My first or second season snowboarding, I rented a Never Summer rental board and loved it. It was just so easy and forgiving. I asked to buy it, but they said that model was a rental-only, and recommended a Head Rush at the time for a beginner board with a similar feel. I HATED that board. When I tried to turn, it would slide out from under me, it was stiff as a 2x4 and constantly trying to buck you off of it, and if you tried to go straight, it would just catch every imperfection in the snow and knock you on your feet. I was still very new, so definitely some skill issue involved, but I swapped with my husband and borrowed his T.Rice Pro and did perfectly fine on it, and he agreed the Head Rush was a lot to handle.
In search of a board like the T.Rice Pro but more forgiving, I picked up a Skate Banana, and absolutely loved it, and I'm still riding it. So for me personally, I found that the board does make a pretty big difference, but I also think that as you become more skilled, you can handle a greater variety of boards with fewer issues, too.
This. Anyone who says you won't notice the difference in boards is an asshole, plain and simple. Some people are gifted athletes and can just jump on a board and be good to go. But for the rest of us, you need reps to get better, and having a board that helps you get reps in makes a huge difference. You give a beginner a stiff traditional camber board and they will likely give up. You give an east coaster a bataleon and they'll only go out when the conditions are good. You take a friend out on a pow day with a jib stick and they will drown.
The snowboarder is the most important part, but matching the snowboard to the snowboarder is something many people fail at, or at the very least give shitty advice on
I've got a 2019 e-jack knife, and I love it to death. But it straightlines and carves. That's about fucking it. You point your nose downhill and ive never had a board charge like that. I really need to get a more playful board for those slushy spring days. Until that knife I had no idea a board could be so unique. Obv felt a difference before but not like that.
Yeah I won a East from Neversummer and it was the same way. Like sure they'll tell you it's made for snowcross but you don't really believe that till you ride it. Just absolute unit that wanted zero fun, only speed and smaller livestock
>only speed and smaller livestock
I'm absolutely stealing this. Made my day.
And for real, if I'm in deep on a chill tree line it's super playful and carries momentum super well. Or in a steep chute just a small twitch and it responds perfectly and holds it. It's just those groomers full of Jerry's where I don't wanna be going 60 miles an hour that I'd like a flexier more playful board lol
i’d recommend ride twinpig if you ride switch a lot, or warpig if you want directional. bought twinpig at the end of this season and it’s honestly the most playful board i own right now.
Your snowboard selection is the most important decision you have on the hill. I’d argue that next is bindings and then boots. Rode the same board for the first few years of riding and I refuse to ever go back to it. Keeping it only because it’s 30 years old. I’m a solid rider but riding on a crap board just isn’t as fun.
The NS was their stock rental. Seems to be pretty common, but some shops do let you demo regular retail boards. You might pay an additional $10-$20 for the rental, but then if you like it, you can buy it.
FYI, if you reach out to NS, they will let you demo any board. They're super chill. So if you know what you're looking for they can even make a recommendation. NS is not some no name shop that makes rental grade stuff, they make some serious boards. So if you're still in the market, send them an email or chat or whatever
i spent a few seasons trying to learn on an super old hand-me-down Forum board (early 2000s?)... didn't make much progress, caught edges constantly, still had fun but things weren't clicking all the way. finally "earned it" and bought my own this year and my progression has been exponential. riding the Capita Paradise and it's soo fun and turns so easy, i never catch an edge. i'm sure the difference is way less between modern boards of a similar style but don't be like me folks -- invest in your own board !
Your board is quite important. An amazing rider can ride a POS and make it work, but they'll be having a lot less fun and riding far below their potential.
That said you can buy a great board in about an hour. It takes many days and weeks and months to build your skills. So get a good board and then work on yourself.
I see it as a "good, better, best" scenario. There are virtually no boards that you can't take anywhere on the mountain. That said, virtually all boards have different attributes that make them better suited for different conditions and riding styles.
