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2017: Best Snowboards

Posted November 17, 2016 @ 10:10am | by George Michaelsen

Best Snowboards of 2017

Snowboarding since its creation has been and always will be awesome! Year after year board construction, technology, and innovation keeps the sport progressing to new heights. The newest trend is shapes, shapes, and more shapes. These boards are the new craze for good reason. Breaking away from the traditional designs has opened up the doors to mind blowing experiences. The board lineup for 2017 is straight fire that is loaded with shapes that will make you drool over anything you set your eyes on. 

The cool thing about boards now is there is one for every situation and all types of terrain. Fortunately we get to go all over and test all the new gear at some pretty awesome spots. From local Loon in New Hampshire to Brighton in Utah and a few places in between, we are on our grind -- testing boards is a grind right? -- yea ok, but layovers though -- anyway let's talk snowboards. 

Freestyle

Lets start things off with a bang with the brand spanking new Never Summer Warlock! Besides being one of the most murdered out looking decks, it has all the variables for perfection. Press Flex Wood Core has softer points for some butter action without losing an ounce of pop. It rides smooth on the Original Rocker Camber shape that launches off booters and touches down softer than a feather. Although it’s super sick in the park, the Warlock can shred the groomers with a playful mindset for an added bonus. A serious two thumbs up for freestyle madness, it has skull and crossbones…isn’t that enough by itself?

If you're prone to possibly getting away from being a baker shmearing butter all over everything you see. You should take a look at the Ride Warpig. Although it's a shaped deck it is aweseom at everything. Stiffer design offers more power on hard snow and a wider platform makes tree runs and powder, but at the end of the day its a Billy BA park ripper.

The Ride Warpig is one of the sickest all mountain freestyle decks ever created. Ride has relentlessly worked on prototypes of this model that eventually resulted in perfection. From kickers to rails and even just spraying the homies, the Warpig is phenomenal at it all. Directional rocker makes for super easy turn initiation and Carbon Array provides some serious pop. Flotation and maneuverability are also massive plusses for the day it nukes or the park is overrun. The Ride Warpig awaits for the park lapper who may dabble elsewhere on the slopes and isn’t afraid of awesome things.

All Mountain

The absolute quiver killer is the K2 Carve Air. A board that is making history and will definitely go down in history. Breaking away from traditional board design is the game changer. Long nose, short tail is the recipe for dominating everything you wish to seek and destroy. Despite its short length it floats better than most and can absolutely shred in the trees, in the pow, and especially the hard stuff. This board has fun on the mind at all times and without a doubt can take charge of all terrain. Shape boards are the new wave and instead of being skeptical you should be racing to the store to get one. After you ride the K2 Carve Air your mind will be changed on what an all mountain shape is supposed to be. 

All mountain boards are some of the most popular designs that offer the ability to do a litle bit of everything. If your're looking for something on the traditional side that is more favorable for riding switch or hitting jumps the Capita Mercury Snowboard is a more than legit option.

The Capita Mercury is a true all mountain masterpiece that can do eveyrthing extremely well. Rocker at the tip and tail and positve camber underfoot is more than ideal for doing everythin from huge arcing turns, massive kickers, and powder lines through the trees. Opening up the entire mountain as your personal playground will make for an epic winter. A previous Good Wood winner shows your dealing with something special, but this year they stepped it up a notch and added computer engineered Carbon Arcs on the tip and tail. For what you ask? To make the board even sicker when on edge or coming down from 50 feet it feels at home. Panda Core keeps it nice and light which again makes it awesome in all conditions. Traditonal design, traditional shape, equals traditional good times that you can't go wrong with.

Freeride

The Burton Branch Manager is another top contender for mountain conquering. Backseat camber places the power underneath your backfoot so you still have some serious drive and carvability despite all the rocker up front. That rockered nose and tapered shape lets that tail sink right in and keeps that nose on top of the good stuff, and at this point si when you will fall in love with shape boards. Pop from pillow to pillow all over Arapahoe Basin and shred powerful lines on Tuckerman’s Ravine on the east. It simply a free ride monster that will pump you full of confidence in all scenarios. Triple layer of carbon fiber is how things become bombproof for even the most aggressive riders. If you know how to ride and have been on the same ole stuff since the 90’s, break out of your comfort zone and play on something a real shredder could shed a tear over.

If rocker/camber/rocker is more your style and enjoy something more maneuverable the Never Summer Twenty Five is the direction you want to head in. Also, if you can't wrap your head around downsizing you will find all those big boy sizes in this lineup that won't prevent you from enjoying an awesome freeride experience.

The Never Summer Twenty Five goes into full porpoise effect when it finds powder. Directional in shape and design lets that tail sink in while that nose keeps driving to the surface. Ripsaw rocker camber gives a little more bite when putting it on edge without loosing an ounce of float. Surfy feel with a smooth mid flex makes maneuverability a trademark of crushing deep snow or ripping lines between the pines. Born and raised in Colorado lets you get an idea of the terrain it was meant to conquer. The Never Summer Twenty Five is one of the best for freeride enthusiasts and will also impress when your working your way back to the lift on the hard stuff. Did I mention it is limited edition that is dedicated to 25 years of excellence?

Bottom Line

There is a lot of incredible stuff out there this season. When you begin your search for the perfect deck this winter expect to see things you’re not accustomed to seeing. Don’t shy away from these shaped boards! They are often significantly better than a deck that visually looks more comfortable to you. Odd shaped tips and tails, long noses with short tails, and downsizing from your normal sizes are becoming more common year after year. Get with the times and get a taste of the new era of snowboarding because it’s already here and is already awesome.

 

 
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