For each style of snowboarder, there is an ideal snowboard, the perfect tool to allow you to ride your best. Whether you like charging down groomers, playing in the terrain park, or anything in between, there is a snowboard catered to that style of riding. In our men’s snowboard buying guide, we’ve compiled a list of some of the latest and greatest snowboards to help you sift through the options and find that perfect board. Before we get into our snowboard recommendations, let’s break down some need-to-know info when shopping for a new snowboard.
Snowboard Sizing
Getting the right snowboard size is imperative when shopping for snowboards. Snowboard length is loosely based on the weight of the rider; i.e. a 160-pound snowboarder will want a 154-162cm snowboard. However, the length of the board will also come down to preference. A longer snowboard will control better at high speeds, but be a little less maneuverable and agile than a shorter board.
The width of your snowboard is also important and depends on boot size. Snowboarders with longer feet will need a wider board so that their toes don’t hang too far off the edge and drag in the snow. On the flip side, you also don’t want a board that is too wide, as it will be very difficult to control. Use OnTheSnow’s snowboard sizing guide to find the right snowboard size.
Snowboard Styles
In-bounds snowboard styles can generally be broken down into the following categories: All-mountain, freeride, freestyle, and powder. The stiffness, shape, and rocker/camber of the boards are the factors that determine what style of riding each snowboard is best for.
All-mountain snowboards are the multi-tool of the snowboard world, designed to perform well in any terrain on any type of snowpack. If you like to ride everywhere on the mountain, from groomers to glades to park, all-mountain snowboards are for you.
Freeride snowboards are built for riders who spend most of their time off the groomed trails, charging hard through varied terrain. More experienced and aggressive riders will usually desire freeride snowboards. They are typically on the stiffer side and ridden in longer sizes for better control at high speeds through choppy snow, and have a cambered profile for responsive carving.
Freestyle snowboards are usually built with a softer flex and ridden in smaller sizes, optimal for lapping the terrain park or bouncing through the trees. Freestyle snowboards generally have more rocker for more playfulness and are appealing for their maneuverability. Newer snowboarders may lean toward a freestyle snowboard as they are more forgiving and easier to control.
Powder snowboards are designed for surfing through deep snow. They tend to have a wide nose for maximum surface area which facilitates floatation, and the bindings are generally set further back on the board to keep that nose on top of the snow and to have the steering generated with your back foot. Much like freestyle snowboards, powder snowboards are built with rocker to be extra playful in the deep stuff.
Now that we’ve gone over the basics, let’s check out some of the best gear available this season.
Top Men’s Snowboards
Jones Mountain Twin (All-Mountain)
MSRP: $549
Jones describes its Mountain Twin as freestyle meets freeride. It’s a playful ripper for the park, yet a do-everything board for taking things outside the park. The Jones Mountain Twin CamRock profile and mid-stiff flex make it perfect for park features, while it’s easy to turn and maneuver in tight terrain. Completing the package are freestyle and freeriding inserts to change up your stance as conditions vary. As Jones writes on its website, “It’s built to shred the whole mountain like it’s an endless skatepark without sacrificing float in pow or stability for bombing lines.” For one board that can do it all, the Jones Mountain Twin is hard to beat.
Capita Mega Mercury (All-Mountain)
MSRP: $800
“Behold,” declares Capita, “The consummate anytime, any-place, all-terrain, snow-slaying device: The MEGA MERC.” The MEGA MERC is a top-of-the-line all-mountain snowboard that can rip through everything. Its mid-level flex handles well at high speeds, while still being playful enough for bouncing off jibs and side hits. Capita’s MEGA MERC has a positive camber underfoot for responsive carving, with a reverse camber at the tip and tail for surfing through powder. For the insatiable rider who loves tearing up any terrain, the MEGA MERC is the machine for you.
