I've had a lot of requests from people about the best snowboards for intermediate riders, so I decided to compile this list of what I consider to be the top 10 for the 2018-19 season.
NOTE: This is a past seasons top 10. For the latest season's Top 10 Intermediate Snowboards list, check out the link below:
>>Top 10 Intermediate Snowboards (Latest Season)
These boards have been chosen as boards that are still not too difficult to ride, but at the same time offer a little more performance, for those that are high-end beginners to intermediate riders that are looking for a board that can stick with them for longer than a beginner board.
Each board is given a rating out of 100 for easier comparison.
Price has not been considered in the ratings.
Of the 41 different intermediate boards that I rated:
O.k. let’s get started with the top 10.
INTERMEDIATE BOARD #10
Board: Rossignol Templar
Price: $399
Flex: Medium (5/10)
Style of Board: All-Mountain
Smart rating score: 88.8/100
Starting off the list in #10, is Rossignol's Templar.
A versatile, all-mountain deck that is a great option for that next level, once you've started nailing your turns and starting to get more comfortable riding riding at a faster speed.
Check out the video for more about the Templar
Score Breakdown for the Templar
FACTOR | rating | contribution to final score |
|---|---|---|
Flex | 5/5 | 20/20 |
Turning Ease | 4/5 | 16/20 |
Versatility | 5/5 | 10/10 |
Performance Score as ALL-MOUNTAIN snowboard | 76.8/100 | 38.4/50 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 88.8/100 |
INTERMEDIATE BOARD #9
Board: YES Basic
Price: $399
Flex: Medium-Soft (4/10)
Style of Board: All-Mountain-Freestyle
Smart rating score: 89.5/100
Next up we have the YES Basic. A great option as a strictly beginner deck but also works well as an intermediate-to-advanced board, if you're looking for something that's freestyle focused but isn't too park specific - i.e. you can still progress with it on the mountain as well.
Check out the video for more about the Basic
Score Breakdown for the Basic
FACTOR | rating | contribution to final score |
|---|---|---|
Flex | 4.5/5 | 18/20 |
Turning Ease | 4.5/5 | 18/20 |
Versatility | 4/5 | 8/10 |
Performance Score as ALL-MTN-FREESTYLE snowboard | 82/100 | 41/50 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 89.5/100 |
INTERMEDIATE BOARD #8
Board: Slash Happy Place
Price: $399
Flex: Medium-Soft (4/10)
Style of Board: Freestyle/Park
Smart rating score: 89.6/100
Like the Basic, the Happy Place is more freestyle focused, but even more so. Still something that you can ride the rest of the mountain with, but this is the one for those that really want to start to progress their park skills as well.
Check out the video for more about the Happy Place
Score Breakdown for the Happy Place
FACTOR | rating | contribution to final score |
|---|---|---|
Flex | 4.5/5 | 18/20 |
Turning Ease | 4.5/5 | 18/20 |
Versatility | 3/5 | 6/10 |
Performance Score as FREESTYLE snowboard | 86.3/100 | 43.2/50 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 89.6/100 |
INTERMEDIATE BOARD #7
Board: GNU T2B
Price: $479
Flex: Medium (4.5/10)
Style of Board: All-Mountain-Freestyle
Smart rating score: 90.4/100
The GNU T2B is something that you can ride anywhere. It tends to want to ride freestyle wherever you go, but it's also great for the progressing rider that's also working on S turns, carving and starting to explore more varied terrain.
Check out the video for more about the T2B
Score Breakdown for the T2B
FACTOR | rating | contribution to final score |
|---|---|---|
Flex | 5/5 | 20/20 |
Turning Ease | 4.5/5 | 18/20 |
Versatility | 4/5 | 8/10 |
Performance Score as ALL-MTN-FREESTYLE snowboard | 79.8/100 | 39.9/50 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 90.4/100 |
INTERMEDIATE BOARD #6
Board: Arbor Whiskey
Price: $449
Flex: Medium (5/10)
Style of Board: All-Mountain-Freestyle
Smart rating score: 90.4/100
The Whiskey has enough performance that you can progress with it, but is also something that's easy enough to ride that it won't stunt your progression.
Like the T2B, the Whiskey is leaning on the all-mountain side of all-mountain-freestyle.
Check out the video for more about the Whiskey
Score Breakdown for the Whiskey
FACTOR | rating | contribution to final score |
|---|---|---|
Flex | 5/5 | 20/20 |
Turning Ease | 4.5/5 | 18/20 |
Versatility | 4/5 | 8/10 |
Performance Score as ALL-MTN-FREESTYLE snowboard | 79.8/100 | 39.9/50 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 90.4/100 |
INTERMEDIATE BOARD #5
Board: Never Summer Snowtrooper
Price: $519
Flex: Medium-Soft (4/10)
Style of Board: All-Mountain
Smart rating score: 91.1/100
The Snowtrooper is a very easy going and versatile ride that take you anywhere.
