Snowboarding is fun. At least, it should be. When you鈥檙e on the wrong board鈥攐ne that doesn鈥檛 jive with your size, skill level, riding style, conditions, or terrain鈥攆un can devolve into frustration. Luckily for you, our selfless test crew of 30 riders sifted through a stellar crop of 50 men鈥檚 and unisex snowboards at Tahoe鈥檚 stunning Diamond Peak Ski Resort this past spring to bring you the best snowboards of 2025.
Even when testers were analyzing snowboards that didn鈥檛 blow them away, risking high-speed scorpions under the chairlift for the sake of data collection, good times were had. These riders inspected every board to bring you the most award-worthy snowboards on the market. So whether you鈥檙e new to the game or three decades deep in the culture, chances are you鈥檒l find the right board for you below.
At A Glance
- Editor鈥檚 Choice:
- Best Value:
- Best Swallowtail:
- Best All-Mountain:
- Best Powder Craft:
- Best Freestyle:
- Public Statement ($480)
- How to Choose Snowboards
- How We Test
- Meet Our Testers
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Editor鈥檚 Choice
Nitro Alternator
Sizing: 154, 157, 160, 162w cm
Genre: All-mountain/Backcountry freestyle
Profile: Tr眉e Camber
Shape: Directional
Flex: 7/10
Waist Width: 25.4 cm (157 cm)
Sidecut: Dual degressive (10.8 m/6.8 m/10.8 m)
Pros and Cons
鈯 Jack of all trades
鈯 Can go bigger and faster than you can
鈯 Lightweight
鈯 Responsive
鈯 Reasonably priced
鈯 Likes jumps more than jibs
鈯 Not forgiving for less experienced riders
鈯 Not as much float as tapered, wider shapes
We don鈥檛 need a crystal ball to predict that we鈥檒l see the Nitro Alternator (read our full review) everywhere this season. Why? Because Nitro鈥檚 team riders and resort rippers the world over value a no-bullshit quiver-killer. Our testers do, too鈥攕o much so that the Alternator earned our coveted Editor鈥檚 Choice award.
The deck is a collaboration between cruisy skin track slayer Griffin Siebert, backcountry bull-dog Jared Elston (who just announced his departure from the brand), and Nitro’s legendary co-founder, Tommy Delago—an amalgam of shred personalities that helps explain the Alternator’s versatile DNA. It can cruise groomers and surf wind lip-laden pow fields鈥攁nd it can charge steeps, drop cliffs, and straightline sketchy runouts like it鈥檚 trying to break the sound barrier, too. Snowboard purists (read: the anti-rocker contingent) will appreciate the Alternator鈥檚 frills-free traditional camber profile. 鈥淚t holds a strong edge, and loads behind the back foot for explosive pop,鈥 commented freestyle-forward rider and longtime board tester Cody Buccholz.
After getting the Alternator airborne both during our test week at Diamond Peak and all spring long at his home hill of Winter Park, former product editor of Transworld Snowboarding (R.I.P.) and lifelong board nerd Tyler Macleod praised the stability provided by the mid-stiff, high-grade poplar core, which is reinforced by nose-to-tail carbon stringers. 鈥淣o fear of looping out or going over the bars here,鈥 he reported. 鈥淚n fact, [the Alternator] saved my ass a few times when I thought I was about to go over the nose.鈥

The classically directional deck sports subtle setback and minimal taper, as well as an early rise nose and a kicked tail. While the Alternator wasn鈥檛 the best in test when it came to float in powder or switch stomping and ripping ability, the design provides what testers agreed is a solid balance between the two. Testers also loved the Alternator鈥檚 carving prowess, which comes courtesy of Nitro鈥檚 Dual Degressive sidecut鈥攁 smaller-radius sidecut between the bindings that鈥檚 bookended by larger-radius sidecuts at the nose and tail.
Testers did note there are more forgiving boards out there for intermediate riders, and resort rippers concerned with technical jibbing should look elsewhere. Testers also reported that the standard-cambered Alternator doesn鈥檛 plane as well as wider, rockered shapes in slow, low-angle powder, so if you鈥檙e looking for a powder stick and between sizes, they recommend sizing up. At speed in the steeps, though, it鈥檚 a dream. I got a chance to test the Alternator on a couple of KT-22 powder days at my home resort of Palisades Tahoe, and it sliced through heavy Sierra powder, inspired confidence on take-offs, and put the landing gear down on sketchy cliff drops.
All told, the Alternator is a backcountry-freestyle, all-mountain menace, one best suited for advanced riders who want a daily driver that does it all. Macleod summed it up: 鈥淧ow day? Alternator. Slushy day? Alternator. Backcountry booters? Alternator. Mediocre conditions? Definitely the Alternator.鈥
One final note: If you鈥檙e anti sparkplugs, Nitro also has a collaborative edition of the Alternator with Volcom. It has the same tester-approved engine under the hood, but the paint job is more abstract.