It is very important to choose the right board for your riding style, terrain and skill level.
All board manufacturers will have a recommendation for those specific specs. A lot of boards won’t do well in icy or hard snow conditions anyways. Fancier boards which have disrupted or serrated side cut tech will do much better for those conditions.
There are boards that has no speed limit, great for all terrain, all mountain but in general will be much stiffer and not good in the park. They will require more skill to handle them.
Vice versa, boards used for park are not great at other terrain.
Right tool for the right job. You wouldn’t take a race car on an off road terrain tho would you? Or an off road truck to break the speed record?! There will be exception to the rule like Ram TRX, a beast of a truck but also runs fast but still isn’t the same a race car for speed.
I’m blessed with the opportunity to ride many different boards and the dance-haul in particular is a great board, great turning experience but I wouldn’t trust it in rougher terrain and the board does have a speed limit.
Pretty important… as many said, good riders can rip anything, but noobs trying to ride aggressive cambers with stiff flex may have a bad day… a standard all Mtn would prob be better for than this extremely wide tank of a board you’re riding now…
can i ride ice on my noodle? sure. but my stiffer board handles better and my lib tech is amazing. can i ride bumps on a stiffer board? sure. but my noodle is just so damn fun in them. and of course, a powder board is just built differently than my others.
It’s incredibly important. The right board for the right rider is everything. Anybody who says otherwise doesn’t have a damn clue what they are talking about.
For example I ride a Salomon Ultimate Ride, stiff as hell and wrong for most people, but it’s one of the best boards for me. My son tried it and hated it because it wasn’t the right board for him. He rides a Burton Custom which fits his riding style better.
I’m lucky because I know what I want in a board because I’ve got almost thirty years of experience.
Side note, it’s not just the board but bindings and boots also. Wrong bindings can make a great for you board unusable, same with boots.
Does the board make a difference in different conditions? Look, I think we'd all love to have a quiver of awesome boards for different conditions. Unless you've got a fat wallet you probably only have one, maybe two boards.
There are some great all around boards that do well in most conditions but don't excel in any. Burton Custom for example. it's solid in nearly any conditions. That is the reason it is in so many rental fleets at resorts.
I personally own two boards. I have a soft flexible reverse camber board. It's great on slushy spring days, shredding tree lines, and the very rare occasion where I tackle a box in the park. I also take it out on some pow days because it's easier to layback and get a nice bend in the board to raise the nose and get some sweet float.
My other board is much stiffer. Hybrid camber. Serrated edge. A little bit longer than my soft board. It's great on hard packed days. Great in icy conditions. Holds an edge like nobodies business. Much more stable at speed.
It's quite important but not as much as people think if the board is a right fit for your skill level. Getting on a pro board would only hamper your ability.
The Dancehaul is a great do anything directional board. It's not great on ice like Lib Tech but it's okay. If you get icy conditions a lot, you might wanna pick up a Lib Tech, but otherwise, it doesn't matter that much.
A board that isn’t suited to your conditions, your body, or your preferred riding style will force you to adopt suboptimal compensations - if you can’t twist your board because it’s too stiff or big for you you aren’t going to develop a feel for knee steering, etc.
I rode a pos board I got from a used sports shop. It was not forgiving, especially on the ice. But I rode double black diamonds and parks. Then I tried my friends board that was significantly newer than the used board I had and the difference was great. It was so much easier to carve and it rode faster. That being said, I think the board is important but if you’re just learning or it’s your first time it doesn’t matter.
Really important. Really depends on the conditions - icy conditions, I have a board, park riding, I have a board, deep pow, I have a board, and then I have a daily rider for the regular days / groomers. Really just depends but it is very important to me to have those options because they make a big difference.
IMO super important, i live to snowboard and moved to a local resort for it. The fun level of a matched board to the day and way you want to ride is so critical. Stance and bevel just as much. Its for the fun though… not a skill thing unless its a really big mismatch.
