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Best Park and Freestyle Snowboards For 2022-2023

Whether you're hitting the jump and rail line or just building your bag of tricks around the mountain, here's our roundup of this season's best park and freestyle snowboards

The lines between park and all-mountain riding continue to blur, so it can be hard to pin down exactly what makes the best freestyle snowboard. Are you an honorary lifetime member of Laax’s P60 club? Are you the kind of rider who exclusively hits the jib line or street rails? Are you building kickers in the backcountry and gettings your spins on lock miles from the park ropes? Or are you mobbing every sidehit with your riding posse and growing your bag of flat land tricks on the greens and blues?

Ultimately, it doesn’t really matter. In almost every case, the ingredients that go into building the perfect freestyle deck are often very similar. But final tweaks and finishing touches all add a certain “je ne said quoi” to the snowboard, so there are a handful of key things consider before splurging your hard-earned cash.

“It can be hard to pin down exactly what makes the best freestyle snowboard”

What To Look For When Buying A Freestyle Snowboard

Shape
Backwards, forwards, frontside, backside, regular, hardways, right way up and upside down. Freestyle snowboarding, at its core, is about creativity. Snowboards in this category are almost exclusively true twin shapes, meaning the outline, stance, flex and profile is completely symmetrical if you cut it through the waist. They’re designed to be ridden in switch as easily as regular and feel completely balanced in the air.

Profile
We all know that nothing pops quite like a traditional camber profile, but those of us who’ve put in the hard yards of learning to ride on these boards will undoubtedly be aware of their Achilles heel(edge catches).
Most freestyle decks will strike a balance between sending the rider skywards when it’s time to pop and carving a line up the transition of a pipe wall or kicker, while still keeping the contact areas relatively forgiving and easy to press on.

There’s more than one way to shine a penny, though. Take your pick between camrock, flat and hybrid profiles, or check out some 3D profiles, like Bataleon’s Triple Base Technology.

Construction
This is where the field starts to really open up. Every snowboard below features a wood core. Some just opt for the ol’ reliable poplar wood, while others look to shave weight, increase pop or add durability by adding lighter, harder and snappier woods.

Then, come the various additives. A freestyle snowboard flex can sit anywhere between 1 and 10 on the flex scale and it really is a case of horses for courses so, whether you’re wanting a big booter booster or a buttery soft jib knife, make sure you do your research. Stiffening up the nose and tail can increase a boards pop, but reinforcing the centre of the snowboard instead keeps the ends more playful for pressing on.

Base
Not just a big factor in determining a board’s price, but also its speed, durability and ease of repairing. Extruded bases are the cheaper option and, although not as fast, will run well if you keep them waxed and are much easier to repair if you catch a loose screw on a box. Sintered bases run faster, and are pretty resistant to knocks and bumps, but amount to around a third of the cost of a snowboard.

“Whether you’re wanting a big booter booster or a buttery soft jib knife, make sure you do your research”

Remember, finding a good freestyle deck is only half (actually, a third) of the battle. You’ll want a well-fitting, comfortable and responsive set of boots and bindings to go with it. Not to mention some comfy threads to complete the look. As ever, a protective lid is a personal choice, but with so many affordable and freestyle specific helmets available this year, there’s really no excuse.

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Best Freestyle Snowboards 2022-2023


YES. Greats Uninc Snowboard 2022-2023

Whitelines Choice Winner: Best Men’s Freestyle Snowboard
PRICE: £540 / €600 / $600

YES. classify The Greats as a freestyle snowboard, and if our team of testers are anything to go by, it does that with apolomb, but the clever shaping and sidecut theory here elevate The Greats to a level of carving and on piste performance that most park boards can only dream of. Using biomechanical theory to enhance the way your body works in unison with a snowboard, YES. have created a revolutionary deck that’ll ride park as well as it digs trenches.

Who Is The YES. Greats Uninc For?

You’ve been around the block a few times and and you’re looking for something a little different. Although YES. put the Greats firmly in their freestyle category, we’d definitely call it more of an advanced all-mountain option, aimed squarely at chargers who refuse to compromise on performance, wherever they decide to go.

MORE INFO:
YESNOWBOARD.COM

Selected for the Whitelines 100 – take a closer look at the 2022-2023 YES. Greats Uninc here

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Slash Happy Place Snowboard 2022-2023

Whitelines Choice Winner: Best Unisex Freestyle Snowboard
PRICE: £399

There aren’t many snowboards that are coming in under the £400 mark these days, especially not ones with sintered bases, carbon lay up and Gigi Rüf’s seal of approval.