Best Value
Korua Shapes Transition Finder
Lengths: 150, 154, 157, 160 cm
Genre: All-Mountain/Backcountry Freestyle
Profile: Float Camber (rockered nose, camber underfoot)
Shape: Directional
Flex: Medium
Waist Width: 26 cm (154 cm)
Sidecut: 8.1 m (154 cm)
Pros and Cons
鈯 Cruisy
鈯 Freestyle aptitude
鈯 Versatile
鈯 Affordable
鈯 New 150 and 160 sizes for smaller and bigger riders
鈯 Isn鈥檛 strong switch
鈯 Shorter-radius turns felt overwhelming on larger sizes
鈯 More sizes still needed
Korua鈥檚 cult-classic, medium-stiff Transition Finder (read our full review) hasn鈥檛 been updated since the German board builder shaved down the taper to boost all-mountain freestyle and switch-riding capabilities in 2022. Our test team sends its sincerest gratitude, as we鈥檙e card-carrying members of the cult. I spent six weeks in Hokkaido testing the Transition Finder over the last two winters, and I can attest that it鈥檚 absolutely perfect as is.
Hokkaido has a reputation for deep snow, and it delivered for me both winters. Each trip, the wide, early-rise nose of the Transition Finder provided unbelievable buoyancy on hip-deep tree runs, mini-truck-sized pillow poppers, and sidecountry sojourns. I sized down鈥攖he shape is wide, after all, with a 26-centimeter waist on the 154-centimeter length. Still, I rode some of the deepest runs of my life on this thing, and it was never undergunned.
The shape is deceptively agile, too, which I noticed after ripping through Hokkaido鈥檚 iconic deciduous trees. In tight corridors, you can shift your weight to the diamond tail, pivoting and piloting the Transition Finder through gaps in the glades you have no business bombing through. While the nose is pliable and surfy, the short tail is stout enough for substantial drops as well. A beefier, longer tail might be welcome if you鈥檙e sending 25-plus footers at speed, but for me, dropping anything up to 15 feet felt ideal.
The majority of testers who hopped on the Transition Finder at our test week in Diamond Peak felt similar sparks fly. 鈥淚t pops reliably like a movie theater popcorn machine, and excels at everything from long, fast carves to tight wiggles and banked slalom slashes. Favorite board of the test鈥攆lexy, fast, fun!鈥 commented an intermediate Sierra surfer, who loved the versatility provided by the middle-of-the-park sidecut and the dampness of Korua鈥檚 cruisy, cost-effective construction (tried-and-true biax fiberglass over an unpretentious poplar core).
That said, the Transition Finder isn鈥檛 for everyone. A heavier, aggressive freestyler found the nose flex on the floppy side for his style of all-mountain charging, and also craved better performance while riding switch.
An affordable, damp, cruisy yet capable all-mountain surfer, the Transition Finder slashes the nexus of freestyle and freeride. If you鈥檙e hoping for pow but planning to shred regardless of the conditions, this is a solid travel board, daily driver, or addition to your quiver. Between the relatively low cost and impressive versatility, it also delivers the most bang for your buck.

Best Swallowtail
Bataleon Surfer
Lengths: 149, 154, 159, 162 cm
Genre: Powder/Resort
Profile: Camber
Shape: Directional
Flex: 4/10
Waist Width: 26.4 cm (159 cm)
Sidecut: 7.89 m (159 cm)
Pros and Cons
鈯 Lightweight construction
鈯 Futuristic, pow-loving shape
鈯 Groomer ripper
鈯 Versatile resort riding
鈯 Some riders wanted a stiffer flex
鈯 Riding switch is a gamble
鈥淔uturistic swallowtail鈥 is a tad oxymoronic, but that鈥檚 exactly what popped out of Bataleon鈥檚 shaping bay with the updated Surfer this season. Many of the earliest snowboards, most notably Dimitrije Milovich鈥檚 trailblazing Wintersticks from the early 70s, were swallowtails, named for dual-pronged tails borrowed from surfing that sank the tail down and lifted the nose up in powder. Bataleon鈥檚 revamped Surfer doesn鈥檛 just inject the storied swallowtail with the latest and greatest snowboard tech鈥攊t reimagines the shape entirely.
The most notable modification to this year鈥檚 Surfer is a translucent bridge between the two prongs of the swallowtail. Dubbed the Powder Hull鈥攖ech seemingly borrowed from Yes., as both brands are owned by Nidecker鈥攖his feature helps funnel powder out of the back of the Surfer like the hull of a speedboat and limits how deep the tail sinks in the snow. Testers felt it gives the swallowtail a balanced, surfy, skim-the-surface ride in powder. Connecting the two prongs also makes the tail more stable and better-suited to resort ripping than previous iterations. 鈥淭he tail doesn鈥檛 wash out like every other swallowtail鈥攊t鈥檚 a stomping machine,鈥 commented impressed Wasatch tester, Kordell Black.
Bataleon鈥檚 proprietary Triple Base Technology鈥攁 hallmark of the brand鈥檚 boards for over two decades鈥攁lso sets the Surfer鈥檚 shape apart from the kaleidoscope of swallowtails on the market. The center section of the board base is flat, like that of a traditional snowboard, but the outside sections of the base are curved upwards at the nose and tail, giving the nose (and to a much lesser extent, the tail) a spoon-like concavity. This three-dimensional curvature allows riders to effortlessly roll the mind-bogglingly buoyant, extra-wide nose, which was elongated for 2025, in and out of turns. 鈥淚 was surprised by how easy it was to get on edge,鈥 reported smitten snowboard instructor Nico Henss.
The Surfer sports a mid-tight sidecut and traditional camber, which help increase edge hold when carving corduroy. The poplar and paulownia core is on the softer side and extremely lightweight, partly because Bataleon thins out the profile along the rails into razor-thin sidewalls. Bataleon also reinforced the Surfer with carbon stringers in the tail, hollow carbon rods along the outline of the shape, and tri-axial fiberglass and aramid laminates throughout to make sure the Surfer stays the course in chop. 鈥淚 loved it鈥攊t makes the swallowtail less of a quiver board and more all-mountain. From mach 10 euro carves to tree pow wiggles, this thing excels in all terrain,鈥 opined Black.
While most testers agreed with Black鈥檚 sentiments, a lighter rider who struggled to keep the tail engaged on tighter Euro carves suggested the Surfer was better suited for powder-chasing than indiscriminate all-mountain shredding.

