The Best All-Mountain Snowboards of 2023

All-mountain snowboards are like hot sauce — they’re good on just about anything. From aggressive carving over groomers to carefree floating through powder, the boards featured on this list offer true quiver-of-one versatility.

Though the definition of “all-mountain” varies by retailer and brand, all of the snowboards on this list perform well across a broad range of riding styles and snow conditions.

There are lots of excellent snowboards on the market, and innovative models are introduced with each upcoming season. To compile this list, we sifted through the crowded field and selected only the very best all-mountain snowboards of 2023.

Our extensive list includes powder-leaning models, park-friendly prize winners, and everything in between. No matter your budget or riding preferences, we’re confident this list includes the perfect all-mountain snowboard for you.

If you’d like to learn more about all-mountain snowboards and their features, jump down to our buyer’s guide and FAQ at the bottom of this article. Also, make sure to check out our comparison chart to help steer your decision-making.

Feel free to scroll through and check all of our recommended buys, or jump to the category you’re looking for:

The Best Women’s All-Mountain Snowboards of 2023

The Best Men’s All-Mountain Snowboards

All-Mountain Snowboard Comparison Chart

All-Mountain Snowboard	Price	Profile	Shape	Flex	Sizes
W – GNU Ladies Choice	$630	C2x profile	Asymmetric	5 (medium)	139.5, 142.5, 145.5, 148.5, 153.5
W – Burton Stylus Flat Top Snowboard	$400	Camber to rocker	Twin	2 (soft)	138, 142, 147, 152
W – Lib Tech Cortado C2	$530	C2	Directional	7 (medium-stiff)	142, 145, 148, 151, 154
W – Jones Flagship Snowboard	$7000	Directional rocker	Directional	8 (stiff)	146, 149, 152, 155
W – Rossignol After Hours Snowboard	$580	Rocker-camber blend	Directional twin	7 (medium-stiff)	145, 149, 153, 156
W – Never Summer Infinity Snowboard	$550	A mix of wide, camber, & gradual	Directional	5 (medium)	142, 145, 148, 151
M – CAPiTA Defenders of Awesome	$500	Camber, rocker	Twin	5 (medium)	148, 150, 152, 153W, 154, 155W, 156, 157W, 158, 159W, 160, 161W, 162, 163W
M – Arbor Element Camber	$500	Camber	Directional twin	4 (medium soft)	153, 156, 159, 160MW, 161W, 162, 165W
M – Burton Custom Flying V	$660	Camber, rocker	Directional twin	3 (soft)	150, 154, 154W, 156, 158. 158W, 162, 162W, 166W 158W, 162, 162W, 166W
M – Ride Warpig	$530	Directional rocker	Tapered and directional	4 (medium soft)	142, 148, 151, 154, 158
M – GNU Essential Service	$500	Rocker-camber	Directional twin	7 (medium-stiff)	55, 157, 158W, 159, 160W
M – YES. Typo	$500	Rocker-camber	Directional twin	5 (medium)	149, 152, 155, 156W, 158, 159W, 161, 163W
W – Weston Riva	$624	Camber to rocker	Directional	7 (medium-stiff)	143, 147, 151, 155
W – Ride Psychocandy	$520	Flat to rocker	Directional	5 (medium)	138, 142, 146, 150, 154, 158
W – Arbor Swoon Rocker	$550	Rocker	Directional twin	5 (medium)	140, 144, 148, 152
W – YES. Hello	$500	Rocker/camber/rocker	Directional twin	6 (medium-stiff)	146, 149, 152, 155
M – Jones Mountain Twin	$550	Camber, rocker	Directional twin	7 (medium stiff)	151, 154, 156W, 157, 159W, 160, 162W, 163, 165W, 168W
M – Arbor Foundation	$400	Rocker	Directional twin	3 (medium soft)	148, 152, 155, 156MW, 158, 159MW, 161, 162MW
M – Never Summer Swift	$685	Rocker, camber	Directional	7 (medium-stiff)	157, 162

Why You Should Trust Us

Our snowboard crew of GearJunkie product testers and writers includes a range of experience levels from intermediate to expert snowboarders. We have backcountry splitboarders — with AIARE 2 certifications — and backcountry snowmobilers in the field. We meet for an annual gear testing week to swap notes, too, including a recent ski week at Crested Butte Mountain Resort in Colorado, which is known for extremely steep terrain.

