Category: Mountaineering/freerideWeight: 7 lbs. The Goat is Cardiff’s premium big-mountain offering, designed for stability and efficiency on the skin track and top-notch performance in a variety of terrain. Freedom Tools! $ 949.00. ”, Thanks for the comment! Seek out stashes where others wouldn't dare to follow. Further, some riders might not like the feel of the flat zone behind the back foot (designed to boost efficiency on the uphill), which detracts from overall maneuverability. Splitboard Flex I would like to be able to use it for backcountry in New Zealand and japan so good for big lines and nimble enough for trees. Hatchet Pow Slayer Splitboard - 20/21. We are proud to have smashed that goal with a revolutionary splitboard collection featuring industry leading splitboard technologies like 3D Base Contours and the Boltless Bridge, plus eco-performance materials like bio-resin and recycled edges + sidewalls. Any chance you wil or could test West Snowboards Grammont, Korua Shapes Tranny Split and Cafe Racer Split Plus? If you can take some laps at a resort on that thing before touring it will feel that much more lively. We’ve ridden the Hovercraft in everything from knee-deep powder to steep corn descents off of Cascade volcanoes, and it’s excelled across the board. Best for: Rugged, durable construction in a surf inspired shape PRICE: €850. Get em before they are gone… This winter there really won’t be any cheap splitboards available. Are you going to post a full review for the Jones MTN twin? These bindings are built on the Spark exclusive Tesla T1 system. For DIYers, there’s also the option of cutting an old snowboard in half and drilling dedicated holes for splitboarding hardware. Popular among freestyle snowboarders, this shape is great for riding switch but lacks power and stability at speed and in deep powder—as a result, true twin splitboards are not popular among backcountry snowboarders. Many reputable manufacturers, including Voile, G3, and Black Diamond, make splitboarding-specific skins for traveling uphill on your board. The Lib Tech is great too, it doesn’t tour as well. Thoughts? Cheers, Enjoy our annual roundup of the best splitboards of the year. very loosy goosy on the way up, amazing on the way down. The Best Snow Safety Gear of Winter 2021. A final alternative to splitboarding is learning to ski. Best bet would be to contact the shops in Hakuba to see what demos have available. The Best Mountain Bike Gloves of 2020. The Weston Hatchet is guaranteed to blow your eyes out of their sockets when you see it. GNU makes the world's best snowboards. Gear Reviews. And the Nitro Doppleganger ($700) offers better overall performance at a similar price point, plus Nitro’s collaboration with Kohla makes it easy to purchase pre-cut skins to pair with your board. Burton tops our round-up of all-mountain snowboards, but their splitboard offerings aren’t quite up to snuff just yet. Splitboards come in a variety of shapes, which can be broken down into three main styles: directional, true twin, and directional twin (or semi-twin). The most versatile style, freeride splitboards are quiver-of-one boards built to handle a variety of terrain, including deep powder, spring corn, and big-mountain lines. Designed by Bryan Iguchi the Arbor Guch Splitboard focuses a little bit more on the touring side of things. or if the 158 would sacrifice too much float?? Now through summer is a great time to get a killer deal on a splitboard. Splitboard lengths range from around 145 to 170 centimeters, which is a lot less dramatic of a range when compared to skis. Thanks for all the great insight… What board/profile are you riding now? The width of a splitboard’s waist also plays a big role in its on-snow performance. 1 oz.Flex: Medium-stiffShape: DirectionalWhat we like: Nice craftsmanship and very fun in powder. 15.2 oz.) We should have 2020 splitboard reviews going up soon. Those with larger feet will want to look for a wide board, which is often indicated by a “W” after the length (for example, 165W). Nitro is also improving that uphill life by bringing laser-cut Freeride Skins, specifically designed to fit the Doppelganger and Squash. Arbor Coda – The Best Splitboard for Lightweight Performance. If so, then you might want to look into the 2021 Spark R&D Arc Pro splitboard bindings. 