You Ask - We Answer

“I am looking for a versatile female-specific all mountain snowboard that can take me from the piste into the park and beyond into the deep stuff. It needs to be part freeride, part freestyle yet able to deal on piste when conditions aren't good. I basically need a quiver of one."

 Type of User:

"I enjoy all kinds of lift-accessed riding and don't want to be limited by specifics."

 User Specifics:

"I am 5’6”, weigh 9 stone, and like playful snowboards. I have a budget of around £400.”

 

Pretty Gritty Say...

The following five boards are all new for winter 2018 and have been chosen for their all-mountain capabilities. They all offer a playful, versatile, high performance ride and will enable you to have fun all over the mountain no matter what the terrain.

We've reviewed them in order of price - from low to high. 

Give us a shout if you need any more information to help you decide between them.

Jones Air Heart


The Air Heart from Jones is a 'ride-it-all' performer that really excels when riding at speed.

Described as an 'All Mountain Resort Razor', the Air Heart is ideal for experienced riders who want high performance across all riding disciplines but are particularly focused on smashing out groomers in resort.

While the Spoon 2.0 Nose and Tail do provide float in the fluffy stuff, it's the Power Camber between the contact points that makes carving on piste with the Air Heart such a speedy-ass blast.

A nimble, fluid and super responsive board, the Air Heart is also packed full of eco credentials including recycled edges and a plastic top sheet made from castor beans. Super cool. 

Key Info

Price - £308

Lengths – 146, 149, 152

Profile - "An innovative traditional camber profile tweaked to offer the insane edge response of camber without the usual hang-ups. The camber radius tapers to flat toward the tips and the base is beveled up one degree at the edges from the contact points of the camber to the ends of the board. The base beveling releases the edges where they like to hook which balances the pop and directional stability of camber with a looser, less-catchy feel."

Where to Buy: 

www.jonessnowboards.com

 

Jones Dream Catcher

The Jones Dream Catcher is a super fun all-mountain board that's all about playtime.

Stable yet soft enough to be used in a variety of terrain, the Dream Catcher is at home in all conditions from fresh powder to hard pack.

The directional freeride rocker profile, Spoon 1.0 base and friendly flex all make for fun in the fluff whilst the combination of traditional camber and Traction Tech help edge control when things get firmer underfoot.

The Dream Catcher looks as good as it feels thanks to the super cool artwork by UK artist RP Roberts. Born in North Wales, snowboarder and landscape painter RP Roberts uses a combination of subtle textures and bold colours in his work that help make the Dream Catcher a thing of real beauty.

Key Info

Price - £389

Lengths – 148, 151, 154

Profile: "A hybrid rocker/camber flex pattern defined by more tip rocker then tail rocker and camber between the bindings. The rockered tip floats the board’s nose and improves maneuverability while the camber underfoot provides edge hold and response. A slightly rockered tail maintains the power and stability of a traditional board but helps keep the tail catch-free initiating turns and landing switch."

Where to Buy:

www.snowboard-asylum.com

Jones Twin Sister

The Twin Sister is a playful, ride-it-all freestyle/freeride board that's built for fun and creative female riders.

Developed alongside the bestselling Mountain Twin, this high end female-specific board takes the key features of Jones's award-winning freeride boards and integrates them into a playful yet responsive all-terrain twin shape.

Traction Tech helps facilitate stable and solid turns when you need them while the Cam Rock profile provides pop and float when riding regular or switch.

The Twin Sister also features more of RP Roberts's distinctive artwork which all adds up to make this a high performance, high impact bit of kit.

Key Info

Price - £429

Lengths – 139, 143, 146, 149, 152, 155

Profile: "A unique rocker/camber flex pattern defined by evenly balanced tip and tail rocker and camber between the bindings. CAMROCK improves freestyle finesse by keeping your tips playful while maintaining the power and pop of camber underfoot."

Where to Buy:

www.snowboard-asylum.com

Yes Hel

This is Canadian pro rider Helen Schettini's signature board.

A mid flex, poppy, responsive board, the Hel Yes is a lightweight all-mountain performer designed to perform in powder, crud and ice.

The Hel Yes is a true directional board with camber underfoot for solid edge contact and lift in the nose and tail for powder sessions. The addition of Under-Bite tech for 2018 Under-Bite disperses energy out to the contact points and directly into the centre of the sidecut which speeds up turn initiation and increases edge control. 

If it's good enough for Helen, then's it good enough for us - Hel Yes.

Key Info

Price - £430

Lengths – 146, 149, 152, 155

Profile - "A directional twin board with 4-4-2 directional camrock profile. UnderBite outline, sintered base and a bamboo-stringer core."

Where to Buy: 

www.snowboard-asylum.com

Burton Story Board 

When Burton realised that women were increasingly opting for some of their high end men's boards, they decided it was time to come up with 'the ultimate female freeride machine.'

Part of Burton’s Family Tree line, the new Story Board takes all the excellent features of the men's Flight Attendant, and combines it with a female-specific core profile (an advanced lightweight 700G Superfly II wood core).

The fully directionally cambered shape and 10mm of taper with torsional flex charges and floats through turns both on and off the piste. 

The Story Board is a solid, medium-to-stiff all-mountain performer that's most at home when there's a bit of fresh to play in. 

Key Info

Price - £525

Lengths – 147, 154

Profile - 'Directional cambered shape and 10mm of taper with torsional flex that drives and floats through turns on groomers and deep days alike.'

Where to Buy: 

www.snowboard-asylum.com

 

The Nitty Gritty

Buy the Air Heart if you're mostly going to be ripping around the resort

Buy the Dream Catcher if you're looking for playful performance on and off the piste

Buy the Twin Sister if you’re increasingly heading into freeride terrain

Buy the Yes Hel if you're looking for an award-winning freeride board with excellent turn initiation and edge hold

Buy the Story Board if you're looking to take things to the next stage in big mountain terrain

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