UPDATE: Check out our review of the 2018/2019 YES Basic Decade here
- Price: £320
- Sizes: 146, 149, 152, 155, 156W, 158, 159W, 161, 163W
- Flex: 7
- Profile: Hybrid Camber
- Shape: True Twin
- YESNOWBOARD.COM
If you’ve never tried the YES Basic yourself, get talking to some fellow riders. It won’t be long before you meet someone who has, and we’d bet our bottom dollar that they’ll be singing its praises. Its golden reputation stems mainly from its pound-for-pound performance; you’d really struggle to find another board at this price point that’s as well-loved.
Along with the Emoticon (which is essentially a female-specific version of the same board). the YES Basic is one of two lower-priced boards to feature ‘Underbite’ technology. Brand Director Alex Warburton explains it in more detail below, but suffice to say its performance on the hill hasn’t gone un-noticed. Some brands place protrusions along the edge to better grip the hard-pack, but YES have done the exact opposite – and it’s worked a treat.
“Some brands place protrusions along the edge to better grip the hard-pack, but YES have done the exact opposite – and it’s worked a treat”
Meanwhile the ‘Camrock’ profile is ideal for dabbling in a bit of everything. The camber section between the feet makes for snappy ollies and carves (the latter enhanced by that Underbite), while the rocker sections make it easier to butter around on the piste and press boxes, picnic tables and the like. They also make it slightly easier to ride powder.
The core is full poplar, with a layer of biax fibreglass. Both of these are fairly ‘basic’, they do have their positives. The combination delivers an even, predictable flex that’s nice and strong, with a decent amount of give from edge to edge. Whether you’re learning your first turns or wanging off your zillionth sidehit, the YES Basic has a lot to offer.
The base is extruded rather than sintered, but at that low price you can’t have everything. Besides, extruded bases don’t require as much love, so what the Basic lacks in straightline speed it more than makes up for in convenience.
Any rider on a budget simply has to be considering the YES Basic, but even if you’re not strapped for cash then picking up one of these gives you plenty of leftover wedge to put towards a specialist powder board.
