Snowboarding is meant to be fun, and your board should be a gateway to wonderful times on the mountains and endless shredding. Although we are already far in the heart of the season, it is not too late to upgrade your current board or enter the sport altogether. With all the dimensions and shapes associated with snowboards, it can seem like a daunting task to determine the best option for you. However, we have taken the liberty of rounding off some of the best options on the market for the rest of the 2022 season so that you can make the best possible decision (and still use it before temperatures rise).
When looking for a new snowboard, it is important to focus on the shape, width, height and profile of the board to determine the best fit for you. Together, all of these elements work to make each board unique and enable them to cater for different mountain activities. Although some of these differentiators are linked to skill and comfort level on the mountain, they are also made to help you overcome specific conditions such as powder or ice. Before we look at the best snowboards for men, let’s make sure we’re all on the same page about what these terms and definitions mean.
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Form
There are many different types of snowboard shapes; in this piece, however, we will focus on true twin, directional, and asymmetric shapes. Together, these three shapes make up the majority of the snowboards on this list and the ones you will encounter elsewhere. True twins are one of the most popular and classic forms of snowboarding in the world. This means that the snowboard is the same size from point to tail, so driving in both positions (regular or dumb) will not be a problem if you turn around on the trail. Next, planks with a directional shape are designed with a softer nose, so even though they are only meant to be driven in one direction, you can chew powder and ice with ease. Finally, boards with asymmetrical shapes are made to work with the body’s natural asymmetry to give you more control on both your sides and in-between turns.
Width and Height
Making sure your board is long and wide enough for you is extremely important before making a decision. In general, most boards for men are from 130 cm on the short side to 160 cm on the long end – which is strongly related to the rider’s height and weight. But, while looking at zero in on your exact model, an insider tip: Longer boards are more stable at high speeds and shorter boards are better for jumps and freestyle terrain.
In terms of width, you need to focus on an option that allows your feet to hang just slightly so that you can apply the right amount of pressure during hard turns. However, you should avoid overhanging too much so that your feet do not slip. Before buying a new board, make sure that the waist (the narrowest part of the board) is long enough for your boot size.
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Profile
Profile refers to the contact points that will make your plate with the snow as you turn. For our purposes in this list, we will focus on different variations of camber and rocker. Together, combinations of these two profiles make up the majority of the plates on our list. Camber refers to the natural upward curve on an unweighted plank, which provides you with the evenly distributed weight on your entire rim, allowing you to make more precise and powerful turns on descents. On the other hand, rocker is aimed at helping you conquer deep powder and other varying terrain with its upward inverted camber that will prevent your tip from getting stuck.
With all this in mind, look for the best snowboards to hit the slopes with this season.
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