After trying out several boards over the last few years, I thought it was about time to compile a helpful guide for women purchasing snowboards, and express my thoughts on the ‘feel’ of several of our market leaders out there. Buying a snowboard is a personal choice, you want to get as much FUN out of riding it as physically possible, so it is so important to buy the right one for YOU! Lots of people can tell you to buy this...or buy that...but it is subjective, as everyone likes to ride in different ways.
Whether its your first time on a snowboard, your 2nd board to help you progress, a powder weapon or park dream…I’ve been fortunate enough to try 8 brands of snowboards all in different weather conditions in Europe, Canada and New Zealand - so I hope this will prevent you from that ‘overwhelmed’ feeling when you walk into a Snowboard store and look at a wall of 50 different snowboards…and help narrow down your search for THE ONE.
A First Board to get you shredding
Bataleon: Feel Better - forgiving and fun, low camber, equally great for tail presses and boxes in the park. The 3BT in the nose and tail has you spinning out of things rather than flying out on an edge.
Bataleon: Distortia - medium camber, the 3BT in the tail and nose prevent you from catching edges, identical twin shape to help when you still occasionally ‘leaf’ down the mountain and progress into turns.
Burton: Feel Good Flying V - Throw yourself in the deep end with Kelly Clarks model for Burton, forgiving rocker zones in between and on the outside edges of your feet to help you slide out that edge rather than catch it when learning your first turns.
Yes: Emoticon - Friendly, Flexible and FUN - the mellow camber gets you used to the pop of a camber board in the friendliest way possible. I have several friends who love this board, and even after they progress, they keep it as its a great intro to the park board too.
Arbor: Swoon - Always a beautiful graphic, parabolic rocker keeps you a float through all.
My pick of the bunch: Yes Emoticon
You’ve got your turns on lock, and can flat line at speed. - Now you want MORE.
Burton: Yeasayer - you can get this in 2 models Flying V or Flat Top profile. Great graphic for 2022!
Capita: Space Metal Fantasy - A soft, playful approach to dominating the park. A game changer for many women.
Bataleon: Push Up - the most powerful noodle you'll ever know. Fun. Lots of FUN. In All conditions.
Burton: Rewind - Great all rounder with burtons Pure Pop Tech, you'll be straight airing every side hit around.
My pick off the bunch: Capita Space Metal Fantasy
Any woman I’ve put on the space metal fantasy has come back after two laps with the biggest smile on their face.
That says it all really. The friendly flex in it makes you best friends on first lap, and the reverse camber has you nailing the park in no time. This board is such a good 2nd board to progress on as it tackles all types of terrain with ease, doesn't take any ‘getting used to it phase’, and gives you way more confidence to your riding.
You are Confident as hell, now take me to the next level!
Capita: Birds of a Feather - An all mountain beast. Love on first lap.
Capita: Paradise - Great for powering through the slush and powered alike, stable and strong.
Burton: Talent Scout - GO SLAY that park and put the boys to shame!
Endeavour: Diamond - Like to just blast round the piste with style at ease? This is your one. popular board for skate boarders.
Ride: Saturday - Super fun side hit wonder, absorbs impact smoothly with a mid flex to defeat anything you point it at.
My pick of the bunch: Capita Birds of a Feather
She euro carves a dream, she boosts you off side hits with mad stability and zero chatter - the sister to the infamous best selling mens board - Capita D.O.A., is THE BIRDS OF A FEATHER.
The scoopy nose and tail have you transitioning 1’s and 3’s smoother than silk itself, the positive camber between the feet aids a noticeable charge with such precision compared to other women all mountain boards. This is the type of board you fall in love with and keep purchasing again and again with no desire for anything else.
Powder Hunters:
Jones: Hovercraft - agressive, fast, you’ve got to show it who's boss!
Burton: Storyboard - Super fun in Slush, Carving and Powder
Bataleon: Love Powder - Similar shape to the hovercraft heaps of fun in the deepest of POW.
My pick of the bunch: Jones Hovercraft
The Jones Hovercraft was my first ever ‘pow board’ purchase, and I love it still to this day.
I remember the first day I rode it, on an avalanche training day in Verbier in the swiss alps, and I couldn't of chosen a better day of waist deep pillows.
Its unique design means you can ride it shorter than your normal pow board, as it had a wider waist width giving you more surface area. The short stiff tail sinks and the big rocker-ed nose floats up, giving you line after line of dream riding. The beauty of this board is its mega fun on piste too, its fast, its light and holds an edge fiercely.
Next year Burton have some MEGA pow boards coming out…so keep your eyes peeled for their next years release…
All Mountain - Carve Qwweens
Jones: Twin Sister
Rome: Muse
Capita: Equaliser
Yes: Hell Yes
My pick of the bunch: Jones Twin sister
The muse and the equaliser I found quite similar - both boards that take a bit of taming.
Think of a really excited race horse thats been locked up for a while, you open the gate.. and it pins it out, not looking back once. Its gone.
That is your Rome Muse and your Capita Equaliser.
They think they are riding you the first lap or two, but you have to be aggressive with your riding and show them who's boss. Once you’ve gotten used to each other, you will work together in carving harmony. Both are a directional twin shapes, which make carving at high speed THE BEST ride ever, but you can equally ride them switch if you desire.
The Jones Twin Sister is ever so slightly more versatile than the above, which is why I made it my pick of the bunch! It is also a directional twin but rides with utter ease, excels at whatever you point it at, whether its a terrain park, groomers or backcountry. A great one to have in your collection when you need an all-rounder that tackles any type of snow conditions.