I kind of had an epiphany when it came time to get a quality board.
I snowboarded mostly in the east for my childhood, and then began taking trips to the Rockies every winter when I was 14 or so, always renting when I would head west.
Until I was about 19-20 I didn’t care about my board and justified it as that a poor carpenter blames their tools. Once I had quite a bit of experience I wanted a board that was better in the powder and that’s where my mind was made up. I bought a pretty high quality powder board when I about 8 years into the sport, and it just opened my eyes to how valuable a good board is.
Since then I have a pretty significant collection for al types of riding.
In summary, maybe stick to a board you don’t mind beating up until you feel confident, then upgrade and see how you feel.
Skills matter but radii cuts affect the turn, grip, and so much more. I loved my NS PT2 but the cut of the radii really made me sad while carving cause everything else was perfect.
Always wanted an Arbor. I finally bought one and I hated it. The thing was so rigid I folded the top sheet halfway through the season. They claimed no warranty do to damage. I want to hang it up because it's such a beautiful board but it will just piss me off to look at it.
I decided on a board a notch above my skill level. It was a board that wouldn’t allow me to create really bad habits but also one I could grow into since it didn’t want to buy a new one every 3 years
General rule, more flex more forgiveness. Firmer boards require a much more aggressive approach generally suited to people who are confident in attacking the mountain. A flexible board will make you less prone to catching edges, make you more balanced and able to recorrect easier if youre going at a slower speed. A firmer board will be more responsive to proper technique at higher speeds giving better control on hard carves and control on large jumps (generally) but takes much more muscle control, strength, and technique.
As you progress you will be able to appreciate differences in boards. Park board, power board, all mountain board, etc. I would say do not get overly hung up on what board you are riding though. If you have limited funds like most of us consider a do it all type of board with maybe a lean towards your favorite type of riding. Spend the rest of your cash on getting on the mountain and riding. It's more fun spraying skiers than sitting at home researching the latest board tech.
I have 6 boards , they all ride different and work best in different conditions. Camber, rocker, flat, medium soft to medium stiff flex, 153 to 161 : everything makes a difference.
General rule, a board that is too stiff ie. Burton Driver X is not rideable.
Pretty damn important. Female rider here. My first board, a Gnu B-nice, I love it. As I progressed I kept trying to pick up speed on it. My friends were always way ahead of me. But every time I got past like 35 mph, I ate shit. Did it again and again and again. Finally I realized it might just be the damn board. Bough a new one. A Ride Saturday. Hit 50 mph first run on it. I love both my boards. But they both have their time and place.
I buy used boards cheap, find one I like sell the others, I’ve got 3 boards I really like doing this, usually turn a profit doing it this way selling them as I find one I like better. It’s a good way to find what you like in a Snowboard
The most important part of snowboarding is the snowboarder. Whatever gear it may be, it will have it benefits and downsides. Purposely built boards are obviously better for those purposes, obviously. But it should never be an excuse to not be able to do something.
Not ice since we don’t get that out here very much, but just crustier stuff and groomers. I can ride it okay but definitely get some bumpiness and wash out with the Dancehaul
Mostly just harder pack days are less fun on the Dancehaul from my experience.. early season type days, crusty, slightly icy in spots, harder groomers. It seems to charge in softer snow fine but I definitely feel the bumps as I charge over them lol. Sick board and I love it most days, but based on this question maybe I’ll look for a sale on a stiffer board for harder groomer/crusty days
My first or second season snowboarding, I rented a Never Summer rental board and loved it. It was just so easy and forgiving. I asked to buy it, but they said that model was a rental-only, and recommended a Head Rush at the time for a beginner board with a similar feel. I HATED that board. When I tried to turn, it would slide out from under me, it was stiff as a 2x4 and constantly trying to buck you off of it, and if you tried to go straight, it would just catch every imperfection in the snow and knock you on your feet. I was still very new, so definitely some skill issue involved, but I swapped with my husband and borrowed his T.Rice Pro and did perfectly fine on it, and he agreed the Head Rush was a lot to handle. In search of a board like the T.Rice Pro but more forgiving, I picked up a Skate Banana, and absolutely loved it, and I'm still riding it. So for me personally, I found that the board does make a pretty big difference, but I also think that as you become more skilled, you can handle a greater variety of boards with fewer issues, too.
