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TOP 10 FREERIDE SNOWBOARDS 2023-2024

Last Updated: September 22, 2023 by Nate

Top Freeride Snowboards

Hello and welcome to my list of what I consider the top freeride snowboards for the 2023/2024 season.

Not that due to the number of freeride boards there are these days, we have 2 lists. This one and then another "mellow freeride" which is for softer flexing freeride boards (boards with a flex of 6.5/10 or less). This list is for stiffer, more aggressive boards with flex over 6.5. 

As is tradition here at SnowboardingProfiles.com each board is given a score out of 100. 

Some Quick Stats

Of the 40 Freeride boards I looked at:

  • The average score was 83.8/100
  • The highest score was 90.8/100 (see below)
  • The lowest score was 75.0/100
  • The average price was $644

O.k. let’s get straight into it! 

FREERIDE BOARD #10

Nidecker Alpha APX snowboard top pick

Board: Nidecker Alpha APX

  • US
  • CA

Price: View More Info and Current Prices Here

PRICE: VIEW MORE INFO AND CURRENT PRICES HERE (CA)

Flex: Medium-Stiff (7/10)

Rating: 85.3/100

>>See Full Review

Starting off the list at #10, we have Nidecker's Alpha APX. The Alpha APX has the remarkable ability to be both surfy when you want it to - and carve pretty aggressively, when you want to lock it into an edge.

It's a really versatile, high-end one-board-quiver for those who don't really have freestyle in their repertoire or have a separate board for freestyle.  

Score Breakdown for the Alpha APX

RATING
(out of 5)

SCORE WEIGHTING

POWDER

4.0

20/25

SPEED

4.5

18/20

CARVING

4.0

12/15

TURNS/SLASHING

4.0

8/10

CRUD/CHUNDER

4.0

8/10

TREES/BUMPS

3.5

7/10

JUMPS

3.0

3/5

SWITCH

2.5

2.5/5

TOTAL after normalizing

85.3/100

FREERIDE BOARD #9

Lib Tech T Rice Golden Orca snowboard top pick

Board: Lib Tech Golden Orca

  • US
  • CA
  • UK/EU

Price: View More Info and Current Prices Here

Price: View More Info and Current Prices Here (CA)

Price: View More Info and Current Prices Here (UK/EU)

Flex: Medium-Stiff (7/10)

Rating: 85.9/100

>>See Full Review

Next up we have Lib Tech's Golden Orca. 

Not for those with a light-weight wallet. But if you've got the cash to splash, the Golden Orca is a ride that will ensure that you're ready for every pow stash, but at the same time will treat you well on groomers, when there's nothing fresh to float on. 

Score Breakdown for the GOLDEN ORCA

RATING
(out of 5)

SCORE WEIGHTING

POWDER

4.5

22.5/25

SPEED

4.0

16/20

CARVING

4.0

12/15

TURNS/SLASHING

3.5

7/10

CRUD/CHUNDER

4.0

8/10

TREES/BUMPS

3.5

7/10

JUMPS

3.5

3.5/5

SWITCH

3.0

3/5

TOTAL after normalizing

85.9/100

FREERIDE BOARD #8

Capita Black Snowboard of Death snowboard top pick

Board: Capita Black Snowboard of Death

  • US
  • CA

Price: View More Info and Current Prices Here

PRICE: VIEW MORE INFO AND CURRENT PRICES HERE (CA)

Flex: Medium-Stiff (7/10)

Rating: 85.9/100

>>See Full Review

At #8 we have the Capita Black Snowboard of Death (BSOD). 

The BSOD is one of those boards that's hard to say if it's all-mountain or freeride. I've chosen to categorize it as a freeride board, but it's a freeride board with a very all-mountain feel. 

But it's a better carver, better at speed and better in powder than the average all-mountain board, so it fits in - and, as a bonus, it's also a great jumper and better than average at riding switch compared to the average freeride board. 

Score Breakdown for the BSOD

RATING
(out of 5)

SCORE WEIGHTING

POWDER

4.0

20/25

SPEED

4.5

18/20

CARVING

4.0

12/15

TURNS/SLASHING

3.5

7/10

CRUD/CHUNDER

4.0

8/10

TREES/BUMPS

3.5

7/10

JUMPS

4.0

4/5

SWITCH

3.0

3/5

TOTAL after normalizing

85.9/100

FREERIDE BOARD #7

Jones Hovercraft 2.0 snowboard top pick

Board: Jones Hovercraft 2.0

  • US
  • CA
  • UK/EU

Price: View More Info and Current Prices Here

Price: View More Info and Current Prices Here (CA)

PRICE: VIEW MORE INFO AND CURRENT PRICES HERE (UK/EU) 

Flex: MEDIUM-STIFF (7/10)

Rating: 86.4/100

New for 2024, Jones' Hovercraft 2.0 is our next pick.