6.2 oz.Flex: Medium-stiff (7)Shape: DirectionalWhat we like: Lightweight but still fun on the descent.What we don’t: Expensive and hard to find in the U.S. With a massive nose, almost no tail, and a very setback stance, it’s as directional a splitboard as they come, and as a result absolutely shines in deep snow. The best all mountain splitboard that works as well riding in the backcountry as it does on groomers is the Jones Solution  In years past the Jones Solution seemed a bit stiffer and more big mountain focused. Also it’s a 2014 I think. Mike, thanks for the reviews. Save my name, and email in this browser for the next time I comment. Hey Ian, 2017/18 boards are at the bottom of the article. Each brand has their own take on this concept, but it often involves camber between the feet and rocker at the nose and tail. $ 649.00. The Surf Shuttle is one of Amplid’s new splitboards for the 2020/21 season. As always, however, there are some inherent tradeoffs in opting for an uphill-focused splitboard. Others are simply designated as soft, medium, or stiff (and sometimes a mix). Dean B. Article with 2020 splitboards to be updated soon. Cheers, I will reach out to those brands and see if we can get on their splits. The Swoon would be the most familiar, friendly board of the 2 where the Dream Catcher is a little more aggressive. 3 oz.). Carbon boards have gotten a bad rap over the years—and we’ve actually had one split in half on us—but Weston has things dialed. Awesome to hear you’re getting into splitboarding. (* Reviews to follow), K2 Cool Bean* The most traditional model in the FAT series—a group of short and wide boards designed to surf powder—the Yam Fries features a large nose, stubby and tapered tail, and casual set-back stance ideal for floating over deep snow. Could you also list which semi prominent boards you didn’t test? Instead look for a board that can handle it all. As a very general rule of thumb, mountaineering boards have a long sidecut, freeriding boards have a short-to-medium sidecut, and powder boards fall somewhere in between (although often shorter than longer). Most of the boards on this list are perfect for all mountain riding. The stiffer Solution is a better match for speed and those who love to ride aggressively, but you’ll get a more playful, forgiving ride with the BRD. In our opinion, this all adds up to the best Solution yet and a top-notch quiver-of-one option for advanced to expert riders. With this profile, you get both snappy turns and stability at speed. Jones Snowboards are some of the best men’s splitboard on the market and for good reason. Item # chrm157373zz-chamonix-splitboards. BACKCOUNTRY SPLITBOARD 2020/2021. Im 6ft and 200lbs. And as we touched on above, intermediate to advanced riders will likely find it too soft for anything remotely aggressive, but the good news is that it’s very playful and fun (while not a true twin, it rides switch surprisingly well). I’m dealing with some recovery issues from an injury, so no early season demos for me, and by the time I’m ready to go I’m concerned my choices will be limited. One of the features this board offers that none of the others on the list do is the use of PLUM hardware. Mike, Whether you’re a... No matter your ability level, picking up a helmet for skiing or snowboarding is a no-brainer. For the best stability on the skin track, we recommend sticking with a regular-waisted version unless sizing up is absolutely necessary. The Weston Backwoods Carbon achieves this combination with aplomb, mixing a crazy-light carbon build, versatile shape and stiffness, and good overall durability. Weston. Most notably, the 2020-2021 model features camber directly under the touring bracket, which provides great traction on the uphill and stability on the descent (it also has an early-rise nose and tapered tail to maintain powder performance). Committed to our team and pushing progression beyond the industry standard, we are Unreal. hey mike, do you ever tested the amplid milligram? … Seattle-based Nitro has a fairly modest lineup of four splitboards (including the women’s-specific Volta), and the Doppleganger here slots in as their top-end build. Arbor Bryan Iguchi Pro Splitboard – ($799.95), Burton Family Tree Hometown Hero – ($799.95), TahoeLabs PowFish Phantom Splitboard – ($1,099), https://mtnweekly.com/sports/snowboarding/2021-snowboards-first-look/#2021_Cardiff_Snowcraft, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlXlAxcK0NQ. I had planned to demo some solid boards (that have a split option) and then well- 2020. In terms of width, when sized correctly, your boots should hang over the edges of the board but not touch the snow while you’re edging. Mendiboard splitboards for all types of snow. The Sushi is too soft to ride aggressively, and its dramatic swallow tail and set-back stance limit its maneuverability in mountainous terrain. Which is exactly the case with the Arbor Bryan Iguchi Splitboard. Worth a try, if you like to do lots of vertical and still want to rip on the downhill. Thanks. How do you think it will handle the deep? If you’re thinking about getting a board, one of the best places to start is with an All-Mountain board. I’m thinking about switching to a split board, currently riding a Niedecker megalight, probably about ten years old, how would it compare to a split board, I believe the BD boards are being made by CARDIFF SNOWcraft. To find the best