Leading the gear testing, SnowSports Senior Editor Morgan Tilton has been snowboarding since 2002, when she switched from skiing on two planks to one, which she’d been doing since age 4 at Telluride Ski Resort in her hometown. Over the years, she has competed in local and national Slopestyle competitions, backcountry toured from Jackson to the San Juan and Elk Mountains, and pursued splitboard mountaineering. Today, she pow surfs between resort and off-piste days and has traveled to some incredible places with her snowboard, including Vancouver Island.

Editor Austin Beck-Doss has been snowboarding since 2005. Contributing photographer Eric Phillips is a formerly certified Level II PSIA-AASI instructor and big mountain pow surfer when he’s not at the resort or on splitboard tours.

We’ve tested snowboards in a range of conditions from California to the Colorado Rockies and high-alpine environments. Our snowboards have carved steep, groomed, icy terrain, wiggled through tight trees, and floated through deep powder.

While testing all-mountain snowboards we consider versatility, stability, flex, stiffness, carveability, edge hold, and overall value. We also take into consideration the most novel, style-specific, popular, highly rated, and legacy products across a range of price points.

The Best All-Mountain Snowboards of 2023: A Buyer’s Guide

What Is an All-Mountain Snowboard?

All-mountain snowboards are designed to handle various riding styles and types of terrain. A true all-mountain snowboard will perform relatively well on groomers, powder, hardpack, and everything in between.

If you’re the kind of rider who likes to mix it up and hit the park on one run and a powder stash on the next, an all-mountain snowboard is the right choice for you.

All-mountain snowboards are also well-known for their value. Instead of owning multiple specialist boards for different styles and conditions, a single all-mountain board can be your answer to everything — kind of like a Swiss Army knife.

Because these boards aren’t specialists, they generally make some compromises in order to work well all over the mountain. For example, a good all-mountain board should ride well in the powder, but it probably won’t perform quite as well as an aggressively directional powder surfing specialist.

Types of All-Mountain Snowboards

On this list, we’ve included many types of all-mountain snowboards. Each leans toward a certain style of riding. For example, our pick for best powder-leaning all-mountain snowboard will certainly rip all over the mountain, but it will truly shine when riding pow. We’ve also included freestyle-leaning all-mountain snowboards and hard-carving all-mountain snowboards.

Powder-Leaning All-Mountain

Powder-leaning all-mountain snowboards are the perfect tool for the deepest of days. Generally, snowboards in this category have a directional shape with a large, wide nose and a tapered-down tail. This is the ideal shape for maximum float in untouched snow.

Additionally, powder-leaning all-mountain snowboards usually have a rockered or hybrid rockered profile, which creates lift and keeps you happily afloat. On this list, the Ride Warpig and the Jones Women’s Flagship are our favorite boards for riding powder.

Freestyle-Leaning All-Mountain

Freestyle-leaning all-mountain snowboards will display their full potential in the terrain park. Designed with jumps, rails, and side hits in mind, these boards feature ample pop, skate-like snap, and stability to stick the landing in style.

Most freestyle-leaning snowboards have a true twin or slightly directional twin shape. Boards in this category tend to have relatively flat or mildly rockered profiles, though there are some exceptions to this. On this list, our favorite freestyle-leaning boards are the Never Summer Infinity Snowboard and the YES. Typo.

Snowboard Profile & Shape

A snowboard profile is the silhouette of a snowboard when viewed from the side if you were to set the board flat on a table and look at it lengthwise.

The profile is technically separate from the snowboard’s overall shape, but it’s also an ingredient that influences the shape category a board lands in — like adding cilantro or jalapeño to guacamole.

