Nowadays, there are a plethora of snowboard types and snowboard brands in the market. Therefore, choosing the best suitable one for yourself is not a piece of cake anymore.
To narrow down options, you need to know what exactly you are looking for.
In this article, we are going to give you several best snowboards, snowboarding brands and useful tips to help you save time in buying a snowboard.
Let’s go.
Top 5 Best Snowboard Brands For Snowboarding Lovers
- EMSCO Group – Graffiti Snowboard
- Emsco Group – Supra Hero Snowboard
- Gnu Asym Carbon Credit Snowboard Mens
- Lucky Bums Kids Plastic Snowboard
- STAUBER Summit Snowboard & Binding Package Sizes
How to Choose the Best Boards
Be Aware of Your Level of Snowboarding
First of all, take into account your level of snowboarding. Scratching your pocket before you have even stepped on snow for the first time is one of the most absurd things you can do.
The best thing in the beginning is to opt for rent, and once you’ve been bitten by the snow bug, look for a multi-purpose table that allows you to progress quickly.
If your level is intermediate, you should start thinking about having a table that suits your tastes in the mountains.
You may still have a long way to go in snowboarding, but hitting a board that fits like a glove will make you feel comfortable thus achieving a greater evolution.
When you are already an expert , there are few tips that can be given. The sensations on a table are very personal and when you reach a specific level, you acquire a critical capacity that lets you know what you need. A slight difference between two tables can be a world for someone who knows how to squeeze them.
Size Matters… and Weight Too
Our height and weight are a fundamental part of the factors to take into account when choosing a board.
The vast majority of manufacturers have their own measurements where you can check which would be the best for you.
Curvature – A Difficult Question
Maybe you’ve ever wondered what is “Camber”, “Rocker”, “Flat”, etc. Well, it’s the type of curvature that a board has and the choice of one or the other depends on the type of snowboard you practice and of the level that one has.
The traditional camber offers greater speed and stability while the boards with rocker, also called inverted camber or banana, are much more playful in the park and maneuverable in the powder.
In addition to these two types, we can find tables with “camber zero” or ” flat “, which as its name indicates, does not have any type of curvature.
Most Importantly, Try It Before You Purchase
When you do not have much experience in snowboarding you can feel overwhelmed with such a variety of tables , but I assure you that when you have the opportunity to try it, all these doubts can dissipate at once.
Top 14 Best Snowboard Brands in 2020 (Voted by Sammy)
So now, you already know your level, riding style and how to choose the most appropriate snowboards.
Next, we would like to introduce all of you the most renowned snowboard brands all over the world.
Burton (Rating: 4.9/5)
The first place is deservedly occupied by the famous brand – Burton, which is established by Jake Burton – a noticeable man considered as the creator of modern snowboard nowadays.
This best -known and longest-running brand in the world of snowboarding currently is available at more than 30 countries and territories.
So it is quite convenient for you to purchase a Burton product.
The history of the formation of Burton began in 1977, and since then the company has endured quite a few complex and enchanting stages. Its “crown” has become widespread, and this brand is always received great veneration.
The main topic of conversation among experts and admirers of Burton is how successful this or that seasonal series came out because each model of Burton in every season has an amazing consistency and outstanding quality.
Burton focuses mainly on snowboards and accessories for them. Developers are constantly introducing new technologies that others later copy.
The Channel Mounting Technology is a Burton proprietary development that distinguishes the boards of this brand.
One of the most excellent representatives is the Burton Process snowboard. It has medium hardness and is suitable for semi-professional and progressive athletes.
It has a high versatility and is sharpened for All mountain and freestyle. Burton Process combines 14 different technologies that are responsible for aspects of stability, balance, controllability and maneuverability on a slope.
Like the rest of the season snowboards, the Burton Process is expensive, but it fully justifies its price on mountain slopes.
Pros
- Variable thickness cores
- Special system of testing
- Double lightweight fiber
- A combination of wooden EGD and T6 aluminum structure
- Ideal geometry
Buy it on Amazon.com
Lib Tech (Rating 4.8/5)
Lib Tech is a subsidiary of Mervin Manufacturing – a well-known snowboarding company in America. For many years, when it comes to Lib Tech, it is famous for their environmentally-friendly manufacturing method such as making use of bamboo cores and durable polymer top sheets.
