From backcountry powder to inbounds hardpack, these boards will go anywhere and do anything.

Head Disrupt ($379)

Best For: All-terrain freestyle.

The Test: Head has been stepping up its snowboard game, and the is direct proof. The twin-tip shape and Head’s zero-camber Flocka profile simplify switch stance for riding all over the mountain. “Lightweight and full of life, with great pop and soft tip-to-tail flex,” said one tester. It floats better than a traditionally cambered board and provides better edge hold than a rockered one, though a few testers wanted more stiffness on steep, technical terrain.

The Verdict: A playful all-mountain board for big air and smooth turns. 

Never Summer Swift ($590)

Best For: Powder gliding.

The Test: The Swift’s rocker-camber profile (rocker between the feet, camber underfoot extending toward the tips) provides an extra-long transition zone up front. That, plus the four-inch setback on the binding location and a wide nose, improves weight distribution for ideal float on big snow days. But the proved fast and light in all conditions, thanks to the porous, fused-pellet base and blended light-hardwood core. One tester commented that the “torsional flexibility allowed for beautiful carves,” and the “camber helped lock the edges into steep terrain.”

The Verdict: A most-of-the-mountain dominator that excels in deep snow. 

Winterstick Seth Wescott ($750)

Best For: Big-mountain charging.

The Test: Wescott, a boarder-cross champion and co-owner of , wanted something that catered to his aggressive style. This is the result. “Definitely a board for powerful riders,” said one of our testers. The wide, rockered nose adds buoyancy, and the short, round tail enables quick turns. The tight sidecut made initiating edges easy, and the medium-to-stiff flex and tapered shape add control on groomers and off-piste slopes. Testers agreed that the light, strong aspen core made it playful and responsive.

The Verdict: Surfs with style. 

Burton Custom Split ($750)

Best For: Backcountry freeriding.

The Test: After two decades in the Burton lineup, the now comes as a splitboard. Like the solid model, it’s a directional twin tip with a rockered nose and tail. But the Split adds traditional camber between the inserts and thin flat zones just outside them to help smooth out edge-to-edge transitions. Testers praised the board’s all-mountain capabilities, noting impressive stability on uneven terrain. “Easy to control and playful,” said one, while another called it “stout and supportive on steep slopes and over choppy snow.” 

The Verdict: Hits the sweet spot between flex and support. 

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These boards play nice everywhere. All you have to decide is what kind of conditions you spend the most time in, then go ride everything on the hill. 

Gnu Zoid

Best For: Deep Carves
The asymmetric comes in two shapes: one for regular footers and one for goofy. Testers agreed it was a joy to ride almost anywhere. “It’s medium stiff lengthwise and charges through corn, bumps, and groomers,” one noted. The serrated MagneTraction edges provide solid hold on ice, and the surf-inspired Ekstrom tail “feels like pumping a wave but carves incredibly well,” our tester said. 

Price $650 Response 4 Versatility 3

Head Hope 

Best For: Going Bigger
The is a twin-directional board with superior flex. A solid, stable feel on landings gave even less-aggressive riders the confidence to launch airs. Flat camber between the feet combined with a soft waist increases response time, while regular camber underfoot locks in the edges when going fast. Made from a light, stiff, tough graphene. 

Price $429 Response 4 Versatility 4

Never Summer Aura 

Best For: Doing It All
Whether you spend most of your time at the park or lapping groomers, the light, playful can hang. The flex is just right, offering the perfect balance of responsiveness, stability, and pop. “Quick to turn, with great edge hold,” one impressed tester said. Extra camber under the feet gives it that superior control and adds liveliness, while rocker in between helps it float through the deepest snow. 

Price $500 Response 4 Versatility 5

Amplid LoveLife 

Best For: All-Mountain Freestyle
Riders gushed over this responsive board. With camber underneath your boots and rocker at the tip and tail, the snaps through sharp turns on icy hardpack and holds its own in fresh powder. Amplid used basalt stringers throughout, which calm vibrations when you’re cutting through crud. Result: a ride that’s dynamic and forgiving yet stable. “Light and damp enough to absorb chatter,” one tester said. 

Price $460 Response 5 Versatility 4

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Our 45-member test team spent a week riding 94 new snowboards in Crested Butte, Colorado, last March, shredding from dawn till dusk until our legs could take no more. The first few days on hardpack and a choppy mix of ice and snow taught us a lot about how the boards performed in dicey conditions. Then the storm gods dropped a foot of fresh powder. What we learned: today’s top boards are as capable banging through bumps below the lift as they are floating over a powder field. The trick is finding one with a ride that matches your style. 

High Society Temerity

Gear of the Year

Merriam-Webster defines temerity as “foolhardy contempt of danger.” That about sums it up. Testers found to be solid in even the nastiest conditions. It’s a robust platform that dampens hard landings and offers a firm grip in no-fall zones. The directional twin shape makes it adept going switch without losing its freeride characteristics, and it manages to be soft and playful but also impressively stable. It’s too stiff for beginners, and you’ll want something else on powder days, but for all other situations, it’s a near perfect daily driver.

