Top 10 Freeride Snowboards 2019-20 (Past Season)

Board: Burton Skeleton Key

Price: $499

Flex: Medium (5.5/10)

Rating: 86.4/100

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Next up we have the Burton Skeleton Key. 

Most Freeride boards are quite stiff. The Skeleton Key bucks that trend. So, if you're looking for that tapered directional shape that will give you great float in powder - and a directional camber profile that works for both powder and carving - but you want it in a softer flex, then this is the board. 

It's not what I would call playful as such, because it does have quite an aggressive camber profile - but it's not as aggressive as that camber profile would suggest, because of that softer flex.  

Board: YES Hybrid

Price: $549

Flex: Medium (6/10)

Rating: 87.5/100

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The Hybrid is a new board in YES's line for 2020 and something that I had a great time on. 

It's called the Hybrid because YES describes it as a hybrid between the YES PYL (see #1 on this list) and the YES 420. Essentially it's a softer flexing PYL that has been short/wided (it's a word I swear!). 

Like the Skeleton Key, you get a softer flex for a freeide board - so if the only thing that's stopped you from going Freeride in the past has been a stiff flex, this might be an option for you. 

There aren't that many short/wide boards that I like, but the Hybrid somehow rides narrower than it is. 

Board: Niche Maelstrom

Price: $569

Flex: Stiff (8/10)

Rating: 87.5/100

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Another new freeride board for 2020 is from Niche - the Maelstrom. 

Now this is a more traditional freeride board vs the Skeleton Key and Hybrid. It's a stiff, tough, hard charging beast. If you like you're riding aggressive and you want to be able to charge both groomers and powder and smash through crud, the Maelstrom should be on your radar.  

Board: Jones Flagship

Price: $649

Flex: Medium-Stiff (7.5/10)

Rating: 88.6/100

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The Flagship has undergone a number of changes for the 2020 model. It's a changed board, but still keeps some of the same character. 

It's not, IMO, as hard a charger for straight line bombing as it was, IMO. But it's an improved board for trees, maneuverability and jumps but can still carve and bomb - and if anything floats even better in powder. 

It's a slightly more mellow flex and overall a slightly more mellow ride, but also super fun (even more so, in this rider's opinion) and still a charging freeride machine.    

Board: Never Summer West Bound

Price: $589

Flex: Medium-Stiff (7/10)

Rating: 90.2/100

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Another new freeride board for the year - and leaping into the #2 spot, we have the Never Summer West Bound. Even though by name it sounds like it's replacing the outgoing West, it's pretty much nothing like it. 

Instead it's a great mid-stiff, super smooth/damp freeride crusher. This thing absorbs the bumps better than most - and all round has the balance just right between begin hard charging but still lively yet damp at the same time. 

Board: Yes Pick Your Line

Price: $599

Flex: Medium-Stiff (7.5/10)

Rating: 91.8/100

 *HARD/ICY SNOW OPTION

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The YES Pick Your Line is a hard charging, big mountain machine, that is also agile & maneuverable.

A well deserved taker of the # 1 spot in this list.

With equally good float in powder, speed and carving abilities the Pick Your Line can take whatever you throw at it in the backcountry or on the groomers. It achieves a great ability to switch been 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 just made me a better rider.

My carves were better, I had more confidence bombing at speed, whether out in the open or through the trees (where it is surprisingly agile). That, and the fact it can handle all terrain well, makes this a very versatile and super-fun freeride deck.