Snowboarding is one of the coolest sports on the planet. However, like any other sport, it requires quality equipment if you want to get the maximum dose of adrenaline without sacrificing your own safety.
The best snowboard models are considered to be those that have passed the annual Good Wood test from the authoritative publication Transworld.... This year, the magazine's experts have tested the best men's and women's snowboards. And we have organized them into categories to make your choice easier.
Introducing the best snowboards 2018-2019. The rating is aimed at different skill levels and different types of snowboarding.
The best men's snowboards for the park 2019
1. Dinosaurs Will Die MAET
average price - 16 900 rubles.
Deflection - Lowrider Camber
Rigidity — 3/10
Rostovki - 148 - 158 cm
Waist width - 25.2-26 cm
The best men's board for the winter 2018-2019 season carries the true spirit of DWD, which produces fun yet quality designs without aggressive advertising and listening to testers of every size.
This snowboard features a mid-wide waist, symmetrical True Twin construction and an extruded base.
Due to its stability at speeds and predictable behavior, DWD MAET is an ideal choice for the rider who prefers riding in a large snow park or one of the the best ski resorts in Russia.
2. Stepchild Latchkey
average price - 11 544 rubles
Deflection - Camber Between Feet; Flat contact points
Rigidity — 6/10
Rostovki - 148 - 159 cm
Waist width - 24.6-25.2 cm
This sintered-base snowboard requires gentle maintenance and offers unrivaled glide performance.
“I loved the simplicity of this board,” said one of the testers at Good Wood. "It's basic, but not nonsense - that's how snowboarding should be."
The product features carbon streamers, which improve torsional rigidity and increase the durability of the flexible profile. Thanks to its rigidity, the Stepchild Latchkey is suitable for the snowboarder who prefers to move at high speed, but does not forget about jumping.
And the discreet colors and low price make this model a good New Year's gift for a professional freestyler.
3. GNU Headspace
average price - 31,000 rubles.
Deflection - C3 Camber
Rigidity — 4/10
Rostovki - 149 - 158 cm
Waist width - 25-25.5 cm
Testers compared the feel of this snowboard with an extruded base to driving a beautiful car. You meditate and say to yourself, "This is exactly what I should feel from snowboarding."
The asymmetric shape of GNU Headspace, coupled with sufficient softness and a noticeably pronounced camber along the entire board, provides stability both on fast movement in a straight line and when entering corners. At the same time, the snowboard behaves well in deep snow.
The only complication reported by the testers is the need to part with GNU Headspace.
Also in this top were models:
- YES.Greats UnInc.
- CAPiTA Defenders of Awesome.
- SIMS Juice.
- Academy Propacamba
- Interior Plain Project Harrow
- Lib Tech Box Knife
- Signal Super Park Series
- DC 156
- Public General Public
- Burton free thinker
- Salomon assassin
The best women's snowboards for the park 2019
1. Salomon Gypsy Classicks by Desiree
average price - 39,990 rubles.
Deflection - Rock Out Camber
Rigidity — 5/10
Rostovki - 138 - 151 cm
Waist width - 23.8-24.7 cm
Best Women's Snowboard 2018-2019 was created in collaboration with the famous snowboarder Melancon Desiree, hence its name. It features a sintered base and a fully symmetrical True Twin design, allowing you to ride in both its stance and switch.
Thanks to the Quadralizer side cutout, the board enters smoothly into turns, even on difficult terrain. It provides fast acceleration and a soft landing. None of the Transworld experts could find a flaw in the Gypsy Classicks.
2. Burton Rewind
average price - 40,538 rubles.
Deflection - Pure Pop Camber
Rigidity — 6/10
Rostovki - 141 - 152 cm
Waist width - 23.7-24.5 cm
This True Twin model will appeal not only to cat lovers, but also to those who need a responsive and well-controlled snowboard. Burton Rewind is suitable for both freestyle and powder riding, giving the guys a head start. Thanks to the increased edge area under the bindings, the snowboard can be controlled predictably on icy slopes.
Overall, Burton Rewind earned praise from testers for its comfort and stability. And from the shortcomings, one can only note its harshness.
3. Arbor Cadence Rocker
average price - 41,280 rubles.
Deflection - System Rocker
Rigidity — 5/10
Rostovki - 139 - 155 cm
Waist width - 23.15-23.95 cm
Experts classified the Cadence Rocker as the softest women's snowboard they tested this time around. This fully symmetrical model has excellent balance and is fast, flexible and durable. Four Grip-Tech lugs for easy rotation and maximum stability.
