169W is also an option.
An even better option size-wise would be the Nitro Magnum – not a board I’ve ridden again, but it’s another all-mountain board and is a wide specific board. The 165W has a 274mm waist and the 168W (if you were thinking longer) has a 278mm waist. For those options, I would be pretty confident that you wouldn’t have any width issues. I have no idea what it would be like in icy conditions, as Nitro isn’t a brand that I test.
Then there’s the Ride Timeless – which has a 275mm waist width for the 167. So size-wise a good fit. But just note that this what I would consider a freeride board and it’s also the stiffest board I’ve ridden. If that’s not an issue for you, then that’s also an option. But I think for what you’re describing, either the Skunk Ape or the Magnum are probably the better options – with the Magnum being the safer out of the two in terms of width.
Hope this helps
Thanks Nate! The skunk ape is one that I’ve come across in my searches but the magnum and timeless are two I hadn’t considered yet. I think 165W is about where I want to be – the Jones Flagship is another that I’ve been thinking about.
Right now I have a pair of 2011 Salomon Evos that I need to replace – hopefully with something equally stiff but lower profile. The K2 bindings I use have toe lifters that help with drag, but I’ve been eyeing some Karakorums lately that probably wouldn’t have that. For snowboards, I’ve been switching between a Sierra Stunt (read Burton Blunt) 159W and a Burton Baron 172 that I got back in 2004 when everyone thought that a snowboard should at least reach your chin. One feels like trying to ride a sponge, while the other isn’t inclined to turn until you’re going at least 40mph.
Hi Jason
Thanks for the description of your current boards – cracked me up – and also very apt “one feels like trying to ride a sponge and the other isn’t inclined to turn until you hit 40mph”! classic.
Switching to low profile boots is definitely recommended for your size, and that would give you a little more leeway width-wise. That and the toe lifters, could help to get you on something like a Skunk Ape 165W or even Flagship 165W. I’m not familiar with Karakorums – I had it in my head they were mostly splitboard bindings (not something I have any experience with).
Thanks Nate!
That Skunk Ape is one I’ve been looking into. 163-165 is the range I’m looking into, right now I have a 159 and a 172 – neither is that good of a fit unfortunately. Have you ever ridden a Bataleon? I’m considering the Stallion as well – the 3BT tech they’re harping seems pretty innovative but I’d be curious to know if you have an opinion.
Jason
Hi Jason
I haven’t tested any Bataleon boards – not a brand i currently demo, so I can’t really help you in terms of the Stallion, unfortunately. But that 3BT does sound interesting – and definitely another option in terms of sizing. 3BT definitely something I’d like to try – hopefully can get a look at some Bataleon’s this season.
Check out the new Karakorum “quiver connectors” for their Prime bindings – tempting just to be able to swap bindings around super easily. $700 tempting? We’ll see.
The Prime System
Ended up grabbing some Ride Insanos and a Jones Flagship 165w, can’t wait to test it out.
But then I’d have no reason to have multiple pairs of bindings – and I like having lots of bindings! 😉
But seriously that does look pretty cool.
That said, I do like to ride softer or stiffer bindings depending the board – so having more than 1 is nice – but I definitely see the appeal there.
Nice work on the Insano and Flagship. Would be interested to hear what you think of them once you’ve had a chance to ride them. And also how you feel that combo works with your 13s.
Happy riding with your new setup!
Hey Nate,
Awesome article man. I’m a beginner, I’ve gone out 5 long weekend trips with some friends, I’m hooked and picking it up pretty quickly so I’m ready to invest in my own setup. I’ve been on a Yes Basic and have really enjoyed it but I’d like to step up to maybe the Yes Typo or one of the other boards. I don’t see myself doing a ton of park but will definitely be in there from time to time. Can you recommend a beginner all mountain set up.
I’m 5’10 185lbs size 10.5 boot.
Thanks
Hi John
Thanks for your message.
I think the Typo would be a good option. A good little step up from the Basic, and in a more all-mountain setup than the Basic, but not too big a leap.
In terms of length, I’d say something around 156 to 158 would be a good length for you at this stage. I think ultimately, once you’re more advanced you could switch up to more like a 159, 160, if you wanted to, but at this point I think you’d get more out of something slightly shorter. As a rule of thumb, I’d normally say take off 3-5cm as a beginner, which would put you around 155 to 157, but since it sounds like you’re picking things up quickly, I think 156 to 158 is probably the best range to look at.
In terms of width, on a 10.5 boot, you could ride as narrow as around 250mm, but only that narrow if you ride with binding angles like +15/-15 (i.e. with a decent angle on the back foot). But if you ride with a straighter back foot (e.g. 0-3 degrees on the back foot, then you’d need to go at least 258mm waist width, IMO.
So I’d say it’s between the 156W and the 158 for the Typo, depending on binding angles.
Another great beginner all-mountain option is the Never Summer Snowtrooper – beginner friendly but all-mountain and still a really quality deck. For that the 156 (252mm waist) would be a great length (depending on binding angles) or the 157X (262mm waist) – though that’s getting on the wide side overall, IMO, for you, even with a straight back foot, but still definitely doable. It will have a different feel to the Basic (because of rocker between the feet and camber to tip and tail, Basic (and Typo) have camber between the feet and rocker to tip and tail).
Burton Process Flying V is another option (157 or 157W) – a more similar profile (rocker between the feet, camber towards tip and tail and then a bit of rocker again before tip and tail) as the Snowtrooper. Also note that if you often ride in hard/icy conditions, the other options would be better than this one, IMO.
Or Rossignol Templar (158 or 156W)
Hope this helps
I had the T.rice pro 2018 this year and got a refund because it fell apart and now I have to choice a new board. I have snowboarded for around 20 years I would say I’m intermediate to Advanced I’m looking for an all Mountain Twin or directional twin that’s going to be good in the powder on steeps out of bounds for drops and a little bit of Park use mostly jibs and medium jumps. My home hill is lake Louise but I’m all over the Rockies any suggestions is much appreciate it because I can’t make up my mind. Was thinking
never summer rip saw.
Gnu rider choice
Arbor coda
But I’m not set on any of those boards.
Hi Justin
Thanks for your message.
I would say anything centered and twin is going to have limitations in powder – not to say that you can’t ride powder in them – I rode in pow the other day on my short jib specialist board and it was still fun – but I definitely had to work hard to keep the nose up. So, whilst the Rip Saw/Rider’s Choice won’t be as bad as that – they’ll still be a bit more work – but since you’re looking for balance for riding the park as well, I think they will be good enough in pow for you.
The Coda isn’t a board that I’ve had any experience with, but it looks like it’s a directional twin (but still centered) with a slightly longer nose than tail, so that will help for directional powder riding. Of course, if you like riding switch in pow then having a twin isn’t a bad thing – still not going to be amazing in either direction but you at least get a consistent experience in both directions.
Between the Rider’s Choice and the Ripsaw, I’d say that the Ripsaw is stiffer and a bit more aggressive than the Rider’s Choice. So whether you want something a bit more playful or a bit more aggressive would be the decision there, IMO. For jibs, I’d rather have the Rider’s Choice, but I do prefer something softer flexing for jibs. For Carving/Speed I’d rather be on the Ripsaw and for powder the Rider’s Choice just a bit more preferred, just a little more surfy feeling and has more rocker in there than the Ripsaw which is more camber dominant.
If you want to check out other options along the lines of the Rider’s Choice and the Ripsaw, check out the links below.
