What are the different types of snowboard

Ah, the humble snowboard. Also known as your shred sled, weapon of choice, and noble steed. This thing can transform your life, taking you from base to peak, from carving pistes to slashing that sweet, sweet pow. 

But hold on. Did you know there are multiple snowboard types? Yep, it’s not just a case of choosing the same style again and again. There are different shapes, camber profiles, and flex ratings to consider. Oh, and your favored terrain, of course. 

So, which one should you reach for? No stress — Dope Mag is here to help with our guide to different types of boards. Now, when it’s time to upgrade, you can shop with your newfound knowledge and pick the best plank for you. Oh, and speaking of upgrades, why not take a look at our new collection of women's snowboard jackets and men's snowboard jackets? 

Different types of snowboard

Snowboards: understanding camber profiles, shapes, and more

Before we get into the different types, it’s important to know about some features that vary from board to board. We’ll mention these quite a lot throughout our article, so swat up before getting your shred-on:

Camber types 

You’ll notice we talk about ‘camber’. This refers to the board’s curvature when lying flat on the snow – and can heavily influence your board’s performance. For example, do you want forgiving and surfy or stable and packed with power? How about a mix of the two? A board with traditional camber or a cambered board, where the middle of the board rises off the ground so you have camber from tip to tail. You’ll want this to maximize pop and power transfer (handy for tricks and freestyle). However, you’ll also find these snowboards super responsive with superior edge hold on groomers and hardpack – especially at speed. 

A rocker or reverse camber board, however, is where the tip and tail of your board turn upwards (like a banana) for fun, surfy vibes, and easier turn initiation. In short, these rockered boards thrive when floating in pow and doing flatland tricks. However, they’re a bit sketchy for stomping big landings and holding an edge on hardpack at speed.

And then there are camber/rocker snowboards, also known as hybrid profiles, which blend the two. Although there are many different combos, rocker/camber/rocker (hybrid camber) is the most common. With this, you’ll experience the reliable edge hold and pop of camber underfoot alongside the floatation and easy turn initiation of rocker. Dreamy.

Shapes

Now for the shapes. Directional snowboards ride in one direction with the same foot forward – and often at high speed. And you’ll notice the nose is longer than the tail. However, a tapered directional board has a wider nose than tail, with a stiffer flex in the nose to help it float. Freeriders and powderhounds always reach for this one. 

On the other hand, true twin snowboards have symmetrical noses and tails for riding fakie/switch (forwards and backward) as well as regular – perfect for park ‘n’ pipe, then. You also have the asymmetrical twin, where a deeper sidecut on the heel edge improves edge hold (but we’ll get into sidecuts in a bit). 

Directional twin shape, however, combines the directional board with the true twin. It’s pretty similar to a true twin except for a longer nose than tail (like a directional) and a setback stance (usually no more than 20mm). This means you can now take your freestyle party to the backcountry. Yew!

Flex and sidecut radius 

If your snowboard has a soft flex, it’s normally forgiving and easier to turn (best for beginners and freestylers). With a stiffer board and medium flex, you’ll experience better edge hold at speed and more grip when turning. 

Are you more of an advanced rider who carves the piste and shreds the backcountry? You’ll want the stiffest flex possible to keep up on the groomers but float in the deep stuff. You might also come across asymmetrical flex. This is where there’s usually a softer flex towards the heel edge than toe edge. 

Then, there’s the sidecut radius. This is all about the arc of a snowboard’s edge and whether a board is better at making tight turns (a deeper sidecut) or big sweeping ones (a shallower sidecut). Asymmetrical sidecut, however, is when the heel edge sidecut is deeper than the toe edge. The result? Tighter heel side turns and better maneuvering. 

Stance

You’ll also notice we mention stance. This is talking about where to mount your bindings on the board. And there are two options: centered stance or setback stance. 

Of course, there are exceptions to the rule, but, generally speaking, a centered stance is rad for park rats bagging tricks. That’s because you can ride switch more comfortably and have a better feel when hitting features. 

If you’re looking for float in pow, though, you’ll want a slight setback stance so your weight’s on the back of the board. With this, the nose rises, so you surf on top of the deep stuff rather than plowing through it. And now we’ve swatted up, let’s look at what you can get your hands on …

All-mountain snowboards

For the whole mountain to really become your playground, you’re gonna want an all-mountain snowboard. This style allows you to do a bit of everything – from groomers to off-piste runs and even park ‘n’ pipe. Shape-wise, all-mountain boards are usually true twin (you will find some directional ones, though) or directional twin. Opt for the latter, and it’ll ride and feel like a true twin with some directional design aspects, such as an elongated nose or a slightly setback stance. 

