Snowboarding Reviews
In-depth testing of snowboards, bindings, and mountain equipment.
Snowboards
Jones Mountain Twin Snowboard
The Jones Mountain Twin is the board you buy when you want one deck to do everything and never think about it again. It carves, it pops, it floats a little and it grips on hardpack. It won't win the park and it won't win the steeps. It just shows up every day and does the job.
Burton Counterbalance
The Burton Counterbalance is pitched as the best of the Free Thinker and Deep Thinker in one board. On snow it mostly delivers: poppy and quick on groomers and side hits, calm and floaty when the terrain turns soft or messy. It asks for a confident rider, but it is easier to live with than its reputation suggests.
Burton Custom Camber Snowboard
The Burton Custom Camber has been in the line since 1996, and there's a reason it never left. It's a full camber all-mountain board that holds an edge, pops hard and rides switch like it means it. It asks you to stand on it with some intent. Give it that, and it handles almost anything on the mountain.
Rome Rene-Gade
The Rome Rene-Gade is a stiff, full camber directional twin for riders who like to work for their turns. Owners say it feels dead at low speed and comes alive when you push it, and that it is far more versatile than its quiet reputation suggests.
CAPiTA Black Snowboard of Death
CAPiTA Black Snowboard of Death review after 70+ days: locked-in at speed and through chunder, but hard work at slow speeds and in tight trees.
Burton Process Camber Snowboard
Burton Process Camber review: how it rides on groomers, park, and powder, plus the pros, cons, and who should buy it.
Rome Ravine Pro
The Rome Ravine Pro is a stiff, tapered directional board built for steep lines and deep days. People argue about the "board inside a board" graphic, but owners spend far more time talking about how it rips in powder and what it asks of you on firm snow.
Nitro Alternator Women's
The Nitro Alternator is a directional all-mountain board that wants speed. It carves hard, floats well and pops off every natural lip on the hill, with just enough park manners to survive a medium line. It is a stiff, honest ride, and that is the point.
Jones Women's Dream Weaver 2.0
Jones Dream Weaver 2.0 review: an easy-going women's all-rounder that holds an edge better than its flex suggests and floats well on soft days.
Nidecker Beta
Nidecker Beta APX review: a stiff, powerful powder board that still carves hard and stays stable on groomers. Who it suits, and who it doesn't.
CAPiTA Equalizer
The CAPiTA Equalizer is Jess Kimura's pro model: a directional, hybrid camber freeride board with a spoon nose, a tight carving personality and real backbone. It rewards a rider who drives it, and it floats and charges better than most boards in its class. The catch is that it is narrow and aggressive, and it does not forgive lazy riding.
CAPiTA Defenders of Awesome (DOA) Snowboard
The CAPiTA DOA has been the default answer to "what park-friendly board should I get?" for years, and it mostly earns it. It's a true twin hybrid camber deck that makes switch, spins and side hits feel easy. It is not a powder board and it is not a charger. If your days are park laps, side hits and groomers, it's still one of the best tools for the job.
K2 Commonwealth
K2 Commonwealth review: a freeride board for advanced riders, with charging power, explosive pop and precise handling.
Lib Tech Dynamo
An honest look at the Lib Tech Dynamo from the perspective of an intermediate-plus rider needing a high-speed, ice-capable board to keep up with skier friends.
Lib Tech Skate Banana Snowboard
The Lib Tech Skate Banana is one of the most loved and most argued-over boards ever made. It's loose, buttery and endlessly fun at moderate speed. It's also soft and squirrelly when you push it. Know what you're buying, and it might be the most fun board you own.
Jones Tweaker Pro 2.0 Snowboard
The Jones Tweaker Pro 2.0 is a full camber twin built for jumps, park laps and snappy riding. It's poppier and stiffer than the regular Tweaker, and it carves a clean line. It's not a powder board, and full camber asks for clean technique. For freestyle riders who want more snap, it's an easy pick.
Lib-Tech Orca Snowboard
Lib Tech Orca review: a hyped freeride powder board that also handles groomers well. If powder is under half your season, there are better picks.
Nidecker MERC All Mountain Snowboard
Nidecker Merc review: an affordable all-mountain board that is forgiving on day one and capable enough to grow into. Who it suits, and who should skip it.
CAPiTA Spring Break Resort Twin
The CAPiTA Spring Break Resort Twin takes the Spring Break line's playful spirit and builds it into a true twin for groomers, side hits and park. It grips ice better than most freestyle twins and pops hard, but it is a resort board through and through. Treat it as a fun all-rounder, not a take-anywhere freeride tool.
Salomon Dancehaul
The Salomon Dancehaul Pro is the stiffer, volume-shifted cousin of the fan-favorite Dancehaul. A very wide waist on a short deck makes it stable, grippy and nimble, and a poor match for technical rails.
