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YES Emoticon 2017-2018 Women’s Snowboard Review

  • Price: £345 / €399
  • Sizes: 143, 146, 149, 152
  • Flex: 6
  • Profile: Hybrid Camber
  • Shape: True Twin
  • yesnowboard.com

Praise for the YES Basic has been in no short supply, especially since it was tricked out with ‘Underbite’ technology a couple of years back. This year we thought we’d shine the spotlight onto its (literal) sister board: the YES Emoticon.

“The profile means that loading up the nose and tail in presses and butters is easier, as is riding in powder”

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The YES Emoticon takes all the things that make the Basic so great, and tweaks them for females. It’s a little narrower and softer, but otherwise hits all the same notes. Hard chargers will be better off with something like the YES Hel Yes, but for everyone else there’s plenty of reason to either put this in your quiver, or make it your go-to board for all conditions.

The profile features camber between the feet and rocker at each end. It’ll therefore grip the piste with confidence and pop well off jumps, but it has a larger margin for error than traditional camber boards. Loading up the nose and tail in presses and butters is easier too, as is riding in powder.

When riding on piste, the ‘Underbite’ really comes into its own. The sections of sidecut directly under your bindings actually retreat back under the board by a few millimetres, splitting the edge into three areas.

Pressure is more effectively concentrated into the areas where it’s most needed, as you enter, hold, and leave a turn. Whether charging at top speed or linking mellow carves on a motorway groomer, you can always feel it working for you.

“The sections of sidecut directly under your bindings retreat back under the board by a few millimetres, splitting the edge into three areas”

It’s a clever feature in an otherwise straightforward build. The YES Emoticon has a full-poplar core, biax fibreglass and an extruded base, all of which are at the lower end of the tech spectrum. That’s no bad thing though; if you’re not the kind of rider that makes the most out of carbon rods and whatnot, there’s no need for them. Plus it’s the reason why that price is so appealing.

THe YES Emoticon is therefore the ideal choice for both the progressing rider, as well as the one looking for an affordable ‘resort’ board to take out when it’s not a day for the dedicated powder stick.

Tester’s Verdict

Joy Dutchsnowboard-asylum.com

“From the get-go the Emoticon wanted to pop high, ride fast and slash hard; it’s such a versatile board that you can ride it absolutely anywhere on the mountain. The handling on piste is beautiful and very smooth; it didn’t feel sketchy on the icier sections, and held its edge easily on the steeper terrain.

“Anyone looking to keep snowboarding fun should consider the Emoticon as a top contender”

It has a fast enough base that you can work up some nice speed, but at no point did I feel the board getting out of control. We managed to get a few powder runs in, and the Emoticon floated with very little effort, and seemed to be fully at home in knee deep snow.

It was awesome to ride a board that can handle any change in tempo with no dramas, whether it was cruising side hits, aggressive, high energy top-to-bottoms, or missions in search of untouched powder pockets.

The Emoticon is a blast, definitely a board to be reckoned with, and anyone looking to keep snowboarding fun should consider the Emoticon as a top contender.”

Trade Secrets

Alex Warburton – Brand Director, YES

The ;) draws you in with a friendly price and crafty graphics. But the ride is full-resort freestyle, and spans a huge range of abilities.

The Underbite outline and complimentary medium flex kicks anyone’s confidence up a notch, because the board is so damn easy to manoeuvre, air-out, turn and hold an edge.

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'Underbite' technology enables the edge of the YES Emoticon to gain more purchase when carving.
The YES Emoticon offers an accessible flex that is super fun to ride.
Graphic options for the 2017/2018 YES Emoticon
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