Imagine looking straight down at a snowboard that’s flat on the ground. The board’s shape is literally its outline, which is defined by the width from any side-to-side point, as well as the frame of the nose and tail.

Together, the board’s shape and profile create a unique feel underfoot. The various shape categories for snowboards listed below (directional, true twin, directional twin, asymmetrical, asymmetrical twin) are based on the profile and shape as well as the core materials and the flex they create.

Types of Snowboard Profile

Camber

This is the most traditional, old-school snowboard profile. With a cambered design, the center rises and the far ends of the board meet the ground where the nose and tail upturn. The sides curve upward a bit, too.

A camber board offers excellent edge control and a precise, aggressive, stable ride.

Rocker

Rocker is the opposite of camber, and it’s often called reverse camber. Lib Tech started this revolution with the original Skate Banana rocker board, so some folks refer to this feature as “banana technology.” It is a banana shape!

Instead of camber, the belly of the board presses into the ground, so it’s a convex or U-shape. The result is a superb float in powder, a more forgiving edge-to-edge experience, and a more surf-life experience in carves.

Flat

Flat is straightforwardly flat. But without the camber and upturned edges, those can more easily catch. But a flat segment of a board does provide a loading zone for popping as well as a great surface connection for rails or other jibs.

Hybrid Rocker/Camber

Some riders prefer the stability of camber or flat with the playfulness of rocker. There are countless combinations of these two profiles across nearly every brand.

One hybrid, for instance, is to have rocker between the feet, camber underfoot, and rocker on the nose and tail — a mustache, if you will. Others have a dual combo of flat or camber underfoot followed by a healthy dose of rocker throughout the nose and tail (or vice versa). But some have a tiny bit of rocker toward the tip and tail.

These incremental differences give each board a unique personality on the mountain and plenty of options for riders.

Types of Snowboard Shapes

Directional Snowboards

With a directional design, the nose is a different shape than the tail and has unique attributes. Generally, this means the tail is more rigid, providing an anchor when cruising fast. And the nose more easily lifts through clouds of powder.

True Twin Snowboards

If you were to draw a line across the centermost width of the board and fold it in half, each side would be the same. This design has a symmetrical shape (including the nose and tail and sidecut radius), flex pattern, and profile. The stance is completely centered.

A twin setup is an ideal choice for riding switch, which lends itself to freestyle terrain or park tricks, but can also be a very balanced feel for all-mountain terrain.

Directional Twin Snowboards

A directional twin is when there’s a slight variation on a twin design. So, the shape is nearly completely symmetrical with the same sidecut, flex, and profile for the nose and tail — except there’s a spin on an ingredient or two.

For instance, the profile could slightly differ between the nose and tail. The tail might have a stiffer core and flex compared to the nose. Possibly, the stance is setback rather than completely centered. Or, the nose could have a bit more rise for nice float.

Asymmetrical Snowboards

You know how the front of your body is proportionately different from its backside? An asymmetrical snowboard aims to help balance the human body, and it certainly feels different and fun to ride.

There are two ways asymmetry can be introduced in a board. A snowboard can have an asymmetrical sidecut, meaning the heel side is shorter and deeper. In contrast, the toe side is longer and shallower. This allows for easier, more balanced edge transfer between the toes and heels.

Some snowboard designs alter the core with softer materials beneath the heels along the backside of the board, compared to firmer materials along the toeside portion. Other designs blend both an asymmetrical sidecut and core.

Asymmetrical Twin

This design combines asymmetrical design features with twin features. The nose and tail will have the same shape, profile, and flex. But the toeside and heelside sidecut will differ, or the flex of the core material will differ between the toe and heel edge, or both.

Core Construction and Materials

A snowboard’s construction and materials fundamentally affect its riding ability and performance. Everything from flex to pop is a result of the various components the board itself is made from.

Perhaps the most foundational part of every snowboard is the core. Most cores are made from strips of poplar, bamboo, birch, or aspen wood. These strips are laid out from tip to tail and are pressed into a structural length of flexible plywood.