>>My Top All-Mountain-Freestyle Snowboards
~ Top 5 Aggressive All-Mountain-Freestyle Snowboards
But yeah, I think they would be suitable for what you’re describing, but it just depends if you want something a more aggressive/responsive or something more playful. I’d consider the T Rice Pro more on the aggressive side, so it might be that you prefer that side of things. I can’t say much about the Coda – it could be an option too, though it looks like it’s full camber – which is usually a good thing for speed, carving, pop, edge-hold and aggressive riding, but not necessarily as good for jibs or powder, not having any rocker in there at all. Looks like it’s on the stiffer side, like the Ripsaw, so if that’s something you’re looking for it’s got that in it’s favor too.
Anyway, hope this gives you more to go off for your decision
Just thought I’d pick your brain on advice for a new board. Firstly, I’m a girl and love colors & patterns!! I broke my bindings this year and my Never Summer board is now out of date being from 2010 – its the only board I’ve ever owned. But its time for a new board and bindings……. I am a solid level 4 and probably should be a 5 but high speeds makes me nervous and I haven’t taken a lesson in 2 years to get better at things like switch. I need to work on keeping form on blacks and high speed. I don’t do any freestyle – just an all mountain rider. Any thoughts on a new board and/or bindings? I only get out 1-2 times a year if that helps but want to be a 6 someday.
Hi Maggie
Thanks for your message.
I think it sounds like an all-mountain board is something would suit you well. Or you could look at all-mountain-freestyle (it’s the kind of board that’s a little more freestyle oriented than an all-mountain board, but you don’t have to ride freestyle on it). I’d go all-mountain if you ride in powder a fair bit – but otherwise either option works.
You can check out the following lists for some options for women’s all-mountain and all-mountain-freestyle boards.
>>My Top 5 Women’s All-Mountain Freestyle Snowboards
>>My Top 6 Women’s All-Mountain Snowboards
For bindings, I would check out the following:
>>Top Women’s All-Mountain Bindings
If you’d like any size recommendations, I would be happy to give you my opinion – i would just need your height, weight and boot size.
Hope this helps
Hi
Found your website and reviews really helpful but am a bit overwhelmed on what to go for! I board once or twice a season, am 5’10 / 70kgs /boot size 9 and am looking to upgrade my K2 Turbo Dream for a board and bindings that can cover most things. I love coming down the mountain reasonably quickly but spend a lot of time looking for and hopping off into the powder so am looking for something that holds and turns well in all conditions. I am not very adventurous when it comes to the park /tricks / jumps but like to mess around on natural jumps /rollers on and around the piste. Am I asking too much?!
I’ve been advised to look at the Capita Mercury and the GNU Mullair. Am nervous that the Mullair may be a bit less versatile / stiff though so should I consider the Riders choice or DOA? Anything else to consider? I was impressed by your Yes Standard review but have read others that suggested it is better for bigger riders than me. Budget is not constrained!
Binding wise, I’m thinking the Burton Genesis or Union Ultra.
Any help you can give would be awesome!
Gavin
Hi Gavin
Thanks for your message.
I think something all-mountain is the way to go, so you’re in the right place, IMO, since you want to hit powder. You could go with something like an all-mountain-freestyle too (like the Rider’s Choice or DOA) but they aren’t going to be as good in powder – can still definitely ride and enjoy them in powder – but just more effort to keep the nose afloat.
It sounds also like you want something that will hold well in hard/icy conditions when you get them, so will keep that in mind too.
Since you like riding fast but also like play around with natural jumps, then I think that something with a bit of camber you are going to enjoy (the Turbo Dream is flat-to-rocker) so no camber in there. Some camber will give you more spring out of turns, more pop and greater stability at speed.
In terms of flex, I would say something that’s stiff enough – for speed and carving reasons, but probably not too stiff as it sounds like you still like to do some playful stuff and not just bomb the mountain. So, I think something with a medium flex is a good way to go.
I would consider the Mullair more of a freeride board – which I would say is probably not what you’re after, based on these assumptions. It’s quite stiff and it’s pretty tailored towards speed, carving and powder – all things that you want – but beyond that it’s not as versatile as an all-mountain board. So for when you want to slow it down and play around it’s not going to be that suitable for that, IMO.
The Mercury is an option for sure. It’s relatively aggressive and it’s great for speed and carving but it’s also decent in powder and it’s something that you can slow down and play around with a bit too, when you want to. It’s not in this list because I consider it just aggressive enough to make my other list (see link below)
>>Top 6 Aggressive All Mountain Snowboards
But if you want something quite aggressive but not aggressive-aggressive (if that makes sense), then the Mercury is a good option. I’d say it’s 4/5 for edgehold in hard/icy conditions too. Not the best but pretty good. I’d say it’s just above medium flex – 6.5/10.
But there a number of great options on this list too, that I think would also suit you.
In terms of size, I would say something around a 157 is a good length for you, assuming a reasonably advanced ability level.
The YES Standard is a wider board, so it’s something that I usually recommend sizing down for – taking a few centimeters off the length that you’d usually go for. For you that would mean going to the 153, IMO. It would still be on the wider side for your boots but that sizing down in terms of length helps to compensate for that. If you were open to going with a shorter/wider option (which is becoming more popular these days), then the Standard is still an option – but if you’d prefer to stick to a more traditional shape, then one of the other options would be more suitable.
Hope this gives you more to go off for your decision
Thanks. That is really helpful. If I went for the Mercury, what bindings would you recommend?
Hi Gavin
For the Mercury, I think the Union Ultra would work well – or the Genesis, though I feel like maybe something a little more responsive might be good better for the Mercury, so moving up to the Genesis X might be a better option. And for Union, you could also look at the Falcor.
I think the Genesis, Ultra or anything from the following would suit most boards in this list well:
>>Top 5 All Mountain Bindings
And anything a little stiffer flexing, I think it’s a good idea to go a little stiffer with your binding, too, so in that case something from the following would work well:
>>Top 5 All-Mountain-Freeride Bindings
So yeah, for the Mercury Ultra, or anything from the list above, and otherwise depends largely on the flex of board you go with. You could still go with something from the all-mountain-freeride list for a board from this list (all-mountain) – so long as it’s not too much stiffer. If not matching, I prefer to go with the binding being stiffer than the board than the other way around, if that makes sense, just not too much stiffer.
Hope this helps and let me know if you need any further clarification.
Love your work Nate.
Bit of a conundrum here, I am heading to Myoko in 2 weeks and can’t decide between hiring a performance board, sticking to a regular hire or buying while in Tokyo!
Would love your thoughts.
– It will be my 4th trip to Japan and I just love snowboarding! I’d say I am intermediate.
– I’ve worked on carving and want to improve that. I’ve also spent time in powder. This trip I want to get off-piste and amongst the trees/powder, while having a board that can be fun to play with all over the mountain – next step for me small jumps / buttering on the groomers. Not too fussed about jibbing.
– I am 5’11 and 90kgs (though hopefully a few less soon haha).
A performance board is almost $100 more than a regular board for 5 days, and over $200 total.
Will I be able to really enjoy a regular hire board, or should I pay the extra?
And if so, if I were to hire a performance, should i just take the plunge and get a great all round all mountain that’ll keep me happy for a few years – based in Vietnam so only get the one week each year in the snow currently. If I left, it’d be back to Aus which doesn’t offer much in the way of powder.
Let’s say buying is the way to go, then what board would you recommend for me?
Hi Trent
I’d say buying is the way to go. I think you’d appreciate the performance board over the standard hiring – but if you’re going to be spending $200, then it makes more sense to have your own board – not only will it pay for itself financially in a few years, it’ll also mean that you’ve got board that feels the same each time – that consistency is really nice to have.
