The Details:

Happy 20th birthday to Arbor, favourite of beardy freeriders (Bryan Iguchi) and urban assaulters (Frank April) alike. If it weren’t already apparent from the pointed nose, topsheet design and size range, the Arbor A-Frame is definitely one for the former.

If backcountry riding to you means feeling your heartbeat in your ears as you hit Mach 3, then something like the A-Frame would make the ideal platform.

This is built for speed and stability, with a saltire of carbon rods strengthening and stiffening the already formidable poplar and paulownia core. Those who prefer to take your time down powder fields, buttering on open spaces and nipping in and out of trees should perhaps look at other options in the Arbor line.

The camber profile means that it’ll gobble up corduroy too, and additional contact points that protrude out from under the bindings will give you extra edge hold. Meanwhile the traditional points at the end of each sidecut have been raised ever so slightly, giving you a slightly looser feel when you’re not fully cranking the turns. They kick in almost instantaneously when you are, though.

That’s quite a bit of cash to be parting with, but craftsmanship costs. Plus the warranty covers you for three years, so it could be an investment worth making.