All-mountain boards are suitable for every condition. Plus, they can outperform niche snowboards if you ride a wide range of terrain and see yourself as a Jack of all trades. However, while all-mountain snowboards are the definition of versatile – and an awesome choice if you like to mix things up – they only go so far. Think of an all-mountain board as performing pretty well across everything rather than blowing your mind in one field, such as pow. 

So, if you’re into consistently riding specific terrain, such as park or backcountry freshies, you’ll want to add specialized boards to your quiver. Keep scrolling to see what we mean. And don’t come for us if your pad is suddenly full of snowboards ...

Park and freestyle snowboards

If jibbing and tricks are your bag, you’ll worship the park and freestyle snowboards. These are often shorter, more flexible, and lightweight than all-mountain boards to easily pop, play and maneuver. More advanced freestyle boards will usually feature a traditional full camber profile which means these boards have lots of energy for hard pops and heavy landings, they hold on rails, and they hold an edge to initiate spins with more precision. Plus, thanks to their symmetrical true twin design, you can land in either direction or ride switch with your lead foot pointing backward. 

Because park and freestyle snowboards have a mix of flexes and camber profiles, you can get nitty gritty and buy a jump-specific or rail/jib-specific steed. For example, the rail/jib boards often have a softer flex. By that, we mean around 1 to 4 out of 10 – with 1 being the most mellow and 10 being the stiffest. This creates a buttery-smooth jib knife for radder nose/tail press execution. Jump boards, on the other hand, will have a medium flex to handle the impact from ollies and small jumps. However, these are still super easy-going flex-wise at around 4 or 5 out of 10. Plus, there are some rocker freestyle boards out there, too, with full rise at the tip and tail for super loose, catch-free riding. Saying all that, though, you’ll be able to swap and change between the jump and jib line with almost all freestyle boards – some just have a few touches ‘n’ tweaks to handle one slightly better. 

You don’t have to confine these boards to the park parameters, either. They’re designed for grabs and catching air off natural features, too. Oh, and for getting creative on the handrail by the bar, of course. Just remember, though, boards with softer flex won’t be the most stable at speed and may ‘chatter’ as you ride on the hardpack. Opt for a stiffer flex if you like to lay into carves and ride harder. 

All-mountain freestyle snowboards

Do you send it off booters? You’ll want a medium to stiff flex to handle those big landings, then. That’s where all-mountain freestyle snowboards come in. These hybrid boards combine the best of a freestyle snowboard with an all-mountain snowboard. Basically, you can ride freestyle across the entire mountain. 

However, these snowboards generally have a firmer flex than your standard freestyle board. And that reduced flex means they’re better suited to hard charging and bigger sends. You’ll have that ‘pop’ off the lip (thanks to its camber profile) and feel super stable on landing. Win-win! 

The line is a bit blurry about how these boards truly differ from your classic all-mountain board. However, all-mountain freestyle boards do tend to have a more aggressive camber profile – ace for catching air and ollying off features. They also typically have higher-end materials and more premium constructions in order to deal with the extra stress and abuse they receive.

Freeride snowboards

Do you spend most of your time in the out-of-bounds steep stuff? Love carving hardpack as much as slashing pow? Then, say hello to the freeride snowboard – designed to ride fast, carve hard, explore the backcountry, and make even the sketchiest snow smooth and rideable. 

Freeride snowboards are usually a tapered directional shape – so the nose is often wider than the tail with an asymmetrical flex pattern (so the nose will feel different). This wider nose, shorter tail, and asymmetrical flex means you can lean back easier, so the front lifts atop any deep stuff – aka, you’re surfing instead of plowing powder. However, you’ll also come across non-tapered directional freeride snowboards. These are better for the carving crusaders among you – although they still have a setback stance for a respectable float in pow. Yep, hardpacked and powder – the freeride snowboard is a bit of a showoff. 

And, if you were on a park and freestyle snowboard yesterday, you’ll notice a big difference today. That’s because freeride snowboards are typically way stiffer to handle speed, bumps, varied natural features, and whatever the mountain throws at them. Plus, with that firm flex, you can lay down epic turns on steep, technical terrain in questionable conditions. Nice. 

