Shape, Profile and Sidecut

Thanks to its versatile shape and profile, the Ora is a great option for riding all over the mountain. Whether you’re working on your freestyle game in the park, popping off into the sidecountry for a pow turn or getting into carves on the hardpack, the Ora’s got the chops to be by your side (well, strapped to your feet but you get the idea). 1cm of setback shifts your weight down the board, giving you a little more nose than tail which is ideal for easy turns in deeper snow, plus gives you a little more stability when you’re riding in your preferred direction.

A relatively mellow camber sits between the bindings, giving a bit of life and dynamism to the board with rocker in the nose and tail to lift the contact points from the snow and add a super forgiving element to the Ora. Face plants are no one’s idea of a good time, and this reduces the likelihood of unintentional edge catches, meaning you can ride with more confidence and focus on the ride instead of worrying you’re gonna hit the deck.

“Thanks to its versatile shape and profile, the Ora is a great option for riding all over the mountain”

Construction and Materials

As we’ve said Nidecker has focused on making the Ora as performance-forward as possible for the price, so whilst they’re not using their top-shelf tech, they’ve picked ingredients that work in harmony to make it a friendly ride. The lightweight wood core is made predominantly from poplar, with beech in the nose and tail to give a bit of extra pop and durability in these key areas.

With the mellow biax laminates sandwiching the core, you’ll get a predictable ride that won’t throw you any nasty surprises as you’re working on board control. Nidecker uses a futuristic Absorbnid top sheet to reduce vibrations and soak up chatter for a fatigue-free ride, keeping you out on the hill for longer.

“With the mellow biax laminates sandwiching the core, you’ll get a predictable ride that won’t throw you any nasty surprises as you’re working on board control”

Roundup

For the price, there’s not a lot out there that can go toe to toe with the Nidecker Ora. And while it’s a great board for learning on, they’ve trickled down tech from some of their premium line to ensure that you won’t skill out of the Ora after your first week of riding.

Pros:

• Great for boosting confidence
• Pow, park or piste, the Ora can handle it all

Cons:

• Aggressive riders might find it a little too mellow

“Although I don’t think I would necessarily get one of these, I can definitely see the benefits here, really mellow and easy to ride, decent price tag and it looks cool. I enjoyed the smooth edge to edge transitions, and you could feel how stable it was underfoot as you were picking up speed. Nice and playful in the nose and tail, with just a bit of dynamic energy between the bindings. I think someone looking to build their confidence would love the Nidecker Ora, or someone who just likes cruising around the pistes and beyond.”

Buy the Nidecker Ora: £315 at Blue Tomato UK 

Buy the Nidecker Ora: €350 at Blue Tomato EU