Located near the city of Seattle, the main factory of Lib Tech continues the glorious tradition of manually producing boards.
According to the company’s founder, Michael Olson, only such method can achieve the highest quality of their products.
It is worth noting that it is not far from the truth: Lib Tech snowboards are unanimously recognized by experts as one of the best (and, sometimes, the best) for performing at prestigious world championships.
At an early stage of development, Lib Tech adhered to the developed Magne-Traction technology. Thanks to this, snowboards acquire curved sidewalls for better transmission of effort, as well as unloaded bow and tail parts, which are ideally suited for freestyle.
Today, the company is developing another technology, called Banana Technology. Bright representatives of this “production line” are Lib Tech Skate Banana BTX boards and the absolutely new Lib Tech Banana blaster, which is “crowned” in the new stage of modernization.
After nearly 20 years, Lib Tech manages to retain leadership not only in Canada and the USA but throughout the world. Each famous is famous for its high quality, great level of functionality and durability.
The assortment includes snowboards for men, women, children, as well as for beginners and professionals, including high-level athletes.
With the latest technology, Lib allows you to protect your feet and enjoy the best experience.
Pros
- Pronounced style and eye-catching designs
- A large number of lines for any requests
- Verified geometry for easy riding
Buy it on Amazon.com
GNU (Rating 4.8/5)
Follow Lib Tech does GNU – also one of the subsidiaries of Mervin Manufacturing. In the 1980s, GNU was created by Mike Olson.
It manufactures boards and snowboard bindings but is best known for its boards. Each board has a different approach, but all of them are designed for most kinds of terrain.
Like its brother – Lib Tech, GNU also gets the most out of Banana Technology. According to GNU experts, this structure is the best because it provides excellent smoothness of sliding, high speed and full control over the board.
In terms of manufacturing, the company uses exclusively selected materials from wood, polymers, metals to others. They are distinguished by their strength and lightness.
Despite the high prices, according to experts, snowboards are worth every penny spent.
GNU boards are made for everyone: women, men, children, teenagers, amateurs, beginners and professional athletes. There are lots of famous riders choosing GNU such as Travis Rice, Mikka Backstrom, Victor Teymurov, etc.
More interesting, GNU owns a Marvin Lab, whose manufacturing facility is hidden from the eyes of people far away in the mountains. ML is practicing a complete research approaching to the production of new boards.
Each new model is based on observation of the actions of skill athletes, careful calculations and exacting testing process.
In 2018, GNU introduced a new board model GNU Asym zoid c2x, which showed surprising results in terms of stability and versatility. It meets all the requirements of experts, involves appropriate costs and is intended for advanced athletes.
It is possible that this step gives a new impetus to the development of snowboards, and therefore GNU simply cannot pass by the top ten.
Pros
- Reliable fasteners
- Excellent quality
- High stability while driving
- Strong cores
Never Summer (Rating 4.7/5)
The fifth place in the ranking goes to the brand, which is one of the few today who maintains the 100% quality of hand-assembled from the initial to the final stage of the snowboard manufacturing.
The company has been on the market since 1991. Never Summer is a brand that has become famous not because of advertising and strong management, but most importantly, the quality of its products.
The boards of the company are favorites among many analogues even in stores that are selective in the selection of goods for sale.
For example, in most board shops in Denver, there are only snowboards of two companies, among them Never Summer.
The foundation of the future firm was laid by two brothers – Tracy and Tim Caneday – who conceived to make snowboards for themselves.
Subsequently, the family craft went beyond carpentry in the home garage, and the brothers began to make boards, first for friends and acquaintances, and then work on orders from all over the state.
Today, the Canaday brothers’ enterprise has grown to an enormous scale, but still maintains the brand of manual snowboarding. At the disposal of Never Summer, there are dozens of successful developments, which are complemented from time to time by new technologies.
The main focus of the company is on the excellent customization of snowboards. A striking representative of this approach is Proto Type Two, which most users love most of all for their appearance and versatility.