Best All-Mountain
Capita Aeronaut
Lengths: 153, 155, 156w, 157, 158w, 159, 160w, 161, 162w cm
Genre: Resort/All-mountain
Profile: Camber
Shape: Directional 0.8-inch setback
Flex: 6/10
Waist Width: 25.6 cm (159 cm)
Sidecut: 8.6 m/7.6 m (159 cm)
Pros and Cons
鈯 Intergalactic pop
鈯 All-mountain jack-of-all-trades
鈯 New wide sizes for the big boot gang
鈯 Not super floaty
鈯 Sometimes overwhelmed by variable chop at speed
Pop is potential energy鈥攁 board鈥檚 capacity to load, unload, and explode upwards in defiance of gravity. Capita鈥檚 aptly named Aeronaut, the pro model of French side-hit savant and style conservationist , has more explosive potential energy than a ski patrol dynamite shack.
There鈥檚 no TNT stashed beneath the Aeronaut鈥檚 abstract topsheet (although testers did find the graphic, which is painted by the multi-talented Longo, dynamite). Instead, that energy comes courtesy of a mid-stiff poplar and paulownia core, eight snappy, nose-to-tail bamboo rods located just outside the inserts, and a reactive yet shock-absorbing strip running from the back inserts to the tail. If you鈥檙e popping switch or nollie鈥攐r just need some stability at speed鈥攁 pair of carbon-and-flax strips run in a 鈥淰鈥 formation from the front inserts to the nose, too.

The standard camber profile amplifies airtime and edge hold, too. Factor in a predictable, progressive sidecut that excels at medium-sized turns, and the overall ride is so classic that riders with graying hair will rail reliable carves, regain the ollies of their youth, and weep bittersweet tears, overcome with nostalgia for the nineties. While we鈥檙e always stoked to check out innovative shapes, sometimes the classics are hard to beat.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a true resort daily driver鈥攄irectional, little bit of taper, plenty of pop. I could ride this every day,鈥 summed up longtime snowboard reviewer, former Transworld Snowboarding product editor, and connoisseur of camber Tyler Macleod.
Critiques for the Capita mainly centered around it being a jack of all trades, master of none, which is a tick in the pro column for many all-mountain riders. More specifically, a couple of riders judged the deck overwhelmed by chunder and craved more setback, taper, and float in deeper snow.
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WHITESPACE 155 Montano Snowboard ($659)

Blur the lines of what’s possible on a directional board with the WHITESPACE Montano. Tackle any conditions with confidence鈥攆rom hot laps around your favorite trails to deep powder stashes in the trees. Snappy camber provides explosive response between the bindings and the wide profile floats through powder and crud. The surf-inspired shape is incredibly lightweight due to complimentary layers of ultra-dense fiberglass with carbon inserts supported by full-length running strips of Poplar and Balsa wood to expertly blend stiffness and playfulness for a crafted and responsive ride. The Montano will leave you wanting more as it devours everything the mountain has to offer.

Best Powder Craft
Lib Tech Apex Orca
Sizing: 150, 153, 156, 159 cm
Genre: All-mountain, Powder
Profile: C2x (Camber under feet, directional prominent rocker between the feet)
Shape: Volume-shifted directional (ride 3-6 centimeters shorter than standard board)
Flex: 7/10
Waist Width: 26.7 cm (156 cm)
Sidecut: 7 m (156 cm)
Pros and Cons
鈯 Floaty yet ferocious Orca shape
鈯 Top-of-the-line lightweight construction
鈯 New recessed, lighter nose and tail
鈯 Magne-traction supplies great edge-hold
鈯 Expensive
鈯 Loose ride according to camber purist
Lib Tech鈥檚 Apex Orca is shaped exactly the same as the big-nosed, kick-tailed, hybrid-rockered, volume-shifted original Orca, pods of which have been invading lift lines and gluttonizing powder stashes since the mutant species was released into the wild in 2018. However, this pricier, higher-end iteration is crafted with the same snappy yet lightweight construction as last winter鈥檚 Editor鈥檚 Choice-winning Lib Tech Golden Orca. (And it鈥檚 crafted in the same factory, too, we might add, Lib Tech鈥檚 dream-board-building shredquarters in Washington, one of the few still located in the United States.)
The Apex Orca鈥檚 core consists of aspen, paulownia, and plastic from PET recycled bottles, and the updated nose and tail now feature gram-shaving indents. This composite core is then fortified by unidirectional carbon laminate, 30-degree carbon 鈥淴鈥檚” centered just outside the inserts, and magnesium fiber bands, which give the Apex more snappiness and quicker reactivity than the original Orca.
According to testers, you have to work the Apex Orca a little harder in chop and chunder, like most carbon boards. But on fresh faces, the higher-end construction provides synaptic response, particularly when I rode it during thigh-deep powder days at Palisades Tahoe. The broad nose and rocker pocket between the feet, combined with the lightweight core and milled tip and tail, make this a dream on deep days鈥攊t鈥檚 floatier than the Golden Orca and feels like you鈥檙e surfing a magic carpet in bottomless pow.
Testers appreciated the Magne-traction edges and elliptical sidecut, which help the Apex Orca rail groomers and lock into hardpack. 鈥淔ast to initiate a turn and holds a carve with ease,鈥 commented Wasatch rider Jackson Weber.
One rider who prefers traditional camber was put off by Lib鈥檚 C2X camber profile (which has camber under the feet with a prominent rocker pocket between the bindings). 鈥淚t feels loose and skatey,鈥 he said. 鈥淚 looped out multiple times on it.鈥