And if you go for something all-mountain, which sounds like the best option for you anyway, then it’s something that you could still ride with in Aus – or NZ if you were to take trips there, for example.
Size-wise, I’d say something around 160 would be a good size for your specs and for an intermediate level. If you can let me know your boot size, I can also recommend a good width range to look at. I think anything here (that has a suitable size), would be a good bet, but look at the ratings tables to see what you think would suit you best (For example, the Typo and Process aren’t as good for powder).
Hope this helps
Thanks a lot, your love of snowboarding is awesome. I’m a size 10 US, don’t own boots but assume shoe size = boot size.
As I don’t get season access I really just need a great all-round board that can be fun to play with carving on groomers, small jumps and try my hand at buttering but can also get me through pow.
Thanks a bunch, your passion for snowboarding is awesome.
I am a size 10 US shoe. I’ll likely just have one board for all of the mountain and as mentioned I love pow, trees, carving and then chilling out at the end of the day playing around on groomers, small jumps etc.
I am 180cm and 90kg.
Cheers.
Hi trent
Yeah shoe size does usually equal boot size these days. Sometimes can be 1/2 a size different. I’m a US10 shoe size and most brands I’m a US10 for boots (Thirty Two and DC boots I’m a 10.5).
In terms of width with 10s, you can ride anything as narrow as a 248mm waist width, if you’re riding with a decent angle on your back foot (12-15 degrees). If you ride with a straight back foot (i.e. 0-3 degrees), a minimum of 252mm is a safer bet. But most boards tend to fit size 10s well, so you shouldn’t have any trouble finding something with a good width on it. I wouldn’t go for a wide board with 10s though. Try to stay under 259mm in terms of waist width, if possible.
And yeah, something around 160 (159 to 161) in terms of length would be a good length to look at.
Hope this helps
Fantastic, I note the YES Standard longest is 159 but 263 wide… my shoe size is 9.5 to 10 US depending on the pair of shoes. Would I be better off with the 156 long / 258 width? Will the 3cm less length make much difference?
Also really interested in the Proto Type 2, looks great fun and really popular – but will it be alright in powder?
Thanks Nate.
The standard is a bit wide at 159 length / 263 width. Should I opt for the 156?
Otherwise would you suggest the proto type 2 (awesome reviews all over the net) or the west?
Hi Trent
Yeah the Standard is a bit of a different case. For that I would go with the 156. You take off a few centimeters in terms of length, but since it is wider, in a lot of ways you make up for that reduced length in the width. When you’re up on an edge, you still have less effective edge than on a longer board, but certainly in terms of powder, stability on landings and that kind of thing, the width makes up for the length – but yeah definitely 156 if you were to go with the Standard, IMO. Nice for trees to have that shorter length, IMO.
The Proto Type Two is a sick board! But it’s biggest weakness, IMO, is in powder. It has a very blunted tip and tail and it’s true twin (well asym twin to be precise) and is centered. Those things don’t make it great for powder. The West would be your better bet. It’s like a setback, slightly more directional PT2, with a longer nose.
Hope this helps
Hey Nate,
Awesome write up and unreal you have been answering messages for 3 years!
I’m going back and fourth between boards like crazy. I’m 5’9, 175lbs, decent snowboarder but nothing to special, I ride in the west, and am spending less time in the park and more in the deep snow but still like cruising the groomers. I hate catchy boards!
I demo’ed as Salomon Assassin and really liked it but I’m wondering if I’m missing out on something better. I’ve never tried a board with raised edges like Endeavour B.O.D, but it seems like it could give more float in powder and give a camber board a less catchy feel?
If you could steer me in a board direction maybe I could make a choice!
Thanks,
Neal
Hi Neal
Thanks for your message.
I don’t currently test Endeavour boards, so I can’t say how the B.O.D feels from personal experience but “spooning” the edges is something that is being done by a few brands now. I can’t say that I’ve ridden an otherwise fully cambered board with spooned edges like that though, but I’d say it does something to make them less catchy (would make sense) but I couldn’t say for sure. It also helps with float in powder – and I’ve experience this on Jones boards that use something similar. So that’s certainly an advantage of it – how much catchy-ness it takes away, I’m not sure.
Since you’re spending more time in deep powder, I would say going for something with a setback and a little bit directional is a good way to go – but if you want to stick with something centered and twin, then that’s certainly doable, and the Assassin is an option there. Also, if you like riding switch in powder, then something twin, isn’t a bad idea.
Some of the better all-mountain-freestyle boards I’ve ridden for powder are the Capita Outerspace Living and GNU Rider’s Choice, but the Assassin wasn’t bad either for a centered twin.
>>My Top All-Mountain-Freestyle Snowboards
In terms of size, I’d say something around a 158 would be a good size for you for an all-mountain board. You could size down a bit for an all-mountain-freestyle if you wanted, and that would depend on the particular all-mountain-freestyle. For some (like the Never Summer Proto Type Two and YES Greats) it’s a good idea to size down a little, IMO. For anything from this list anything around 158 (give or take) would be a good option.
The YES Standard would be a different story though, IMO and that’s something that I would size down for – and that would depend on your boot size too – if you can let me know your boot size, I can also recommend a good length for you.
Hope this gives you a bit more to go off to narrow down a bit. Let’s get a bit of back and forth going and see if we can narrow it down some more – if you can let me know your boot size and also whether you have a preference for staying centered/twin or whether you think you want to go a little more directional/setback, that would be a good starting point.
Hope this helps
Hi, Nate!
Can you tell me, which all-mountain freeride board is better four you?
Jones Mountain Twin, Never Summer West or YES Standard? Or maybe Burton FLIGHT ATTENDANT?
I’m newbie, but I need a Powder)))
Hi Tony
As a newbie, I would go with the Mountain Twin over the rest. You could go West or Standard but they’re going to be a little trickier for a new rider, but I think the Mountain Twin would suit you well. The Flight Attendant will be too advanced for you, IMO.
If you’d like size recommendations, I would be happy to give them, if you can give me your height, weight and boot size. Getting the right size is also really important.
Hope this helps
Thank You, Nate!
height – 182 cm
weight – 82kg
boot size – 42.5
Now I have Head Rush board 159
Hi Tony
Thanks for the extra info.
I think something between 157 to 159 would be a good size range for you to look at – so for the boards mentioned, that would be.
Mountain Twin: 157
West: 159
Standard: 156 or even 153 – the Standard is the kind of board that you want to go a little shorter for
My recommendation would be the Mountain Twin 157.
Thanks, Nate!
I’ll feel the difference between Head Rush and Mountain Twin?))
7/10 isn’t it too much for a biginner?)
Hi Tony
Yeah you’ll definitely notice a difference between those two boards. I haven’t ridden the Head Rush – but it has a different camber profile, is softer flexing, has a different shape and sidecut – it will feel quite different.
I would say that the Mountain Twin is more of a 6/10 in terms of flex rather than the 7/10 that it’s given by Jones (that’s my personal take). Which is still stiffer than I’d ideally recommend for a beginner, but this would be the easiest for a beginner out of the 4 boards that you mentioned in your original post. If you want to check out more beginner suitable options, check out the link below:
>>My Top 15 Men’s Snowboards for Beginners
Hope this helps
Nate, do you think it’s a good set:
– Mountain Twin 157 (find a good price) 2018
– Burton CARTEL M 2018 ог Technine Elements М 2014/2015 (new)
– Nitro Thunder TLS 10,0 US 2014/2015 (i have)
What do you think about Technine Elements?