Pros
- Ideal thickness
- Thorough quality control of boards
- High stability
Buy it on Amazon.com
Nitro (Rating 4.7/5)
The ranking continues with the oldest brand, located on the sixth position. All models are developed in Canada and the United States, and are produced in Austria. I
Founded in the early stage of 1990s, Nitro has gradually become one of the greatest names in snowboarding manufacturing industry.
Here you will find a wide range of products such as boots, bags, apparel, snowboards any many more.
From the very moment of its foundation to the present day, Nitro employees adhered to one strict rule: to use only high-quality and expensive materials in production in order to eliminate problems and malfunctions with long-term operation during aggressive skating.
And to introduce most amazing products, Nitro set up its own technical research lab in Germany. The great team with unlimited creativity always tries hard to produce one-of-a-kind items.
Besides, it was Nitro that became the first brand under which the women’s freestyle boards were released; therefore, snowboarding is a sport game not only for man anymore.
One of the last outstanding representatives of the company is the Nitro Magnum model, designed for freeride.
While testing, it shows super stability. It is expensive, but generally adheres to the principles of the company and is able to serve from 4-5 seasons ( judged by user feedback).
Pros
- Lava laminate and ultra-lightweight materials for all models, which ensures great performance.
- Top trending snowboards, stylish sportswear and cool accessories.
- Separately designed cores for each board
Buy it on Amazon.com
Arbor (Rating 4.6/5)
The seventh is a brand whose history has been written since 1995. The team of craftsmen, who founded his own company in 1995, has always been famous for a very brave and non-trivial approach to the craft.
While other manufacturers bent their line and gave out completely standard goods, Arbor relied on originality, which found a response in the hearts of millions of snowboarding fans.
From the very beginning, the company focused on the production of environmentally friendly sports equipment – snowboards and skateboards.
Experts believe that the company has achieved great success in the direction of snowboarding.
Specifically, in “Battle of the Brands 2” in 2013, Arbor claimed its glory over Never Summer in the final round. Also, the Arbor Whiskey snowboard was honored by Snowboard Magazine as one of top 10 best graphics in 2014.
For many years, Arbor has received lots of reputations – all thanks to the addiction of employees to the development of the geometry of the boards.
All snowboards have an asymmetrical shape of the bow and tail, making it easy to perform complex technical skills.
What’s more, the company’s specialists monitor all current trends and technological development. Also, Arbor is in close cooperation with talented artists who make unique stylish designs for the brand, many of which later become works of art.
Some best sellers are Arbor Shreddy Krueger, Arbor Zygote Twin or Arbor Draft – all are favored by teenagers.
Pros
- Special design
- A variety of price segments
- Correct geometry for all boards depending on the terrain
- Stability and ease of management
- Structural features that distinguish snowboards among analogs
Buy it on Amazon.com
Salomon (Rating 4.6/5)
As one subsidiary company of Salomon Group which focuses on manufacturing sports equipment, Salomon has always been on the top rankings of trusted brand in French since 1995.
Today, the company occupies a leading position, entering the top brands under which the best boards in the world are produced. Strict requirements and smart application of science and technology ensures excellent quality, functionality, practicality and long service life for snowboards.
To gain such reputation, developers must solve a difficult problem of adapting old and newly developed systems for a completely different type of product without loss of quality and efficiency of use.
Thus, in one of the outstanding models of the 16/17 season – the Salomon Man’s board, Cross Profile deflection technology with a few changes of the tail was used.
Because of this, the snowboard still feels great even in deep snow, not burrowing, but continuing to move at high speed.
A careful approach to development, professionalism and company’s identity are the three principles that guarantee the ultimate product to be obtained.
Most surprisingly, many users who choose Salomon note that it is particularly comfortable to study on these boards, as they are simple to manage, and reasonable prices make it possible.
With any budget, you can purchase a whole set of sports equipment.
Pros
- High flexibility
- Affordability
- Cores that enhance the desired characteristics of boards for different purpose
- Excellent dynamism
- Easy to learn
K2 Snowboarding (Rating 4.5/5)
Bill Kirschner founded K2 Snowboarding in 1987, and it is one of the subsidiaries of K2 Sports established in 1962. These fun boards, present in any best listing, have been on the market for more than 25 years, with models also for girls and children.
K2 items tend to stand out for their innovations , design, material and technology. His model K2 Raygun is considered one of the best of the season 2019 – 2020.