Great for anyone who wants something that's a little more casual/surfy but that can still progress with them, anywhere and everywhere on the mountain.
Check out the video for more about the Snowtrooper
Score Breakdown for the Snowtrooper
FACTOR | rating | contribution to final score |
|---|---|---|
Flex | 4.5/5 | 18/20 |
Turning Ease | 4.5/5 | 18/20 |
Versatility | 5/5 | 10/10 |
Performance Score as ALL-MOUNTAIN snowboard | 81.1/100 | 40.6/50 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 91.1/100 |
INTERMEDIATE BOARD #4
Board: Burton Process Flying V
Price: $499
Flex: Medium-Soft (4/10)
Style of Board: All-Mountain
Smart rating score: 91.1/100
The Process Flying V is one of the more versatile boards going around for those that want a playful take on all-mountain riding.
Also, great for that next level for the progressing high-end beginner and intermediate rider.
Check out the video for more about the Process Flying V
Score Breakdown for the Process Flying V
FACTOR | rating | contribution to final score |
|---|---|---|
Flex | 4.5/5 | 18/20 |
Turning Ease | 4.5/5 | 18/20 |
Versatility | 5/5 | 10/10 |
Performance Score as ALL-MOUNTAIN snowboard | 81.1/100 | 40.6/50 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 91.1/100 |
INTERMEDIATE BOARD #3
Board: YES Libre
Price: $369
Flex: Medium (4.5/10)
Style of Board: All-Mountain
Smart rating score: 91.4/100
The Libre is an easy to ride board, that features good performance that helps it to stick with you for a good while through your progression.
This is also the cheapest on this list and represents great value-for-money.
Check out the video for more about the Libre
Score Breakdown for the Libre
FACTOR | rating | contribution to final score |
|---|---|---|
Flex | 5/5 | 20/20 |
Turning Ease | 4.5/5 | 18/20 |
Versatility | 4/5 | 8/10 |
Performance Score as ALL-MOUNTAIN snowboard | 81.7/100 | 40.9/50 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 91.4/100 |
INTERMEDIATE BOARD #2
Board: YES Typo
Price: $449
Flex: Medium (4.5/10)
Style of Board: All-Mountain
Smart rating score: 94.1/100.
The Typo is a souped-up version of the YES Basic (see #9 in this list).
You get a bit more stiffness and a bit more of a camber dominant profile and a faster base, giving you that little bit more performance and a board that's on the all-mtn freestyle end of all-mountain but more all-mountain oriented than the Basic.
Check out the video for more about the Typo
Score Breakdown for the Typo
FACTOR | rating | contribution to final score |
|---|---|---|
Flex | 5/5 | 20/20 |
Turning Ease | 4.5/5 | 18/20 |
Versatility | 4.5/5 | 9/10 |
Performance Score as ALL-MOUNTAIN snowboard | 84.8/100 | 42.4/50 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 94.1/100 |
INTERMEDIATE BOARD #1
Board: Capita Outerspace Living
Price: $399
Flex: Medium (5/10)
Style of Board: All-Mountain-Freestyle
Smart rating score: 94.5/100
One of the most versatile boards going around, this all-mountain-freestyle bordering on all-mountain deck has the performance you'll need once you're more advanced, whilst still being easy going enough not to stunt your progress now.
Check out the video for more about the Outerspace Living
Score Breakdown for the Outerspace Living
FACTOR | rating | contribution to final score |
|---|---|---|
Flex | 5/5 | 20/20 |
Turning Ease | 4/5 | 16/20 |
Versatility | 5/5 | 10/10 |
Performance Score as ALL-MOUNTAIN snowboard | 87.6/100 | 43.8/50 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 94.5/100 |
Over To You
So there's my top 10 Intermediate boards for 2018-19. This is the first year I've done this list and hopefully it helps those who are bordering beginner and intermediate to find a good deck that they won't outgrow too soon.
The scores above have been derived taking 3 factors that I see as important to a beginner friendly board, and giving 50% of the score to that. The other 50% of the score goes to how well that board performs in it's given category (i.e. all-mountain).
NOTE: This is a past seasons top 10. For the latest season's Top 10 Intermediate Snowboards list, check out the link below:
>>Top 10 Intermediate Snowboards (Latest Season)
Buying Past Season Models
Often models don't change that much from year to year so if you can find a past season model, it will likely be close enough to the latest model but you can get it cheaper, if available and in a suitable size for you. For past year's models check out the links below to see if they still have any left.
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