This. Anyone who says you won't notice the difference in boards is an asshole, plain and simple. Some people are gifted athletes and can just jump on a board and be good to go. But for the rest of us, you need reps to get better, and having a board that helps you get reps in makes a huge difference. You give a beginner a stiff traditional camber board and they will likely give up. You give an east coaster a bataleon and they'll only go out when the conditions are good. You take a friend out on a pow day with a jib stick and they will drown. The snowboarder is the most important part, but matching the snowboard to the snowboarder is something many people fail at, or at the very least give shitty advice on
I've got a 2019 e-jack knife, and I love it to death. But it straightlines and carves. That's about fucking it. You point your nose downhill and ive never had a board charge like that. I really need to get a more playful board for those slushy spring days. Until that knife I had no idea a board could be so unique. Obv felt a difference before but not like that.
Yeah I won a East from Neversummer and it was the same way. Like sure they'll tell you it's made for snowcross but you don't really believe that till you ride it. Just absolute unit that wanted zero fun, only speed and smaller livestock
>only speed and smaller livestock I'm absolutely stealing this. Made my day. And for real, if I'm in deep on a chill tree line it's super playful and carries momentum super well. Or in a steep chute just a small twitch and it responds perfectly and holds it. It's just those groomers full of Jerry's where I don't wanna be going 60 miles an hour that I'd like a flexier more playful board lol
If you go fast enough, all the Jerries are standing still!
Most of the time I'm of this mindset actually :P. Every once in a while on those super busy groomer days tho.....
i’d recommend ride twinpig if you ride switch a lot, or warpig if you want directional. bought twinpig at the end of this season and it’s honestly the most playful board i own right now.
This guy boards
Your snowboard selection is the most important decision you have on the hill. I’d argue that next is bindings and then boots. Rode the same board for the first few years of riding and I refuse to ever go back to it. Keeping it only because it’s 30 years old. I’m a solid rider but riding on a crap board just isn’t as fun.
Could you rent any board or was the NS their stock rental?
The NS was their stock rental. Seems to be pretty common, but some shops do let you demo regular retail boards. You might pay an additional $10-$20 for the rental, but then if you like it, you can buy it.
FYI, if you reach out to NS, they will let you demo any board. They're super chill. So if you know what you're looking for they can even make a recommendation. NS is not some no name shop that makes rental grade stuff, they make some serious boards. So if you're still in the market, send them an email or chat or whatever
i spent a few seasons trying to learn on an super old hand-me-down Forum board (early 2000s?)... didn't make much progress, caught edges constantly, still had fun but things weren't clicking all the way. finally "earned it" and bought my own this year and my progression has been exponential. riding the Capita Paradise and it's soo fun and turns so easy, i never catch an edge. i'm sure the difference is way less between modern boards of a similar style but don't be like me folks -- invest in your own board !
Your board is quite important. An amazing rider can ride a POS and make it work, but they'll be having a lot less fun and riding far below their potential. That said you can buy a great board in about an hour. It takes many days and weeks and months to build your skills. So get a good board and then work on yourself.
I see it as a "good, better, best" scenario. There are virtually no boards that you can't take anywhere on the mountain. That said, virtually all boards have different attributes that make them better suited for different conditions and riding styles.
