Like to cruise groomed runs? Float through powder? Hammer chutes? Ride the rails? The right snowboard for you is one designed for your preferred terrain.

The learning curve on a snowboard is fast, so if you’re a beginner, you should consider buying a board that will accommodate improving skills.

Before you buy, take time to learn about the types, sizes and shapes of snowboards so you can make a wise choice.

TYPES OF SNOWBOARDS

All-mountain Best for any terrain and conditions. All-mountain snowboards perform anywhere on a mountain—groomed runs, backcountry, even park and pipe. They may be directional (meaning downhill only) or twin-tip (for riding switch, meaning either direction).

Most boarders ride all-mountain boards. Because of their versatility, all-mountain boards are good for beginners who are still learning what terrain they like.

Freestyle Best for a playful ride in and out of the park. Freestyle snowboards are light, short and flexible with twin tips. They are good for riders who want a lively ride anywhere on the mountain, or those who like to push their limits in terrain parks; they’re not so good for stability or cruising fast on hard snow.

Splitboard Best for climbing in the backcountry. These backcountry-specific boards split in half to create 2 skis and permit climbing on untracked backcountry slopes. You later reconnect the halves and ride downhill.

It’s a great design for adventurous backcountry devotees who have the knowledge, skills and confidence to safely explore unpatrolled slopes. You’ll also need climbing skins and a split kit, usually sold separately.

Women’s Snowboards Women-specific boards match a woman’s frame and stance, with narrower waist widths (for smaller feet), slightly less camber and softer flex (engineered for the way women drive energy into a board). Taller women, particularly those with a boot size of 9 or higher, may find it useful to look at some boards in the men’s category.

Kids’ Snowboards While kids grow fast, parents should avoid buying an adult board, hoping your child will grow into it. An oversized board can be unmanageable for a child and slow their skill development.

CAMBER / ROCKER

Camber (also known as regular or positive camber) delivers a lively, stable ride and provides pop and responsiveness on hardpack or groomed runs, especially when powering out of turns. Experienced, speed-oriented riders favor cambered boards.

Flat (neutral, or no camber). Enables quick turns and maximum feel while increasing float.

Rocker (aka reverse camber) creates upturned tips and tails. The design excels in powder and when jibbing or riding rails in the park. Rockered boards are softer than cambered boards and often appeal to novice riders. Experienced riders, though, can still coax powerful rides out of them.

Mixed camber (or modified rocker) has exploded in popularity, and manufacturers have hatched lots of rocker variations to address specific performance attributes, too many to explain here.

SNOWBOARD SHAPES

Directional boards are designed to be ridden forward (downhill).

True twins are symmetrical in construction and exhibit no difference in performance whether you ride them forward or backward. This makes them a popular choice for park and pipe riding.

Directional twin boards are good for people who ride all over the mountain, from groomers to the park.

SNOWBOARD SIZING

Length: Stand a board on its tail. Its nose should reach somewhere between a rider’s nose and chin. Fast, aggressive riders often prefer a longer board. Park riders eager to hit lots of jumps and twists may want a very short board.

Weight: Recommended rider weights may be listed in the spec charts of individual boards.

Width: Riders with large feet (men U.S. size 11 and higher; women size 10+), should consider wide boards. Toes or heels that excessively overhang snowboard edges could cause drag and diminish performance. A little overhang is fine, though; it gives you more leverage during turns.

OTHER SNOWBOARD FEATURES

Sidecut Radius This term describes the curve of a board’s edges. Deeper sidecut (lower numbers, in centimeters): These boards have narrower waists, so they turn quickly and easily. Good for beginners and park riders. Shallow sidecut (higher numbers): Because they have wider waists, these boards float more easily on soft snow. They do a good job of handling high speeds and powering through crud.

Effective Edge Snowboards have metal edges that bite into snow to provide control and steering. A snowboard’s “effective edge” (measured in centimeters) is the edge section that actually touches the snow or ice throughout your descent.

“Multi-radial” edge designs also exist, another variation that snowboard makers offer to make their boards stand out. Usually it means they offer better control on ice.

Flex A board can flex 2 ways. Longitudinal flex is the flex along the board’s length (most important to most boarders). Torsional flex is the flex across the board’s width.

Soft flex boards are forgiving and easy to turn. They’re usually preferred by beginners, riders with lower body weights and park riders.

Stiff flex boards provide more grip when turning and hold speeds better than softer boards. They also hold an edge better when descending fast.

Base materials Two types of polyethylene (PE) are used in snowboard bases:

Binding compatibility

Snowboards offer several different mounting options for bindings. Make sure your bindings and your board are compatible.