Thank you so much!!!
Hi Tony
I think the Mountain Twin/Cartel is a good match. And Medium should be fine for your boots (I prefer medium in Burton bindings and also ride 10s). You’ll also be able to fit the large but I’d say stick with the Mediums.
I don’t know anything about Technine bindings – so I’m not sure there.
I also don’t test Nitro but based on specs the Thunder TLS should work well with that setup. You’re looking at an overall stiffer and more intermediate-advanced setup, but everything matches flex-wise, so I think it will work well together – but will be a bit of a step up.
Hi Nate
Great website and great reviews!!!
I am advanced boarder 194cm 100Kgs 45EU boots
Between Slash brainstorm Ride berzerker or Jones UMT what can you recommend?
Bombing groomers and deep and jumping from side hits, kickers…..
Thanks
Hi Rob
Thanks for your message.
Because you like side-hits, I would say that either the Jones UMT or Slash Brainstorm. I didn’t find the Berzerker as good for that.
Size-wise, I would say something around 165, 166 would be a good length for you. And something at least 260mm at the waist. More if you ride with a straight angle on your back foot. Though length also comes down to personal preference and what you’re used to – especially for an advanced rider.
So the best options for these two boards would be the 164W (262mm waist) for the UMT and 163W (263mm waist) for the Slash Brainstorm.
Hope this helps with your decision
Thanks Nate, good recommendation!
What do you think about the pop and edge grip on hard snow for the Berzerker?
Length and width wise this one still has my preference…167W
Hi Rob
I’d say that the edge-hold in hard snow is pretty good. I’ve ridden boards with better edge-hold but it’s not bad – I’d say maybe 3.5/5
In terms of pop – again, it’s not super poppy, but it’s definitely got some o.k. pop there. I wasn’t huge on the Berzerker for side-hits though, not because of the pop which was fine, but more the approach, and didn’t like it that much for 180s, approaching switch, that kind of thing, which is the biggest reason I would go with the other two for that. But it’s certainly doable just, for me, not preferable. But if you prefer that size, then it might be the better option overall?
Makes sense yes!
`You ever tried the Rome sawtooth?
Hi Rob
I haven’t tried the Rome Sawtooth, unfortunately. Just based on the specs, it looks like it’s a little stiffer than the other options you’ve been looking at – not necessarily a bad thing if you like that. But just so that you’re aware. Overall it looks like it would be quite an aggressive ride.
Hi Nate,
First of all, I love your site and your detailed descriptions of every board.
I’m in a bit of a pickle and I am looking for help.
Just got back from holiday with my new Mercury. I have to say, it was hard working. The board wants to go fast all the time. First day i lost a lot of energy getting used to it. Second day want a lot better. But got cramps in my leg in the 3th day. So my friends who are more advanced tried it out. One guy loved it because it works on technique, my other friend understood why I was getting the cramps, because with my level of riding it’s hard working. I’m thinking of selling it because it will take a while getting my level good enough to ride it with fun. I tried a friends Gnu Riders choise 2013 or so, and this was good fun, but sometimes washing out on long hard turns. Much easier on my legs, fast turn initiation.
As I told I am an intermediate rider. 80% of the time I am on piste, I like to go of piste some times, but this year was harder because my confidence wasn’t on point with the board. Like to learn some jumps and butters.
Boots: Burton Ion 2017 size 10
Bindings: Union Atlas L
I was doubting with the outerspace living, but I’m not sure about capita because of the Mercury being such hard work, that maybe their boards aren’t for me. The Gnu riders choice 2018 looks a lot stiffer, so I think this is going to be too much for me.
Thinking about getting a Yes Greats instead, I know this is listed as a freestyle board, but it looks so much fun and great to improve technique all mountain. Is this a good option? Also doubting with the Yes Typo. Love to hear from you. Thank you in advance. Best regards
Hi Nate,
First of all, I love your site and your detailed descriptions of every board.
I’m in a bit of a pickle and I am looking for help.
Just got back from holiday with my new Capita Mercury 157. I have to say, it was hard working. The board wants to go fast all the time. First day i lost a lot of energy getting used to it. Second day want a lot better. But got cramps in my leg in the 3th day. So my friends who are more advanced tried it out. One guy loved it because it works on technique, my other friend understood why I was getting the cramps, because with my level of riding it’s hard working. I’m thinking of selling it because it will take a while getting my level good enough to ride it with fun. I tried a friends Gnu Riders choise 2013 or so, and this was good fun, but sometimes washing out on long hard turns. Much easier on my legs, fast turn initiation.
As I told I am an intermediate rider. 80% of the time I am on piste, I like to go of piste some times, but this year was harder because my confidence wasn’t on point with the board. Like to learn some jumps and butters.
Boots: Burton Ion 2017 size 10
Bindings: Union Atlas L
Weight : 180 bls
Height 5,9
I was doubting with the outerspace living, but I’m not sure about capita because of the Mercury being such hard work, that maybe their boards aren’t for me. The Gnu riders choice 2018 looks a lot stiffer, so I think this is going to be too much for me.
Thinking about getting a Yes Greats instead, I know this is listed as a freestyle board, but it looks so much fun and great to improve technique all mountain. Is this a good option? Also doubting with the Yes Typo.
What size do you advice? 155 or 157?
Love to hear from you.
Thank you in advance. Best regards.
Bruno
Hi Bruno
Thanks for your message.
Yeah the Mercury is quite an aggressive ride and it’s more for advanced level riders, so I’m not too surprised you found it hard work. Also, it is potentially a little wide for your boots, depending on your binding angles. I’d say it’s a good width if you ride with a relatively straight back foot (i.e. 0-6 degrees), but getting a little wide for size 10s with a reasonable angle on the back foot (i.e. 12 to 15 degrees). This may or may not have contributed to it being hard work for you.
The Outerspace Living is a much easier going/less aggressive board, it’s softer flexing (5/10 vs 6.5/10 for the Mercury) and it’s narrower overall. Better for an intermediate level than the Mercury. But I can understand if you wanted to try something different. If you did go with the Outerspace Living, then the 156 or the 158 would both work for you, but I’d probably be leaning towards 156 for you.
The YES Greats is what I would call an all-mountain-freestyle board (which is what I would also call the Outerspace Living) so it’s all-mountain but leaning more towards freestyle riding. The biggest downside of going with the Greats is that it’s not the best in powder – it’s a bit of an effort keeping the nose floating in deep powder. But otherwise it would be a great choice. So if you didn’t see deep powder very often, I think it would be a good choice. The 156 would be the best size for you for the Greats, IMO.
The Typo is a little better in the powder than the Greats, so it’s a little more versatile in that sense. A great board for an intermediate level, IMO. It’s not quite as dynamic as the Greats, but it is a little better for riding deeper powder. For the Typo, I would say 158. But you could also ride the 155. The 155 would be easier going, more agile at slower speeds and better for riding park, but the 158 would give you more stability at speed and better float in powder.
Hope this helps with your decision
Hey Nate,
Thank you for al the effort and your detailed answers !
I tried the Mercury in +15,-15 and +15,-10 and +15,0.
Also adjusted the angle of high-backs to more aggressive.
But because my legs where already done for this didn’t make much difference 😉
The Outerspace living still looks great, and when reading your reviews it looks really fun. Powders looks fun as well
The greats looks the most fun board for me, but the lack of powder is kind of a downer. Not that I ride it all day, but with fresh snow I love to go next to the track. So maybe this isn’t for me.
The Typo looks really fun as well.
How would you compare the Outerspace to this one ?
