Introducing our guide to the best women’s snowboards for the upcoming ski season. We’ll dive into what each snowboard does well and what type of rider the snowboard will be best suited for, but prior to shopping let’s go over some basics about riding style and board types.
Every snowboard has a vast array of tech features built into it that make it more catered for certain conditions and certain riders. Some of these features include flex-level, rocker vs. camber, shape, etc. Based on these features, in-bounds snowboards can be broken down into roughly four categories: all-mountain, freeride, freestyle, and powder.
Snowboard Styles
All-Mountain snowboards are designed with versatility in mind. These snowboards are forged for the rider who relishes in cruising the entire mountain: groomers, glades, moguls, park, and powder. All-mountain snowboards generally have a medium amount of flex that offers solid control at speed but is still flowy, with a combination of rocker and camber that creates the perfect all-mountain ride.
Freeride snowboards are generally built for more aggressive riders. Freeride boards excel in off-piste riding, charging through variable snow at high speeds. They are usually built with a stiffer flex for optimal responsiveness at high speeds, with a cambered profile for idealized edging.
Freestyle snowboards tend to have softer flex and are designed to be playful and forgiving. They are often ridden in shorter sizes that make the board more agile. This makes freestyle snowboards ideal for experienced park riders looking for a park board and beginner all-mountain riders alike since they are easy to maneuver.
Powder snowboards are built for advanced riders surfing deep snow. They generally have a directional shape that helps keep weight on your back foot and are built with a fat nose to maximize surface area and floatation through fresh snow. Powder boards are often built with rocker to make them super flowy and fun to ride in the deeper snow.
These categories are helpful in searching for a snowboard but are not the end-all-be-all of what a board can do. Most snowboards available today are capable of all-mountain riding but excel in one of these categories. As you start shopping for snowboards, one of the most important considerations is the snowboard size. OnTheSnow’s snowboard sizing chart is a good place to start.
Now that we’ve gone over the basics, let’s check out some of the best women’s snowboards available today.
Top Women’s Snowboards
Jones Twin Sister (All-Mountain)
MSRP: $550
The Jones Twin Sister snowboard is among the all-mountain snowboard headliners. It has a medium-stiff flex for optimal responsiveness and stability, without being too rigid. The Twin Sister features camber between the bindings and rocker at the tip and tail, keeping things both powerful and playful. “Featuring a CamRock profile and a friendly flex, the Twin Sister offers amazing float in pow, turns on a dime, and is easy to ride switch or take into the terrain park,” write the experts at Jones.
Never Summer Proto Synthesis (All-Mountain/Freestyle)
MSRP: $610
Never Summer’s Proto Synthesis is another excellent choice for an all-mountain snowboard. This board is designed with Never Summer’s signature Shockwave Rocker Camber, giving you ultimate energy transfer while still maintaining the playfulness of a rockered snowboard. It has a true twin design, great for throwing tricks and riding switch, while the medium stiffness and Power Grip Sidecut holds an edge with the best of them. “On the preeminent women’s all-mountain twin you’ll always get back twice as much as you give,” boasts the board makers at Never Summer. “Simply put, you’ll just ride better.”
Ride Magic Stick (All-Mountain)
MSRP: $500
The Ride Magic Stick is a great board for progressing riders but still has enough under the hood to satisfy the advanced rider. Ride classifies it as “a tapered, directional hybrid shape [that] emphasizes speed, durability, and versatility.” This shape, as well as the slightly wider nose, helps ensure float in softer snow conditions, while the camber gives it a snappy, responsive feel with stability on hardpack. Turn initiation is smooth, so you can feel confident in taking this board all over the mountain.
Jones Women’s Flagship (All-Mountain/Freeride)
MSRP: $700
The Jones Women’s Flagship is a monstrous snowboard, great for the experienced and aggressive rider tearing through variable snow. Jones declares that the Flagship “is one the most confidence-inspiring freeride boards on the planet.” It has a mid-stiff flex coupled with a directional rocker profile, making this thing a speed demon with on-a-dime control. The Flagship also has a tapered tail that sinks in powder for back foot steering, while the wider nose floats like a champ. The Basalt Power Stringers and Power Core increase torsional response while dampening vibrations over choppy snow.
Capita Birds of a Feather (All-Mountain/Freestyle)
MSRP: $550
Capita’s Birds of a Feather has won every major industry design award in recent years, and for good reason. This is a do-it-all snowboard that excels in freestyle riding; an all-mountain snowboard that has an affinity for popping, spinning, and playing. Its flex level is on the softer side of medium for a fun and forgiving ride, while the elongated effective edge maximizes edge control. The Birds of a Feather has positive camber underfoot for the pop and power of a fully cambered board, with reverse camber at the tip and tail to minimize the chance of catching an edge. This gives you peace of mind as you land those park tricks.
Burton Feelgood Flying V (Freestyle)
MSRP: $620
The Burton Feelgood Flying V is another great versatile option. It’s a high-performance board for the entire mountain, and is suitable for a wide array of riders from progressing to advanced. This board has a medium flex and a reverse camber profile, which means it has two camber zones under each foot and a rocker section between your feet. A traditional camber board will carve a bit better and dig into hard snow more, whereas this board will feel balanced and energetic on harder and softer snow. The Feelgood Flying V is fluid, approachable, and easy to maneuver. If deep carves aren’t your main priority then this could be the board for you.
Bataleon ThunderStorm (Freeride/Freestyle)
MSRP: $490
A new board for the 23/24 season, the Bataleon ThunderStorm is a cross between the old Bataleon 2023 Men’s Thunder and Women’s Storm. This makes it more of a unisex board but absolutely suitable for strong female riders. The experts at Bataleon say it’s “built for high energy resort riding and turbo-charged powder descents. A directional ride that has no problem going switch, the ThunderStorm is a true hybrid 3D Freeride board that can still do Freestyle with ease.” This kind of versatility makes it fun to ride everywhere on the mountain.
Salomon No Drama (Freestyle)
MSRP: $500
New from Salomon for the 23/24 season, the No Drama is a solid women’s park and freestyle board. It’s truly designed to crush jumps, rails, and everything in between. The makers at Salomon describe the construction as “using [their] most responsive camber profile and is paired with a versatile flex and sidecut precise maneuver.” The true twin shape helps riders of all abilities ride regular or switch, making for a snappy, responsive, and agile feel. The stiff flex can handle pretty big features, so you’re free to jump, jib, and ride to your heart’s content.
Photo header: ©Breckenridge / Vail Resorts
October 30, 2023