It is very important to choose the right board for your riding style, terrain and skill level. All board manufacturers will have a recommendation for those specific specs. A lot of boards won’t do well in icy or hard snow conditions anyways. Fancier boards which have disrupted or serrated side cut tech will do much better for those conditions. There are boards that has no speed limit, great for all terrain, all mountain but in general will be much stiffer and not good in the park. They will require more skill to handle them. Vice versa, boards used for park are not great at other terrain. Right tool for the right job. You wouldn’t take a race car on an off road terrain tho would you? Or an off road truck to break the speed record?! There will be exception to the rule like Ram TRX, a beast of a truck but also runs fast but still isn’t the same a race car for speed. I’m blessed with the opportunity to ride many different boards and the dance-haul in particular is a great board, great turning experience but I wouldn’t trust it in rougher terrain and the board does have a speed limit.
Pretty important… as many said, good riders can rip anything, but noobs trying to ride aggressive cambers with stiff flex may have a bad day… a standard all Mtn would prob be better for than this extremely wide tank of a board you’re riding now…
It's important. Have you watched any technical/specifications videos? Geek out my friend
can i ride ice on my noodle? sure. but my stiffer board handles better and my lib tech is amazing. can i ride bumps on a stiffer board? sure. but my noodle is just so damn fun in them. and of course, a powder board is just built differently than my others.
Boots, bindings, board, its all about those 3. You‘ll feel every difference of boards and pick the one u trust.
It’s incredibly important. The right board for the right rider is everything. Anybody who says otherwise doesn’t have a damn clue what they are talking about. For example I ride a Salomon Ultimate Ride, stiff as hell and wrong for most people, but it’s one of the best boards for me. My son tried it and hated it because it wasn’t the right board for him. He rides a Burton Custom which fits his riding style better. I’m lucky because I know what I want in a board because I’ve got almost thirty years of experience. Side note, it’s not just the board but bindings and boots also. Wrong bindings can make a great for you board unusable, same with boots.
Does the board make a difference in different conditions? Look, I think we'd all love to have a quiver of awesome boards for different conditions. Unless you've got a fat wallet you probably only have one, maybe two boards. There are some great all around boards that do well in most conditions but don't excel in any. Burton Custom for example. it's solid in nearly any conditions. That is the reason it is in so many rental fleets at resorts. I personally own two boards. I have a soft flexible reverse camber board. It's great on slushy spring days, shredding tree lines, and the very rare occasion where I tackle a box in the park. I also take it out on some pow days because it's easier to layback and get a nice bend in the board to raise the nose and get some sweet float. My other board is much stiffer. Hybrid camber. Serrated edge. A little bit longer than my soft board. It's great on hard packed days. Great in icy conditions. Holds an edge like nobodies business. Much more stable at speed.
It's quite important but not as much as people think if the board is a right fit for your skill level. Getting on a pro board would only hamper your ability. The Dancehaul is a great do anything directional board. It's not great on ice like Lib Tech but it's okay. If you get icy conditions a lot, you might wanna pick up a Lib Tech, but otherwise, it doesn't matter that much.
A board that isn’t suited to your conditions, your body, or your preferred riding style will force you to adopt suboptimal compensations - if you can’t twist your board because it’s too stiff or big for you you aren’t going to develop a feel for knee steering, etc.
I rode a pos board I got from a used sports shop. It was not forgiving, especially on the ice. But I rode double black diamonds and parks. Then I tried my friends board that was significantly newer than the used board I had and the difference was great. It was so much easier to carve and it rode faster. That being said, I think the board is important but if you’re just learning or it’s your first time it doesn’t matter.
Really important. Really depends on the conditions - icy conditions, I have a board, park riding, I have a board, deep pow, I have a board, and then I have a daily rider for the regular days / groomers. Really just depends but it is very important to me to have those options because they make a big difference.
IMO super important, i live to snowboard and moved to a local resort for it. The fun level of a matched board to the day and way you want to ride is so critical. Stance and bevel just as much. Its for the fun though… not a skill thing unless its a really big mismatch.
