Top 10 Women’s Beginner Snowboards 2019-20 (Past Season)

Board: GNU Chromatic

Price: $399

Beginner Board Rating Score: 90.5/100

Ability Level: Beginner-to-intermediate

Style of Board: All-Mountain-Freestyle

Flex: Soft (3/10)

  *HARD/ICY SNOW OPTION

If you're looking for a board that's great for leaning and progressing on but is also awesome in hard/icy conditions, should you experience them regularly, then the Chromatic is a great option.

It's a very versatile board that's great on the mountain in the resort and in the park.

Not the cheapest on this list, but if you've got a decent budget this is definitely an option.

It's a looser feeling ride, which can make one-footing it off the lift a little squirrelly until you get used to it, but otherwise it's a great beginner option, especially if you ride hard/icy conditions often.

Score Breakdown for the Chromatic

Board: YES Emoticon

Price: $399

Beginner Board Rating Score: 90.5/100

Ability Level: Beginner to Advanced

Style of Board: All-Mountain Freestyle 

Flex: Medium-Soft (4/10)

  *HARD/ICY SNOW OPTION

The Emoticon is a great option for those who have a few days under their belt snowboarding, but are still beginners and for those who encounters hard/icy snow conditions often – so if you’re on the East (Ice) Coast of North America, for example.

It’s got a great balance of being versatile but also offering a fast progression. It’s easy to ride but it will last you for the long term in terms of your progression and your style.

And of course, it’s not just for icy conditions – my wife owns this board and loves it in all conditions.

The Emoticon’s Score Breakdown

Board: Burton Hideaway

Price: $399

Beginner Board Rating Score: 91/100

Ability Level: Beginner-to-intermediate

Style of Board: Freeride

Flex: Soft (2/10)

  *FAST PROGRESSION

The Hideaway is an easy going, catch-free ride that makes it quick and easy to progress on.

It's also a freeride board, which is rare for a board this soft. So, it's great for beginners who think they are going to get into riding off-groomer and backcountry in their future or for the beginner to intermediate rider who wants to explore the not-so-beaten paths, without having to do it on a stiff aggressive board. 

This board is replacing the Burton Feather in Burton's line - and is essentially just an evolution of that board with  some minor changes. 

Burton Hideaway Score Breakdown

Board: Arbor Poparazzi Rocker

Price: $359

Beginner Board Rating Score: 91.0/100

Ability Level: Beginner-to-advanced

Style of Board: All-Mountain-Freestyle

Flex: Medium-Soft (4/10)

The Poparazzi Rocker is that little bit of a step up from the Arbor Ethos (see #3 on this list). It's virtually the same as that board but just a touch stiffer. This makes it a great option for heavier riders and those who have snowboarded a bit but are still a beginner and still need an easy going catch-free ride to progress on.  

For a continuous rocker profile, it's not as loose as you would think due to the system rocker that Arbor uses.

But it's still on the looser side, so it's going to have that little bit of a squirrelly feel, coming off the lift one-footed. But that's something that you get used to and also helps to make the board really catch-free, when linking turns.  

Note that there is also now a Poparazzi Camber, but the camber version isn't as suitable for beginner.

Score Breakdown for the Poparazzi

Board: Burton Stylus

Price: $359

Beginner Board Rating Score: 92/100

Ability Level: Beginner to Beginner

Style of Board: Freestyle

Flex: Soft (2/10)

  *FAST PROGRESSION

The Burton Stylus is a super easy ride - one of those boards that will accelerate your progression – so if you’re looking to improve as quickly as possible and are happy with having to upgrade once you’ve upped your skill level and/or found your preferred style, then this is going to be a great choice.

Also great for anyone foreseeing a future riding freestyle/park. 

Score Breakdown for the Stylus

Board: Ride Heartbreaker

Price: $349

Beginner Board Rating Score: 93/100

Ability Level: Beginner to Intermediate

Style of Board: Freestyle 

Flex: Soft (2/10)

  *FAST PROGRESSION

The Ride Heartbreaker is new for 2020, but it's essentially a replacement for, and very similar to, the exiting Rapture.

Like the Rapture of old, it’s got a nice soft flex and is an easy, catch-free ride.

It's maybe not the most versatile, being a more freestyle/park oriented board - but otherwise it's very beginner friendly - and if you think you're going to get into freestyle riding at some point, it's a great investment - something that you can learn your core skills on now - and then have a park board for later. 

The Heartbreaker's Score Breakdown

Board: Rossignol Myth

Price: $319

Beginner Board Rating Score: 94/100

Ability Level: Beginner to Intermediate

Style of Board: Freestyle

Flex: Soft (3/10)

  *FAST PROGRESSION

And coming in at #5 is the Rossignol Myth. Apart from versatility, the Myth basically gets a perfect score as a beginner board.

You’ll be able to progress super-fast on this board and it will really boost your confidence.

The only downside is that it’s not that versatile. It’s a freestyle board, so if you plan on riding in the park, then this will be a great option to keep as your park board. But even if you don’t plan riding the park, this is one of those boards that will just get you riding better, fast – just be willing to upgrade at some point later on, if you get into more all-mountain/freeride type riding.

Score Breakdown for the Myth

Board: K2 First Lite

Price: $359

Beginner Board Rating Score: 94/100

Ability Level: Beginner to Intermediate

Style of Board: All-Mountain

Flex: Soft (2/10)

  *FAST PROGRESSION

Whilst not being that versatile when it comes to ability level (you’ll need to upgrade eventually), the K2 First Lite is really versatile when it comes to keeping your options open for the type of riding you will naturally flow towards. You can go anywhere and ride any style on this board.

But that’s not it’s real strength as a beginner board – it’s real strength lies in the fact that it’s easy to ride, catch free and confidence inspiring – so you can progress really fast on this board – and have a lot of fun in the process.

Score Breakdown for the First Lite

Board: Arbor Ethos

Price: $319

Beginner Board Rating Score: 95.0/100

Ability Level: Beginner-to-Intermediate

Style of Board: All-Mountain-Freestyle

Flex: Soft (3/10)

The little sister of the Poparazzi (see #8 above), the Ethos is practically the perfect board to start snowboarding on.

It's catch-free, easy to initiate turns on and super maneuverable at slower speeds.

It's a little on the looser side, which is a plus for initiating turns but can sometimes make coming off the lift a bit more challenging, but it's something you get used to. 

Otherwise this is pretty much the ultimate board to get your snowboarding journey started on. 

Score Breakdown for the Ethos

Board: Nitro Lectra

Price: $299

Beginner Board Rating Score: 96.0/100

Ability Level: Beginner-to-Intermediate

Style of Board: All-Mountain

Flex: Soft (3/10)

  **FAST PROGRESSION

And the #2 board in this list - or I should probably say the 1st equal, is Nitro's Lectra.

This board has everything you want for your first board. It's easy to turn, easy to ride, maneuverable at slow speeds, makes it really unlikely to catch an edge. That, plus it's really versatile, so it can take you into whatever style you naturally progress towards.

It's also the equal cheapest on this list, so you won't have to make as much of an investment getting your first board. 

Score Breakdown for the Lectra

Board: Rossignol Gala

Price: $319

Beginner Board Rating Score: 96/100

Ability Level: Beginner to Intermediate

Style of Board: All-Mountain 

Flex: Soft (3/10)

  **FAST PROGRESSION

The Rossignol Gala is the perfect balance of fast progression and versatility.

It’s an all mountain board and can take you into any style you naturally flow into – but it will get you there fast – it’s forgiving, catch-free, has easy maneuverability and is just a really easy going ride.

Score Breakdown for the Gala