Best snowboards of 2020

Snowboarding in our country has become popular relatively recently, so earlier raiders experienced certain difficulties in buying equipment. Snowboards are products whose price greatly affects their functionality and durability. Today, the domestic market offers a large selection of boards for every pocket and skiing level.

Unfortunately, not all of them are of high quality, so the choice of a product must be approached with all responsibility. To make this task easier for you, we have collected the best snowboards in 2020, grouped them according to the degree of professionalism of the raider, described their strengths and weaknesses. We hope our rating will help you buy the perfect snowboard.

How to choose a snowboard?

This product is quite specific, so many raiders face certain difficulties when buying it. To avoid this situation and buy the right model right away, check out this helpful information.

Type of snowboard

Products are:

• carving - ideal for riding on a hard surface;
• for freeride - they are high-speed and maneuverable boards designed for descents and jumps;
• for freestyle - they are maneuverable and well-balanced boards on which you can jump and perform various tricks;
• universal - boards combine the functionality of the above-described varieties.

Amateurs will have enough universal models, but for professional purposes it is better to buy specialized boards.

Core material

One of the most important points affecting the strength and operation of the product. A pure wood core will improve vibration and shock resistance. With a combination of foam and wood, the board will be lighter and cheaper, but not as resilient and vibration-resistant. If wood, carbon and aluminum were used, the board will turn out to be tough, resilient and light.

What is the sliding part made of

The stability of the board on the surface and the development of maximum speed depend on this. If pressed polyethylene was used for the surface, the board will be slower, but cheaper, resistant to various damages and easy to maintain. Sintered polyethylene has good sliding, scratch resistance, but its wax lubricant needs to be renewed periodically. The graphite sole has a high price, good delicacy, perfect rigidity and better speed performance.

Varieties of deflection

There are 4 types of deflection:

1. Rocker - center down, nose and tail up. Designed for easy rolling, best for beginners.
2. Classic - the center is raised, the ends are curved. Such a board is difficult to master, so only professionals use it.
3. Zero - he has a relaxed driving style, “forgives” the raider's mistakes. It can be used by beginners and freestylers.
4. Combined - created exclusively for professional raiders who have clear requirements for a snowboard.

Lenght and width

The parameters are multifaceted, therefore they require attention from the raider.The specialists have created a standard table of length and width measurements, but some manufacturers use their own system, which must be used when purchasing their products.

Geometry

The indicator is based on the placement of mortgages. There are 3 types:

1. Twin type. The tail and nose are of the same length and stiffness, so the raider can ride in any direction.
2. Directional. The embeds are offset, so the nose and tail are slightly longer. On such a board, you can only go down in one direction.
3. Directional twin-type. The tail and nose are different in rigidity, the inserts are slightly offset. This increases stability and allows you to safely ride on virgin soil.

The best snowboard firms for professional athletes

Good equipment is important for every athlete, especially a professional one. If you are looking for a new board for your winter riding, check out the following models.

Nidecker princess

Nidecker has many sporting goods and snowboards, but their board for professional snowboarders is of particular interest. Designed for freestyle and carving, it has a classic deflection and pure rocker in front. Thanks to the carbon fiber and reinforced braid, it floats easily in soft fluffy snow and is not afraid of obstacles. Thanks to Cap, 3DN Concept and Sandwich technologies, the board is very productive. With a dense molecular texture, the board develops high speed on soft and rolled snow. With such a powerful high-tech model, the snowboarder will have maximum pleasure when descending any slope.

Raiders like the model because of:

• improved click and reactive cornering;
• a heavy-duty top layer that is resistant to deformation and scratches;
• combined core;
• high speed.

Powerful and aggressive, this model is only for professional snowboarders.

NEVER SUMMER

This American brand was created by two brothers in 1991. At first, they wanted to create snowboards for personal use only, but gradually orders began to increase and a home garage was not enough. As a result, the brothers began to process orders for residents of their state, and then for the whole country.

Today the company has a colossal scale, but the principle of manual creation of snowboards remains. The company has many successful developments and is constantly improving them. In their work, the craftsmen focus on the excellent customization of the boards and the ability to squeeze the maximum out of them with each descent. The quality of the boards is strictly checked. The products are highly stable, as each assembly step is performed by a separate craftsman.

The Never Summer Chairman is considered a popular model. The snowboard has an unusual appearance and excellent technical characteristics. Since it was created primarily for professionals, then its price is appropriate.

