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Best Buys

Best Snowboard Shapes 2018-2019

Chosen by the Whitelines Test Team

If variety is the spice of life, then this year’s crop of snowboards is the unholy pork vindaloo that almost killed your cockiest mate, and should technically be outlawed under the Geneva Convention. Shape-wise, you can get your hands on pretty much anything now, and new ideas are being trotted out all the time.

Short ‘n’ stubby boards are still all the rage, with giant longboard-esque numbers making a bit of a resurgence too. All the while they vary widely in personality, so even two similarly-shaped boards can deliver wildly different rides.

“Even two similarly-shaped boards can deliver wildly different rides”

We’ve left off a few of the more established models such as the Jones Storm Chaser, YES 20/20, K2 Cool Bean and Ride War Pig, so be sure to check out our full list of snowboard reviews to catch up on some of the classics.

For now, though, here are the snowboard shapes that really stand out in 2018/19.

Scroll down to view all the best snowboards, or skip to a particular brand using the links below

Bataleon | Burton | Gnu | Head | Jones | K2 | KORUA Shapes | Lib Tech | Lobster | Nidecker | Ride | Rome |Salomon | YES

The Best Snowboard Shapes For Winter 2018-19


Amplid Dada Snowboard 2018-2019

PRICE: €559

The Amplid Dada is a seriously short, seriously wide snowboard, with significant weight savings in the nose and tail.

The end result is something with tons of float in powder, and an infectious chuckability factor that’ll have you hunting out natural features all over the mountain.

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Check out our full review of the 2017-2018 Amplid Dada here

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Bataleon Party Wave Snowboard 2018-2019

PRICE: £349/€399

Similar vibes are present in the Bataleon Party Wave; ride short, ride fat, and don’t take things too seriously.

As well as a directional outline, this one has a very pow-friendly tweak on Bataleon’s Triple Base Technology. Basically, you’ll be able to keep this one afloat without even trying.

Selected for The Whitelines 100 – take a closer look at the 2018-2019 Bataleon Party Wave here

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Bataleon Surfer LTD Snowboard 2018-2019

PRICE: £1049/€1199

The most head-turning shape of last winter is back for more. The chip-fork tail sinks like a stone in deep snow, leaving you to swoop around pow fields on a hull like nothing else.

It’s pretty handy on piste too, thanks in part to the upturned ‘Sidekick’ sections of edge at the nose’s contact points.

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Check out our full review of the 2017-2018 Bataleon Surfer LTD here

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Burton Bottom Feeder Snowboard 2018-2019

PRICE: £439/€499

Tree runs on the menu? The Burton Bottom Feeder is tailor-made for those, thanks to its short ‘n’ stubby design.

If you’re already a fan of the Burton Fish, this new take will be right up your street too.

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Check out our full review of the 2017-2018 Burton Bottom Feeder here

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Endeavour Archetype Snowboard 2018-2019

PRICE: £549

The unconventional tail of the Endeavor Archetype has carbon rods running through both sides, so you can still get plenty of pop when you need it.

It’ll disappear below the powder, obviously, resulting in a relatively stiff and powerful ride that’s best used in the backcountry.

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Check out our full review of the 2017-2018 Endeavour Archetype here

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Jones Mind Expander Snowboard 2018-2019

PRICE: £479/€549

One of a few Jones boards shaped by surfboard specialist Chris Christensen, the Mind Expander is unlike anything else on the market.

Rockered and bevelled, with a short tail and long, wide nose, it’s at its best when the snow is soft. Whether it’s pow or slush, for the right rider this is a potential game-changer.

Selected for The Whitelines 100 – take a closer look at the 2018-2019 Jones Mind Expander here

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K2 Overboard Snowboard 2018-2019

PRICE: £445/€499

The K2 Overboard is a very different kind of Enjoyer Series board. At a whopping 165cm long, it’s no tree-hunter like the K2 Cool Bean.

The significant taper makes it great for the deep stuff though, especially if you can find a wide open face to burn down.

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Check out our full review of the 2017-2018 K2 Overboard here

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Lib Tech Jamie Lynn Titty Fish Snowboard 2018-2019

PRICE: £509/€579

It might look back to front, but Jamie Lynn’s latest is just a different take on a pow-specific design.