Best Freestyle
Jones Men鈥檚 Tweaker Pro Snowboard
Sizing: 146, 149, 151, 154, 156, 157w, 159 cm
Genre: All-mountain freestyle
Profile: Camber
Shape: True twin
Flex: 4/5
Waist Width: 25.4 cm (156 cm)
Sidecut: 7.8 m (156 cm)
Pros and Cons
鈯 Solid pop
鈯 Great landing gear
鈯 Stiffer construction for high-speed all-mountain freestyle
鈯 Not as playful or jibby as other park boards
Jones isn鈥檛 exactly known for its park boards, but the Tweaker Pro makes a statement: don鈥檛 pigeonhole Jeremy Jones鈥 eponymous board brand to big mountain guns and powder craft.
The new Tweaker Pro shares its shape and camber profile with the original Tweaker, a blunt-nosed true twin first released in 2022. Like the OG Tweaker, the Pro has a classic camber profile and a tight sidecut dotted with three grip-enhancing bumps between the contact points, improving edge hold in firm conditions. The Pro also has the same double-radius rocker that lifts up the squared nose and tail more steeply towards the ends of the deck. This design feature allows Jones to cram more effective edge (the distance from wide point to wide point) into a relatively shorter overall board length鈥攚hich helps provide stability at speed and reliable landings. The resulting board loves to ride fast, spins quickly, and stomps like a tired toddler.
However, the Pro is enhanced for harder charging and bigger sends thanks to a stiffer, triple-density paulownia wood core reinforced with hardwood bamboo stringers, a more rigid and responsive triaxial glass job, and a faster, higher-end sintered base. Jones also integrated Koroyd鈥攍ightweight welded plastic tubes often used in snowsports helmets鈥攊nto the core at the nose and tail to cut weight and amplify dampening. Jones ranks the resulting flex as a four out of five, while the standard Tweaker only notches a two out of five.
A more intermediate park rider found the deck 鈥渁lmost too stiff.鈥 That said, they did appreciate the stout deck鈥檚 鈥渇orgivable landings鈥 in the park, and acknowledged Jones鈥 V-core flex pattern鈥攚hich links a stiffer nose and tail via a more pliable waist鈥攈elps the Tweaker Pro to pop and lock into presses.
For Colby Wangler, an advanced all-mountain freestyler and born-and-bred Sierra shredder, the flex pattern and nose and tail design make this deck a 鈥渘imble bulldozer鈥 that can handle ripping in and out of the park. 鈥淭his board ate up whatever I threw at it in Tahoe and again on a Utah trip,鈥 Wangler reported, lauding the Jones鈥 pop, edge hold, and stability at speed. 鈥淢ach 1 groomers, chunky moguls, side hits, jumps鈥攜ou name it and I was smashing it with confidence on this board.鈥

Lib Tech Apex Golden Orca
Sizing: 153, 157, 161 cm
Genre: Backcountry Freestyle/All-Mountain
Profile: C2X Directional, with mild camber in the front foot, shortened rocker between the bindings, and aggressive camber in the tail.
Shape: Directional
Flex: 7/10
Waist Width: 26.5 cm (157 cm)
Sidecut: 8 m
Pros and Cons
鈯 Unreal response, snap, and stability at speed
鈯 Exceptional swing weight and maneuverability
鈯 Floats well in deep snow
鈯 The price
鈯 Not as damp in chop and chunder as heavier, carbon-free shapes
Six of nine testers gave this futuristic directional deck perfect scores during our 2022/2023 testing鈥攏early 15 percent of the perfect scores awarded at last year鈥檚 test. This telling data sums up an airtime-annihilating, confidence-inspiring ride that approaches terrain like a killer whale toying with a blubbery seal before making it a meal. It鈥檚 equal parts fun and ferocious鈥攐ne of those rare shapes that encourages advanced boarders to ride faster, go bigger, and spin when they might normally chicken out.
Much of the Apex Golden Orca鈥檚 all-mountain acumen comes from a shape it shares with the standard Golden Orca. First, the now-classic, wide, cutaway nose blasts through powder. The camber-rocker-camber profile, mid-wide, volume-shifted waist, and Magne-traction serrated edges that supply a perfect balance of pop, grip, and float. An extended, kinked tail rides switch better than the original Orca.
But this pricier powder predator is lighter, more responsive, and more aggressive than the standard Golden Orca, thanks to Lib Tech鈥檚 most advanced construction. Evolutionary enhancements include a lightweight yet snappy core crafted from aspen, paulownia, balsa, and recycled plastic bottles. A laminate layup of unidirectional carbon, carbon mesh, and magnesium fiber bands delivers springloaded power and surprisingly quick edge-to-edge action given the width, and a recessed, three-dimensional nose and tail provide minimal swing weight.
Lib鈥檚 technological alchemy strikes paydirt on- and off-piste. After local shop tech and no-holds-barred freerider Anthony Santos lapped Sugar Bowl鈥檚 iconic Palisades鈥攁 fin-featured spine zone reminiscent of Alaska鈥攈e affirmed that the Apex thrives in steep terrain. Santos complimented the Apex Golden Orca鈥檚 combo of Magne-traction (Lib鈥檚 signature serrated edges) and a mid-stiff flex pattern that supplies 鈥渆xcellent bite on icy steeps and eats up chunder and the competition.鈥
Tahoe snowboard guide Andrew Allisandratos expressed testers鈥 thoughts on airtime well: 鈥淚 felt like I could fly to the moon and stomp the landing as well. This might be the best board I鈥檝e ever ridden.鈥 A local pro accustomed to filming in no-fall-zone steeps and spinning off puckering cliffs summed it up: 鈥淣ot much this board can鈥檛 handle.鈥
While positive feedback outweighed the negative, there were just a few critiques. One sidecut snob did find the serrated edges catchy on hardpack (if you鈥檝e tried Magne-traction and you鈥檙e not a fan, keep that in mind), and the carbon craft isn鈥檛 as forgiving in chop as its damper, more affordable brother, the original Golden Orca. Otherwise, the few negatives were more warnings than anything else: this board isn鈥檛 for beginners or intermediates, and it performs best when ridden aggressively.

