There are two marks on the top of the mountain. No pun. They are Burton and Ride. These two companies have been doing it for years, and there is no stopping the competition. But what makes one better than the other?
The real challenge when it comes to riding these boards down the mountain is their sustainability and torque.
Burton has been in the game for more than 30 years. So this gives them an edge over the competition, but the ride isn’t new to the game. Each one offers a solid warranty on their products, but overall you want to make sure you have a board you love to ride.
These are some of the types of boards that each of these companies manufactures.
Racing/Alpine: long, narrow, stiff and directional shape. Best on machine prepared slopes. It is most often ridden with a “hard” boot, but it is also ridden recreationally with soft boots, especially by cyclists in Europe.
Freeride: longer and semi-directional. Moderate to stiff in flex. It is used for long, fast turns in various types of snow, from hard packed to soft powder.
Freestyle: Usually shorter in length with a semi-directional or double-ended shape. Moderate to soft in flex. Incorporates a deep sidecut for quick/tight turns. It is used on the pipe and in the park on various jumps and terrain features, including boxes, rails, and tables.
Park/Jib (Rails): Flexible and short, twin-shaped with double flex to allow easy shifting, wider stance, with filed edges. It is used for skateboard parks such as snowboard parks.
All-Mountain: A hybrid between freeride and freestyle boards. The ‘jack of all trades, master of none’. Usually directional with a twin or directional flex. Moderate in flex for various types of terrain.
Split – Not to be confused with the swallowtail, the split board consists of a stable powder board that can be split into two backcountry skis, used when riding in deep backcountry conditions.
Hopefully this helps you find what you need in the vast world of snowboarding.
