Your Snowboard style and corresponding type
It can sometimes be difficult to purchase a new snowboard for both novice and more experienced snowboarders. In a good shop, the seller will almost immediately ask you what your preferred style is. And he is not talking about your preference in clothing or music, but what you are most concerned with on the slopes. There are roughly 4 Snowboard categories (style and type), let's go through them;
All Mountain Snowboard
This is just about the most common style, an All-mountain Snowboard is universal and, as the name suggests, can be used for almost everything you will encounter on the mountain. On the slope? No problem! Off the slopes? No problem! In the park? No problem!
Well, we may be exaggerating a little bit, because there is no Swiss army knife among Snowboards that can really do everything, but with the right skills and technique you can really go your way with such a board in almost any situation.
This style allows you to easily alternate between Freestyle and Freeride Snowboarding and they are available in both a Directional and Twin Shape.
When we talk about the Flex of the board, it will fluctuate in the medium of the scale. Then think of 4 to 6 out of 10. This way they are stiff enough to fly smoothly and stably over the slopes, but also flexible enough if you want to do tricks such as buttering, jibbing and those cool jumps.
Are you still a beginner? Then this is the type of board you prefer. Are you already an advanced snowboarder? Bet you already have an All-Mountain Snowboard?
Freestyle Snowboard
Judging by most manufacturers' marketing machines, they supposedly have the All-mountain Freestyle board in their range, but don't be surprised, as we mentioned before, there is not 1 board that can really do everything. Freestyle stands for stunts, tricks on the slopes, off the slopes and mainly in the park. There is also something for the real daredevils street style.
In terms of shape, a Freestyle Snowboard must have a true True-Twin shape. In addition, they are rather short in length to make it easy to rotate, but also to drive faster in Switch or Fakie between stunts.
The Flex in freestyle is very personal; If you want to butter and press earlier, a super soft Flex is pleasant, think that a Bataleon Wallie, for example, will bend a bit just by looking at it! On the other hand, the jumpers among us want a slightly harder Flex, or at least Stringers in the Nose or Tail of the Snowboard, which allows for a more stable landing.
The average Flex rate for a Freestyle board is between 0 & 6 out of 10, and almost all Freestyle snowboards can also be used on the slopes, and can therefore be useful for real beginners. Their softer Flex is more forgiving, but on the other hand you will notice that - as soon as you reach higher speeds - they offer a little too little stability and grip.
The advanced Snowboarder usually has more than 1 type of Snowboard, often one specific for Freestyle style.
Freeride Snowboard
This type of board is also perfect for use on and off the slopes. These stiffer boards almost always have a Directional Shape, although they do not necessarily have to have a so-called Swallow Tail.
This style is known for speed and sharp turns, making it perfect for Freeriding, where you must be able to quickly avoid obstacles. If you go off-piste, you don't want to crash into a tree, and you obviously want to be able to maneuver quickly to avoid rocks or cliffs.
The Swallow Tail and variants are designed because you usually only board in one direction. This type of Snowboard, and style, is often accompanied by a wider board, and the bindings are slightly backwards so that you can easily surf over loose powder snow, also called POW.
It won't surprise you, but due to their stiffness, this type is less forgiving, and you very rarely see them in a Freestyle park. This hard Flex is necessary for really stable cruising at rocket speeds. The average Flex Rate of such a Snowboard is therefore between 6 & 10 out of 10.
Alpine Racing Snowboard
Did we just talk about a rigid board? Discover the super-super stiff plank now! Alpine Snowboards are extremely hard and specially made for competitions, of course speed competitions, otherwise we wouldn't call it Racing ????
This type of Snowboard expects perfect style! These boards are long and narrow, you could sometimes compare them to skis. Also forget about those Soft Boots, because they do not provide enough support when making sharp turns on a rough canal.
This Snowboard is actually only suitable for truly experienced snowboarders, because every mistake will be punished mercilessly. And believe us, you really don't want to fall at those very high speeds, the outcome is usually quite serious.
It will therefore not surprise you that the Flex Rate for this type of Snowboard starts at 10/10, and yes, if this is new to you: there are also Flex Rates of 11, 12, 13 on 10 and higher!
If you need such a Snowboard, you undoubtedly already know the way to Wax & Board!
Which type of Snowboard and style suits me?
This completely depends on what you want to do with your Snowboard. Therefore, think carefully before purchasing a Snowboard.
If you plan to spend most of your time on piste, and sometimes also off-piste, then it is better to choose a Freeride Snowboard. This way you can be sure that you have grip and stability. However, if you want to do tricks every now and then, it is better to choose an All-Mountain board, which is flexible and universally applicable.
However, is your focus entirely on jumps, butters and other tricks? Then of course you choose a Freestyle Snowboard. These are short, easily manoeuvrable and quite flexible. However, if you want to hit the slopes occasionally, you would do well to purchase a slightly longer version, which will give you more stability. The so-called All-Mountain Freestyle Snowboards are actually Freestyle boards with a slightly longer length to find the ideal compromise.
As a beginner it is best to take an All-Mountain Snowboard, if you are a slightly less muscular or sporty beginner then we also recommend a Freestyle Snowboard. But don't hang around for too long, and don't let this be your only snowboard so that you can improve your technique with a slightly stiffer board.
Finally, are you a speed freak? Well... then you know what to do. Do yourself a favor and buy an Alpine Racing Snowboard and of course the super stiff boots that go with it!
If you have any questions or comments about your Snowboard style and type, please leave a message below. And are you looking for a new Snowboard, even one custom made? Contact then definitely Wax & Board!