Jones Hovercraft 2.0
Sizing: 144, 148, 152, 156, 160, 164 cm
Genre: Alternative Freeride/Powder
Profile: Directional Rocker, with camber between the bindings
Shape: Directional
Flex: 7/10
Waist Width: 26.3 cm (156 cm)
Sidecut: 9 m (156 cm)
Pros and Cons
鈯 Fluid, natural turns and glide in powder
鈯 Versatile powder craft that might turn into your daily driver
鈯 Radical stringers are derived from reclaimed snowboards
鈯 The XXL nose can feel unwieldy in chop and tight trees for lighter riders
The Jones鈥 Hovercraft sports the spiffy 鈥2.0鈥 suffix since 2024, a rare honor bestowed only upon boards that have undergone serious re-design. The updated, now unisex shape retains the volume-shifted waist, lengthy sidecut, subtle, and stubby swallowtail that earned the original board a cult following (peep to observe ripping worshippers at play). The 2.0 designation is earned by drastic, three-dimensional changes to the nose and tail as well as an exciting, eco-friendly overhaul to the construction.
The spooned-out nose jumped from teaspoon to tablespoon, with Jones increasing the bevel of the concave shape from 7 millimeters to a whopping 12 millimeters, hoping to spark more synaptic turn initiation. The mission was a success according to tester Gela Malek Pour, a Mammoth freestyle coach who owns an older Hovercraft. 鈥淭urn initiation is effortless,鈥 she reported after analyzing the board鈥檚 arcing acumen in powder, chop, and on manicured groomers during our 2023 test at Sugar Bowl. Tester John Lauer, a snowboard buyer for local shop, Tahoe Sports Hub, agreed, calling edge-to-edge action 鈥渟o smooth. They nailed the positioning of the spoon tech.鈥 Lauer also noted that the tail of the 2.0鈥搘hich now sports an aggressively channeled hull for improved glide鈥搒eems more forgiving than the OG version, but still trustworthy on edge.
Tester Andrew Allisandratos, a splitboard guide for Blackbird Mountain Guides, appreciated the long, arc-swooping sidecut. 鈥淚t shines laying carves and throwing slashes,鈥 he said. However, there were a few testers, some lighter and with smaller boots, who felt outgunned by the width and stiffness of the nose, particularly when riding tracked-out zones or making tighter turns. 鈥淭he Hovercraft will hover above any depth of powder and bite into a groomer of any firmness,鈥 acknowledged one a ripping local lady, who was appreciative of Jones鈥 serrated traction tech along the sidecut. 鈥淚t holds a solid edge鈥搊nce you get there鈥揵ut it needs a stern talking to in order to achieve small turns.鈥
And on the construction side? The Hovercraft 2.0鈥檚 sustainably sourced wood core is now reinforced by stringers sliced from reclaimed snowboards鈥揳 novel technique that makes this Jones the most eco-friendly option in their lineup so far. That makes this board a win-win option in our book.

Stranda Biru
Sizing: 150, 154, 157 cm
Genre: Alternative All-Mountain/Volume-Shifted Powder
Profile: Camber with early rise nose
Shape: Directional
Flex: 7/10
Waist Width: 27 cm (154 cm)
Sidecut: 6.7 m (154 cm)
Pros and Cons
鈯 Versatile, volume-shifted shape balances next-level float and agility
鈯 Sidecut and camber provide locked-in, ultra-stable carves
鈯 A unique shape from a boutique brand
鈯 Minimal size run
鈯 Unwieldy for some lighter riders
The Biru is not your typical Swedish fish. A brawny, barrel-chested beast of a board from Stranda, a Scandinavian purveyor of premium powder craft and turning tools, this volume-shifted shape is designed to be ridden four-to-five centimeters smaller than your standard stick. And even after sizing down, you鈥檒l still find the Biru an exceptionally confidence-inspiring ride thanks to its massive yet manageable nose, camber underfoot, gently serrated sidecut, and a reliable backbone of poplar, paulownia, and ash.
鈥淭his board is the most stable thing I鈥檝e ever ridden,鈥 exclaimed Tahoe snowboard filmer Riley Bathurst during our 2023 test.
For shop tech Anthony Santos, the Biru鈥檚 relatively long effective edge, stout tail, and goldilocks flex in the nose sparked a borderline religious experience on rail. 鈥淧erfect flex, stiff enough to handle speed but soft enough for slalom-like carves. The nose is a thing of beauty, God鈥檚 perfect mid-volume creation,鈥 he proclaimed. While all testers agreed that the Biru supplies stability, float, and surfy slashes in spades, a handful of our lighter riders (those who weigh less than 160 pounds), wished for a smaller, more manageable size than the 154-centimeter length we had on tap at our test. Limited size run aside, the stoke was high for this versatile all-mountain ride.

