New to the world of snowboarding? Looking to purchase your first board?
Snowboard production is a vast and diverse field; there are dozens of brands to choose from when you start looking for your perfect ride.
Here we’ve gathered some of the best in the business for your perusal.
These brands are acclaimed for their creativity, technological innovation, commitment to sustainable and ethical work practices, and for the care they show their snowboarders.
Take your first steps into the wide world of snowboarding and see if you can find your best fit.
What are the Top Snowboard Brands?
Arbor
Arbor has been building environmentally friendly snowboards since 1995, beating out the competition with their sustainability-oriented board production process.
Arbor divides their attention between snowboards and skateboards, making both out of less-commonly-used woods in order to lessen the carbon footprint the company leaves on the environment.
They endeavor to match the riding experience of other, non-sustainable boards, and thus far, they have succeeded, creating innovative and one-of-a-kind snowboards that shine for their style and effectiveness.
The company is well known for their artistic approach to their designs; not only is each board created with care, but they challenge snowboarders with their artistry.
Arbor creates boards of all types – freeride, all-mountain, and freestyling – and while they prefer to focus on the boards’ designs and specs on their website, Arbor’s boards run at prices of $275 and up.
This sustainability-oriented brand has, as of 2018, twenty-three years of experience helping them stay on top of their production game, and it is evident that they are using it to their advantage.
Burton
Burton has a long history of producing snowboards, and their fame amongst sporty users is in no little part thanks to their durability and creativity.
Celebrity backers, including three-time Olympic gold medalist, Shaun White, rave about Burton’s beautifully crafted snowboards and the custom designs that come from Craig’s Prototype Facility within Burton’s company.
Operating since 1977 and based in Vermont, Burton produces all kinds of snowboards and additional gear.
They shy away from limitations and pride themselves on their ability to customize boards to their customers’ whims.
These boards start off at $450, with costs rising from there, but the care which Burton imbues in each of their boards makes the cost more than worth it.
With their eyes on the horizon, Burton has recently announced their 2020 sustainability goals, following in the footsteps of other snowboard producers in their drive to have their boards work with the environment instead of against it.
Burton is ever-innovating, and their users appreciate them for it.
Gnu
Gnu brand snowboards also found their footing in 1977 and pride themselves on all-American, handmade snowboards for the independent snowboarder.
Now a smaller branch of Mervin Manufacturing, Gnu is known for creating boards that are both sensible and just a little bit hipster.
Though Gnu boards have often been described as odder than other brands, the dedication that they show in their hands-on production process cannot be questioned.
Few other brands of snowboards are hand-built, and Gnu takes advantage of this unique edge to appeal to the snowboarders on the slopes who thrive on customization.
Gnu snowboards go for upwards of $250 – not so bad a price for a board that you know will be entirely your own.
Nitro
Founded by Tommy Belago and Sepp Ardelt in 1989, Nitro brand snowboards really focus on the snowboarder.
Nitro produces freeriding, all-terrain, freestyle, and split boards, all while prizing their boarders’ input above all. The relationships Nitro forges with its customers is evident in user reception.
The introduction to the Nitro website includes immediate, front page access to dozens of boarder reviews of Nitro snowboards, as well as profiles of snowboarders who have bettered themselves at their sport while using the brand.
Nitro also produces apparel alongside their boards in order to tailor themselves to their boarders’ comfort.
On their website, they try to keep the focus on their board stats, but the cost of a Nitro brand board typically runs $250 and upward.
This user-oriented attitude impacts every aspect of Nitro’s design, and they don’t hide their care for their patrons, old or new.
Ride
Ride brand snowboards debuted in 1992, riding a wave of technical innovation in the winter sports industry.
Their snowboards, nowadays, are known for their superior quality, as Ride has become one of the largest international snowboarding companies.
Like some of the other big names in snowboarding, Ride has expressed interest in making their snowboard production process more sustainable, capitalizing on their history of innovative snowboard design.
Ride produces all mountain, park, and powder snowboards, all of which go for a price of $500 and up.
The boards may be expensive, but the Ride brand prides itself on providing for its users, and the brand’s quality is evident from the shop to the slopes.
What are your top snowboard brands?