Materials including carbon and fiberglass are added above and below the core to elevate or reduce characteristics such as pop, snap, flex, chatter, and dampness.

The price of every snowboard is a product of the quality of its materials. For example, carbon fiber is considered a premium material, and snowboards with carbon components are known for their stability, power, relatively low weight, and relatively high price tag.

On this list, all of the included snowboards are built from industry-leading, high-quality materials.

Length

Though some riders believe in hard and fast rules for selecting the correct snowboard length, it’s ultimately a matter of personal preference. Board shape, rider height, rider weight, and riding style are all factors that should play into your decision about board length.

Most snowboards come in multiple lengths. Generally, longer boards offer a more aggressive ride and are preferred for hard, large-radius carves. If you’re the kind of rider who likes to absolutely bomb down groomers, we recommend a longer board.

On the other hand, shorter boards are often lighter, better for tight turns, and excellent for floating through powder.

Waist Width

Waist width is the width of a snowboard at its narrowest point. Width preferences vary from rider to rider, though there are a few general rules that are good to keep in mind as you choose a board.

Ideally, the waist width of your snowboard will allow your boots to just slightly hang over the edges of the board when placed in your bindings. When fitted properly, you’ll be able to use the minor overhang of your boots to apply leverage to the board and control your steering and speed.

If your board’s waist width is too narrow, your boots will overhang excessively and your toes may scrape the snow while carving. To determine the ideal waist width for you and your foot side, always check out your board, boot, and binding manufacturers’ sizing charts before purchasing.

Flex & Dampness

The flexibility of a snowboard defines its riding experience. There are two primary kinds of snowboard flex. Longitudinal flex refers to how much the board bends along its length. Torsional flex refers to how much the board bends side to side across its width.

On this list, we’ve given every recommended snowboard a flex rating between 1 (soft and flexible) and 10 (stiff and rigid).

Snowboards on the soft and flexible end of the spectrum are generally geared toward beginners and freestyle riders. These boards require less force to turn and maneuver and are often described as playful. If you’re going to regularly press into butters, you’ll be glad to have a board you don’t have to fight against.

Stiff boards are better for hard-charging and aggressive carving at high speeds. When you’re riding fast, stiff boards will feel more stable as they’re less likely to vibrate and chatter.

Dampness is a positive trait that refers to a board’s ability to cruise at high speeds without sending uncomfortable vibrations into your feet and lower body. As a tradeoff, stiff boards require more work to turn and maneuver, and thus should be avoided by beginners.

Many all-mountain snowboards fall somewhere in the middle of the flexibility spectrum. Not too soft and not too stiff is a good place to be for boards that aim to perform reasonably well on all kinds of terrain.

Boot and Binding Compatibility

Most snowboards are compatible with most snowboard boots and bindings, but there are a few key factors to consider when rounding out your setup. Your boots and bindings should match your riding style and the performance characteristics of your board.

In the same way that some snowboards are designed to thrive in powder, boots and bindings are each uniquely crafted to perform best in certain conditions. If your snowboard is a stiff and aggressive hard-charging monster, you don’t want a pair of soft and flexy boots that are made for the terrain park.

In other words, we recommend you match your board with boots and bindings with similar rigidity. When purchasing boots and bindings, be sure to select sizes that are compatible with the width of your board. You don’t want a binding base or a snowboard boot that hangs off the edge of your snowboard.

Furthermore, make sure that the attachment pattern for your bindings are compatible with your snowboard. Here are several general hole patterns:

• • 4×4: two rows of holes that are 4cm apart plus each hole is 4cm apart and three holes per row
  • 2×4: two rows of holes that are 2cm apart plus each hole is 2cm apart and six holes per row
  • 3-hole: the holes are in a triangular pattern and three screws are used to mount bindings
  • Channel system: this is Burton’s specific mounting system where the bindings are mounted to and slide along a track

Effective Edge

This is the portion of the edge that connects with the snow while in a turn, which influences how a board feels. Typically, the effective edge is up to 35 cm shorter than the entire length of the board.