Public Statement
Will Be Available in October 2024
Sizing: 150, 154, 157 cm
Genre: All-Mountain Freestyle/Park/Street
Profile: Camber, with flat sections at contact points
Shape: Twin
Flex: Medium-soft
Waist Width: 25.6 cm (154 cm)
Sidecut: 8 m (154 cm)
Pros and Cons
鈯 Ready to demolish steel and concrete
鈯 Trustworthy twin shape rides switch with ease
鈯 Poppy core with carbon reinforcements yields snappy ollies
鈯 Durable
鈯 Locking into presses was tough for lighter testers
Jonesing for a jib board that can hang in the streets, on jump lines, and at the resort at large? The Public Statement fits the bill. The pro model of Dutch rail royalty Kas Lemmens, the Statement embodies the gimmick-free ethos of Public, a small-scale board builder founded by Minnesota鈥檚 own sultan of streets and Hyland Hills heavy-hitter, Joe Sexton.
The Statement has payloads of pop thanks to its cambered twin shape, mid-wide waist and an overall middling flex that鈥檚 amped up at the contact points with four strips of carbon. 鈥淎 remarkable combination of soft torsional flex with plenty of pop in the nose and tail makes this deck poppy, stable, and maneuverable,鈥 commented an occasional park rat who was stoked to dust the cobwebs of his rail game on the Statement.
鈥淧redictability is a 10/10, inspiring confidence to charge and trick the features you鈥檝e been avoiding all season.鈥 However, it鈥檚 worth noting that while aggressive riders were able to lock in to presses, loading those carbon-reinforced zones, lighter riders more accustomed to softer jib boards found the nose and tail on the stiff side.
Bottom line? Ready for a riotous session at your local rope tow, peak-to-park laps at your home mountain, and a nocturnal mission to that street spot you鈥檝e been scoping for months, the Statement is a freestyle weapon from a brand any bona fide boarder will be stoked to support.

Burton Family Tree 3D Deep Daze
Sizing: 149, 154, 159
Genre: Powder
Profile: Directional Flat Top (Flat underfoot, rockered nose)
Shape: Directional
Flex: Medium
Waist Width: 25.5 cm (154)
Sidecut: 6.2m (154)
Pros and Cons
鈯 Delivers constant energy and float
鈯 More versatile than expected
鈯 Small, soft tail overwhelmed on gnarlier drops
鈯 Short running length and softer flex aren鈥檛 ideal for steeper, longer pitches
A recent addition to Burton鈥檚 experimental Family Tree line, the 3D Deep Daze is a futuristic deep-snow skiff that riffs on a storied surfboard technology: channels. Channels are hydrodynamic grooves in the bottom of a surfboard that purposefully funnel water, assisting with speed generation and purchase. If you want to nerd out, dive into this . Now, three-dimensional bases aren鈥檛 rare in snowboarding鈥攂rands like Bataleon, Burton, Morrow, and more have been experimenting with this tech for years鈥揵ut channeled bases have typically been reserved for chasing barrels, not blower.
That said, shapers of powsurfers鈥攂oards meant to be ridden without bindings in untouched powder鈥攍ike and have been bringing channel tech to snow, as the dynamics of powder and water aren鈥檛 so different. The Deep Daze isn鈥檛 a powsurfer鈥攊t鈥檚 meant to be ridden with bindings鈥攂ut it gives traditional snowboarders a chance to get tubed when the forecast is firing.
鈥淓ven though I鈥檝e ridden plenty of contoured bases, I鈥檇 never tried anything like that,鈥 reported a still-reeling tester after riding the Deep Daze on the deepest days of our 2023 test at Sugar Bowl. He claimed the channels produced 鈥渟urfy drive and energy through turns.鈥 Add to that a flat base, rockered nose, and mid-soft flex, and the 3D Deep Daze 鈥減umped, bounced, and buttered through powder like a peyote-popping porpoise on a vision quest.鈥
Testers were astounded by the balance of nimbleness and float of the 154, which has a relatively wide 30.5-centimeter nose, two centimeters of taper, a fairly narrow 25.5-centimeter waist, and a tight 6.2-meter sidecut radius. 鈥淚 have no problem riding a 25.5-cm-waisted board in deep snow, but I鈥檇 expect the length to be closer to my normal freeride specs of 158 to 160,鈥 said our incredulous tester. 鈥淚f you told me that I鈥檇 have some of my most memorable powder turns of the year on a flat-based 154 with a 25.5-cm waist and a 100-centimeter running length, I鈥檇 have called you crazy.鈥
Thanks to an alchemical amalgamation of flex, specs, and a dash of borrowed surf tech, the Deep Daze threaded trees like yarn bombers. But freeriders who preferred firmer equipment for high-speed big mountain riding dubbed it a specialized board best saved for powder days. 鈥淭oo soft,鈥 said one. 鈥淚n specific conditions, this board will blow your mind. Think Hokkaido, Japan.鈥 On the other hand, riders used to softer sticks gave the shape more credit. 鈥淚 was pleasantly surprised,鈥 wrote jibby snowboard instructor . 鈥淚t carves smoothly on groomers and the channels make riding powder effortless. I liked riding this in all conditions.鈥 Meanwhile, , a Sugar Bowl park crew member said it was 鈥淓xactly the playful-to-control ratio I like.鈥