Burton Family Tree Hometown Hero (All-Mountain)
MSRP: $670
For a versatile all-mountain snowboard, look no further than the Burton Family Tree Hometown Hero. Burton’s Hometown Hero truly excels everywhere, hard charging down groomers, zooming through tight trees, and meandering through powder bowls. It’s a great option for those searching for one board to rule them all. The experts at Burton say that “the directional shape has enough taper to float the nose on deeper days, while the board’s directional camber and flex maintain the pop to keep it lively in all conditions and terrain.” It’s suitable for intermediate to expert riders.
Ride Deep Fake (All-Mountain/Freeride)
MSRP: $700
Ride’s Deep Fake, an early-season fan favorite, is a stiffer board designed for more advanced and aggressive riders. It feels stable, and provides quick edge-to-edge control across the mountain, so you can plow through chop and crud. The experts at Ride say that “with a directional extra camber profile, this board is built for stability and pop while giving just enough rise in the nose to float on those deeper days.” The Deep Fake features the brand-new Metal Slim Wall construction, a section of titanal metal layered with urethane running the edge of the board, increasing dampening, durability, and responsiveness, making it a powerful ripper from groomers to powder and everything in between.
Capita Aeronaut (All-Mountain/Freestyle)
MSRP: $650
The Capita Aeronaut is a directional board designed in collaboration with pro rider Arthur Longo. It boasts a traditional sidecut and progressive camber that makes it feel poppy and snappy but with a strong edge hold. The Aeronaut isn’t the stiffest snowboard on the market, but that makes it a great daily driver. Its medium flex makes it super versatile and able to handle any resort and any condition. Capita says that with “a lightweight and extremely durable Panda Hover Core™, the Aeronaut has the power to charge through terrain at high speeds and pop off any enticing features.” It’s the perfect board for those looking for something floaty, energetic, and effortless.
Jones Mind Expander (Freeride)
MSRP: $600
While Jones’ directional snowboard is great for all types of riding, from deep powder to park, it excels in freeriding. The Jones Mind Expander is a directional board for optimal maneuverability, bobbing and weaving through the trees with ease and still charging down hardpack with authority. It features a softer flex between the feet for smooth and easy turn initiation, with stiff flex at the tip and tail for holding an edge in variable terrain. The Mind Expander blurs the lines between freeride and freestyle snowboards, making it an excellent option for just about anyone.
Never Summer Proto Slinger (Freestyle)
MSRP: $620
The Proto Slinger snowboard from Never Summer is an awesome choice for a freestyle board or for newer snowboarders looking for a fun, smooth ride. It has a super soft flex for playfulness and forgiveness when throwing tricks in the park or off side hits. The Shockwave Rocker Camber makes this a really flowy board, and the asymmetrical edge holds on hard carves. The Proto Slinger is not a one-trick pony, however. “Not only is this board the end-all-be-all of freestyle snowboards,” Never Summer boasts, “it also excels where a freestyle snowboard isn’t supposed to.” Intermediate and advanced riders alike will enjoy this board.
Bataleon Surfer (Powder)
MSRP: $830
It’s all in the name: Surfer. The Bataleon Surfer snowboard was designed for those who like it deep. “The wide, hull-like nose generates unparalleled lift—plowing through deep snow, surfing through slush and mowing over bumps,” write the board-smiths at Bataleon. This is a really soft-flex powder board that makes it easier to press and maneuver through powder. Despite being a powder hound, the Surfer still performs all over the mountain. The aggressive side-cut and deep swallow tail maximizes edge grip over hardpack.
K2 Excavator (Powder)
MSRP: $580
“Named for its intended use, the K2 Excavator specializes in digging deep trenches on groomers and displacing powder after a storm cycle,” says the experts at K2. This board has a more non-traditional shape while still being a versatile board. It has a wider profile, with a bigger nose, shorter tail, and directional shape — perfect for plowing through deep snow and for riders with larger feet. On groomers, it leaves a deep carve and feels energetic coming in and out of them. The Excavator is a great board for an intermediate rider who spends a lot of time in powder but wants something strong for those smooth corduroy days. This board keeps things playful and floaty.
October 25, 2023
