Below are what I rate as the top 5 aggressive-all-mountain-freestyle snowboards for the 2017-18 season.
This was a new category last year. I’ve brought this in because I’ve ridden some awesome boards in this category – and decided these types of boards were different enough to warrant their own category separate from All-Mountain-Freestyle boards.
As per tradition here at SnowboardingProfiles.com, the boards will each be given a rating out of 100.
To give some perspective of the ratings:
- I looked at 16 different aggressive-all-mountain freestyle boards
- The average score was 84.4/100
- The highest score was 90.9/100 (see below)
- The lowest score was 75.6/100
- The average price was $530
NOTE: This list was for the 2017-18 season. For the latest Top 5 Aggressive All-Mountain-Freestyle Snowboards List, check out the link below:
>>Latest Season’s Top 5 Aggressive All-Mountain-Freestyle Snowboards
O.k., here’s my top 5 for 2018.
Aggressive All Mountain Freestyle Board #5
Board: Ride Helix
Price: $499
Flex: Medium-Stiff (6.5/10)
Rating: 86.9/100
The Helix got the nod here just ahead of the Ride Burnout – mostly because I felt the flex of the Helix was a little more lively than the Burnout. But if you have very strong legs or just like a board with a stiffer flex, then the slightly stiffer Burnout might be your better bet.
But for me, the Helix was a lively responsive ride that still allowed to you perform tricks on. It’s not super easy to butter on but for jumps, spins and generally charging down the groomers, it’s a super fun and really aggressive ride.
Learn more about the Helix in the Video Below
Score Breakdown for the Helix
| FACTOR | RATING (OUT OF 5) | CONTRIBUTION TO FINAL SCORE |
|---|---|---|
| Switch: | 5.0 | 20/20 |
| Jumps: | 4.0 | 16/20 |
| Carving: | 3.5 | 10.5/15 |
| Speed: | 3.5 | 10.5/15 |
| Uneven Terrain: | 3.5 | 7/10 |
| Pipe: | 4.0 | 8/10 |
| Powder: | 2.0 | 2/5 |
| Jibbing: | 2.5 | 2.5/5 |
| TOTAL after normalizing | 86.9/100 |
Aggressive All Mountain Freestyle Board #4
Board: YES Ghost
Price: $499
Flex: Medium (6/10)
Rating: 87.5/100
Previously known as the TDF or Tadashi Fuse, the Ghost is a hard charging all-mtn-freestyle ride with a traditional camber profile.
Apart from powder (which this type of board isn’t really designed for) the TDF doesn’t show any real weaknesses – but it does show plenty of strength.
It’s snappy, aggressive, quick and can really hold a carve. And, though not its forte, it can hit a jib pretty well too when you feel for it.
Learn more about the Ghost in the Video Below
Score Breakdown for the Ghost
| FACTOR | RATING (OUT OF 5) | CONTRIBUTION TO FINAL SCORE |
|---|---|---|
| Switch: | 4.0 | 16/20 |
| Jumps: | 4.5 | 18/20 |
| Carving: | 4.0 | 12/15 |
| Speed: | 4.0 | 12/15 |
| Uneven Terrain: | 3.0 | 6/10 |
| Pipe: | 4.0 | 8/10 |
| Powder: | 2.0 | 2/5 |
| Jibbing: | 3.0 | 3/5 |
| TOTAL after normalizing | 87.5/100 |
Aggressive All Mountain Freestyle Board #3
Board: Lib Tech Hot Knife
Price: $499
Flex: Medium (5.5/10)
Rating: 88.6/100
I rode the Hot Knife on a day that had some pretty choppy snow – but this thing just flew over top of it. Great riding in both directions, nice and aggressive and awesome launching through the air (and landing safely on return).
Learn more about the Hot Knife in the Video Below
This is for the 2015-16 model but it’s all still relevant for the 2016-17 model and 2017-18 model.