Jones

The products will appeal to progressive and professional riders. The dovetail shape allows you to descend on soft and rolled snow. The board is very maneuverable and stable. Thanks to the elongated nose and reverse deflection, you can descend on loose snow. To make the rider feel confident on the knurled track, the model is equipped with additional anchor points. The company specializes in creating snowboards for riders who love extreme descents on unspoiled mountain slopes.

Lib Tech

This company, which has been in existence for over 20 years, makes some of the finest snowboards in the world. Despite the technological progress, the manufacturer creates all the boards by hand, because he is sure that only under this condition they will have excellent quality. Experts and statistics confirm the correctness of this principle: the snowboards of this American manufacturer are most often bought by athletes to compete in prestigious competitions.

Previously, the company used Magne-Traction technology, so the snowboards were different:

• curved sidewalls with "jagged" edges for improved power transfer;
• unloaded nose and tail, which is ideal for freestyle.

Today, the company is guided in its work by Banana Technology. Two boards - Lib Tech Skate Banana BTX (season 13/14) and Lib Tech Banana blaster btx are a prime example of the new direction. The latest model has embodied almost all the new ideas of manufacturers, and at the same time in the best possible way.

Products from this manufacturer are valued for:

• bright individual style;
• a wide range of;
• design features;
• verified geometry for easy riding.

The only drawback is the high price.

ARBOR

These snowboards are crafted by artisans with a bold approach to board design. Each snowboard turned out to be really unique and of high quality, so their demand among athletes grew very quickly.

When creating boards, employees are especially serious about designing the geometry of the boards. All popular models are distinguished by an asymmetric nose and tail. This allows you to get the unique features of the rental and simplifies the implementation of complex technical tricks. Another feature of snowboards from this manufacturer is the original sonorous names.

Products differ:

• original bright design;
• many models;
• correct geometry of all snowboards;
• stability and easy control;
• the required core thickness;
• design features.

According to consumer reviews, the boards of this manufacturer have no significant drawbacks.

Which snowboards are best for advanced athletes

For those who see some progress in their snowboarding skills, you need to buy a suitable board to improve your results. The following companies specialize in the manufacture of just such products.

FLOW

One of the most aspiring manufacturers, which has confidently walked towards success for two decades. In the distant 2000s, the company's specialists created components and boots, and took the first steps in creating snowboards for professional raiders. The painstaking work was not useless, and already in 2014 the company "grew" to the title partner of many snowboarders, winners of prestigious tournaments and even the Olympic Games.

FLOW technology is ahead of our time and provides direction for other similar companies. Every year, specialists develop and modernize dozens of new systems, test them and implement them in new snowboards. Season 16/17 will be remembered for the appearance of a new lineup, the pearl of which was the Flow Viper product (twin-tip geometry and a second stiffness index). Its original shape and softness forgive beginners for many mistakes, and gives indescribable pleasure to progressing athletes and true professionals.

All riders appreciate the Flow snowboards for the revolutionary new bindings and very affordable prices.

GNU

Under the cover of this brand, the Marvin Lab is located in the distant mountains. When creating snowboards, the company's specialists use an exclusively scientific and research approach, so their products always turn out to be of very high quality.

Each product has embodied careful observation of the behavior of raiders, numerous calculations, and improved ergonomics. This made it possible to create boards that were devoid of all the flaws.

Last season, many snowboarders discussed the asymmetric model from this manufacturer - the GNU Asym zoid c2x. She showed amazing stability and versatility, she embodies all professional requirements. The product is designed only for progressive athletes, but it does not have any age restrictions.

GNU snowboards are different:

• reliable fasteners;
• excellent quality;
• highly stable ride;
• strong cores.

The only drawback is the high price. But it is fully justified by the highest quality.

NITRO

One of the oldest snowboard companies. It was founded by two professional raiders who were very upset by the quality of the boards produced at that time.Having founded their company, they decided to use only high-quality expensive materials. This made it possible to create products with a long service life and resistance to aggressive rolling. Of course, NITRO snowboards were expensive, so over time they became not competitive, because models appeared on the market cheaper. But the company held a leading position for a long time, as its specialists were the first to guess to make a snowboard for women. It was designed for freestyle and was highly rigid.

The latest striking model of the company was the Nitro Magnum, created especially for freeriding. When creating it, a minimum of technologies were used, but this did not prevent it from being stable when descending any profile. The price of the model is high, but it is enough for 5 seasons.