Also the Standars looks like a great board. Do you think this one could be for me. Or is it to advanced ?
Since I am more on piste and not so much freestyle, maybe it’s strange that I’m looking at all mountain freestyle. But when reading your review these look like the most fun and more suited for me. Maybe a bit scared since I’ve gotten the Mercury for a lot of money and this isn’t for me..
So hard to choose.
Cheers!
Hey Nate,
another question (sorry) 😉
I can get my hands on :
Slash brainstorm 157 at 360€
Yes Standard 156 at 400€
Yes Typo (2017) 155/158 at 224€
Might get 2 boards if i get a good deal. Would you advice getting two of these ? Or are they too much the same. If so which one would you adivice.
THX !!!
Hi there Nate,
My stats are:
Height 5’6″ (167cm)
Weight 67kg (148lb)
Foot Size (size 6)
Ive been riding an Allian Ingemar Backman Freestyle 2003 Model. The one with the blue deck. 156cm.
Im a surfer so my style is to go flat out down the mountain and ride low down crouching into fats bottom turns and big carving arcs like im riding a wave. Also i like hitting jumps at high speed. The Backman is unreal edge to edge and gets more comfortable the faster you go, its built for speed. Ive been to places like St Moritz Switzerland, Norway and Austria and am ok on any runs they have. However at slow speed it can be a bit harder to turn and more unforgiving. So i have been looking for a second board that may be more suited to smaller mountains and easier to ride at slower speeds
Ive been looking at the Jones Mountain Twin, Yes Standard or the Slash Brainstorm. I want something that is still quite stiff and able to go edge to edge same as the allian but want to be able to be more manouverable at slow speed so i dont have to manhandle it as much as the backman.
Also i think i might go shorter than 156 maybe 152 or less. What do you think about these choices, would they all be suitable for me. I like the slash graphic but only if its comparable to the other two boards.
Hi Mick
I have no experience with Allian boards, so I couldn’t say how any of these compare to your current board. But they are, IMO, great choices for what you’re describing. Something that can handle a bit of speed and are still quite responsive but you can slow them down when you need/want to.
In terms of size, I think anything around 152 to 154 would be a good bet for you for this type of board.
The Brainstorm is, IMO, certainly comparable to the Mountain Twin and Standard.
The Standard is a board I would recommended sizing down for – so for that I would go for the 151 for you. The 153 would be too wide for you, IMO.
For the Mountain Twin and the Brainstorm, I would go for the 154s.
I think the Brainstorm would be the best size for you as it’s a bit narrower, which will be more suited to your boot size, IMO. The other 2 would certainly work, but the Brainstorm would be my pick.
Hope this helps
Hi Nate,
First up I of course want to say a HUGE thank you for taking the time and energy to create and maintain this website. Your reviews are very informative, and the amount of detail that you place into it is awesome. Please never stop being awesome!
Here are my stats:
height: roughly 5 foot 8 inches
weight: roughly 140 pounds
foot size: US 9-9.5
A little about myself to help you. I have been riding a K2 Parkstar for the last few years, which is a rocker/flat/rocker type. I am an intermediate level 4 rider. In terms of my riding style, I would consider myself an all mountain with a small tendency towards all mountain freestyle. I like to hit the side hits on the edge of the runs, as well as do butters and presses on my way down. I want to get into more park in the future with jumps, rails, boxes but no pipe, but I do not plan to be going off piste or into tree runs any time soon. I live on the West coast of BC, where we get varied conditions from hardpack and a bit of ice, all the way to some powder if we are lucky.
Now onto my question. I am looking for a new snowboard and am quite at a standstill on what to decide on. There’s just so many to choose from, and I was wondering if you had any advice. What I like about my current board is that it has nice pop, as well as having good flex. However, the board does not give very good carving or edge hold, gives very little pop out of a cave, and does not hold up in powder. I am looking for a board that will hold up well across the mountain, and will be good enough to help with a transition into more park riding. I have looked at the Jones mountain Twin, Jones explorer, the Slash brainstorm, the Yes typo, the Yes libre and the Yes basic. I am very much welcome to other boards not listed, this is just to give you a sense of what I have researched thus far.
As always, thank you again for the tremendous help you have given myself and countless others. Keep up the excellent work!!
Thank You!!!!!
Hi Bob
Thanks for your message and the kind words.
You pretty much described everything about the Parkstar that are it’s weaknesses. And I’m not surprised that you find it lacking for powder, carving and edge-hold.
I think going to something that has camber in the profile is going to go a long way to helping you get more spring out of a carve, and a little more edge hold, whilst maintaining pop. Also if you go a little stiffer, then that edge-hold and carving ability will be helped. Keeping some rocker in the profile will help with float in powder, and getting something with a little bit of a setback and a longer nose/tail will help too.
So pretty much everything you’ve looked at ticks those boxes except for maybe the YES Basic – it’s got the camber but it’s a little softer than the others and not as good in powder. That said, it would be a good board for progressing in the park.
So that’s the other factor, is still having something that’s going to go well in the park as well as increasing those other factors.
My top picks there would be the YES Typo (kind of like a souped-up Basic with a very small setback). This would be a good option to give you a bit more for carving and edge-hold, maintain pop and also be good for upping your park game. The Mountain Twin would also be a great choice, as would the Brainstorm – though it’s got a more directional shape that might not be quite as good as the Typo/Mountain Twin for the park.
The Explorer would work too, but it’s getting on the more aggressive sides for your needs – but it would be the best in terms of powder and carving.
The Rossignol One is another option worth looking at, IMO.
In terms of length: I think something around 152 would be a good length on balance based on your specs, style and ability. So for the boards mentioned, the following would be what I would suggest:
~ YES Typo/Basic: 152
~ Jones Mountain Twin: 151
~ Jones Explorer: 152
~ Slash Brainstorm: 151
~ Rossi One: 153
All of these should be fine in terms of width. If end up with 9.5 boots and you have a straight back binding angle (i.e. 0-3 degrees) then you might be getting a bit narrow on the likes of the 151 Brainstorm or Mountain Twin, but otherwise they should all be great sizes in terms of width, IMO.
Hope this helps
Hi Nate,
Thanks for a great reviews!
Can you help me to choose between Never Summer West and Jones Mountain Twin?
What’s the difference?
I’m an intermediate-advanced rider.
Groomer 60%
Powder 30%
Jumps 10%
Hi Andrew
Thanks for your message.
These are what I would consider the main differences between the West and MT, both technically and feel-wise:
1. Camber Profile: The MT has a hybrid camber (camber between the feet and under the bindings and then rocker to tip and tail) and the West a hybrid rocker (rocker between the feet and camber that starts before the bindings and extends towards the tip and tail). So both have camber underfoot but rocker sections in different places. It usually comes down to personal preference which you would like better – but I’d say that the West is slightly on the looser side of stable and the MT a a little more stable – but in saying that I wouldn’t say that the West is particularly loose feeling.
2. Even though the published flex for the West is softer than it is for the MT, on snow they felt very similar to me flex wise. The MT maybe marginally stiffer.
3. The West has more effective edge per size – so the MT has a bit more in terms of tip/tail. Which, IMO helps to make the MT a little better in powder – and also helps to make the West a little better on a carve. e.g. 160 MT has a 119.4cm effective edge and the 159 West has a 122cm effective edge.
4. The West is a little wider tip and tail compared to length, but just by a little – e.g. the 160 MT has a 298mm tip and tail and the slightly shorter 159 West also has a 298mm tip/tail. So not too much difference there.
