- Price: $400
- Category: All-Mountain
- Ability Level: Beginner, Intermediate
- Size: 143, 149, 152
- Flex: 4/10
- Shape: True Twin
- Profile: CamRock
- Base: Extruded
- BUY DIRECT FROM YES
Riding the YES. Emoticon is like coming home and putting on your favourite pair of slippers, it’s comfortable and predictable, and oh boy do you look forward to it. This is a confidence boosting all-terrain snowboard, one that won’t catch you out and trip you up for making mistakes but also won’t inhibit you when you want to start exploring more.
The Emoticon hasn’t really changed much in the six years it’s been on the market, but if it ain’t broke and all that jazz… Whilst the true twin shape and soft flex make it the most jib friendly of the women’s YES. line, the Emoticon is more than happy to venture out across all types of terrain.
“This hybrid profile gives you a lively and playful feel of both camber and rocker, without the traditional hangups of either”
A camrock profile is arguably the most versatile profile you can find in a snowboard. You get the dynamic camber dominance to pump you in and out of turns, with the mellow rockered nose and tail to add effortless float in the deeper snow. This hybrid profile gives you a lively and playful feel of both camber and rocker, without the traditional hangups of either.
YES’ UnderBite outline made serious waves when they debuted it, and after a few tweaks over the years, it’s basically become industry standard. This, as they say, is where the magic happens. Small sections of the edge are pulled in by the bindings, separating the edge into three specific zones. The overall effect is the ability to carve with more confidence as the edge holds better through the initiation, hold, and release of the turn.
“For a cruiser that can take you from powder stashes to park ripping in the same breath, you’ll struggle to find something with more bang for its buck”
If you’re not a latex-clad speed demon looking to break land speed records then oftentimes expensive additives in a snowboard just go to waste. The Emoticon has everything it needs, and absolutely nothing it doesn’t. An extruded base, biax laminates and a full poplar core aren’t the most high tech ingredients on the market, but at this price, who can complain? If you’re looking for something for a more aggressive ride, chock full of YES’ space age tech, then take a gander at the Hel.
Like any price point all-mountain board, The Emoticon will be beat by something that’s built specifically for one thing, but for a cruiser that can take you from powder stashes to park ripping in the same breath, you’ll struggle to find something with more bang for its buck.