Nidecker Sensor Team
Nidecker Sensor Team review: a medium-stiff park board for riders who want stability and pop more than a soft, forgiving flex.
Jones Rally Cat
Jones Rally Cat review from an intermediate rider: a directional tweaker that mixes park play with all-mountain stability and a forgiving base.
Bataleon Cameleon
A deep dive into the elusive Bataleon Cameleon, exploring why this rare powder specialist might be the ultimate upgrade for tree riders tired of sinking on their groomer boards.
Salomon Highpath
Salomon Highpath review: a stable, fast all-mountain board that carves well in rough snow. Stiffer than most in its class: great for speed, less for play.
Ride Warpig Snowboard
The Ride Warpig is a short, fat board that rides bigger than it looks. It's a blast in trees and powder, easy to throw around and better on groomers than its shape suggests. It struggles on ice and chop, and it's one of the most polarizing boards around. Ride it short, in soft snow, and you'll get it.
Jones Howler
An honest review of the Jones Howler based on testing in Tignes. Discover how this poppy, stable 'quiver killer' handles everything from icy groomers to park laps.
Never Summer Proto Type 3
A deep dive into the 'Jack of All Trades' of the Never Summer lineup, the Proto Type 3 offers a confidence-inspiring Ripsaw Camber profile for riders who treat the entire mountain as their personal playground.
Endeavor Pioneer
The Endeavor Pioneer is a directional twin with a multi-camber profile, tri-axial fiberglass and optional Channel mounting, from a Vancouver brand that gets less hype than the big names. Owners report a snappy, well-built all-mountain board that is stiffer than its looks suggest. It is a quiet value pick for riders who trust their own feel.
Rome Stale Fish
An honest look at the Rome Stale Fish for advanced riders. We dive into the transition from old-school tech, proper sizing for light/tall builds, and address durability concerns.
CAPiTA Mercury Snowboard
The CAPiTA Mercury wants to go fast, and it doesn't apologize for it. It's a directional hybrid camber board with a medium-stiff flex that comes alive when you ride it hard. At slow speed it feels like work. Charge, and it's one of the best one-board quivers on the market.
YES Basic
YES Basic review: a softer, versatile all-mountain board, tested as an option for riders moving to Colorado's mixed terrain.
Bataleon Whatever
The Bataleon Whatever is the board for riders who want to treat the whole mountain like a skate park. The Beyond Medals collab beefs up the standard Whatever, so you get the playful Triple Base Technology (3BT) shape with more backbone for speed. It rewards a few runs of adjustment, then gets out of your way.
Boots
Nidecker Rift
A mid-flex, dual BOA boot with a snug fit and a short break-in. Owners like the comfort and lockdown but warn it runs narrow and a half size small.
Ride Lasso Snowboard Boots
Ride Lasso review: North America's best-selling snowboard boot. All-day comfort and a medium flex that suits most riders, with no gimmicks.
ThirtyTwo TM-2
The ThirtyTwo TM-2 is the lace-up boot for riders who have outgrown a soft, comfortable starter boot and want more response and a longer life. It keeps the familiar ThirtyTwo fit while adding stiffness, heel hold and durability that the cheaper models struggle to match.
K2 Thraxis
The K2 Thraxis is a stiff, resort-focused boot built around three BOA dials and the Conda heel harness. It is aimed at riders who want real response without the pinched instep and heel float that wreck a long day in other stiff boots. Owners rave about the comfort for a boot this firm, and the extra dial gives you plenty of ways to tune it.
Ride Lasso Pro
The Ride Lasso Pro is the stiffer, more weatherproof version of the Lasso, built around a side BOA dial that pulls the tongue and heel into place. Riders who fight heel lift swear by it, especially those with narrow heels. Expect to touch the dials as the cables settle during the day.
Union Reset Pro Snowboard Boots
The Union Reset Pro is Union's big push into high-end boots, and it showed up with a lot of hype. It's stiff, comfortable from day one and its heel hold is excellent. The catch is durability, the very thing Union sold it on, where owner reports don't agree. For the right foot it's a great boot. For a premium price, it should be a safer bet.
DC Phase Snowboard Boots
DC Phase review: an affordable lace-up snowboard boot with a responsive fit and solid comfort. A good budget pick if you don't mind laces.
Vans Infuse
The Vans Infuse is the brand's stiff, long-lasting hybrid boot, with laces, a BOA heel dial and a power strap, plus removable tongue stiffeners to tune the flex. It takes time to dial in and time to break in, but owners say it keeps its support long after softer boots have gone limp.
Burton Ruler BOA Wide Snowboard Boots
The Burton Ruler BOA Wide is a comfortable, medium-flex boot with a Dual-Zone BOA and a wider last. It feels great on day one. The catch is that owners say it softens fast, and Burton's wide fit isn't wide enough for every foot. Buy it for comfort, not for longevity.