How to Choose Snowboards
Shopping for snowboards is like dropping a cliff: It鈥檚 equal parts exciting and nerve-wracking. But if you do your homework before you send it, chances are you鈥檒l ride out just fine. Here are a few tips to help you stick your landing:
Ride as Many Boards as Possible
Demo boards, swap with your friends, and do whatever it takes to ride as many boards as you can. Testing a diverse range of boards will expand your snowboard lexicon. You can read reviews all day long, but nothing informs your decision-making like time on snow.
If you鈥檙e relatively new to the game, experimenting is especially important: you鈥檙e still developing your preferences, and riding more boards will speed up that process. If you鈥檙e an old head who鈥檚 been riding the same style of board for decades, don鈥檛 be afraid to break out of your shell and try something new. The exception is complete newbies, as switching boards before you know how to turn properly may only frustrate you. Get a board that works, stick with it, and postpone demo sprees until you can comfortably tackle intermediate and advanced terrain.
Shop By Riding Style
Here are the three most common board styles:
Freestyle Boards: Freestyle or park boards are on the shorter side, which makes them easier to spin. They鈥檙e often true twins, meaning they鈥檙e symmetrical from nose to tail, facilitating landing and riding switch. Directional twins are also common: These boards are symmetrical in shape but not in flex pattern or profile, or vice versa. Some park boards are softer, allowing riders to flex, press, and butter, while others are stiffer to handle heavy landings and hold an edge in halfpipes.
Freeride Boards: Freeride boards are designed for speed and stability when charging groomers, riding off-piste, and ripping backcountry conditions. They鈥檙e usually directional (the nose and tail are defined) and tapered (the nose is wider than the tail). Directional shapes float and carve well, but riding switch isn鈥檛 a cakewalk. Many freeride boards are also stiffer, supplying stability for big mountain charging, while others are soft for cruising mellow powder.
All-Mountain Boards: All-mountain shapes blend the freestyle elements of park boards and the big-mountain chops of freeride decks. They鈥檙e meant to be ridden, as the name suggests, all over the mountain鈥攖hey can ride switch through the park one lap and bomb a hike-to chute the next. If you鈥檙e unsure of where to start or you only have a budget for one board, go with a versatile all-mountain board. These shapes are usually directional or directional twins.
Consider Profile
Profile refers to the curvature that鈥檚 visible when you lay a board flat on the ground and look at it from the side. It is a critical element of board design, as it dictates how and where a board interacts with snow. There are two primary profiles to be familiar with: camber and rocker.
Camber: Camber is the time-honored, traditional profile. Lay a cambered board flat, and it looks like an upside-down U. The board will touch the ground near the nose and tail, but the center will be raised. This curvature supplies drive, stability, and edge hold鈥搃t allows riders to flex into the deck and dig into the snow. It鈥檚 also a principal ingredient in pop production鈥攊f you like to send ollies to the moon or carve aggressively on groomers, camber is your launch pad.
Rocker: Rocker is reversed camber. Lay a rockered board flat, and it鈥檚 shaped like a U. You鈥檒l find a single low point in the center of the board while the nose and tail float off the ground. Rocker provides a fun, skatey ride. It鈥檚 easy to turn and enables you to weight your back foot and float through deep powder. However, it鈥檚 not as reliable in technical steeps, on icy hardpack, or on high-speed straight lines.
Hybrid Camber: Hybrid profiles mix rocker and camber. These combos usually attempt to blend the skatey, buoyant, easy-turning aspects of rocker with the pop, stability, and edge hold of camber.
Sizing Tips
Sizing a board can be just as tricky as picking one in the first place. Sizing depends on a number of factors, both in terms of the board itself and the rider who鈥檚 rocking it. Here are a few to keep in mind.
Board Length and Rider Height: Back in the day, length was the primary measurement taken into account when sizing a board. You鈥檇 walk into a shop, a stoned teenager would hold a board up to see if it reached between your chin and nose, and bingo: you were on your way. But this outdated method doesn鈥檛 account for weight, which is arguably a more important data point. Nor does it touch on board width, as wider shapes are more common these days.
Rider Weight: Weight, more so than height, is what enables a rider to flex a board and engage its camber profile. Many brands鈥 size charts don鈥檛 mention height but do include rider weight ranges. This is a solid place to start.
Skill Level: If you鈥檙e a beginner, look at softer, forgiving shapes鈥攁nd if you鈥檙e between sizes, err shorter. For example, if you weigh 170 pounds and you鈥檙e deciding between a 157-centimeter option that鈥檚 recommended for 120-180 pounds and a 159 that鈥檚 recommended for 140-200 pounds, go with the 157. A smaller board is going to be much easier to turn and better suited for learning. If you鈥檙e an intermediate, size in the middle of your weight range and consider slightly stiffer all-mountain shapes鈥搕hese boards will allow you to progress and build upon the skills you developed on a softer, shorter shape. If you鈥檙e an advanced rider, your board sizing depends more on riding style.
Riding Style: As we mentioned earlier, different boards are meant for different objectives. Rail riders like small, easy-to-spin boards, while freeriders appreciate the stability of a longer effective edge when speeding down big mountain lines. If you ride everything, a complete dream quiver might look like this: 152 rail board, 155 park board, 158 all-mountain board, 160 freeride board, 161 powder board. That said, we recognize most people can鈥檛 afford a full quiver. So, when in doubt, go with an all-mountain shape and size to get the most versatility for your buck. That 158 can still hit jumps and rails, and on powder days, you can set back your bindings for more float.
Snow Conditions: Powder-specific boards are usually longer, wider, or both, providing more surface area and float in deep snow. If you frequent a powder-blessed location like Japan, you鈥檒l want to size up. If you live on the East Coast, that might not be necessary.
Boots: If you have large boots, particularly in relation to your height and weight, you may need to consider a mid-wide or wide board. The last thing you want is toe or heel drag, which will happen on a board that鈥檚 too narrow for your boot length.
Volume-Shifted Shapes: Some boards, referred to as volume-shifted shapes, are meant to be ridden shorter than traditional snowboards. Volume-shifted shapes condense the surface area and float of a longer shape into a more maneuverable package. Usually, a brand will supply sizing recommendations for volume-shifted shapes. Once you figure out your standard board sizing鈥攍ike the 158 all-mountain shape we discussed above鈥攜ou鈥檒l be able to size volume-shifted shapes accordingly.
Demo Multiple Sizes: Again, the best way to develop your understanding of snowboard sizes is to keep demoing boards. Don鈥檛 just demo different boards from different brands, either鈥攊f possible, demo the same board, from the same brand, in slightly different sizes, and test them in varied conditions.
A Note On Picking Between Unisex, Women鈥檚, and Men鈥檚 Boards
Many snowboarders use gender to narrow down their search for the right board, which is totally fine, and in many instances a helpful tool to sift through the myriad of options on the market. However, gender doesn鈥檛 dictate what boards you can and can鈥檛 ride. Far from it. In fact, many of our male and female snowboard testers ride unisex boards, which are becoming increasingly popular as brands turn away from largely unhelpful gender constraints. Some of our female testers even ride men鈥檚 boards (and vice versa), especially if they have bigger boots or prefer a stiffer flex pattern.
Women鈥檚 boards, in general, are sized smaller and more flexible compared to men鈥檚 boards. Other than those key attributes, the biggest difference between men鈥檚 boards and women鈥檚 boards often comes down to graphics, which might impact the aesthetic of your kit, but not the way a board performs on the hill.
As you shop, pay attention to gender if that鈥檚 important to you. However, always remember that it鈥檚 more critical to consider factors like flex, board length, recommended rider weights, board width (your boot size is a critical factor in determining what board widths you should gravitate towards), et cetera.
How We Test
- Number of testers: 30
- Snowboards tested: 50
- Brands represented: 25
- Average board score: 68%
- Highest board score: 91% (Nitro Alternator)
- Furthest a tester traveled to join the fray: Tokyo to Reno, 5,198 miles
- Most money a tester won hitting the casinos in Reno: Approx. $420
- Cases of Fat Tire remaining at the end of the test: 0
This year鈥檚 snowboard test was well-timed. We scheduled our annual board test in late February, which, by chance, turned out to be a couple of days after a massive storm deposited over 10 feet of snow in the highest and harshest reaches of the Sierra鈥攁n awe-inspiring, shred-rich range that traces the border of California and Nevada. Once the roads opened and local testers shoveled their way out of neck-deep driveways, our crew assembled in the Biggest Little City in the World: Reno, Nevada, our basecamp for this year鈥檚 board test.