Price $450 Response 4.5 Versatility 4 

Lib Tech TRS

Best For: Freestyle riders conquering big terrain.
The Test: The is for advanced riders who see the entire mountain as their playground. Just enough rocker between the feet keeps this board afloat in soft snow, while extended camber offers what one tester described as “reliable stability” and another simply called “boing!” on harder snow. It carves quickly and fluidly from one edge to the other, and the low swing weight and high energy made for a playful ride. Seven serration points along the edge increase grip on hardpack and add stopping power. The board comes in a smaller size for shorter riders.
The Verdict: The ideal blend of flex and power for hard chargers. 

Price $560 Response 4 Versatility 3

Never Summer Funslinger

Best For: Parks and pipes.
The Test: The aptly named excels in the terrain park. Riders who prefer soft rides that can absorb heavy impacts said it was their favorite board of the test. “Smooth as butter and makes you want to rip,” said one. It turns on a dime, with a long sidecut that initiates edges with minimal pressure. The wide platform keeps ollies and landings aligned and simplifies rail slides. şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř the park, the Funslinger is a bit noodly in steep, technical terrain, but it’s responsive enough to handle moguls. Concluded one giddy tester: “Pop. Snap. Spin. Stomp.” 
The Verdict: A playful park board that absorbs impact. 

Price $510 Response 5 Versatility 3

Capita Mercury

Best For: Going fast and hard. 
The Test: On powder, groomers, and steep terrain, the Mercury is a beast. “As soon as you put down the landing gear, you know it was made to stomp big airs,” said one tester. Camber between the feet gives it energy with powerful recoil, and Capita added bamboo rods and carbon stringers to lighten the load and further boost spring. Testers reported little to no chatter in crud and found the extremely stable at high speed. The nose and tail are flat but rock upward symmetrically, so the directional profile floats in powder. Freestyle riders wanted more flex for flatland tricks, but it excelled in the pipe. 
The Verdict: An energetic board for heavy hitters. 

Price $520 Response 3 Versatility 3

Jones Storm Chaser

Best For: Powder parties. 
The Test: Jeremy Jones partnered with a surfboard shaper to design this powder hound with a wide profile and rocker from just inside the front foot to the blunt nose. Combined, those elements make for a lean, mean carving machine. “I didn’t think riding powder could get any more fun. Then I stepped into the ,” said one tester. Not that this board can’t handle the hard stuff. “Surprising support on crusty traverses,” noted another. And don’t let the two length options (147 and 157) throw you: the Storm Chaser rides about ten centimeters longer than it is. 
The Verdict: A premier powder board that doesn’t mind hardpack or even catching air. 

Price $599 Response 4 Versatility 3

Nitro Diablo

Best For: All-mountain freestyle. 
The Test: Serious shredders who prefer twin tips for riding big, rowdy lines swear by the . It likes being driven with force, so lighter riders need to steer like they mean it and give it a good strong pop to catch decent air. The camber extends to the nose and tail before rocking upward, so the Diablo is damp over chunder and holds a great edge. The shape begins tapering out at the inserts to add even more direct control, and riders with large feet said they felt absolutely no toe drag. All our testers reported that landings were extremely solid, giving them the confidence to go big. 
The Verdict: A devilish board for skilled big-mountain riders. 

Price $500 Response 3 Versatility 3

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Every year, our testers put the newest boards to the test and bring our standout picks to you. With innovative designs and the ability to handle all kinds of terrain (and make for very fun riding), these three stood out from the rest of the pack.

Capita Spring Break

Best For: Deep powder and spring slush.

The Test: partnered with Capita to handcraft this powder surfer with a shape that ($670) describes as “experimentally primitive.” Testers credited the board’s resilience to Capita’s materials, while the Surf Rocker profile gave it a floaty feel in deep snow. The girth is slow to initiate turns, but once on-edge it transitions fast—almost like a wakeboard. One rider summarized it well: “A weird, dramatic sidecut with a surprising amount of pop. All that surface area makes it easy to stomp airs.”

The Verdict: An energetic powder surfer.

Venture Storm

Best For: Big mountains.

The Test: Venture Snowboards are built in Silverton, Colorado, home to some of the state’s most intimidating peaks. So it’s no surprise that the ($595) can handle gnarly terrain. The supple, tapered nose floats over soft snow, and superior flex provides ideal maneuverability, which one tester lauded as “springy transitions between turns.” The Storm has a straight-line rocker with a hollow lift in the tip and tail, so it holds a mean edge and turns on command on hard surfaces.

The Verdict: Makes it easy to enjoy gnarly terrain and deep snow.

Burton Trick Pony

Best For: All-mountain freestyle.

The Test: Testers of all abilities loved this ($499). The flat profile between the nose and tail provides ample pop and maximizes edge control to deliver stability in mixed terrain. The light swing weight and early-rise rocker of this true twin tip offer seamless edge transitions and promote what one tester called “effortless spins and smooth butters.” Another tester praised its control at high speeds, adding that he was surprised how well such a lively board handled variable snow, even crust and ice.

The Verdict: A playful board no matter how and where you ride.

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