The brainchild of everyone’s favourite OG rider, Gigi Rüf, Slash make some of the best thought out boards in the game, consistent winners in the Whitelines 100, the Happy Place is a soft, jibby option that has more than meets the eye. The Happy Place is unabashedly a freestyle board, but it’s certainly one that can handle a range of terrain and a multitude of conditions. Park, piste or pow, there’s something for everyone here.

Who Is The Slash Happy Place For?

Thanks to its easy going flex and versatile profile, there’s so much potential here. And thanks to the true unisex sizing, pretty much anyone would get on with a Happy Place. Seriously, from beginner all the way to grizzled veteran, this is a snowboard that can deliver.

MORE INFO:
SLASHSNOW.COM

Selected for the Whitelines 100 – take a closer look at the 2022-2023 Slash Happy Place here

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Bataleon Evil Twin Plus Snowboard 2022-2023

PRICE: £540, €640, $640

You’ve heard of Dr Jeykl and Mr Hyde, but what if there was another involved? The Evil Twin + is a new character in the story, one that takes the personality of the classic but looks to up the construction to offer a more refined and dynamic ride.

Understandably, the ‘Plus’ next to the name might be quite off putting for modest riders who don’t categorise themselves as an absolute Charlie Big Potatoes, but fear not, the Evil Twin + isn’t only for pros. The board is lighter, faster and a bit more responsive, but it’ll still offer the same fun, forgiving, freestyle experience you’ll have got from the original.

Who Is The Bataleon Evil Twin Plus For?

Let’s be real here, this isn’t for novice riders. You’re a powerful snowboarder who relishes lapping the bigger lines in the park, and are prepared to drop the cash and take a zero compromise approach to buying one of the best all-mountain freestyle boards out there.

MORE INFO:
BATALEON.COM

Selected for the Whitelines 100 – take a closer look at the 2022-2023 Bataleon Evil Twin Plus here

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Gnu Head Space Snowboard 2022-2023

PRICE: £495 / €560 / $560

Gnu has been unabashedly weird since the late 70’s. True, they do things a little differently, but there’s no doubt that they are purveyors of some of the finest snowboards on the market.

The frontman of Gnu’s pro team, Forest Bailey, thinks outside the box. From his choice of street spots to his avant garde artwork, Forest is happy to shake up the status quo. His Head Space pro model is a weird and wonderful testament to freestyle in the modern age.

Who Is The Gnu Head Space For?

Advanced riders who prioritise creativity and freestyle but need a snowboard that will let them really push their limits both inside and outside of the park ropes.

MORE INFO:
GNU.COM

Selected for the Whitelines 100 – take a closer look at the 2022-2023 Gnu Head Space here

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Jones Tweaker Snowboard 2022-2023

PRICE: £470 / €530 / $530

Up til now, the closest Jones got to making a park board was the long-serving Mountain Twin – and even that was more suited to hitting natural features as part of its all-mountain remit. However, what we have here is a bona fide true twin that absolutely belongs in the park, yet is still unmistakably a Jones.

Who Is The Jones Tweaker For?

David Benedek is the rider that comes to mind; a freestyle pioneer who always championed the art of carve (even when it was far out of favour in the snowboard world) and fully understood how a snowboard works on the ground, not just in the air. If you want to Be More Benedek (and we all should), then this will help you get there.

MORE INFO:
JONESSNOWBOARDS.COM

Selected for the Whitelines 100 – take a closer look at the 2022-2023 Jones Tweaker here

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Lobster Sender Snowboard 2022-2023

PRICE:

When the Lobster Sender first appeared, from chairlifts to barstools all you’d seem to hear was talk of ‘sending it’ (or indeed, going ‘full send’). The parlance of our times may have adapted, but this board still epitomises the caution-to-the-wind approach that made it a smash hit right out of the gate. Sendicus!

Who Is The Lobster Sender For?

Wallflowers need not apply; the brothers Helgason cooked up the Lobster Sender for those who carpe the absolute diem out of every mountain encounter. The target customer is in the air one minute, redlining on piste or pow fields the next, never phoning it in and always bringing their A-game.

MORE INFO:
LOBSTERSNOWBOARDS.COM

Selected for the Whitelines 100 – take a closer look at the 2022-2023 Lobster Sender here

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Lobster Shifter 2022-2023

PRICE:

Over the years, the Helgason brothers have made a name for themselves with their signature riding styles, off the wall aesthetic, and of course, some raucous antics. More than a decade ago, they launched Lobster Snowboards, which quickly built a reputation as one of the finest freestyle focused brands on the market, a company that fits right in with their fun-loving ethos and creative lifestyles.