Burton Photon Step On
The Burton Photon Step On is a medium to stiff, dual-zone BOA boot made only for Burton's Step On bindings. You get fast lift exits and a snug fit out of the box. Durability reports are all over the map, so this is a boot to buy with eyes open.
Bindings
Rome 390 Boss
The Rome 390 Boss is the old-school workhorse: a traditional, grounded binding with a medium flex and a reputation for outliving the boards it is mounted on. It skips the gimmicks and focuses on a locked-in feel and durability. Owners keep these for a decade.
Union Force
Union Force review: the workhorse binding for aggressive all-mountain and powder riders, tested on boards like the Lib Tech Orca.
Burton Escapade
Burton Escapade review: a comfortable, forgiving and durable women's binding for park laps to glades. Riders who want maximum power should look higher.
Burton Cartel X
The Burton Cartel X is the stiffer, more locked-in sibling of the standard Cartel, built for riders who want direct response and a snug fit. It doesn't try to be everything to everyone. If you ride a stiff, directional board hard, it's a serious contender.
Union Atlas Snowboard Bindings
The Union Atlas is the Force with the volume turned up. It's a medium-stiff all-mountain binding that sends every input straight to your edge, and it's at its best on a stiff board at speed. That directness costs some comfort on long days. If you carve hard it's worth it; if you ride a bit of everything, the Force is the safer pick.
Nidecker Supermatic Automatic Step-in Binding
Nidecker Supermatic review: step-in bindings that lock you in hands-free, so you never sit down to strap in. Faster laps with solid support.
Salomon District
The Salomon District is a medium-flex freestyle binding with a flexible ShadowFit heel cup that moves with your boot instead of against it. It is comfortable, forgiving and simple, with no crazy features. For all-mountain riders who like to play, it is hard to fault.
Union Trilogy Women's Snowboard Bindings
The Union Trilogy is the most popular women's binding in snowboarding, and it earns that spot. It's responsive enough to charge, comfortable enough for all day and versatile enough to run on almost any board. If you want a softer, surfier feel, the Legacy or Juliet may suit you better.
Union Ultra
The Union Ultra is a soft, light, cushy freestyle binding with a surfy feel that owners love. Many say it gives up little response compared to the Force while being far more playful. It has no forward lean adjuster, and it is not the right pick for hard-charging riders.
Union Strata
Union Strata review: how these bindings handle powder and trees on a Lib Tech Orca, with a focus on dampening and lateral flex.
Burton Step On X
Burton Step On X review: the stiffest, most responsive Step On binding, compared with the Genesis and strap bindings like the Rome Katana.
Burton Malavita
The Burton Malavita is a medium-flex binding built for riders who split their time between the whole mountain and the park. It trades the rigid feel of a race-style binding for comfort, tweakability and a surprising amount of response. If one binding has to do everything, this is a strong pick.
Bataleon Ghost FASE Snowboard Bindings
The Bataleon Ghost FASE pairs a stripped-down, lightweight highback with the FASE fast-entry system. Once you're in, it rides like a normal two-strap binding. Getting in smoothly takes a few days of practice, and the toe strap needs attention. Riders who stick with it are mostly sold.
Nidecker Flow NX2 Snowboard Bindings
The Flow NX2 is a rear-entry binding that riders either swear by or never try. You drop the highback, slide your boot in and flip it up. Owners love the comfort and the heelside power, and many have ridden the same pair for years. The trade-offs are cracked base trays under heavy use and a brand whose future feels uncertain.
Nitro Team Pro
The Nitro Team Pro is the stiffer, more serious sibling of the Nitro Team, with a stealth air base frame and forged aluminum buckles. Owners call it light, stiff and comfortable, but watch the strap ladders and the customer service stories.
Burton Mission Re:Flex Snowboard Bindings
The Burton Mission is one of the best-selling bindings ever made, but it isn't the binding it used to be. Burton reshuffled its lineup, and today's Mission sits in the middle of the range. It's comfortable, easy to adjust and a strong all-rounder. If you want the old stiff Mission feel, look one step up.
Step On Re:Flex Snowboard Bindings by Burton
Burton Step On Re:Flex review after 15 days: fast, easy entry for beginners and intermediates, with less lockdown than aggressive riders want.
Union Atlas Pro Step On Snowboard Bindings
The Union Atlas Pro Step On takes Union's stiffest all-mountain binding and bolts on Burton's Step On system. The result is the most direct Step On binding you can buy. It clicks in fast and carves like it means it. It's also stiff enough that plenty of riders will find it too much.