Each morning, we made the quick trip from Reno up to the slopes of Diamond Peak Ski Resort. There are certainly more famous resorts in Lake Tahoe, and the Diamond Peak locals wouldn鈥檛 have it any other way. The resort is on the small side, but it boasts an impressive 1,840 feet of vertical, the fourth highest in Lake Tahoe鈥攏ot to mention ripping groomers, excellent tree-skiing, and non-existent crowds. While droves of Tahoe tourists flock to bigger resorts on mega passes, Diamond Peak is hidden in plain sight along the northeast shore of the lake, and is publicly owned by the community of Incline Village. The lift tickets are relatively cheap, the vibe is a throwback to mom-and-pop resorts of yore, and the secret stashes stay secret a little longer than you might expect on a powder day.
The storm gave way to sunny days, and we spent the test week exploring Diamond Peak, enjoying wind-loaded powder, manicured groomers, wind-scoured crud, and warming slush. We also checked out the surrounding sidecountry, accessed from a gate at the top of the Crystal Express chair. We had 32 testers in the mix, enough to handle 70 decks submitted by brands big and boutique alike. Riders made the pilgrimage from as far as Salt Lake City, and one snowboard instructor even caught a flight from Japan after spending a season in Hokkaido. But the vast majority of our test team consisted of local Tahoe and Reno riders. Skill sets ranged from intermediate to expert鈥攁 critical mix to assess which boards are best for each specific skill level.
After hammering two or three laps on a board鈥攐ccasionally more if the deck deserved it鈥攖esters returned to shredquarters to fill out comprehensive review forms. We scored boards on overall performance, responsiveness, turning ability, pop, and performance at speed. We had testers dive deep on flex, carving chops, and asked them if they鈥檇 spend their hard-earned cash on each board. Then, we grabbed a drill or screwdriver, found a new steed, swapped bindings, and hit the slopes. Rip, review, wrench, repeat.
We also ran extended testing throughout the rest of the season, seeking to put higher-scoring gear through as many conditions and scenarios as possible. Testers took select splits, solids, boots, bindings, and accessories on trips to Japan, Norway, Utah, Montana, Washington, and beyond. They almost tested through summer, riding at their home mountains of Palisades and Mammoth until the end of May. Finally, I sorted through over 350 feedback forms before identifying the top picks and writing these reviews.
Meet Our Testers
Drew Zieff
is a Tahoe-based freelance writer and a lifelong snowboarder. In addition to directing 翱耻迟蝉颈诲别鈥檚 snowboard and splitboard gear tests鈥攁 role he鈥檚 handled since 2016鈥攈e directs Backcountry Magazine鈥檚 splitboard test and nerds out on snowboard gear and travel for REI, Gear Junkie, Gear Patrol, and Popular Mechanics, among others. He spends his winters testing snowboard and splitboard gear in his backyard backcountry zones or up at Palisades Tahoe, as well as chasing stories and storms to snowboard meccas like Japan and Norway. His summers? They鈥檙e mainly spent at his desk, sifting through review forms and spec sheets, compiling our snowboard reviews鈥攁lthough he occasionally disappears in his custom-built 2006 Chevy Express for a few days when there鈥檚 swell on the coast.
Chris Cloyd
The only thing more eclectic than Chris Cloyd鈥檚 riding style is his resume. A former touring musician, former personal trainer, and still-holding-on endurance athlete who lives in June Lake, CA, Chris Cloyd spends his winters splitboard guiding, teaching AIARE courses, and handling radministrative duties for . In his free time, you can find him crushing couloirs deep in the Eastern Sierras or putting solid boards through their paces at June Mountain. A fan of strong coffee and heavy metal who often combines the two on his way to shred, Cloyd is not remotely gentle on his gear鈥攈e lives to thrash.
Tyler Macleod
Tyler Macleod is a diehard snowboard nerd who resides in Denver, although his heart still lies in his former home of Winter Park, CO, which he continues to visit as often as I-80 traffic allows. While Macleod now works in the beer industry, he鈥檚 the former product editor of Transworld Snowboarding. He brings skills and snowboard knowledge gleaned from running 罢谤补苍蝉飞辞谤濒诲鈥檚 world-famous 鈥淕ood Wood鈥 test to our annual board testing.