Snowboards: Comprehensive Online Guide

Find your perfect snowboard: Comprehensive online guide & top brands

Looking to purchase a new snowboard? Discover your ideal board with our comprehensive online snowboard guide at Behind The Pines! Born from our passion for snowboarding, our team consists of dedicated snowboarders who test every board to understand each shape and riding characteristic. With numerous options available, it's essential to find the perfect snowboard tailored to your riding style. Explore this in-depth snowboard buying guide to help you make an informed decision.

Choose the snowboard that best fits your riding style.

If you are going to buy a new snowboard a lot is involved. What shape do I need, what is my riding style, what are the prices, what are the differences and what is the effect of the different shapes / materials that are used?

Select a Snowboard to Match Your Riding Style

When buying a new snowboard, various factors come into play, such as shape, riding style, price, differences in materials, and their effects. The key is to identify your desired snowboarding experience. Consider your preferred activities on the mountain, such as freestyle, powder, or slope riding, and whether you prioritize speed or playfulness. For personalized advice on snowboards best suited for you, feel free to contact us or visit our shop.

Snowboard Shapes & Styles Explained

Nowadays, snowboards come in a wide range of shapes and sizes, each designed for unique mountain applications. Below, we break down the basics:

Camber

Camber: Ideal for advanced snowboarders seeking precision and power, camber snowboards have an aggressive riding style and excellent grip due to their pre-stressed design. However, this shape can be unforgiving and requires more energy and technique to execute turns.

The most classic shape in snowboarding. Camber snowboards come in all shapes and sizes and have a very specific riding style, they are often very aggressive and have a lot of power. These boards are generally for the more advanced snowboarder who is looking for precision and power in a snowboard. This can be with a park board or a board for the slopes / powder.

Because these boards are always in contact with the snow along the entire length of the steel side due to the pre-stressing they have (camber), they have a lot of grip. The disadvantage is that this makes the boards much more aggressive. Errors are therefore punished because the board then bites and it takes more energy and technology to make turns.

Rocker

Rocker: Perfect for beginners, rocker snowboards offer a playful, forgiving experience, making turns and speed control easy. However, they provide less control on steep, icy slopes and at high speeds.

The opposite of a camber snowboard. The rocker boards are easy playful boards that are a solution for the novice snowboarder. The rocker shape makes it a lot easier with these boards to make a turn and control your speed.

Snowboards that are completely rocker like in the image above are mainly more entry-level models. Super forgiving and therefore perfect for practicing at low speeds. This shape is also often used by snowboarders who mainly snowboard and snowboard boxes in the fun park. The disadvantage of a rocker is that you have a lot less control over steep / icy slopes and higher speed.

Hybride Camber

Hybrid Camber: A versatile option for all-mountain snowboarders, hybrid camber boards combine the power and control of camber with the ease and playfulness of rocker.

A camber variant that has been very popular in recent years. You can see this shape on all kinds of different snowboards from different brands. It is a variation on a camber snowboard. Instead of the "camber" running all the way from nose to tail, it runs from binding to binding, after which the board then turns into a rocker on both sides. a lot is played with this and that in turn provides different riding characteristics. More rocker and shorter camber is easier and more playful, if the camber runs longer and has less rocker at the nose and tail, this makes the board more aggressive and more stable.

In general, this shape can be used more broadly if you compare it with a full camber snowboard. It is easier and more relaxed to snowboard by the little rocker at the nose and tail, but the camber between your bindings gives you a lot of power and control. An ideal combination of camber and rocker that is a solution for many all-mountain snowboarders.

Hybride Rocker

Hybrid Rocker: Similar to hybrid camber but with reversed features, hybrid rocker snowboards are another all-mountain option, offering easy snowboarding and powerful carving capabilities.

The same principle as the hybrid camber, but different. With this shape you have rocker between your bindings instead of camber. You also see this shape a lot with all-mountain boards because this is also a combination of the two extreme (rocker and camber). The difference is that the rocker is between your bindings and camber at the nose and tail. By combining these shapes so you get a snowboard that easily snowboard, but still has enough power to be able to carve well on the slopes. All in all a good option if you are looking for an all-mountain board.

S-rocker

S-rocker: Designed for one-directional riding, S-rocker boards are ideal for all-mountain freestyle snowboarders who prioritize piste and powder riding. These boards provide excellent grip, easy riding, and ample float in powder.

A shape that is becoming increasingly popular. Whereas the other shapes are usually twin or allmost twin boards (snowboards that are symmetrical or almost symmetrical) this is a shape with a clear riding direction or a directional board. These boards are made for snowboarding in 1 direction.

Not useful I hear you think but ask yourself how often do you ride switch? It is not that it is not possible with these types of snowboards, but rather that they are designed with 1 riding direction in mind. You can usually see this shape on snowboards that are especially designed for the slopes and off-piste which is the riding stle of most people. Twin shapes are truly designed for park riding and is a real disadvantage on the slopes and in the powder.

This combination is perfect for all-mountain freestyle snowboarders. Snowboarders who no longer dive into the fun park all day but mainly make trips on the piste and want to dive into the powder when a good load has fallen. A lot is also played with this shape. They sometimes have a rocker or a mild camber at the nose and a camber from the tail to the middle of your board. Or a camber that runs from your tail to your front binding with a small rocker in the nose.

 The benefits of these types of snowboards are simple and efficient; much grip on the slopes, easy riding style and lots of float in the powder. A solution for people who can be found mainly on the slopes and beyond.

In short, these are the basics, with these shapes being played a lot by the different brands and this creates different snowboards for different snowboarders. There are countless variations on the basic shapes above.

Feel free to give us a call if you want to buy a snowboard and you want more explanation about the differences. We can help you choose the best board for your wishes and riding style!

At Behind The Pines we only sell the best snowboard brands. We sell snowboards from the brands;  Capita, Gnu, LibTech, Korua Shapes, K2, Ride, Springbreak Snowboarding, Rome SDS, DC en United Shapes.