Nitro is famous for:

• three-piece freestyle boards;
• technological implementation of the deflection;
• development of cores for each type of board;
• asymmetrical twin-type.

The main disadvantage is the high cost.

BURTON

The company was founded by the legendary Jake Burton, a man who is considered the creator of snowboarding as a subject and snowboarding as a sport. Jake himself does not confirm his attitude to these great events, but consumers continue in his grandeur and somehow treat his firm in a special way. The company began to emerge in the 70s of the last century. For all the time of its existence, it has experienced ups and downs, but, in the end, came to world recognition. BURTON's critics and fans are not discussing the success of any one seasonal series, but all the financial difficulties of the company - and all this is due to the fact that each model combines amazing consistency and outstanding quality.

Burton Process board is considered a striking representative of the last season. It has a medium stiffness, suitable for semi-professional riders and advanced snowboarders. She has a high degree of versatility, suitable for freestyle, pipe and all mountain. The model combines 14 technologies to provide stability, balance, maneuverability and handling on slopes. Snowboards of this company are very expensive, but their price is fully justified by the quality of workmanship and riding.

Products differ:

• cores with variable thickness;
• special systematized factory testing;
• carbon rods;
• using double, lightweight fiber;
• perfect geometric wedges;
• a combination of EGD wood and aluminum structure.

Best snowboards for beginners

If you are just taking the first "steps" in snowboarding, but are planning to do it seriously, you need to use the right equipment first. For beginners, boards from such firms are best suited.

HEAD

This Austrian manufacturer is a recognized leader in quality winter sports equipment. The company began in the middle of the last century, when its founder, Howard Head, made a unique ski with a metal base. Intelligence Chip System is a full-fledged integrated technology used to create snowboards. It is based on every possible increase in the stability and stability of the boards on slopes of varying difficulty. After the success of these products, the company began a rapid expansion of the technological range, the creation of new complexes. Experts performed annual product upgrades. The latest breakthrough solution is considered to be the use of Intellifiber technology. It allows you to compensate for the constant vibrations and vibrations that occur when riding the board.

Each model from HEAD is unique in its own way. But they are all united by their sharpening for aggressive descent and drive, the ability to use for halfpipe, parallel slalom, slopestyle, etc. The products are expensive, but worth it. They differ:

• innovative developments;
• a large selection;
• ease of management;
• good value for money.

Some HEAD snowboard owners have noticed that their bindings are loose.

ATOM

The Russian company was founded in 2000 and almost immediately created the first branded bicycle. But this was not enough for the specialists, and four years later they decided to expand production, and this decision was very correct. Already the first board made Russian raiders happy. In order not to lose fans, the company decided to launch a quarterly release of the updated assortment. This made it possible to quickly oust the products of Western companies from the domestic market.

In their work, the specialists did not follow strict principles, focusing on maximum diversity. This allowed the creation of multi-aspect, unpredictable, very drive snowboards. The efforts were appreciated by many consumers. But if you value consistency, ATOM products won't work. Such quality is possessed by foreign boards. So far, the company has suspended production of new models, but their products are not difficult to find in specialized stores.

ATOM snowboards have won the hearts of raiders:

• vertically laminated wooden cores;
• a competent combination of quality and cost;
• availability;
• bright design;
• high functionality.

SALOMON

This French company is better known as a ski manufacturer, but has a decent selection of snowboards that it has been making for over 20 years. Today the company occupies one of the leading places in the production of the best snowboards. Due to strict requirements and scientific and technical potential, the produced boards are distinguished by excellent quality, functionality, practicality and long-term operation. Newcomers who buy a SALOMON board say that it is easier and more pleasant to learn on it, and it is easy to operate. And the affordable cost allows every novice raider to buy a high-quality and practical snowboard.

In their work, SALOMON specialists are guided by a careful approach, professionalism and corporate identity, therefore their boards have:

• high flexibility;
• affordability;
• cores to enhance the characteristics of the product;
• correct geometry;
• excellent dynamism.

Outcome

It's hard to tell which company makes the best snowboards, as each model has its own pros and cons. If you are just trying your hand at snowboarding, then it is better to buy an inexpensive model from the "for beginners" category. Having some success in this kind of sport, and wanting to conquer new heights, you should pay attention to boards for progressive or professional raiders. In any case, choose a board that you like in all respects.