The Details:

Inspired by surfing and midwifed by Terje Haakonsen, the Burton Fish has been Burton’s top pow-specific board for years. You could try riding this over the whole mountain – as Stephan Maurer once did, including a jaw-dropping turn at the BEO – but really this belongs off the beaten path.

Much like the snurfers of old, it’s got a flat profile at the back with a gentle but prominent rise towards the nose. You won’t get a great deal of pop, then – even with the addition of a carbon beam down the middle – but you’ll be glad it bends this way when you get into deep pockets of pow.

The swallowtail adds to the float, meaning you won’t have to work very hard to execute surfy turns. There’s also a splitboard version, but even the beardiest backcountry specialist will get a great ride on the standard Fish.

It’s definitely one for the quiver, but if you’re anticipating a lot of pow days then having one of these in your board bag will be no bad thing. Plus the sintered base and mid-wide shape mean you’ll have fun screaming down the groomers while you await the next storm.