UPDATE: See our review for the new 2016/2017 420 Powderhull version here.
The Details:
This one-time curio has now become a staple of the YES quiver – and indeed, trumped in weirdness by the arrival of the 20/20. It’s easy to see why the YES 420 has been so embraced by the snowboard community; it just works.
By shortening the length and increasing the width, YES have kept the surface area (and therefore float in powder) the same as a traditional board, but have made something far easier to turn. While it’s not the top choice for heli days in AK, it’s ideal for tree runs, pillow lines and corner-cutting.
If you’re concerned that riding such a short board means a higher risk of going over the handlebars, don’t be. As well as that slight point at the nose, there’s also a rocker rise that means you only need the a slightly setback stance to stay afloat.
The rest of the base is flat, which makes it stable without any twitchiness, and should you wish to spin this thing (and trust us, you really must give it a go) then riding away switch is no problem at all.
As short-and-stubby boards go, this might be the most versatile one around. Get one for the quiver if you can, but there are plenty of riders who would be happy with this as their only stick.
TESTER’S VERDICT:
