Snowboard Reviews | Best All Mountain Snowboards 2026

Snowboards might look broadly similar, but their performance is affected by a whole load of factors, including their shape, flex pattern, and the materials they're made from. Until the mid-90s, most snowboards were primarily aimed either at riders who wanted to do freestyle (i.e. tricks), or those who wanted to ride off piste (otherwise known as freeriders).

Then in 1996, Burton Snowboards launched the Custom, the first all mountain snowboard, and the snowboard market changed for good. Designed as a compromise between the two extremes, it nonetheless performed incredibly well on all kinds of terrain, and was quickly adopted by pro freestylers and pro freeriders alike.

Why should you buy an all mountain snowboard?

These days, the vast majority of the snowboards sold each year are all mountain snowboards, for obvious reasons. Why would you spend money on buying multiple boards when you could ride it all with a jack of all trades?

Most intermediate to advanced riders will want to sample a little bit of everything anyway, and if you've only got a week of snowboarding in France or Austria each winter, it makes sense to buy a versatile board that will handle whatever conditions you find.

"In 1996, Burton Snowboards launched the world's first all-mountain board, the Custom, and the market changed for good"

That's not to say that specialist snowboards don't still have their place. If you know you don't like tricks, or you're heading to somewhere where there's likely to be a lot of powder (like Hakuba in Japan, for example) then it buying a freeride snowboard makes a ton of sense.

Similarly, out and out beginners will probably be better off looking at entry-level snowboards, or a freestyle board (as these often share the characteristics of entry-level boards. But for everyone else, all mountain snowboards are a good place to get started. And these are the best all mountain snowboards on the market this winter.

How we selected the best all mountain snowboards

This winter, we worked closely with our sister title Whitelines—the UK's oldest dedicated snowboard magazine—to test the best new models. Our joint test team, consisted of riders based in the Italian Dolomites, Fernie in Canada, Wanaka in New Zealand and Helsinki in Finland. Between them, they have over 200 years of snowboarding experience. 

They tested well over 100 of this winters' boards, plus boots, bindings and other bits of snowboard kit. If need more detail on Whitelines picks (some of which didn't make this shorter list) check out their Whitelines 100. 

"Our test team has over 200 years of snowboarding experience between them"

Alongside those new models this list also includes lots of classics—all mountain boards that the manufacturers have included in their lines for years (or in the case of the Burton Custom, for almost three decades). Of course, these classic get updated every season, with new graphics and the latest advanced materials, but the broad parameters of how they ride, and who they're aimed at, stay the same. 

As well as checking out the latest versions, our test team has ridden every one of these models extensively over the years. Many of them, we've owned, and can bring this longterm test experience to bear on our reviewing process. We've chosen a mixture of men's all mountain snowboards and women's all mountain snowboards, and we've listed them in alphabetical order.

If you want some clarification on the terms used in our reviews, check out our handy all mountain snowboard buyer's guide below, which will help you get educated on the basics involved in buying a snowboard. Otherwise here's our pick of the best all mountain snowboards for the coming winter season.

Amplid Soulmate 2026

Founded by the German former pro Peter Bauer, Amplid are famous for making no nonsense snowboards with a focus on performance. This simple-looking stick, with minimalist graphics that help keep the price down, is a case in point. Despite looking like a powder gun, it’s basically an all-rounder that would suit anyone from an intermediate level rider upwards.

The setback stance, longer nose, and tapered tail help it float in powder, but it’s also great on the piste. As our tester said: “It held up well on hard morning groomers—fluid and agile edge-to-edge, great for cranking into deep carves—and it was an absolute dream in the late season powder.”

• Men's board

• Flex 6/10

• Shape Directional 

• Profile Camber

• RRP £440

Read our test team's full length review of the Amplid Soulmate on Whitelines.com

Buy Amplid Soulmate Snowboard: £440 from Amplid Snowboards

Bataleon Goliath 2026

Nobody likes a bail, and they’re significantly less likely on the Goliath, thanks to Bataleon's patented Triple Base Technology (also called 3BT) which lifts the edges of the board's base, making them much more difficult to catch. To this, the brand have added Dual Radial Super Tubes—hollow carbon tubes which run parallel to the edges of the board to give it better response, and power transfer to the edges. 

The Goliath’s SideKick Tips —which increase sidebase uplift at the widest points of the nose and tail—are a genius addition which makes for smooth turn initiation and easy handling whether on ice, slush or hardpack. Bataleon is a brand that inspires true fandom, and this is pretty much the best all mountain snowboard they make. Try one, and you'll see why people love them so much.

• Men's board

• Flex 6/10

• Shape Directional twin

• Profile Triple Base Technology (Bataleon's own invention, which mixes the best of rocker and camber)

• RRP £540

Buy Bataleon Goliath Snowboard: £540 from Absolute Snow

Bataleon Whatever 2026

Available in an impressive range of sizes from 138 to 162W, the Whatever is part of Bataleon's genderless collection, catering to riders of all shapes and sizes. As with all Bataleon boards, it’s built around Triple Base Technology that transforms the base of the board into a 3D hull, with medium uplift in both nose and tail.

This, combined with a relatively soft flex for an all-mountain board creates a ride so forgiving, one of our testers claimed he "literally tried to catch edges and couldn't." It's the snowboarding equivalent of having a guardian angel on your shoulder. Although the shape is directional, the base is twin, so it can easily be ridden switch. This makes it well suited to powder, piste, park, or whatever else you want to ride—hence the name. 

• Unisex board

• Flex 5/10

• Shape Directional Twin

• Profile Triple Base Technology (Bataleon's own invention, which mixes the best of rocker and camber)

• RRP £450

Read our test team's full length review of the Bataleon Whatever 2026 on Whitelines.com

Buy Bataleon Whatever Snowboard: £450 on Absolute-Snow 

Burton Counterbalance 2026

This is a new addition to the Burton line-up, but has some big shoes to fill, replacing the popular Free Thinker snowboard. It’s designed as a “quiver killer,” a board that rides everything so well it can replace your entire quiver, with a camber profile, a slightly directional shape and a mid-stiff flex. We had three members of our team test this, Sara, Maria and Ed.

Unfortunately, none of them were lucky enough to try it out in deep powder, but all of them praised its versatility as an all-mountain board while cruising around the pistes. “It was very lively and poppy, boosts off side hits and rollers and is super stable when landing,” Sara wrote. It was “the board everyone was talking about at the demo event,” and apparently, it lived up to the hype

• Unisex board

• Flex 7/10

• Shape Directional 

• Profile Camber

• RRP£610

Read our test team's full length review of the Burton Counterbalance 2026 on Whitelines.com

Buy Burton Counterbalance Snowboard: £610 at Burton 

Burton Custom Camber 2026

Yes, this snowboard errs on the pricier side but if you’re an intermediate to expert rider with a love of all mountain riding, the Custom Camber is hard to beat. It’s the latest take on the Custom—the legendarily versatile board which invented the whole category of all mountain snowboards. There are now two versions: the Burton Custom Flying V, and this beauty, the Custom Camber. 

This is the ideal snowboard for advanced riders who crave both stability and precision when hitting the mountain hard. It’s an aggressive all mountain board, with a generous camber which means there’s plenty of pop. Despite the elongated nose, it’s not the floatiest of rides, but it comes into its own on steeps – it carves quickly and smoothly and retains great manoeuvrability, even at slow speeds. 

• Men's board

• Flex 6/10

• Shape Directional twin

• Profile Camber

• RRP £630

Buy Burton Custom Camber Snowboard: £630 at Burton.com

Burton Process Flying V 2026

This lightweight true twin is another all mountain snowboard which pairs playfulness with all-terrain reliability. Burton’s legendary Super Fly II Core keeps the weight low (and makes busting out impromptu ollies a breeze, even at low speeds) and the strategic profile of the core transfers the energy to both the nose and the tail for supersized snap. Dualzone EGD engineered wood grain – placed along the toe and heel edges in two continuous zones perpendicular to the core – act as fantastic stabilisers improving the edge hold.

Like the Burton Custom Flying V (the rocker version of the board above) this features rocker zones between the feet and towards the tip and tail. This makes the board feel more forgiving and easier to turn on, so it's better suited to less advanced all mountain riders—but it still has plenty to give as you improve. There's a reason Burton team rider Mark McMorris likes these. 

• Men's board

• Flex 3/10

• Shape True twin

• Profile Hybrid camber

• RRP £520

Buy Burton Process Flying V Snowboard: £493.95 at Absolute Snow

Capita D.O.A 2026

Capita’s bestselling snowboard is a go-anywhere deck which uses a hybrid camber design to deliver maximum pop, without being too stiff to alienate intermediate riders. The true twin shape makes this a great all mountain freestyle snowboard, but it handles powder pretty well too. (D.O.A. by the way, stands for Defenders of Awesome—not dead on arrival—a phrase that's become Capita's motto since this board was introduced.)