As well as being oddly-shaped, the nose is wider than the tail to increase the float. It’s not so directional that you can’t take it all over the mountain, but for best results seek out untracked spines and stashes.

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Check out our full review of the 2017-2018 Lib Tech titty Fish here

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Lib Tech Orca Snowboard 2018-2019

PRICE: £529/€599

Meanwhile Travis Rice has also been busy at Mervin HQ, dreaming up this new downsized wonder.

With a deep sidecut for short, sharp turns, this one requires taming – but if you’re up to it, the rewards will come.

Selected for The Whitelines 100 – take a closer look at the 2018-2019 Lib Tech Orca here

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KORUA Shapes Dart Snowboard 2018-2019

PRICE: €449

Kings of the shape KORUA have done it again with the Dart.

The outline that’s just crying out for negotiating tight lines, so if you see a flash of red amongst the brown and white of a tree zone, it’s probably someone on a Dart.

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Check out our full review of the 2017-2018 KORUA Shapes Dart here

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Never Summer Big Gun Snowboard 2018-2019

PRICE: £589/€699

The smallest size for this one is 165cm, which (if the name hasn’t already given you a clue) tells you all you need to know about the Big Gun.

If you like speed, be it on an untracked face or a fresh groomer, this delivers in spades. Versatile it ain’t, but it does what it’s designed to do very well indeed.

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Check out our full review of the 2017-2018 Never Summer Big Gun here

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Nidecker Mellow Snowboard 2018-2019

PRICE: £399/€449

The Nidecker Mellow is heavily inspired by the world of surfing, so if that’s the mentality you take to the mountain then you’ll get on famously with this.

Tapered just enough to give the shape a helping hand in the powder, it’s a well-balanced cruiser that can step up when called upon.

Selected for The Whitelines 100 – take a closer look at the 2018-2019 Nidecker Mellow here

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Nidecker Tracer Snowboard 2018-2019

PRICE: £399/€449

We doubt directional asym boards will ever be all that prolific, but a look at the Nidecker Tracer makes you wish that they would be.

If you’ve never tried a carve-friendly stick with different sidecut radii on the heels and toes, then get one of these under your feet and prepare for something special.

Selected for The Whitelines 100 – take a closer look at the 2018-2019 Nidecker Tracer here

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Ride Twin Pig Snowboard 2018-2019

PRICE: £399/€449

The War Pig already ascended to modern classic status, the appearance of the Twin Pig (as well as the more freeride-focused Mountain Pig) comes as no surprise.

This uniquely-shaped park board has an asymmetric design for a more intuitive ride, and has been strengthened to compensate for its diminutive size.

Selected for The Whitelines 100 – take a closer look at the 2018-2019 Ride Twin Pig here

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Rome Ravine Snowboard 2018-2019

PRICE: £449/€529

Rome’s ‘Tramline’ series of snowboards is all about getting out back, but the Ravine is definitely more of an all-rounder.

The unusually squared-off nose can bash through anything, and hold an edge like nobody’s business. There’s plenty of surface area there for high-speed pow-blasting too.

Selected for The Whitelines 100 – take a closer look at the 2018-2019 Rome Ravine here

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YES Optimistic Snowboard 2018-2019

PRICE: £525/€599

Unlike most ‘downsized’ shapes on the market, the YES Optimistic is a stiff, cambered charger.

While the nose and tail have been shortened, the effective edge is essentially what you’d find on a standard board, so there’s plenty of edge grip on hand. The shape works well off-piste too.

Selected for The Whitelines 100 – take a closer look at the 2018-2019 YES Optimistic here

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YES PowINC Kids’ Snowboard 2018-2019

PRICE: €299

The kids haven’t been overlooked this year; the PowInc is a scaled-down version of the classic YES 420, designed to bring groms to the powder ahead of schedule.

Easier to handle in deep snow than the vast majority of kids’ boards, the PowInc can skip over a lot of the frustration that comes with learning the art of pow at a young age.

Selected for The Whitelines 100 – take a closer look at the 2018-2019 YES PowINC here

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