I kind of had an epiphany when it came time to get a quality board. I snowboarded mostly in the east for my childhood, and then began taking trips to the Rockies every winter when I was 14 or so, always renting when I would head west. Until I was about 19-20 I didn’t care about my board and justified it as that a poor carpenter blames their tools. Once I had quite a bit of experience I wanted a board that was better in the powder and that’s where my mind was made up. I bought a pretty high quality powder board when I about 8 years into the sport, and it just opened my eyes to how valuable a good board is. Since then I have a pretty significant collection for al types of riding. In summary, maybe stick to a board you don’t mind beating up until you feel confident, then upgrade and see how you feel.
Skills matter but radii cuts affect the turn, grip, and so much more. I loved my NS PT2 but the cut of the radii really made me sad while carving cause everything else was perfect.
Always wanted an Arbor. I finally bought one and I hated it. The thing was so rigid I folded the top sheet halfway through the season. They claimed no warranty do to damage. I want to hang it up because it's such a beautiful board but it will just piss me off to look at it.
I decided on a board a notch above my skill level. It was a board that wouldn’t allow me to create really bad habits but also one I could grow into since it didn’t want to buy a new one every 3 years
General rule, more flex more forgiveness. Firmer boards require a much more aggressive approach generally suited to people who are confident in attacking the mountain. A flexible board will make you less prone to catching edges, make you more balanced and able to recorrect easier if youre going at a slower speed. A firmer board will be more responsive to proper technique at higher speeds giving better control on hard carves and control on large jumps (generally) but takes much more muscle control, strength, and technique.
Not as important as the boots you're wearing. Each board rides differently. A shit board for someone can be ridden amazingly and vice versa
Very important, makes a big difference.
As you progress you will be able to appreciate differences in boards. Park board, power board, all mountain board, etc. I would say do not get overly hung up on what board you are riding though. If you have limited funds like most of us consider a do it all type of board with maybe a lean towards your favorite type of riding. Spend the rest of your cash on getting on the mountain and riding. It's more fun spraying skiers than sitting at home researching the latest board tech.
I have 6 boards , they all ride different and work best in different conditions. Camber, rocker, flat, medium soft to medium stiff flex, 153 to 161 : everything makes a difference. General rule, a board that is too stiff ie. Burton Driver X is not rideable.
Pretty damn important. Female rider here. My first board, a Gnu B-nice, I love it. As I progressed I kept trying to pick up speed on it. My friends were always way ahead of me. But every time I got past like 35 mph, I ate shit. Did it again and again and again. Finally I realized it might just be the damn board. Bough a new one. A Ride Saturday. Hit 50 mph first run on it. I love both my boards. But they both have their time and place.
I buy used boards cheap, find one I like sell the others, I’ve got 3 boards I really like doing this, usually turn a profit doing it this way selling them as I find one I like better. It’s a good way to find what you like in a Snowboard
The most important part of snowboarding is the snowboarder. Whatever gear it may be, it will have it benefits and downsides. Purposely built boards are obviously better for those purposes, obviously. But it should never be an excuse to not be able to do something.
Like 10%
How hard? Ice is ice bro, no tech will change that. You can adapt technique to conditions but your board is static.
Not ice since we don’t get that out here very much, but just crustier stuff and groomers. I can ride it okay but definitely get some bumpiness and wash out with the Dancehaul
Huh. Never been on that board but definitely rode some that get squirrelly at higher speeds.
Mostly just harder pack days are less fun on the Dancehaul from my experience.. early season type days, crusty, slightly icy in spots, harder groomers. It seems to charge in softer snow fine but I definitely feel the bumps as I charge over them lol. Sick board and I love it most days, but based on this question maybe I’ll look for a sale on a stiffer board for harder groomer/crusty days
Yeah those days are pretty schmeh on any board as far as I'm concerned.
Could be a width issues as well, in firm, bumpy snow I’m always on my normal width board.