Taking over from where the Hovercraft left off, but with enough changes to warrant a name change, the Hovercraft 2.0 gives you something a little more mellow and snappy than it's predecessor but it hasn't lost any of its powder prowess. 

And it does a great job when it comes to messy snow, riding trees and generally cruising the groomers.  

Score Breakdown for the Hovercraft 2.0

RATING
(out of 5)

SCORE WEIGHTING

POWDER

5.0

25/25

SPEED

4.0

16/20

CARVING

3.5

10.5/15

TURNS/SLASHING

4.0

8/10

CRUD/CHUNDER

4.0

8/10

TREES/BUMPS

4.0

8/10

JUMPS

3.0

3/5

SWITCH

1.0

1/5

TOTAL after normalizing

86.4/100

FREERIDE BOARD #6

Capita Kazu Kokubo Pro snowboard top pick

Board: Capita Kazu Kokubo Pro

  • US
  • CA

Price: View More Info and Current Prices Here

PRICE: VIEW MORE INFO AND CURRENT PRICES HERE (CA)

Flex: Medium-Stiff (7/10)

Rating: 86.4/100

>>See Full Review

Next in at # 6, we have Capita's Kazu Kokubo Pro. The Kazu is an awesome option for anyone who wants to be jumping in the backcountry/sidecountry but at the same time can carve well on groomers, when the powder is tracked. 

Score Breakdown for the Kazu

RATING
(out of 5)

SCORE WEIGHTING

POWDER

4.0

20/25

SPEED

4.0

16/20

CARVING

4.5

13.5/15

TURNS/SLASHING

3.5

7/10

CRUD/CHUNDER

4.0

8/10

TREES/BUMPS

4.0

8/10

JUMPS

4.0

4/5

SWITCH

3.0

3/5

TOTAL after normalizing

86.4/100

FREERIDE BOARD #5

Burton Flight Attendant snowboard top pick

Board: Burton Flight Attendant

  • US
  • CA
  • UK/EU

Price: View More Info and Current Prices Here

Price: View More Info and Current Prices Here (CA)

Price: View More Info and Current Prices Here (UK/EU)

Flex: Medium-Stiff (7.5/10)

Rating: 86.4/100

>>See Full Review

Coming in next at #5, we have Burton’s Flight Attendant.

The Flight Attendant has everything you want out of a freeride board. It floats well in powder, carves hard and is fast and stable at high speeds.

It's also above average for jumping for a freeride board, so if you're looking to rock some freestyle off those natural hits, then the flight attendant is a good way to go. 

Score Breakdown for the Flight Attendant

RATING
(out of 5)

SCORE WEIGHTING

POWDER

4.0

20/25

SPEED

4.5

18/20

CARVING

4.5

13.5/15

TURNS/SLASHING

3.5

7/10

CRUD/CHUNDER

4.0

8/10

TREES/BUMPS

3.5

7/10

JUMPS

3.5

3.5/5

SWITCH

2.5

2.5/5

TOTAL after normalizing

86.4/100

FREERIDE BOARD #4

Rome Ravine Select snowboard top pick

Board: Rome Ravine Select

  • US
  • CA
  • UK/EU

Price: View More Info and Current Prices Here

PRICE: VIEW MORE INFO AND CURRENT PRICES HERE (CA)

Price: View More Info and Current Prices Here (UK/EU)

Flex: Stiff (8.5/10)

Rating: 87.5/100

>>See Full Review

Our #4 board, Rome's Ravine Select, is the stiffest on this list and the one that requires the most aggressive rider. If you can find your limit on this board, then you've got to be one epic rider. It could take everything we could throw at it and I'm sure a lot more.  

