The Details:

Korua is still a sapling of a brand, formed in 2014 by Stephan Maurer and Nicholas Wolken. However, the positive buzz it’s received in these carve-friendly times could soon see it grow into a mighty oak.

In case the handsaw logo hasn’t already made it clear, the M.O. of Korua is to experiment with board shapes. Indeed, their entire range features the same ‘Float Camber’ profile, which is essentially setback camber with a rocker nose. It means that you’ll still get plenty of edge hold on firm snow, and keeping the nose out of the softer stuff will be a breeze.

The Korua Puzzle 61 (161cm is the only length it comes in for now) features a stubby tail with a slight protrusion that delivers effortless float and quick, easy turning. Despite the wide waist it’s still quite nimble, and there’s a little more tail to pop off than some of the boys’ other creations.

Switch riding isn’t recommended, nor is buttering on the piste, so go for a more conventional stick if that’s what you’re after. However, it wasn’t for nothing that Korua called their promotional video ‘Yearning For Turning’.

So if you ache for some proper, no-nonsense snowboarding either on or off the piste, the Puzzle could be worth adding to your quiver.