However, the Cadence Rocker lacks versatility and is an excellent snow park board and don't ask for more.
The best women's snowboards also include:
- CAPiTA Space Metal Fantasy.
- Dinosaurs Will Die Bogart.
- Signal Ambient.
- K2 Lime Lite.
- Never summer shaper twin
Best snowboards 2019 in terms of price / quality ratio
1. Dinosaurs Will Die MAET
average price - 16 900 rubles.
Deflection - Lowrider Camber
Rigidity — 3/10
Rostovki - 148 - 158 cm
Waist width - 25.2-26 cm
Take a look at most of the list of the best snowboards for snowparks 2018-2019. and you will understand why the MAET model came out on top in terms of value for money.
Good reviews about the products of the Canadian brand indicate that "dinosaurs" are great for both beginners and seasoned riders. They look, perhaps, a little childish because of the funny prints and small size, but they can easily withstand 2-3 seasons and are popular with athletes from all over the world.
2.K2 Broadcast
average price - 38 640 rubles.
Deflection - Directional Camber Baseline
Rigidity — 6/10
Rostovki - 153 - 163 cm
Waist width - 24.6-26.6 cm
The second place in the top 3 best snowboards for price and quality went to the universal men's model with a sintered base. It is equally good on soft snow, on trails and jumps.
This is a newcomer to the K2 line, but its flexibility, excellent material quality and thoughtful construction are precisely the qualities that make the products of the American company one of the best on the snowboard market.
3. Arbor Cadence Rocker
average price - 41,280 rubles.
Deflection - System Rocker
Rigidity — 5/10
Rostovki - 139 - 155 cm
Waist width - 23.15-23.95 cm
It is the best value for money snowboard model for women for snowparks. Its rocker deflection allows for confident landings and effective departures, and gives good control at speeds. And the poplar core gives the board responsiveness for two or more seasons.
4. GNU Klassy
average price - 35,990 rubles.
Deflection - C2X
Rigidity — 5/10
Rostovki - 145 - 155 cm
Waist width - 23.9-24.7 cm
And this is the best women's universal snowboard model in terms of value and quality for the 2018-2019 season.
The experts found the GNU Klassy, with its smooth ride, to be ideal for fresh powder riding. On the line of the side radii, the snowboard designers placed seven smooth protrusions. They are most noticeable in the anchorage area, where the center of gravity is. This gives the board owner more control and power exactly where they are most needed.
Stylish design, a classic shape with an elongated nose, a special sagging shape for aggressive riding and maneuverability make the GNU Klassy the preferred choice for snowboarders hungry for fun and adrenaline.
Also, the Good Wood test in terms of price-quality ratio passed:
- Endeavor B.O.D.
- CAPiTA Birds of a Feather.
The best all-around men's snowboards of 2019
1. GNU Müllair
average price - 41,990 rubles.
Deflection - C3 Camber
Rigidity — 7/10
Rostovki - 155 - 164W cm
Waist width - 24.8-26.5 cm
It was very difficult for the experts to find any flaw in this board. It has a lightweight and incredibly dense core made of aspen and Columbian Gold (a very resilient wood), a sintered base slide and a deflection that provides speed and stability in deep snow.
However, don't assume that GNU Müllair is a "single-tasking" snowboard. It is equally well suited for deep trenching in the first slush of spring and for the laid-back freestyle in a snow park. When entering corners and downhill, the board behaves in a stable manner and will be the best friend for the professional who knows what he wants from the snowboard.
2. Salomon Speedway
average price - 41,990 rubles.
Deflection - Backseat Camber
Rigidity — 9/10
Rostovki - 155 - 170 cm
Waist width - 24.9-26 cm
One can safely say about this board: “The more, the better”. While many snowboards tend to travel a shorter distance, the Speedway will travel further than you would normally expect.
With an ultra-light core, long nose and directional tapered shape, this snowboard excels in high speed cornering. One of the testers called it "a very stiff and stable ride."
3. Jones Ultra Mountain Twin
average price - 47,500 rubles.
Deflection - CamRock
Rigidity — 8/10
Rostovki - 154 - 164W cm
Waist width - 25-26.2 cm
This sleek, sintered base is designed for those who love fast, aggressive riding. The carbon fiber stringers are responsible for extreme torsional hardness, allowing the board to be used on hard slopes.
The rocker on the nose and tail of the snowboard ensures smoothness, and the camber underfoot gives control and stability when performing tricks and speeding.
