Snowboards

Tips on Buying a Snowboard

Before you shop, let’s get you fitted. To ensure our products are the right fit and size for you, check out our Snowboard Sizing Chart and Buyers Guide.

Different Snowboard Types

Most snowboards can be ridden in any type of terrain. However, there are specialized boards from multiple brands designed to help you get the most out of your experience.

All-Mountain Snowboards
A versatile board for all terrain and conditions.
A great beginner board, all-mountain can be used on any terrain. With a slight set back stance, usually a directional flex, and a slightly deeper side cut, the all-mountain style caters to riders who want one board that can handle it all.

Freestyle Snowboards
For the playful rider in and out of the park.
Freestyle snowboards are made for tricks, jumps and hit jibs. They are light, short and flexible. Good for riders who want a lively ride anywhere on the mountain, or those who like to push their limits in terrain parks.

Freeride Snowboards
Created for snow lovers. Designed to go fast.
For smooth, controlled riding and carving the Freeride board is ideal. Slightly longer, with quick response and narrow or wide designs, they are meant for higher speed and cleaner carved turns. With a setback stance and more nose than tail, this snowboard will deliver quick edge turns and stability for speed.

Powder Snowboards
For riding deep snow, back bowls and tree runs.
TThis is not your everyday board. Powder boards are ideal for seeking the deepest powder and slaying turns in the backcountry or deep bowls. They have a directional shape, and are wider in the nose than in the tail. This helps the nose float and the tail sink for sharper performance and an aggressive feel, making them more challenging to ride.

Splitboards
Best for climbing in the backcountry.
For the adventurous spirit, the Splitboard can be separated into two ski-like parts used with climbing skins to trek up backcountry slopes. Once you find the summit, the two halves can be connected to form a regular snowboard for a memorable, downhill ride.

Snowboard Shapes

Asymmetrical
Asymmetrical snowboards incorporate a sharper, deeper sidecut on the heel edge compared to the toe edge. The core is also softer on the heel side. This allows the rider to flex the board more on heel side for a tighter, more precise and more natural feeling turn, giving the rider better balance and maneuverability.

Directional
Directional snowboards are designed to be ridden in your natural stance and to go in one direction much easier than the other. With a pointier nose and stiffer tail, a directional board maintains stability better at high speed and is great for cruising and carving.

Twin
The tip (top half) and tail (bottom half) are identical in twin boards and the flex is the same on both ends. These items are symmetrical in shape and the stance is exactly centered so they ride equally well forwards and backwards (switch), making them perfect for park tricks that require you to take off or land switch.

Directional Twin
At first glance, a directional twin snowboard looks like a twin, but the default stance is slightly set back and/or the flex is not symmetrical. They can also transition easily to the park to perform tricks on rails and jumps.

Tapered Directional
A tapered directional board has a wide nose that is noticeably larger than the width of the tail. Almost everything about the tip and tail are different including flex, sidecut, length and width. The stance is usually setback for a one-directional, surf-style ride. This is the board for freeriders who want to attack tough terrain and off-piste, backcountry powder.

The-House also has a guide on finding the perfect fit snowboard just for you.