Capita’s P2 Superlight Core does a brilliant job of keeping the weight low without sacrificing impact resistance, and high-end features such as the Fortress Kevlar Bound Sidewalls and super fast, Quantum Drive sintered base mean the D.O.A offers brilliant value for money, too. This is Capita's best-selling snowboard. As the brand themselves say, "it is so mind-bogglingly award-winning that if it entered the intergalactic snowboarding Olympics, it would effortlessly bag a gold in every parallel dimension." 

• Men's board

• Flex 6/10

• Shape True twin

• Profile Camber

• RRP £485

Buy Capita D.O.A Snowboard: £499 at Absolute Snow

Capita Equalizer 2026

In 2025, some brands continue to employ cringe ‘Bic for her’-esque marketing to their women’s boards, while others seem to have overcorrected - as if the gender-specificity of their products was a secret that must be closely guarded. Twixt the two is the Capita Equalizer - a name that alludes to the need for more women’s boards to step up to the quality offered to men. 

The stick of choice for Capita’s freestyle-loving pro rider Jess Kimura, this is a mid-stiff all-mountain model that can handle a stairset one day and a couloir the next. It’s as near as damnit to being a twin shape, with camber underfoot moving to rockered sections at each end, making it a great all rounder. Our tester was particularly effusive about the way it handled sidecountry tricks.  

• Women's board

• Flex 5.5/10

• Shape Directional Twin

• Profile Hybrid

• RRP £485

Read more about the Capita Equalizer on Whitelines.com

Buy Capita Equalizer Snowboard: £485 at Evo

Drake DFL 2026

Italian brand Drake make a wide range of unfussy boards that get the job done without too much of a song and dance, The DFL, one of their flagship women’s models, is a great example. It’s got everything you’d want from an intermediate piste and all-mountain board—a fast 8000 grade sintered base, a directional twin profile, and a mid-stiff flex. But it doesn’t cost the earth.

“I tested it on a day of riding mostly red and blue runs in Val Gardena,” our tester said. “I was impressed by the edge hold, the ease with which it turned and the speed of the base.” It’s never going to be a holy shitballs show stopper, but that’s not what it’s for—if you want solid, dependable and reasonably-priced, Drake have got you covered. 

• Women's board

• Flex 5/10

• Shape Directional Twin

• Profile Hybrid

• RRP £395

Buy Drake DFL Snowboard: £395 at Drake

Gnu Fiction

Based in the Pacific Northwest, Gnu has been going since the 1970s—yep, they released their first snowboards the same year the Sex Pistols put out their debut album. Part of the reason they’ve been going for so long is their innovation, but part of it is just getting the basics right. This entry-level women’s board is designed to be incredibly easy to ride, with the brand’s banana profile shape making it easy to initiate turns and hard to catch an edge.

Aside from that, there’s not loads of crazy tech, but like all Gnu boards it’s built with a wood core that comes from certified renewable forests, in a factory powered by wind and solar, and uses bioplastics wherever possible. In terms of performance, again, it’s all about solid basics—the kind of thing that will help its target market improve fast. “This board was playful and rideable straight off the shelf,” said our tester.

• Women's board

• Flex 4/10

• Shape Directional Twin

• Profile Rocker

• RRP £350

Buy Gnu Fiction Snowboard: £350 at Absolute Snow

Jones Tweaker Pro 2026

Jones Snowboards, named after legendary freerider and founder Jeremy Jones, is a brand that’s most famous for building backcountry boards. So freestyle-focussed all-mountain models like this represent something of a departure for them. But they’re rapidly finding their feet at this end of the market, and this brilliant board shows. 

The Tweaker Pro is a stiffer, more beefed up version of their existing Tweaker model, with a snappy flex and camber profile that makes it ideal for more advanced freestylers. It features Koroyd, an impact-dampening material normally used in helmets, in the board’s wooden core, helping it feel stable and solid at speed. Our tester said it was “perfect for playing around on the piste, as well as in the park.” 

• Men's board

• Flex 7/10

• Shape True Twin

• Profile Camber

• RRP £520

Buy the Jones Tweaker Pro Snowboard: £520 from Jones Snowboards

Jones Twin Sister

Jones might be best known for their big mountain guns, but this—the women's specific equivalent of the much-loved Jones Mountain Twin men's snowboard—is an out and out all mountain board. It recently underwent an extensive redesign, giving it a slightly blunter nose and tail shape, and a 3D contoured base. The latter, now included on all Jones models (including the Jones Mountain Twin) means the base is curved, which makes the edges harder to catch on hardpack. 

