Published in Whitelines Magazine Issue 93, December 2010

RIDE

DH – £365

SIZES: 151, 153, 155, 157, 159, 153W, 156W, 159W, 162W

WWW.RIDESNOWBOARDS.COM

This is Ride’s flag ship freestyle stick, ridden by the likes of French-Canadian wunderkind Seb Toots. Since it was first introduced four or five seasons back, it’s also proved to be one of their best sellers. It’s got a traditional camber profile, giving it tons of pop, and a flex that’s relatively stiff – but not so much that you can’t jib about on it. It’s not built with pow in mind, but it’ll handle it pretty well, and it comes in a wide for those with big feet. Just don’t ask what DH means, cos we haven’t got a clue!

DC

DEVUN WALSH PRO – £370

SIZES: 154, 157

WWW.DCSHOES.COM

Devun has abandoned the sheep theme for this third pro-model with DC in favour of a prancing, crown wearing dog. As you do. That purple base is pure pimp though, and when you start looking underneath it, the tech spec is pretty pimp too. It’s got are verse camber shape but combines it with a stiff flex, making it perfect for the kind of burly powder freestyle that Devun’s famous for. Anyone who enjoys taking their tricks out of the park and onto the mountains will love this.

STEPCHILD

EXPAT – £360

SIZES: 155, 158.5, 162.5, 158.5MW

WWW.STEPCHILDSNOWBOARDS.COM

This high-end board is designed for riders who know their onions, and enjoy shredding the whole mountain. Why? Well, it’s got a firm flex, a responsive camber profile that gives it tons of snap, and a directional shape that makes it perfect for piste and pow. It’s probably a bit stiff for rail riding, but it’ll still handle well in the park. Its graphic, which has a dig at the excesses of corporate America, is also one of the raddest we’ve seen this year!

HEAD

TEAM – £350

SIZES: 148, 151, 154, 158, 161

WWW.RIDEHEAD.COM

This is one of the main weapons in Head’s freestyle arsenal, and has been helping the likes of Dan Wakeham tear up pipes and park for years. It’s got a honeycomb core which, as well as being light, is stiffer than those in a lot of park boards. This means it holds an edge really well (ideal for piste charging and icy transitions,) and when combined with its camber profile, gives it lots of pop. OK, so the snub nose means it’s not the floatiest stick in pow, buton the flipside it helps keep the spin weight down, making tricks even easier.