What we like: Super powerful and capable in soft snow. Emoticon Best All-Mountain Snowboard for Powder 4. That said, we really like the combination of price and performance, which is why the Basic has remained so popular year after year. Great or Lib Tech Box Knife for taking it to the next level. And while the park performance is really solid overall, there are more advanced designs like the Yes. As we mentioned above, it’s totally adept at taking on a variety of all-mountain snow conditions, but it’s not a board that we would frequently want to take up to higher speeds. If there was one big knock on the Basic, it would be that it’s good at a lot of things but perhaps not great at anything. The true twin shape means that this board really excels in the park and should satisfy even advanced riders there, but its responsiveness works well for the rest of the resort too. With a CamRock profile (rocker in the tip and tail and camber underfoot) and medium flex, the Basic is fun, trustworthy, edges and butters extremely well, and can handle hardpack and even ice with relative ease. If you’re looking for an inexpensive board for ripping groomers and the park, the Yes. What we don’t: Can get chattery and unstable at speed. What we like: Very fun at the park yet still can tackle some tough snow/ice conditions. See the Arbor Foundation See the Women’s Arbor Ethos Best All-Mountain Freestyle Board for the Park 3. We also appreciate that the Foundation is offered in a handful of packages with bindings and even boots, which makes the buying process even simpler. But that’s not why most people buy the Foundation, and for mellow journeys and newbies learning the ropes, it’s a terrific option. Take this board down steep runs or over tracked-out, rough terrain, and it’s bound to get quite jittery. Keep in mind that the simplistic build and soft flex of the Arbor Foundation are ideal for beginners, but the chatter can build up quickly with speed. This isn’t exactly your speed demon-far from it, in fact-but the Arbor is a quality board and a great value. Perhaps more so than any other model on this list, the Foundation is relatively easy to ride and maneuver regardless of your ability level, and the rocker profile is both forgiving and responsive across a variety of all-mountain terrain. For just $320, you get a flexy, soft, and beautifully designed board that turns like a champ. Many snowboards run $500 and up, but for new riders, it’s tough to beat the Arbor Foundation. What we don’t: Not built for speed or challenging terrain. What we like: Stable, easy to maneuver, and cheap. See the Burton Custom Flying V See the Women's Burton Feelgood Flying V Best All-Mountain Snowboard for Beginners 2. But for one board that can handle a wide variety of all-mountain conditions both front and back, the Burton is an excellent choice. It’s also not a true powder hound-the Lib Tech T.Rice Orca a few spots down is better for that. This means that we wouldn’t recommend the Custom for aggressive East Coast riders and hard chargers for whom maintaining a reliable edge is a necessity (if this sounds like you, see a board like the GNU Essential Service below). What are the shortcomings of the Custom Flying V? With a softer feel, it’s more forgiving than many of Burton’s expert-level boards, but it’s not an amazing carver at speed on hardpack and ice.
From beginners who want their first board to last to intermediate and even advanced all-mountain riders, the Custom Flying V is a super versatile option. Add in a medium flex and poppy wood core with a layer of carbon, and the Burton is responsive and playful but can be powerful when you need it to be. First and foremost, it’s easy to ride with a mostly rocker profile (they added a zone of camber under each foot, but this boards feels more rocker in nature). If you’re in the market for the quintessential all-mountain board, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a better option than the Burton Custom Flying V. What we like: A super versatile board that is both playful and powerful. For more background information, see our all-mountain snowboard comparison table and buying advice below the picks.īest Overall All-Mountain Snowboard 1. On this list you’ll find everything from leading budget and beginning options to high-end boards built for experts and hard chargers. Below we break down the top all-mountain snowboards of the 2022 season, from highly versatile models to those that excel at freestyling in the park or taking on fresh powder. As snowboarding season kicks into high gear, it’s time to take stock of the equipment that will help make your winter that much better.