Score Breakdown for the Ravine Select

RATING
(out of 5)

SCORE WEIGHTING

POWDER

4.5

22.5/25

SPEED

4.5

18/20

CARVING

4.5

13.5/15

TURNS/SLASHING

3.5

7/10

CRUD/CHUNDER

4.0

8/10

TREES/BUMPS

3.5

7/10

JUMPS

2.5

2.5/5

SWITCH

2.0

2/5

TOTAL after normalizing

87.5/100

FREERIDE BOARD #3

GNU Banked Country snowboard top pick

Board: GNU Banked Country

  • US
  • CA
  • UK/EU

Price: View More Info and Current Prices Here

Price: View More Info and Current Prices Here (CA)

Price: View More Info and Current Prices Here (UK/EU)

Flex: Medium-Stiff (6.5/10)

Rating: 87.5/100

 *HARD/ICY SNOW OPTION

>>See Full Review

GNU's Banked Country didn't get a massive overhaul or anything, but we re-tested it after a few changes, and it feels quite different to what it used to be. 

It's mellowed out and gotten snappier. And whilst it may not be quite as stable at speed, it's become much more nimble at slower speeds, better in the trees and better for side-hits and jumps, in my opinion. And it's managed to do so without losing any of its carving ability.

Score Breakdown for the Banked Country

RATING
(out of 5)

SCORE WEIGHTING

POWDER

4.0

20/25

SPEED

4.0

16/20

CARVING

4.5

13.5/15

TURNS/SLASHING

4.0

8/10

CRUD/CHUNDER

4.0

8/10

TREES/BUMPS

4.0

8/10

JUMPS

4.0

4/5

SWITCH

3.0

3/5

TOTAL after normalizing

87.5/100

FREERIDE BOARD #2

Jones Flagship snowboard top pick

Board: Jones Flagship

  • US
  • CA
  • UK/EU

Price: View More Info and Current Prices Here

PRICE: VIEW MORE INFO AND CURRENT PRICES HERE (CA)

Price: View More Info and Current Prices Here (UK/EU)

Flex: Medium-Stiff (7.5/10)

Rating: 90.2/100

>>See Full Review

In at #2, we have Jones' Flagship.

The Flagship is a powder hound. And while it is good at speed and likes to have speed under it it's, at the same time, something that can still slash and is fairly nimble at slower speeds, particularly for how good it is riding fast/carving. 

A really versatile, powder first, freeride board.   

Score Breakdown for the Flagship

RATING
(out of 5)

SCORE WEIGHTING

POWDER

5.0

25/25

SPEED

4.0

16/20

CARVING

4.0

12/15

TURNS/SLASHING

4.0

8/10

CRUD/CHUNDER

4.0

8/10

TREES/BUMPS

4.0

8/10

JUMPS

3.5

3.5/5

SWITCH

2.5

2.5/5

TOTAL after normalizing

90.2/100

FREERIDE BOARD #1

YES Pick Your Line snowboard top pick

Board: Yes Pick Your Line

  • US
  • CA

Price: View More Info and Current Prices Here

Flex: Medium-Stiff (7/10)

Rating: 90.8/100

 *HARD/ICY SNOW OPTION

   >>See Full Review

And finally at #1, we have YES' Pick Your Line (PYL).

With equally good float in powder, speed and carving abilities the PYL can take whatever you throw at it in the backcountry or on the groomers. It has an uncanny ability to switch between hard snow and powder and still be great on both. This is down partly to the unique tapered underbite. 

But besides all of that, the PYL has something that can't be described  - that X factor that you just can't put words on. 

Score Breakdown for the PYL

RATING
(out of 5)

SCORE WEIGHTING

POWDER

4.5

22.5/25

SPEED

4.5

18/20

CARVING

4.5

13.5/15

TURNS/SLASHING

4.0

8/10

CRUD/CHUNDER

4.0

8/10

TREES/BUMPS

4.0

8/10

JUMPS

3.0

3/5

SWITCH

2.5

2.5/5

TOTAL after normalizing

90.8/100

Over to You

Even though I’ve scored these boards and put them in order, what you consider to be the best of this list will depend on your preferences. And this isn't an exact science, but hopefully this gives you some options and perspective on some great freeride boards and what might suit you the best.

If you want to learn more about any of these boards or check out current prices/availability, check out the links at the top of each board description above.

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Filed Under: 2023 Snowboard Reviews, 2024 Snowboard Reviews, Men's Freeride Snowboard Reviews, Snowboard Top 10s Tagged With: best freeride snowboards, best freeride snowboards 2021-22, best freeride snowboards 2022-23, best freeride snowboards 2023, big mountain snowboards, Top Freeride Snowboards

About Nate

Nate is passionate about and loves learning new things everyday about snowboarding, particularly the technical aspects of snowboarding gear. That, and becoming a better rider and just enjoying and getting the most out of life.

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