Overall, I would say that the Mountain Twin is a little more freeride oriented than the West, a little better in powder. And the West a little more groomer/freestyle oriented, but it’s still definitely all-mountain. It’s the board I would prefer to have on the groomers out of the two, but getting into powder I would prefer the MT. But I liked both for each. On jumps I preferred the West but the MT is certainly still good there.
Hope this answers your question and helps with your decision.
Wow! Thank you for your detailed answers, Nate!
Another question))
Jones Mountain Twin or Jones Explorer?)) I’m confused…
Hi Andrew
The Explorer vs MT
1. Explorer runs with a smaller effective edge (so essentially will feel a little smaller in the same size. E.g. the 158W MT has a 118cm effective edge and the 158W Explorer has a 116cm effective edge.
2. The Explorer feels a little more aggressive, in my experience and a little more freeride oriented overall. It has a longer tail and nose – e.g. MT nose/tail length in the 158W is 20cm tail and 22cm nose – Explorer 158W tail/nose length = 21.5/23.5 – this is the main reason it has a shorter effective edge per length
3. The Explorer also has a wider nose and tail
4. Even though the specs are the other way around, I found the Explorer felt stiffer on snow than the MT – MT around 6/10, Explorer 7/10 – or maybe more like 6.5/10 – close in terms of flex, but the Explorer just felt a little stiffer on snow, to me (but that’s not from a head to head test)
Overall, I would say that the Explorer is a little more aggressive, a little better for speed and carving but not quite as good for switch, jumps and jibs.
Hey Nate!, (thought I posted this earlier but think my comment didn’t get through)
I saw a few of your top snowboard articles.
I’m just curious what board you’d recommend for me.
I’ll pretty much only be in the Poconos, PA. Its pretty icy here on East Coast and not much fresh powder.
I’m 5’3, 140-150 pounds (realistically 150 right now, but trying to lose weight haha 🙂 ).
My shoe size is 7.5-8 (I can get away with a size 7 Burton Fiend which fits actually quite well after breaking it in)… The exact size of my feet (without socks) is exactly 10″.
I already have a Skate Banana (as I thought the Magnatraction would help with icy conditions).
Its fun, but just wanted to try another board as well to compare against it).
Been only snowboarding a few years, so I’m a beginner I would say (the Banana’s rocker I guess helps out not get caught on any lumps for a beginner, but I’d be open for a hybrid rocker/camber style style if thats what you’d recommend).
Note: i do like the idea of trying to become ambidextrous on the board, so I guess that means I’d like a True Twin all-mountain board… and also I’d like to learn how to do occasionally buttering tricks going down the mountain. I am not a speed junkie right now (I do some slow carves down the mountain hehe).
What boards would you recommend?
Realize I’m a beginner but cost doesn’t really matter if that makes a difference. and I don’t mind replacing my Burton Fiend shoes (and my binding setup) as well to match the board.
I’m leaning towards a Yes Standard but they are sold out of my size (which i believe would be a 149).
Can you give me a few board recommendations and what size for those boards you think should fit me?
Thanks,
Ari
Hi Arian
I did receive your message last week – and replied to it but you mustn’t have received notification – maybe because that comment was on a different post.
Choosing the Best Snowboard Specs Based on Different Types of Snow
I have copied my reply again below, in case you still can’t see it there.
You didn’t mention the Standard last time so to add to that – I think the Standard would be quite challenging if you are a beginner. If you feel you’re ready to step up there, then that would otherwise suit what you’re after. But as you say they don’t have the 149, which I agree would be the best size for you, for that board. The other option if you wanted a little step up (but not as big a step as the Standard) would be the YES Typo.
Hi Ari
Thanks for your message.
It sounds like something that’s all-mountain-freestyle board would suit you well (essentially a twin, centered all-mountain board). Taking into account that you are at a beginner-ish level, and that you need something with good grip in ice, I think the following would suit you well.
In terms of size, I would say something around 147 to 149 would be a good range to look at for your specs and ability level and for this style of board.
~ YES Basic – this is the first board that came to mind for you as it fits all of your criteria well – beginner friendly, good edge-hold in icy conditions and an all-mountain-freestyle board – the 149cm would be a great size for you, IMO. But you could also go 146, if you think you prefer shorter.
~ GNU Carbon Credit 147cm – this is perhaps more freestyle than all-mountain-freestyle but otherwise fits your criteria – not going to feel much different to your Skate Banana though – a similar board, except that it’s got an asymmetrical sidecut (heel edge has a deeper side cut). The other thing that it has going for it, in your case, is that the width is a bit narrower than on the Basic – so would fit your boot size better. It’s similar in width to the 148N Skate Banana – so if that’s the size you have with the Skate Banana, then it’s going to be very similar.
Those are the two that come to mind that come in sub 150 sizes that I can think of. More options around that 152 size, but I think that would be getting on the long size for you – as an advanced rider, I think you could get up there, but for now I would say something 147 to 149 better, especially if you’re wanting to learn some tricks too – but length does partly come down to personal preference and what you’re used to – so if you’re riding something longer now, you might be able to go a little longer. If that’s the case let me know and we can look at other options – but I think the YES Basic would be a great choice for you.
Hope this helps
Hi Nate, I cannot express how appreciative I am for your detailed reviews on different snowboards. Keep doing what you are doing, we love you for it! Also thank you for the personalised response for each person.
I am interested in your board recommendation and size for me.
I can go down a blue comfortably on regular, can’t ride switch, never tried park. My main purpose will be groomers on hard pack snow and ice since I’m in the East Coast. Therefore I think directional twins may be a good choice for me but not sure (I have only used rental boards). Small interest in attempting small natural jumps.
My height is 5’8 , weight 160 lbs, shoe size 8.
I’m currently thinking of Salomon Assassin, Rossignol One, Jones Twin Mountain, Slash Brainstorm, and open to any other boards. Would love to hear your opinion on Assassin compared to the others since it’s not on this list.
Thanks!
Hi Jack
Thanks for your message.
I think those would all work for what you’re describing. The Assassin is what I would deem an all-mountain-freestyle board. The main differences being that it has a true twin shape and a centered stance. The boards in this list, and what I would determine “all-mountain” in general, have a little bit of a setback stance and either a directional-twin or directional shape.
But that wouldn’t necessarily discount the Assassin, but it is leaning more towards freestyle, but can still ride the whole mountain. It would be the equal of the Mountain Twin & Brainstorm in terms of edge-hold in hard/icy conditions, IMO, with the Rossignol One being a little step better. But all pretty good in those types of conditions.
In terms of size, I would say something between 154 and 156 would be a good range to look at for you, generally speaking.
Specifically for the boards mentioned, I would say:
~ Assassin: 155
~ One: 156
~ MT: 154 (or you could go 157 for this board too)
~ Brainstorm: 154 (or you could go 157 for this too)
Another option would be the YES Typo, which is the equal of the Rossi One in hard/icy conditions, IMO. For that I would say the 155 is the best bet for you.
Hope this helps
Thank you for your response Nate! Much appreciated
Thanks again Nate.
One follow up question. If I settle with the Rossi One 156cm, would the WW of 252mm be too wide for me? In contrast, the 153cm has WW of 250mm.
Throughout my rental experience, size 8 is my snowboard boot size. My weight fluctuates from 155lbs to 160lbs throughout the year.
As you suggested, my other option is slash brainstorm 154 with WW 148mm.
I guess ultimately I am wondering what WW would be most suitable for me with size 8 boots.
Thanks!
Hi Jack
I would say, ideally something between around 240mm and 248mm in terms of waist width, but sometimes that means a compromise in length or striking a balance between length and width.