“I saw it was the perfect rest board for most guys,” said one of the testers. "It tears up the entire mountain and is definitely suitable for the park - even for riding on rails."
The manufacturer rates this board 8 out of 10 in terms of toughness, which means it may take you a while to tame this restless beast.
The rating of the best all-round snowboards also includes:
- Hightide MFG Grease Gun.
- Weston Range.
- Burton Skeleton Key.
- K2 Broadcast.
- SIMS Kidwell RT2.
- Endeavor B.O.D.
- Dinosaurs Will Die Kwon.
- Nitro Squash.
- CAPiTA Kazu Kokubo Pro.
- Lib Tech T. Rice Orca.
- RIDE MTNPIG.
The best all-round women's snowboards of 2019
1. Burton Feelgood
average price - 49 550 rubles.
Deflection - Camber
Rigidity — 6/10
Rostovki - 142 - 152 cm
Waist width - 23.8-24.4 cm
The legendary Feelgood, made to solve any snowboarding challenge, is back as the best all-round women's snowboard.
Its main strengths include classic deflection allowing full control of the board even at high speeds, directional geometry with an elongated nose for stability on the track and a core made of a combination of soft and hard wood, which gives it flexibility without sacrificing strength.
Burton Feelgood is suitable for any type of riding and will be the best choice for experienced and beginner snowboarders.
2. GNU Klassy
average price - 35,990 rubles.
Deflection - C2X
Rigidity — 5/10
Rostovki - 145 - 155 cm
Waist width - 23.9-24.7 cm
A good all-round women's snowboard has already won an award for Best in Price and Quality 2018-2019. Not surprisingly, it is made by Mervin Manufacturing, which has professional riders who understand what the right board should be. All GNU Klassy models are handmade.
The directional shape of this snowboard ensures that it keeps the nose above the snow no matter how deep, and the GNU Magnetraction edges allow you to react instantly to rough surfaces and fast turns.
3. RIDE Hellcat
average price - 35,000 rubles.
Deflection - Directional Hybrid Camber
Rigidity — 7/10
Rostovki - 143 - 154 cm
Waist width - 24-24.8 cm
This beautiful board, made in black and red colors, can be used both on the prepared track and in the forest. It was created for ladies who are not afraid of extreme speed.
Testers chose the RIDE Hellcat for its speed and solid sintered base, but admitted that it was too stiff for beginner riders.
Experts also included in the top all-purpose snowboards for women:
- Lib Tech Cold Brew.
- Salomon Pillow Talk.
- Rome Winterland.
- YES. Hel Yes.
- CAPiTA Birds of a Feather.
The main factors when choosing a snowboarding board
The two most important factors to consider when buying a snowboard are your skill level and your preferred type of riding.
There are three types of snowboarding - universal, freestyle and freeride.
First suitable for those who want to experience everything a mountain slope has to offer - from a simple descent to easy tricks. An excellent choice for beginners who have not yet decided on their favorite style.
Freestyle Is the choice of people with good athletic training. Jumps, stunts, grabbing a snowboard while jumping, adrenaline rush - it's all about freestyle. Here you need a flexible and soft enough board that can withstand impacts on landings.
Freeride - This is skiing on soft snow ("powder") on the mountain slopes, usually far from busy routes. This requires a hard and long board with a curved nose that will not stick into the snow and will glide over it smoothly.
Snowboard length and width
The length of a universal snowboard is 15 centimeters shorter than your height. The length of the freestyle board is 8-10 centimeters shorter than your height. And the length of the freeride snowboard is 10 centimeters shorter than your height. But it is also important to consider weight. If your bone is wide, this is plus 5 centimeters to the length of the board. If you are lightweight, remove an extra 5 centimeters from the length.
On the websites of many snowboard manufacturers, there are tables from which you can find out how long the board should be chosen according to your height and weight.
As far as the preferred width of the snowboard is concerned, it depends on the size of your foot. If you have a small leg, then models with a narrow waist - from 250 to 260 mm and a width of edges up to 300 mm - are suitable.
And if you wear shoes in size 44 or 45, choose wide snowboards - with a waist from 260 mm and a width of edges from 300 mm.
Summing up
If you are new to snowboarding, you may want a short all-round sports equipment, with a thin waist (the narrowest part of the board) and soft enough. Hard boards punish mercilessly for any mistakes and careless movements.
Advanced riderswho need stability at speed when freeriding prefer stiff and long boards.
Some experienced snowboarders (for example, those who enjoy jumping and tricks) will prefer a softer, shorter board that is easier to manipulate. You can stand on such a person both with your face and with your back forward.