At the first sight, users might feel familiar with its traditional shape. Each and every species of material are handpicked, ensuring a great durability and flexibility. With a little rise at the tip and trail, it enables you to ride professionally but effortlessly.
Head (Rating 4.5/5)
The Austrian company Head is one of the recognized leaders in the production of premium sports equipment for winter sports.
Its story began in the fifties, when Howard Head (the ideological inspirer and founder of the company) created the world’s first metal-based board.
The first truly integrated technology from Head used in the creation of snowboards was Intelligence Chip System, aimed at any increase in the stability and sustainability of equipment on the slopes.
After this, the company’s technological assortment began to grow rapidly to produce new products and modernize the old versions.
The latest breakthrough is called Intellifiber, which serves to compensate for the constant vibrations arising while snowboarding.
To say which model is the flagship of the brand is very difficult. All of them differ in sharpened drive and aggressive descent, regardless of the type of discipline. They are expensive, but surely worth every penny.
Flow (Rating 4.5/5)
Flow is a model of the most purposeful manufacturer who has gained worldwide recognition in less than 20 years of existence. In the early 2000s, nobody knew about this brand. Years passed, and by 2014, Flow became the title partner of a huge number of snowboarders who won prestigious tournaments and flashed at the Olympics.
In terms of technology, Flow is a trendsetter and quite justifiably outperforms almost all of its competitors in the trade.
Every year, employees of the company develop and modernize dozens of new systems, testing and introducing them into a fresh lineup.
In the 16/17 season, Flow Viper board might be the coolest. Due to its shape and softness, it allows beginners to make fewer mistakes and rewards them with unforgettable impressions of with impeccable control.
Buy it on Amazon.com
Capita
Capita Snowboarding is the best brand of boards in both quality and price. It is characterized by its innovative designs and being one of the only ones that has its own factory – The Mothership located in Austria.
In Capita, as a rule, everything is different: designs are all sorts of quirky, carefully thought out, and worthy performance. Mostly, it sets the trends for the upcoming seasons.
The Capita Space Metal Fantasy might be the board owning the most elegant and sophisticated design you’ll find in the market.
Many users do not like flashy colors and prefer more elegant and simple designs. If you are one of them, surely this model will surprise you.
Your inverted camber profile will allow you to try new jumps and tricks, so you can enjoy yourself to the fullest without worrying about anything.
Notice that this product is designed to perform tricks and special jumps; therefore, if you are a beginner, you should not try it for the moment.
Ride
Ride is also considered as one of the most greatest snowboard companies in America. The headquarter is located in Washington.
It is not only famous for beautiful and versatile snowboards but also amazing accessories and apparel. Over time, they have achieve massive fan community thanks to its advanced technology and reliable quality.
As a fabulous product of Ride, Ride Saturday is a snowboard model designed for women. It has an attractive design with bright colors and creative drawing.
It has a hybrid structure and a curved shape under the feet so that the center of the board does not touch the ground on flat surfaces. Also, the design of its tail allows you to execute any type of jump or somersault.
This type of board is used to practice freestyle. It is designed to jump and do tricks that require a certain level and mastery of the table.
Rome SDS
Rome Snowboard Design Syndicate also was established by Josh Reid and Paul Maravetz in Vermont in 2001. Compared to other brands like GNU or Burton, Rome only is a new brand; however, thanks to the dedicated and creative team, Rome has received lots of attention.
The snowboards of Rome have the perfect combination of classic and modern styles such as Kashmir or National.
Also, you can find out the boards that are youthful and energetic for young generation like Stale Sandbech.
Surely, its wide range of style and size can satisfy your demand.
Endeavor
Endeavor is also a good destination for those who are going to buy a mid-range snowboard. With various models for all riding styles and genders, Endeavor gives buyers a plenty of excellent choices.
Most people are loyal to Endeavor due to a smooth and strong ride it brings. And more importantly, most of all products are reasonable, which don’t cost you a fortune but still let you enjoy most.
Wrapping Up
So much useful information in one long article. Now you already know which snowboard brands are the best. Hope that our article is a detailed guideline for those who are looking for their “best friends”.
In the final line, what is the snowboard brand you are using? Feel free to share with us in the comment section.
