Snowboards
Nidecker Mosquito Snowboard 2022-2023
Whitelines Choice Winner: Best Carving Snowboard
PRICE: £585, €630, $650
Of the three models in Nidecker’s ‘Snow Surf Quiver’, the Mosquito is our number one pick. It’s a great example of a modern volume-shift design that can be ridden around 10 centimetres shorter than your standard deck. An updated silhouette for 2022/23 sees slightly more angular corners but, honestly it’s more of a cosmetic change. Performance remains much the same – and that’s a good thing. With that stubby tail and extended nose it’s a dream to ride in powder, but the beauty of this one is just how well it carves and slashes across the whole mountain. Unleash your inner John John!
Who Is The Nidecker Mosquito For?
Riders who are happy to swerve the park and try something a bit different. They love greybird days in the trees, and agile turns on the piste. And they probably own a wetsuit.
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Nidecker Escape Snowboard 2022-2023
PRICE: £400, €430, $460
Nidecker deliver a lot of bang for your buck, and nowhere is that better illustrated than with the Escape. This well specced quiver killer has been a staple of their line for a few years, but its twin outline was starting to look long in the tooth compared to the coolest kids. A subtle facelift has made us fall in love with it all over again – and by the looks of their latest team edits, we’re not alone. We’ve seen the likes of Sebi Konijnenberg chuck this thing over giant park booters, crank it through banked slalom berms and charge it down remote lines. And if it’s good enough for him, it’s good enough for you.
Who Is The Nidecker Escape For?
Anyone looking for a playful yet versatile board on which to get creative. Buy one of these and you probably won’t want or need a second deck. So that’s minimalists and bargain hunters too, then.
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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.
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Nidecker Thruster Snowboard 2022-2023
PRICE: £525 / €550 / $570
A new addition to the Nidecker roster last season, the Thruster once again impressed the crew to come up trumps and make its way back into the Whitelines 100 for the second year running.
A mash-up of the now defunct Princess and Platinum models, everything about the Thruster screams ‘Premium’- from the top shelf tech and materials used to the sleek aesthetic, this isn’t a snowboard for the faint hearted or those pinching pennies. Advanced riders looking for something that’ll track like a ballistic missile, but that isn’t just limited to digging trenches on freshly groomed corduroy should definitely consider taking a closer look at the Thruster.
Who Is The Nidecker Thruster Pro For?
Who’s the Thruster for? Well, it’s easier to say who it’s not for: it’s one of the stiffest, most aggressive snowboards in the Nidecker line. A real wolf in wolf’s clothing. Inexperienced riders will likely find it a bit much to handle.
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Nidecker Escape Plus Snowboard 2022-2023
PRICE: £479
The bigger sibling to the 2022/23 Whitelines 100 winner, the Escape, the all-new Escape Plus is lighter, stronger and a wee bit stiffer. Its full camber profile and aggressive flex earmark it as a precise and powerful all-mountain freeride weapon that’s aimed at experienced riders who want to get out and explore across varied terrain.
Traditional camber might not be the most popular profile these days, but there’s no denying its utility. Sure, it’s a little more catchy around the contact points, but there’s nothing quite like it for stability, pop and precision. It’s rare these days to see a true camber that’s aimed at freeriders, but with some clever shape tech and setback inserts Nidecker have ensured you’ll still get the float you need when you encounter deeper snow. And while the Escape Plus’ profile might not be what you expect for a freeride board, it pays dividends when you’re slicing up groomers. Pair this with the Pop Carbon Plus layup, which sandwiches the core from tip to tail and you’ve got a board that’s reactive, responsive but still fun to ride.
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Nidecker Mellow Snowboard 2022-2023
PRICE: £449
Clue’s in the name here… The Mellow is a freeride board that’s designed for surfy turns, painting lines in open bowls and punching your ticket to the white room. It’s a firm team and fan favourite that blends modern shaping tech with a tried and tested profile to earn a ‘Good Vibes Only’ sticker when you’re out hunting for stashes and slashes.
Just looking at the Mellow you can see it’s built for pow days. That big ol’ elongated nose, setback stance and tapered outline are set to do the heavy lifting when you strike white gold, with the stubby cut out tail helping to sink the rear of the board down into the snow for max control underfoot. Despite its prowess in the fresh snow, the Mellow can certainly hold its own across other areas. The setback camber and advanced construction allow you to really lay out into carves on the hardpack, with a versatile flex that won’t restrict you to certain areas of the piste map.
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Nidecker Smoke Snowboard 2022-2023
PRICE: £585
Yowza, what a smokeshow! We’re fully aware you should never choose a snowboard based on aesthetic, buuuuut c’mon, the Nidecker Smoke is a full on box ticker. The Smoke definitely isn’t for everyone, it goes full 10/10 on Nidecker’s flex rating and the top-shelf construction will chew up and spit out a beginner faster than you can say ‘Jesus take the wheel’, but for confident and experienced riders who want a quiver deck that won’t sit in the locker when it hasn’t been dumping will find a premium playmate here.
As part of the ‘Snow Surf’ collection, the Smoke is one of the more traditional shapes at first glance. It’s directional, obviously, but Nidecker has made the most of the running length with a stubby tail that’ll sink into fresh snow and hold a carve like its life depends on it. The long, rockered nose and outline make for chill, surfy turns in fresh snow, whilst the midbody camber lends itself to deep carves on the hardpack. A double whammy, nice.
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Nidecker The Gun Snowboard 2022-2023
PRICE: £585
In surfing, if you need a board to charge heavy waves, you reach for a gun. Inspired by this classic big wave stick, Nidecker have rehauled their version from the archives for one reason: to surf the mountain. Grab this beast on a powder day and you’ll see what we mean. The cam-rock profile and setback stance provide plenty of float, whilst the long sidecut allows you to carve huge cut-back turns. Yes it’s fairly enormous in size, but the Gun is far from sluggish; the lightweight core and N-9000 base ensure a whip-fast ride. Not an everyday board, but when you wake up to 50cm of fresh stuff, it’ll be the first deck you grab.
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