The Lobster Shifter is aimed squarely at jib kids, park rats, and anyone looking to up the ante in their freestyle game. It’s a budget friendly, mellow flexing, progressive snowboard that puts the onus on fun. The kind of ride that reminds just why you fell in love with snowboarding in the first place.

Who Is The Lobster Shifter For?

Riders who prioritise freestyle, whether that’s between the park ropes, in an urban environment or simply turning the whole mountain into a playground. There’s no real need to be an advanced snowboarder here, it’s so forgiving that even complete novices will find their feet.

MORE INFO:
LOBSTERSNOWBOARDS.COM

Selected for the Whitelines 100 – take a closer look at the 2022-2023 Lobster Shifter here

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Nidecker Sensor Plus Snowboard 2022-2023

PRICE: £475 / €500 / $520

Nidecker might have a giant range of shapes these days, but when it comes to classic twin tips there are only two choices: the Sensor, and the Sensor Plus. While the regular Sensor boasts a pretty mellow flex and rocker towards the tips for a jib-friendly ride, the Plus is aimed squarely at more aggressive riders who know their way around the big jumps at their local park. With more carbon in the mix it’s a little stiffer, and a little pricier, but the reward is a deck that snaps off the lip and won’t buckle when you set the landing gear down.

Who Is The Nidecker Sensor Plus For?

Enjoy spinning 5’s and beyond? Then this might well be the park board for you. The responsive trad camber profile also makes it a solid choice for charging around the resort and beyond – while keeping an eye out for take-offs at all times.

MORE INFO:
NIDECKER.COM

Selected for the Whitelines 100 – take a closer look at the 2022-2023 Nidecker Sensor Plus here

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Rome Agent Snowboard 2022-2023

PRICE: £420 / €500 / $500

The Rome Agent is the Mr. Brightside of the Whitelines 100. Each year other boards come and go, yet this one’s flag remains planted high in the charts. We’re not sure it’d go down quite as well at a wedding, mind.

So crucial to Rome’s early success was the Agent that it’s the only board the brand has honoured with a 20th anniversary graphic – an old favourite from the UK-based Neasden Control Centre. The standard red-and-black version will be easier to get your hands on, and both will deliver a top experience on the hill.

Who Is The Rome Agent For?

The catchment area for this board is, frankly, huge. It’s not too stiff, not too soft, ready for the park yet capable of so much more. The Rome Agent is a true all-rounder, and just such a blast to ride whatever the agenda.

MORE INFO:
ROMESNOWBOARDS.COM

Selected for the Whitelines 100 – take a closer look at the 2022-2023 Rome Agent here

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Rome Artifact Pro Snowboard 2022-2023

PRICE: £420 / €500 / $500

Name a more universally beloved freestyle board than the Rome Artifact; we’ll wait. For years it has sat at the very top of the tree, rivalled by a tiny smattering of others – and we don’t expect that to change any time soon.

That being said, its fun-on-a-bun personality does make it a bit noodly for the biggest features in the park. Just a bit of extra stiffness, combined with a few other tweaks here and there, and it’d be a different story. Step forward the new Rome Artifact Pro.

Who Is The Rome Artifact Pro For?

Like we said, anyone who liked the original up to a point, but found it wanting when things got serious, will prefer this one. The dial hasn’t been turned up too far, though, so the Rome Artifact Pro remains accessible to a wide range of riders.

MORE INFO:
ROMESNOWBOARDS.COM

Selected for the Whitelines 100 – take a closer look at the 2022-2023 Rome Artifact Pro here

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Vimana Continental Directional Snowboard 2022-2023

PRICE: £445 / €500 / $500

During the COVID-19 pandemic, for various reasons outwith its control, Vimana ended up on the edge of the abyss. Thankfully for fans of everything black and white and rad all over, Norway’s finest have stayed the course and are now in a stronger position than ever.

It’s always worth looking at the limited releases to see what the brand’s stacked team of legends has cooked up recently, but we’ll forever have a soft spot for the perennial Vimana Continental Directional.

Who Is The Vimana Continental Directional For?

This is definitely accessible enough to aid the developing rider (albeit perhaps not the true newbie). However, it’s chiefly made for those who log as many days a year as they can, in all conditions and across all disciplines. You may well be looking at your new quiver killer.

MORE INFO:
VIMANASNOW.COM

Selected for the Whitelines 100 – take a closer look at the 2022-2023 Vimana Continental Directional here

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