So, yeah, Brainstorm 154 is possibly the best balance in terms of width/length. The MT 154 and Rossignol One 153 would also be doable. You’re not getting a huge amount narrower going to the 153 from the 156, but it is a little bit – and since, even at the 153 length, it’s on the wider side for 8s, going that little bit shorter is ok, since you would be going a little wider than optimal.
156 for One is still an option – the 153 will be a little more agile at slower speeds, and a little better for freestyle (but since you don’t ride freestyle that’s not a biggie). The 156 will be more stable at speed, have better float in powder and be better for big carves. So there are pros and cons to both. I was leaning towards 156 for you, just because of the lack of freestyle thing, but you could still ride the 153, if you wanted something a little narrower. Same goes for 154 MT and 154 Brainstorm.
Hey Nate!
You have a great website. Learned so much about snowboarding since I discovered it. First I noticed your, top ten snowboard list, and I kept reading, and reading and I think I made the right decision based on all the information you posted regarding size, width, bindings etc. I would appreciate it very much if you could offer your opinion about my personal situation.
So, I have done a ton of research and it led me to the Yes Typo. I live on the east coast, and board icy/groomed snow conditions often. However, on your top ten list, I saw that you rated the Yes Standard (also ice friendly) very high. For a while I was stuck between which I should get, as this is my first snowboard purchase, and I’ve only ridden rentals in the past.
My height is 176.5 cm (5ft 9.5 in)
My weight is 80kg (177lbs)
My shoe size is 10.5 US
So, I narrowed my self down to sizes for each board. I am an intermediate all-mountain rider. I pretty much split my time 50/50 all over the mountain.
I decided that if I got a Typo, I would get a size 158cm and if I got the Standard, I would get the 156cm.
The standard is a bit on the mid-wide side (25.8cm waist), so I was contemplating on whether my foot/boot size would be sufficient to get good use out of this board.
Based on your review of both boards, and the fact that I felt like I could grow more in time with the Standard, I decided to go with the 156cm. I was wondering if I could have went with the smaller 153cm though.
I also ordered Union Force Bindings in Large.
And I am looking at three boots: Burton Ion -Speed Lace
Burton Concord – Boa or Speed Lace
And you mentioned on your website that K2 and Salomon have larger foot prints, so that may help if I find the above boots to be too far inside the edge. Do you have any recommendations for those boots, or boots in general? I’m a little
So, I’ve ordered the board and the bindings, but would still appreciate your opinion after the fact, since I can always exchange them. I don’t plan to ride until the next season, but wanted to get good deals during the sales.
And just to reiterate, I knew absolutely nothing about buying a snowboard until I found your website (with assistance from other websites as well).
Thanks again!
Dennis
Hi Dennis
Thanks for your message.
I think the 156 is probably the right size for you. I would put you on around a 158, 159 for an all-mountain board, and at an advanced level. But the Standard is a wider than normal board, so sizing down in length is a good idea (adds back some of the agility lost, going wider).
With 10.5s, I think the width should be fine on the 156 – especially if you ride with a straighter back foot (e.g. 0-6 degrees on your back foot) but even if you ride with a more angled back foot, it should be ok. It’s going to be wider at the inserts than is ideal (just because it’s cinched in at the waist, so it’s a little wider at the inserts than a 258mm waisted board usually would be), but like I said, going a little shorter makes up for some of the lost agility/edge-to-edge speed from going wider.
I think the 153 would be going just a little short for your specs. You would fit on it fine in terms of width, but it would be a little shorter than ideal, in terms of length.
In terms of going for boots with a longer profile, I don’t think that would help much, if at all. Ultimately your leverage comes from your feet and not your boots (IMO) so having a longer outersole isn’t going to give much more leverage, if any. Applying pressure to the edges is all about your feet, IMO, so maximum width is determined by foot size and minimum width is determined by boot size. That’s my take on it anyway.
Hope this helps
Thank you so much for the advice. It definitely helps.
You’re very welcome Dennis
Hey Nate! Congratulations on your website, it’s great you share all of this knowledge and passion, you are one of the clearest reviewers i’ve found.
I’m an intermediately skilled snowboarder from Chile, looking forward to call myself “advanced”. I weigh about 80 Kg (176lbs) and am 175 cm (5ft 9in). Snow conditions here in santiago vary a lot, since it’s in the high mountains. I never miss a powder day, love groomers (speed!) and am getting into jumping. I dont really hit the park often, and the only pipes around are natural creeks between the hills (not groomed), which I sometimes hit. Through most of the winter, snow packs quite a bit, often behaving like ice in steep runs, which my average Rossi Imperial 156 really punishes, as well as the powder or packed off-piste slopes (as I said, quite average, doesnt excel in anything but going down the groomers).
So in short, I’ve been looking for an all mountain upgrade that will let me enjoy both powder and icy groomers all winter round, that will be stable, fast and good at carving and that wont kill my legs half day through (I’m not much of an athlete really). I dont really care about jibbing or buttering, but i need to get better at switching so directional twin sounds rigt. Been thinking a hybrid profile, mid or mid-stiff flex could do a good job. Also, I’d like simple, modern graphics if possible (not a fan of Lib Tech’s style for example). After some investigation, this led me to three models:
Niche Story (i have read it’s flex is softer than stated by the manufacturer, I dont know how stable could that be in steep fast groomers, which places it closer to freestyle than freeride)
Niche Aether – apparently more balanced than the Story, have you tried it? Magne-traction seems to be less aggressive but quite effective on this one
Yes Standard – I read that it’s got great carving and ice gripping abilities, even though it has no weird supercharged contact points in the edges (like magnetraction or such). Is it comparable to the Niches? Is it better for flat cruising? (a fair share of flat traverses in my resort, although i hate them, i have to get throught them without risking a fall)
IDK, am I asking too much and giving too little? should I maybe get a more specialized board and just deal with the downsides but enjoy the pros? This is the first time I have the money to choose whatever snowboard I like, so I’m not used to having so many options, and have never ridden other than starter camber snowboards.
Thanks a lot for your time, Nate. What would be of the internet without people like you…
Raimundo
Hi Raimundo
Thanks for your message.
I think you’re looking in the right place here, given that you want a board that’s fairly versatile and also since you don’t want one that’s going to fatigue your legs by the end of the day. For both of those reasons, something with not too stiff a flex is a good idea – and given that you’re intermediate then not too stiff is also a good idea. But at the same time, you wouldn’t want to go too soft, or you start to sacrifice stability at speed and carving ability. So something around that 6/10 mark in terms of flex, is a good idea, IMO. And something all-mountain like this is also good, considering you want to be able to ride powder, groomers and throw in some jumps here and there – and to learn to ride switch better on.
The Story is a little stiffer than the Aether, in my experience, and more all-mountain oriented. The Aether is what I would call an all-mountain-freestyle board. I would stick to all-mountain for what you’re describing, particularly since you want it to perform in powder.
Between the Story and the Standard is a touch choice. The Standard has great edge-hold in hard conditions. And I think that’s largely down to what YES call “mid-bite” – the waist is quite narrow compared to the inserts. Which also makes it wider at the inserts than the waist width would suggest, so just keep that in mind. I find the Standard 156 is ideal for me (6’0″, 185lbs, size 10 boots), which is shorter than I would normally ride – but I like to size down a touch when the board is a little wider. Even the 156 is 270mm at the inserts, which is quite wide for a 258mm waist – and wider than I would normally ride. But it wasn’t sluggish for me at that width. I love the personality of the Standard, just love that board in general (as you can probably tell from this list).