As the name suggests, this is a true twin, with a centred stance which lets you ride switch easily. However, while you can ride the snow park with this, it’s not really a rail board. Instead, like most Jones boards it is most at home in the backcountry.  If you want a women's all mountain snowboard with a bit of a powder bias, they don’t come much better.

• Women's board

• Flex 6/10

• Shape True twin

• Profile Hybrid

• RRP £480

Buy Jones Twin Sister Snowboard: £479 at Jones Snowboards

K2 Antidote 2026

Introduced as a brand new model three years ago, the K2 Antidote provides the cure to all your indecisiveness when buying. Can't choose between a powder board and a freestyle board? Don't! While the squared off tail, might make this look like a more freeride focussed model, it's more than capable of carving up the whole mountain. In fact, riding switch couldn't be easier, and its stiffer flex makes it a great board if you're into riding halfpipe or the terrain park.

The latest model boasts an A1 core, made from three renewable species of timber: bamboo, aspen, and paulownia. This provides exceptional snap, making ollies a breeze, and giving the board a balanced feel in the air. At the same time, the setback stance and twin camber profile allow you to keep your nose up in deep snow without suffering from back leg burn. Available in smaller, female-friendly sizes, this is a an excellent, unisex, all rounder.

• Unisex board

• Flex 8/10

• Shape Directional

• Profile Hybrid

• RRP £640

Buy K2 Antidote Snowboard: £640 at K2

K2 Extravision 2026

The K2 Extravision was a completely new board last year, but we expect it to find its audience and stick around for a while. There’s nothing crazy going on here in terms of tech—rather, you can file this one under ‘simple but effective’. The medium flex leaves all options open, and the slight early rise in the nose makes this powder-friendly without tempting you to save this only for deep days. 

It’s truly one for taking all over the mountain, equally adept at unlocking the potential of the casual rider, or meeting the demands of the aficionado. Our testers were also stoked to find a women’s board with such a decent selection of wide sizes. 

• Women's board

• Flex 5/10

• Shape Directional Twin

• Profile Hybrid

• RRP £440

Buy K2 Extravision Snowboard: £440 at K2

Nidecker Escape 2026

Nidecker is the oldest company still making snowboards today, with a history that stretches back to the 19th Century. OK, they were making cartwheels back then, rather than shred sticks, but the Swiss business, which is still family owned and operated, has been building boards since the 80s too. In recent years, their funky-shaped freeride collection has turned a lot of heads, but they're pretty good at making all mountain boards too, as the latest version of their flagship Nidecker Escape proves.

The blunt tail, diamond shaped nose and directional shape mean this is great in deep powder, but it's no slouch in the park either. It has a core which combines four wood species giving it excellent pop, and they've added carbon to the nose and tail, to keep it stable at high speeds, or on the landing of big jumps. Best of all is the price—finding a board of this quality for under £500 is rare.

• Men's board

• Flex 7/10

• Shape Directional

• Profile Hybrid

• RRP £450

Buy Nidecker Escape Snowboard: £450 at Nidecker.com

Nitro Team 2026

Nitro has been providing boards for some of the world's best riders for decades—from Finland's Eero Ettala, to Germany's Elias Elhardt, to the Norwegian prodigy-turned-world beater, Markus Kleveland. At one time or another, all of these riders has taken a turn on the Nitro Team, the brand's best all mountain snowboard.

The brand recently introduced an all-new tip and tail shape, with wider, flatter ends that help add extra float in deep powder. Elsewhere, all the elements that have made this board so popular down the years are still in place, from the camber profile, to the mid-stiff flex. Traditionally, this has always been viewed as an all mountain freestyle board, but with that shape tweak, it's definitely become more of an all rounder. Incredibly versatile, and enduringly popular, the Team will undoubtedly earn itself a whole load of new fans this winter.

• Men's board

• Flex 7/10

• Shape Directional twin

• Profile Camber

• RRP £560

Buy Nitro Team Snowboard: £520 at Absolute Snow

Ride Warpig 2026

Ride’s Warpig was one of the first short, fat all mountain boards released by a major brand, and as such was initially seen as something of a gamble—but it’s a gamble that’s paid off, and then some. This is now one of the company’s most popular models, and has spawned a whole series of offshoots, including the Twinpig and the Superpig.