Sidecut & Sidecut Radius

Each side of the board is curved along the edge. The depth and curvature of that sidecut influence the type of turn the board will make as well as how the ride feels. A shallower sidecut makes a wider turn, and a deeper sidecut creates a tighter turn.

To measure the depth of a sidecut, examine the width of the board at its centermost, narrowest point. Then compare that waist to the widest width measurement of the tip and tail.

To conceptualize the complete turn of a snowboard, you can visualize the sidecut extending to create a full 360-degree circle. The sidecut radius is half of that imaginary circle. When riding, each full turn is only as long as the sidecut radius, which usually ranges from 20 to 33 feet.

Sidewalls

The sidewall is the material along the edge of a snowboard. Generally, it’s a plastic that protects the sides of the sandwiched core layers. Or, the fiberglass and topsheet layer could be extended to conceal the edge. The sidewall could also be a hybrid construction.

Snowboard Bases

A snowboard’s base is the layer of material that makes contact with the snow as you ride. In order to get the best performance out of your board, it’s important to take good care of your base, repair it when necessary, and wax it regularly.

There are two kinds of snowboard bases. Each has its own pros and cons.

Extruded Bases

Extruded bases tend to be found on entry-level and park-leaning snowboards. Made from melted polyurethane pellets, these bases are essentially one large piece of flat plastic. Because of this unified structure, extruded bases are durable and not very porous.

The main benefit of extruded bases is they require minimal maintenance. These bases are less likely to suffer gouges from riding over rocks or trees, and they usually only need to be waxed a few times per season.

Most extruded bases come pre-waxed when purchased new. On this list, the Men’s Arbor Foundation is a great board with an extruded base.

Sintered Bases

Sintered bases are found on most midlevel to high-end snowboards. Unlike extruded bases, sintered bases are highly porous.

To keep sintered bases functioning at their best, frequent waxing is essential. Riders with sintered bases should be especially aware of thin spots and obstacles, as the porous material is relatively fragile and can be easily gouged or damaged.

Repairing a sintered base tends to be more expensive than repairing an extruded base. When properly maintained, sintered bases offer a faster ride — especially in wet, sticky snow.

Backcountry Snowboarding and Splitboarding

All of the snowboards on this list have been designed with resort in-bounds riding in mind. With that said, many of them would work for the backcountry if you do not have a splitboard or your tour doesn’t require split-skis. For instance, if you plan to enter a sidecountry gate (aka slackcountry) at a ski resort, be dropped off at the top of a route via vehicle, if you can follow a bootpack up, or if you plan to snowshoe to a slope.

If you’re considering riding in the sidecountry or backcountry, it’s extremely important to be well-prepared. A beacon, shovel, and probe are non-negotiable gear, and an AIARE 1 avalanche safety training course is essential, too.

While strapping a snowboard to your back and hiking through the backcountry in snowshoes is a reasonable short-term plan, most backcountry riders will eventually want to transition to a more efficient splitboard.

Splitboards divide in half and can be used with skins just like backcountry skis. Once you’re ready to descend, the splitboard snaps back together and is ready to ride.

Though splitboarding can be a wonderful way to express your riding skills in the backcountry, the significant learning curve and financial investment required are barriers for many snowboarders.

Eco-Friendly Design Features

Some snowboard designs incorporate sustainable, eco-friendly materials. For example, the Jones Women’s Flagship Snowboard incorporates recycled plastic for the sidewalls. And Lib Tech manufactures snowboards in the U.S.

A leader in the realm of sustainability is Arbor. For instance, the Swoon Rocker has recycled steel edges, sustainably harvested bamboo, and bioresin from waste products that replaces petroleum-based resin. At large, the brand sources materials from highly renewable, well-managed forests.

Arbor’s wood and bamboo cores and the majority of their top sheets are certified by the Forest Stewardship Council, a third-party nod that the materials are derived from responsibly managed forests. Its entire production line is solar-powered, too.

FAQ

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