The Story is also a little wider at the waist than average, but I don’t think it’s as wide at the inserts. I haven’t measured it an the inserts yet though (as I only started doing that this year, and I haven’t tested the 2019 model of the story yet) but I measured the 156 Aether at the inserts (which has a 258mm waist) and it was only 260mm at the inserts (crazy to have only a 2mm difference, but the reason for this is that there’s a big magnetraction bump right at the waist, which makes the waist measurement seem wider than it really is). If the Story is the same, then it’s a more traditional width at the inserts than the Standard.
I mention this just so you know what size to go with and whether they’ll be suitable for your boot size.
I would say that the Standard is better for flat traverses.
Both boards would be suitable for sure. In both cases, I think the 156 would be the better bet. But you could probably go to the 159 for the Story if you wanted to go longer.
Hope this gives you more info to go off for your decision
How come you picked a true twin as your nr. 1 all mountain board??
People would be much better off with a directional twin or a directional board as a allmountain.
The yes. standard is a allmountain freestyle deck?
Hi Charles
I’ve been waiting to see if anyone would question this! I can definitely see where you’re coming from there and the Standard could certainly be classed as an all-mountain-freestyle board if you wanted to. To me, it’s kind of like an all-mountain board bordering on all-mountain-freestyle or all-mountain freestyle bordering on all-mountain. It could have been in either category but I chose to put it in this one. It’s not quite true twin as the nose and tail are slightly different (more volume in the nose overall – what YES call “Directional Volume Twin”), so whilst it is very close to true twin it’s not quite. The other thing is that it’s designed to have both a setback and a centered stance. Yes, you can setback any centered board if you choose too, of course, but it’s been designed with both a centered stance and setback stance in mind. Whilst neither of these things stops it from being a good all-mountain-freestyle board, it does, in my books, help to tilt it towards an all-mountain board as well.
It also depends on your definition of all-mountain. Some use the term to mean a board that isn’t designed for freestyle at all – i.e. something to be used on groomers, off-groomer and backcountry. That is what I would categorize as a “freeride” board. My categorization of an all-mountain board is a board that can do a bit of everything – park, freestyle over the whole mountain, groomers, off-groomer, backcountry – the lot. Which the Standard, in practice, fits that definition very well, in my experience with it. All-mountain-freestyle boards (by my definition) tend to not be as good in powder – and that’s another reason that I chose to put the Standard into the all-mountain category – it’s decent in powder. Not sure if that’s mainly because of the directional volume twin, or that it’s a wider shape overall (i.e. more surface area) but both those things contribute to that.
Hope this makes sense as to why I decided to classify it as all-mountain.
Hey Nate:
Great column! Thanks for posting.
I’m a 40 year old man getting back into snowboarding after a five year hiatus (had a couple of kids and didn’t have the time). I’m 5’6″, 145 lbs, with size 7 boots. I’m an all mountain rider who rides predominately out west (Utah and Colorado). I ride groomers, powder, trees, steeps, and am no afraid to hit the occasional kicker — basically anything and everything. With that being said, I’m pretty much done riding the park. Anyways, I’m looking for a good, forgiving all-mountain board that I can easily take from the front side of the mountain to the backside of the mountain (think Snowbird) but is also playful. I’m leaning toward the Never Summer Snowtrooper (152 cm) or the Ride Wild Life (151 cm) paired with Burton Mission bindings. Any thoughts on those options? How about sizing?
Many thanks!
Hi Andy
I’d say you’re exactly around the size I would recommend for your specs, style and ability – anything around that 151, 152 mark is a good option for you, IMO.
Both of those boards seem to fit what you’re going for but I would be leaning a little towards the Wild Life in your case. They do have a few differences. The Wild Life is more freeride oriented and the Snowtrooper a little more freestyle oriented but both still all-mountain. The main differences I would say are:
1. The Wild Life is a little stiffer flexing but still just a medium flex. A 5/10 I would say, so a little softer than a lot of all-mountain boards which tend to be closer to 6/10, 7/10. The Snowtrooper is softer again with a 4/10 flex, in my experience. But both boards I found to really forgiving and easy going.
2. The Wild Life has a directional shape and directional hyrbrid camber (camber between and under the feet and rocker towards nose but not towards tail). The Snowtrooper has a directional twin shape and has a twin camber to it – it’s also a hybrid rocker camber (rocker between the feet and to just under the feet and camber from around halfway through the inserts towards the tip and tail). The Snowtrooper has a looser more surfy feel to it.
3. Where it matters, the Wild Life is better in powder, a better carver and more stable at speed than the Snowtrooper. Not by heaps but noticeably. The Snowtrooper is a better board for riding switch and better for jibbing. Both are good for jumps, but the Snowtrooper better for spins, mainly because it feels more comfortable taking off and landing switch on it.
On a whole it sounds like the Wild Life might be the most suitable for what you’re describing, because it’s more freeride focused and less so Freestyle but the Snowtrooper would do the job too.
Hope this helps with your decision.
This is great, Nate! Thanks for your input.
You’re very welcome Andy!
Hi Nate!
I think the Never Summer WEST should be my next board, but I want to get your recommendation.
I ride at pretty much all types of runs – from steep wind-on-your-face groomers, to the my-quads-are-toast (usually single, sometimes double) black diamonds, and the occasional powder runs at trees. Insert a few park laps (2-4) here and there when not crowded, but I really only go for small to medium-sized jumps, nothing crazy. I love powder runs in trees, but I don’t remember the last time I had more than a half dozen powder days in a season.
The resorts I go to are the popular ones near Lake Tahoe CA, so they typically are very crowded. This means I need to be able to make quick turns and/or hard brakes in the crowded mornings. Afternoons and/or weekdays are typically better and I have more room to really go for what I enjoy – wind on your face speeds and/or wide carves. Unfortunately this also usually involves riding on chopped up, tracked out, uneven runs.
It seems to me that the Never Summer West is the best combination of absorption of uneven terrain, speed stability, and carving ability – what do you think?
I’m 5’6” 162 lbs, though I’m pretty confident I’ll be around 150lbs by the time I use this new board (next season).
Thank you!
Hi Nathan
Thanks for your message.
I think the West would be great for what you’re describing. Would balance all your requirements well, IMO.
In terms of size, I would say 154 is the best size for you. If you were definitely going to be 150 pounds, then the 152 would also be an option. But length comes down to personal preference somewhat too – so if you prefer, or are used to riding something significantly longer or significantly shorter, then I would adjust for that too. But yeah, I would say 154 is your best bet (will be good at both 160lbs and 150lbs, IMO). That said, you could still ride the 152 at 160lbs as well, for sure, so if you prefer shorter, then that’s definitely an option too.
Hope this helps
Hi Nate,
Thank you for your input! I think the size I get will probably depend on what I can get an awesome deal on LOL!
Another question for you — do you see any issues riding this board with the stiff ThirtyTwo Focus Boa boots? I’m still breaking my new pair in, but so far have really enjoyed the heel hold and responsiveness.
As for bindings, I’m planning on getting Union Ultra or Burton Genesis Re:Flex.
So basically I’m looking at stiff boots with medium flex bindings and board – any issues with that?
Thank you!
Hi Nathan
All good. I would still stick with either 152 or 154 if I was you – but whatever you can get the best deal on between those two sizes.
Typically I try to match flex relatively closely between boots, board and bindings but a little difference is fine. The Focus Boa is significantly stiffer, comparatively, compared to the West but certainly doable, particularly if you are liking the boots. If I had to have anything considerably stiffer than the rest of my setup it would be boots.