Powder and backcountry snowboards

If freshies raise those stoke levels, reach for a powder snowboard. Everything about this board is designed with deep snow in mind – from the tapered directional shape (the nose is normally wider and longer than the tail, but you will find some true twin powder boards) to the flex (normally asymmetrical) and setback binding position. For that effortless flotation, powder boards usually have a rocker-dominant profile, too. This means the tail is lowered while the nose is raised – perfect for streamlining through freshies and taming the backcountry. 

Oh, and let’s not forget the swallowtail snowboards. These boards have a section cut out of their tail, which looks like an upside-down ‘V’ shape. Why? Extra float! Yep, the swallowtail shape means more sink at the back, creating tons of float and effortlessly raising the nose out of the pow. And then there’s the pintail powder board, where the tail shapes into a ‘V’, creating a pin shape or point. The point of the point? To give you the stability of a longer board alongside the reactiveness and maneuverability of a shorter board. Bliss, basically. 

However, for serious backcountry explorers, there’s the splitboard. This board splits in half to form two skis, allowing you to access those serious lines without lugging a snowboard on your back. Just climb up those untracked routes like your ski-touring buddies and unleash your inner Jeremy Jones. Then, when it’s time to descend (AKA the fun part), reconnect the two halves, and Voila: you have a snowboard ready to ride. Just don’t forget your skins to make the whole thing possible.

FAQs

Which one is best for beginners?

An all-mountain snowboard – hands down! Thanks to their versatility and ability to perform on anything, all-mountain boards are the perfect choice for beginners grasping different terrain – and finding out which is their favorite! 

As a total beginner, you’ll usually have a wide, short, all-mountain snowboard, as it’s easier to control and turn. And let’s not forget about those hybrid camber and hybrid rocker profiles alongside the soft flex. These make the board more forgiving, so it’s easier to turn, and you’re less likely to catch an edge. Yay!

Which one is best for carving?

You can find carving-specific boards. These are narrower, longer, and stiffer than freestyle and freeride snowboards for quick edge turns, supreme edge-hold on super hard snow, and reliable stability at speed. They look like a large ski and are made to only ride in one direction. However, carving boards are generally for advanced knuckle-draggers only. Stick these boards on anything not involving blasting ‘n’ carving, and they’ll struggle. 

If you want something more versatile, freeride directional snowboards are rad for digging those edges in – especially at high speed! They still have that stiff flex for riding fast and carving hard but with the bonus of being awesome in pow. Some all-mountain boards also carve really well, thanks to their stiffer flex. So, choose one of these if you want to try carving but aren’t ready to commit to a specialist board. 

Do weight and height determine which one is best?

Of course! Height and weight are extremely important when choosing the right size snowboard. However, terrain preference is a massive part of it, too, as you don’t want to opt for a freestyle board when powder is more your jam. 

It’s also important to remember that while your height, weight, and ability will help you find your recommended board size range, you’ll then want to add or deduct a few centimeters for different types of snowboards. For example, park rats will want a shorter snowboard at the low end of their recommended range for easier turns, rotations, and trick initiations. And freeriders? They’ll want to add around 1.7-3.8 cm/0.7-1.5 inches for a longer-than-normal shred stick that helps keep the nose free of the pow.

Are there any other types?

We’ve briefly mentioned carving boards, also known as alpine or racing snowboards. These normally have a shovel on the nose to encourage speed in one direction and feature a long, narrow design with a stiff flex. You’ll notice boardercross and snowboard racers reach for these. 

You’ll discover women-specific and kids-specific snowboards, too – often with a narrower waist width, softer flex, and thinner profiles. It’s always worth comparing different types before deciding on your setup, especially as they differ from brand to brand. 

Wrapping up 

Woah – who knew there were so many different types of snowboard? What’s that saying, though – variety is the spice of life? Well, that’s our justification, anyway, if anyone ever questions the size of our quiver. 

It’s all real simple, though: the type of snowboard massively impacts how well you ride. After all, you’ll hit a kicker way easier with a park board than a powder one (in fact, that’d just be a recipe for disaster). And once you’ve found your favorite board and terrain, it’s time to document it on the ‘Gram, TikTok, or your platform of choice. Just tag @dopesnow and follow us for pro rider action alongside insider info about our new collection. 

Related reading:

• How to snowboard: 18 tips for beginners
• Women's snowboarding pants / Men's snowboarding pants
• What to wear snowboarding and skiing
• Women's snowboard wear / Men's snowboard wear
• Snowboard stances – goofy vs regular