splitboard, we've purchased the top 15+ models over the years for our in-depth side by side testing. If you’re looking for a lightweight carbon board that won’t break the bank, the Scapegoat is a solid choice. Many riders start with a standard snowboard, strap it to their pack, and use snowshoes to tackle the uphill. Looking for a stiffer splitboard for this year… Any suggestions? Thanks to tons of lively wood inlaid throughout the board, the Coda Camber has tons of pop, can be used to hit jumps, spin and do everything the rockered version does. I had the GNU Beast from 15-16 season and would like to know if it has any resemblance. https://mtnweekly.com/sports/snowboarding/2021-snowboards-first-look/#2021_Cardiff_Snowcraft. Hey, just wonder if you have demoed any of the korua splits or amplid splits? Sold Out. Solid list. When we think of Never Summer, “burly” is the first word that comes to mind. At 5’11 the old math would say normal snowboard between the chin and nose. Cheers! These are the top of the line Spark bindings that have shed every possible ounce while maintaining the strength, ease of use, and reliability we have come to expect from Spark products. I have ridden a 159 Jones Twin in deep snow with zero problems. Never Summer Swift Splitboard – ($1,069) 3. Im heading to Hakuba Japan next week and I will be there for 2-3 months. See the Arbor Coda Split Camber. Sometimes I wonder if the brands actually “test” these boards before sending them to the market? A final decision between the three will likely come down to cost (the Weston is pricier than both the Jones and BRD by around $200) and personality.See the Lib Tech Split BRD. Put simply, a splitboard is a snowboard cut in half lengthwise, which allows backcountry riders to use the two halves as skis on the uphill and secure them together to ride as a traditional snowboard on the descent. The American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education (AIARE) offers Level 1 courses that are considered the gold standard among backcountry enthusiasts and give you a comprehensive overview of how to travel safely and use your gear properly, evaluate potential risk, and rescue your partner(s) in the event of a slide. Splitboard Profile  Carbon tends to be strong and stiff while keeping weight low, which makes it a common (and expensive) material used in lightweight designs. The shape of a board is a key indicator of the style of terrain it’s built to handle and often correlates with the freeride, powder, and mountaineering categories above. i heard it should be the best split on planet can you say somthing about it? On the up, its lightness and stiffness ensures that you can move fast and light uphill with extra stability, keeping you charged on the up to slay it on the downhill. Premium women's splitboards for long missions, deep powder, and backcountry adventures to the edge of the world. This board’s extra surface area and directional twin shape is tailor-made for those casual, blower days when riding even low-angle pow is heavenly. In general, a splitboard with a narrow waist width compared to its tip and tail will have a shorter sidecut radius, while a board with a wider waist will have a longer sidecut radius. Works great in the powder. So many options…been looking at the Prior Slasher carbon in a 161 or 167 or the Jones Hovercraft in a 160. Thanks for checking out the site. They also include backcountry-specific features like the ability to lock your heel in to skate and heel risers for more efficient climbing. 1. Mountaineering It is amazing going up due to the light weight, stiffness and camber. And for those of you riding in icy conditions, you have 7 Magne-Traction contact points that really bite into the snow. Venture is a small-scale company out of Silverton, Colorado, with a fairly humble collection of four core offerings, but their boards are well-regarded in the splitboard community and for good reason. The result is a cadre of boards that are durable, fun to surf, and capable on the skin track too. Looking for a new split this year and having a hard time choosing one. This Colorado-based company has a reputation for cranking out durable boards (our 6-ft.-tall, 200-lb. While splitboards generally have less focus on weight-cutting than backcountry skis, it does become important if your objectives entail hauling your set-up far into the backcountry. Or would you suggest something else? The Prior would be a nice progression of a board for you. But despite its powder-specific shape, the Hovercraft is surprisingly well-rounded: the large nose dampens chatter in firm conditions, and the stiff, blunt tail allows for powerful carving and jump turns in steep and technical terrain. Below we break down the top all-mountain snowboards of... As your main line of defense against snow and wind, a quality snowboard jacket is a key piece of your kit.