As well as its distinctive wider waist, and shorter length, this boasts a forgiving profile, and a mid-stiff flex which makes it able to handle pretty much anything you’ll throw it at. It’s a quiver of one board that doesn’t look like a quiver of one. 

• Men's board

• Flex 5/10

• Shape Directional

• Profile Hybrid

• RRP £495

Buy Ride Warpig Snowboard: £495 on Absolute Snow

Rome Rene-gade 2026

Finland apparently has more pro snowboarders per head of population than any other country, but Rome rider Rene Rinnekangas still manages to stand out, thanks to his uniquely playful riding style, and his ability to hit everything. This board, the Rene-gade (see what they’ve done there?) is his pro model.

It has a relatively stiff flex for an all mountain board, making it ideal for people who want to ride fast and hard. The camber profile and carbon inserts in the core add pop. Our tester’s verdict was “stiff, aggressive, and pops to the moon.” Ideal for advanced snowboarders who want to tackle all types of terrain, like Rene.

• Men's board

• Flex 8/10

• Shape Directional Twin

• Profile camber

• RRP £535

Buy Rome Rene-gade Snowboard: £435 at Blue Tomato

Salomon Assassin 2026

This medium-flex snowboard is a fantastic option for freestylers who love to crank up the fun by leaving no corner of the mountain unexplored. The Assassin combines brilliant versatility with reliability. The camber features a flat section between the bindings for stability, but is cambered nearer to the feet for added response. The bamboo and carbon used in the core give this a lot of pop and the deep sidecut is great for tight, sharp turns in tricky conditions.

This is definitely an all mountain freestyle snowboard, rather than one for properly deep powder, but it will handle pretty much everything well. We also love the sustainability credentials – this board’s heavy reliance on structural wood veneers (something known as an ABC Wrapper) means less fibreglass and resin, and the wood is sourced entirely from FSC-certified forests.

• Men's board

• Flex 7/10

• Shape Directional twin

• Profile Camber

• RRP £535

Buy Salomon Assassin Snowboard: £535 from Blue Tomato

Salomon Goop 2026

This board takes its name not from Gwyneth Paltrow’s ludicrous wellness brand, but from Salomon pro team snowboarder Lucas Lund—who for some reason is known as Goop. He epitomises the new-school, slightly loose-limbed, riding style that’s bang on trend these days, and loves turning anything and everything he can find into a jump or a jib. This board isn’t just for freestylers though. In fact, for most of us mere mortals who aren’t hitting everything at Goop-like warp speeds, its mid-stiff flex and directional shape will actually be better suited for powder riding and hard piste charging than park laps. “Really stable on landings and pings you up in the air when you pop,” said our tester. “I want it.” 

• Unisex board

• Flex 6/10

• Shape Directional

• Profile Hybrid

• RRP £600

Salomon Dancehaul 2026

The Salomon Dancehaul is the brand’s answer to the Ride Warpig, or perhaps the Lib Tech Orca. It’s got a wider waist width than a regular board, and as such you can ride a slightly shorter length. The advantage of this is that it turns quickly, while still floating impressively well in deep snow.

But the Dancehaul is far from just a powder board - with its soft flex, and centred stance, this handles brilliantly in the park, particularly over kickers. It might not look like it’s easy to ride switch, but this is actually a great all-rounder.  

• Men's board

• Flex 3/10

• Shape Directional

• Profile Hybrid

• RRP £445

Buy Salomon Dancehaul Snowboard: £445 at Blue Tomato

Yes Hell Yes 2026

The Hell Yes fuses everything that’s great about all mountain riding into a quiver-of-one snowboard. Designed by Yes team rider Helen Schettini, this has become one of the most popular women's boards in the brand's line. It’s a slightly aggressive board to ride despite being mid flex, so is best suited to intermediate to advanced riders who will be able to get the best out of it.

A CamRock profile places camber between the inserts and a little early rise rocker at the nose and tail - a great blend of control, playfulness and float which is helped with the Slamback inserts, allowing you to set your stance right back on the board. Super quick edge to edge and stable through chopped up snow, the Yes Hell Yes is a really great board for someone who’s likely to encounter changeable conditions.