Rome Katana
The Rome Katana is an all-mountain freestyle binding that trades a little raw power for board feel and a lot of fit adjustment. A mini disc, an asymmetric heel cup and a movable ankle strap make it one of the more tunable bindings on the wall. It rewards riders who like to dial things in.
Helmets
Sweet Protection Switcher MIPS
The Sweet Protection Switcher MIPS is a hybrid helmet from a Norwegian brand that builds for riders who work as hard as they ride. It pairs a hard-shell and in-mold construction with 22 adjustable vents, a magnetic buckle and a dial fit. It is not cheap, and it is picky about goggles, but the build quality shows.
Anon Prime MIPS
The Anon Prime MIPS is the traditional-shaped helmet in Anon's top tier, with a lower profile than the WaveCel Merak. It gives you MIPS, a BOA dial and a tidy fit with Anon goggles. If a flattering, no-fuss shape matters to you, it deserves a look.
Giro Ledge Mips Helmet
Giro Ledge MIPS review: a sleek, feature-packed helmet with MIPS at an accessible price, built for park and all-mountain riding.
Sandbox Classic 2.0 MIPS
The Sandbox Classic 2.0 MIPS is the park-scene brimmed lid with a MIPS layer added. It sits low, looks like a hat and takes a beating. The fit takes work, the venting is modest and large goggles can fight the brim.
Smith Vantage MIPS
The Smith Vantage MIPS is the flagship of Smith's resort range: hybrid shell, zonal Koroyd, dual-zone venting and a BOA 360 dial. It is the most adjustable helmet Smith makes, and you pay for that. The question is whether you will use what the Level beneath it leaves out.
Oakley MOD5 MIPS
Oakley MOD5 MIPS review: $100 cheaper than its main rival, but heavier. Tested after a hard fall on ice to see if the weight is a dealbreaker.
Pret Cynic X2 MIPS
The Pret Cynic X2 MIPS is a light, low-profile helmet with MIPS, 12 vents, a Fidlock magnetic buckle and an X-Static liner. Owners of the original Cynic X liked the fit and the weight, and the vent styling splits opinion. It is a step up from bare-bones budget helmets, not a revolution.
Anon Helo 2.0
The Anon Helo 2.0 is a light, low-profile lid built around one idea: you should be able to ride with music and not pay for it with a sore ear. It trades plush padding and fine fit control for weight and simplicity. If you want a no-fuss helmet that stays out of the way, it makes a good case.
Goggles
Smith I/O MAG Snow Goggles
The Smith I/O MAG is the goggle a lot of riders buy and then never think about again. The lens swap is easy, the ChromaPop lenses are sharp and it rarely fogs. It has no face mask and no extra curves, and the add-on lenses get pricey. It's still one of the safest goggle picks on the market.
Anon M4 Toric Goggles
The Anon M4 Toric is a premium goggle with a party trick: a face mask that snaps onto the frame with magnets and sends your breath away from the lens. The optics are sharp and the lens swap takes seconds. The toric shape matters less than the marketing says, but as a complete system, few goggles match it.
Smith 4D MAG XL Snow Goggles
The Smith 4D MAG XL gives you the widest view in Smith's lineup and room for glasses. The curved lower lens is a real feature, not a gimmick, and owners love what it shows them. The complaints are drafts, scratches and foam wear. Smith's warranty tends to handle the last two well.
Oakley Flow Scape Snow Goggles
The Oakley Flow Scape promises a huge field of view, Prizm lenses and a quick lens swap. Some owners love it and say it never fogs. Others say it fogs and scratches worse than anything they've owned. It's one of the most divisive goggles on the market, so try it with your helmet before you commit.
Top Rated snowboard Gear
What are the best snowboards?
Based on our 33 snowboards reviews, the top rated are the Jones Mountain Twin Snowboard (4.5/5), the Burton Counterbalance (4.5/5), the Burton Custom Camber Snowboard (4.5/5).
What are the best snowboard boots?
Based on our 10 snowboard boots reviews, the top rated are the Nidecker Rift (4.6/5), the Ride Lasso Snowboard Boots (4.5/5), the ThirtyTwo TM-2 (4.3/5).
What are the best snowboard bindings?
Based on our 19 snowboard bindings reviews, the top rated are the Rome 390 Boss (4.6/5), the Union Force (4.4/5), the Burton Escapade (4.4/5).
What are the best snowboard helmets?
Based on our 9 snowboard helmets reviews, the top rated are the Sweet Protection Switcher MIPS (4.6/5), the Anon Prime MIPS (4.3/5), the Giro Ledge Mips Helmet (4.3/5).
What are the best snowboard goggles?
Based on our 4 snowboard goggles reviews, the top rated are the Smith I/O MAG Snow Goggles (4.5/5), the Anon M4 Toric Goggles (4.0/5), the Smith 4D MAG XL Snow Goggles (3.5/5).