• Sizes: 158, 161, 161W
• Flex: 7
• Profile: Hybrid Camber
• Shape: Directional
• Price: £529 / €599

The name of the Lib Tech Swiss Knife snowboard doesn’t just allude to its versatility. It’s also a doff of the cap to Fredi Kalbermatten. Saas Fee’s favourite son was heavily involved in the design of this board, and it shows.

The Lib Tech Swiss Knife is primed for backcountry freestyle. It’s ever so slightly wider in the nose than the tail, but your stance is still centred, so you get all the freestyle feel you need plus a bit of help in the deep stuff.

“The Lib Tech Swiss Knife is primed for backcountry freestyle”

The ‘directional camber’ approach to the profile is effective for this kind of riding, too. There’s plenty of pop and edge hold, but by mellowing out the camber towards the nose, it’s easier to keep this afloat. Switch riding (and landings) isn’t off the table, but your preferred stance will be easier to control.

A blend of Aspen and paulownia wood in the core makes this light yet strong, and the nose and tail have been made thinner to reduce swing weight – something you’ll notice as soon as you launch your first spin. The serrated edges improve the board’s performance on hard-pack, and the relative stiffness makes it a powerhouse in all conditions.

The 155cm version has been dropped this year, but larger-hoofed riders should know that there’s now a wider take on the 161cm, boasting an extra centimetre across the middle.