• Women's board

• Flex 7/10

• Shape Directional twin

• Profile Hybrid

• RRP £490

 Buy Yes Hel Yes Snowboard: £490 at Blue Tomato

Yes Standard 2026

This is consistently the best-selling board in the Yes range, apparently - spend any length of time riding it, and it’s easy to see why. It’s called The Standard not because it’s average, but because it sets the standard. Its directional twin shape makes turn initiation easy, but it’s still very easy to ride switch. There’s really nothing that the Yes Standard can’t do.

The ‘CamRock’ profile offers you the best of both worlds, with camber between the bindings and rocker towards the tip and tail. The flex is relatively stiff, but not ridiculous, making this feel snappy and responsive, without making it impossible to butter or press. Great on kickers, in powder and for on the piste. Last year, Yes Snowboards  joined forces with Lobster to form one brand — hence the graphic on this, which uses the Helgason brothers' trademark triple pronged hashtag.

• Men's board

• Flex 7/10

• Shape Directional twin

• Profile Hybrid

• RRP £480

Buy Yes Standard Snowboard: £478.85 at Absolute Snow

All Mountain Snowboard Buyer's Guide

When it comes to choosing the right all mountain snowboard to suit your needs there are a few basic things to keep in mind.

What flex should I go for?

Getting this part right is vital. Manufacturers usually rate the flex of their boards between 1 (soft) and 10 (stiff). Generally, the stiffer the snowboard the more aggressive your riding style will need to be to get the most out of it, but it will pay you back with speed, control and precision. Softer snowboards tend to be more playful, anything from a six flex and below will likely be better for buttering and jibbing and will be more forgiving of lazy riding but won't have the precision and control of a stiffer board and might start to get chattery at speed.

What shape should I chose? Directional, twin, or directional twin?

Directional, directional twin or twin are your three main shape options when it comes to snowboards and you'll find all of these in the all mountain category. A directional snowboard usually has a longer nose than tail and a set back stance as well as a varied sidecut down the length. This is designed for great carving and potentially easier float in powder but is going to be less versatile as it essentially prefers going forwards in the direction intended. Freeride orientated all mountain snowboards also use taper - with a wider nose than tail helping the nose float up in powder.

A directional twin will, somewhat confusingly have most of the elements of a twin but one or two things that aren't true twin. Usually they will either have a twin shape but asymmetrical flex pattern i.e. stiffer tail than nose OR a directional shape and symmetrical flex pattern i.e. the same flex in the nose as the tail. The style of the directional twin will often be dictated by what the snowboard is designed to favour - park or carving and powder.

Brands like Bataleon have also started introducing 99 percent twins where everything is twin apart from a very slightly longer nose.

What profile should I chose? Rocker, camber or hybrid?

A snowboard's profile (its shape when viewed side on) can make a huge difference to how it rides. Generally rocker (a convex shape when you look at the snowboard side on) is known for being playful, forgiving and catch free as well as offering massive float in powder. Camber (a concave shape as you look at the snowboard side on) is known for having lots of pop and energy between turns and for jumps, great edge hold for carving and a precise, stable feel.

These days, very few true rocker boards still exist, with most having some element of hybrid - mixing rocker and camber across the profile of the snowboard. The places that have rocker and those that have camber (and sometimes flat) are tuned by the manufacturer to offer a certain type of ride - whether that's catch free and playful or hard charging and precise.

One of the most versatile and popular profiles for an all mountain snowboard is what Yes Snowboards call CamRock, and Capita snowboards call Hybrid Camber (each manufacturer has their own name for it) which places camber in the middle section of the snowboard for energy and stability and rocker towards the tips for catch free riding and float in the deep stuff.

How much difference do materials make?

The materials a board is made from—mostly wood, fibreglass, and p-tex—tend to dictate things like its flex, and how it feels to ride. But each manufacturer has different names for different material combos, so it can all get really confusing. The reality is, you don't need to get too nerdy about the exact materials used—if the flex rating is right, the shape suits you, and you've got a profile which works for your riding style, the board will probably feel good.

Where materials make a real difference is in the base—extruded p-tex bases are slower, but cheaper to make, sintered p-tex bases are quicker, but pricier—and on the price. If you're prepared to pay more, you're likely to get a board that's lighter. (This doesn't really matter for all mountain boards, but makes a huge difference when it comes to splitboards, for example) and also, potentially, produced to higher environmental standards.

To date, there's still no way of making a carbon neutral snowboard. But various brands, including Lib Tech, Gnu, Jones and (in their top end range) Burton, all produce models which aim to have a smaller carbon footprint.