Score Breakdown for the Hot Knife
| FACTOR | RATING (OUT OF 5) | CONTRIBUTION TO FINAL SCORE |
|---|---|---|
| Switch: | 4.5 | 18/20 |
| Jumps: | 4.5 | 18/20 |
| Carving: | 4.0 | 12/15 |
| Speed: | 3.5 | 10.5/15 |
| Uneven Terrain: | 3.0 | 6/10 |
| Pipe: | 4.5 | 9/10 |
| Powder: | 2.0 | 2/5 |
| Jibbing: | 2.5 | 2.5/5 |
| TOTAL after normalizing | 88.6/100 |
Aggressive All Mountain Freestyle Board #2
Board: Never Summer Ripsaw
Price: $529
Flex: Medium-Stiff (7/10)
Rating: 89.8/100
The Ripsaw is an awesome deck for aggressive freestyle riding over the whole mountain. It’s fast, aggressive, jumps like a dream, is killer for the pipe and, like any board in this category should, holds a great carve.
It’s the stiffest flexing board on this list, so if you prefer a more medium-stiff flex, then this might be the best option for you on this list.
Learn more about the Ripsaw in the Video Below
Score Breakdown for the Ripsaw
| FACTOR | RATING (OUT OF 5) | CONTRIBUTION TO FINAL SCORE |
|---|---|---|
| Switch: | 4.5 | 18/20 |
| Jumps: | 4.5 | 18/20 |
| Carving: | 4.0 | 12/15 |
| Speed: | 4.0 | 12/15 |
| Uneven Terrain: | 3.0 | 6/10 |
| Pipe: | 4.0 | 8/10 |
| Powder: | 2.5 | 2.5/5 |
| Jibbing: | 2.5 | 2.5/5 |
| TOTAL after normalizing | 89.8/100 |
Aggressive All Mountain Freestyle Board #1
Board: Capita Defenders of Awesome (DOA)
Price: $419
Flex: Medium (5.5/10)
Rating: 90.9/100
This board is super lively – with heaps of pop, awesome on landings, fast and aggressive, you can carve hard and pop off everything you find on your way down the mountain.
What’s even more impressive is that this is the cheapest board on the list – and more than $100 cheaper than the average price for this type of board!
So, if your budgets tight but you still want a hard charging all-mtn-freestyle ride, then the DOA is a great option.
Learn more about the DOA in the Video Below
Score Breakdown for the DOA
| FACTOR | RATING (OUT OF 5) | CONTRIBUTION TO FINAL SCORE |
|---|---|---|
| Switch: | 4.5 | 18/20 |
| Jumps: | 5.0 | 20/20 |
| Carving: | 4.0 | 12/15 |
| Speed: | 4.0 | 12/15 |
| Uneven Terrain: | 3.0 | 6/10 |
| Pipe: | 3.5 | 7/10 |
| Powder: | 2.0 | 2/5 |
| Jibbing: | 3.0 | 3/5 |
| TOTAL after normalizing | 90.9/100 |
Over to You
I hope this post has given you some options if you’re interested in an aggressive-all-mountain-freestyle snowboard.
NOTE: This list was for the 2017-18 season. For the latest Top 5 Aggressive All-Mountain-Freestyle Snowboards List, check out the link below:
>>Latest Season’s Top 5 Aggressive All-Mountain-Freestyle Snowboards
If you’re looking for something less aggressive/more playful, then check out my top 5 all-mountain-freestyle snowboards at the link below.
>>Top 5 Men’s All-Mountain Freestyle Snowboards
Note: If you like your all-mtn-freestyle ride a little stiffer, then there are some great options that didn’t make this list – like the Ride Burnout, Lib Tech T Rice Pro and Burton Freethinker. For me, they were too stiff for an all-mtn-free for my legs and my weight – but if you prefer a stiffer board, have strong athletic legs (not saying that I have weak legs ;-)) or are on the heavier side, then those, in addition to the options above, are definitely worth looking at.
Where to Buy, Current Prices and More Info
If you can find one of these boards in the 2017-18 model, you should be able to get them at a considerably cheaper price than their MSRP. This is the nature of past season boards.
Check out the links below to see if you can find the board you’re after in a past model.
US STORES
CANADA STORES
NEW ZEALAND STORES
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