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:
O.k. let’s get straight into it!
FREERIDE BOARD #10
Board: Nidecker Alpha APX
- CA
Flex: Medium-Stiff (7/10)
Rating: 85.3/100
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 | 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
Board: Lib Tech Golden Orca
- CA
- UK/EU
Flex: Medium-Stiff (7/10)
Rating: 85.9/100
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 | 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
Board: Capita Black Snowboard of Death
- CA
Flex: Medium-Stiff (7/10)
Rating: 85.9/100
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 | 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
Board: Jones Hovercraft 2.0
- CA
- 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 | 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
Board: Capita Kazu Kokubo Pro
- CA
Flex: Medium-Stiff (7/10)
Rating: 86.4/100
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 | 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
Board: Burton Flight Attendant
- CA
- UK/EU
Flex: Medium-Stiff (7.5/10)
Rating: 86.4/100
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 | 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
Board: Rome Ravine Select
- CA
- UK/EU
Flex: Stiff (8.5/10)
Rating: 87.5/100
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 | 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
Board: GNU Banked Country
- CA
- UK/EU
Flex: Medium-Stiff (6.5/10)
Rating: 87.5/100
*HARD/ICY SNOW OPTION
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 | 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
Board: Jones Flagship
- CA
- UK/EU
Flex: Medium-Stiff (7.5/10)
Rating: 90.2/100
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 | 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
Board: Yes Pick Your Line
- CA
Flex: Medium-Stiff (7/10)
Rating: 90.8/100
*HARD/ICY SNOW OPTION
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 | 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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