Shape, Profile and Sidecut

As you’d expect, the Happy Place goes full Reggie and Ronnie with its shape and flex pattern. True twin is the standard for freestyle oriented boards to keep them balanced, whether that be once you’re airborne or popping onto features. It’s the gold standard for the kind of playful riding that the Happy Place was built for; riding switch, throwing lofty 180’s and buttery manoeuvres all benefit from the balance.

Profile-wise, Gigi’s opted for the best of both worlds: CamRock. A surefire winner for a snowboard that needs to be as versatile as possible. Power, aggression and dynamic pop from the camber, and forgiveness, float and smooth turns from the rocker. A win-win, even when you’re not in the park.

And that’s one of the things that make the Happy Place so enjoyable- that it doesn’t just have to spend all day lapping the park. Our team of testers were loud and clear with this one, the Happy Place excels across the whole mountain, be it boosting sidehits or flatland on the schuss.

“This is all finished off with a super slick, drag reducing sintered base that is more likely to be found on a much more expensive, high-end snowboard”

Construction and Materials

As we mentioned earlier, for a budget friendly snowboard the Happy Place really doesn’t skimp on ingredients. A lively and poppy dual wood core is encased with torsionally pliable biax laminates, this differs to previous iterations and makes the Happy Place more playful and forgiving, in fitting with its freestyle nature.

But don’t take that to mean it’s soft and noodly, Gigi knows what’s up when making a snowboard that isn’t just a one trick pony, as such he’s kitted out the Happy Place with carbon cross bracing underfoot. X marks the spot directly underfoot, and the prongs branch out towards the contact points, directing rider input directly to these key zones.

So, while the overall flex is mellow and playful, the Happy Place is still able to drive response and be reactive when needed. This is all finished off with a super slick, drag reducing sintered base that wouldn’t be out of place on a much more expensive, high-end snowboard. The Happy Place is case in point that a really good snowboard doesn’t have to cost the earth, it just has to have the right flair.

“The beauty of the Happy Place is that it really is just a great snowboard without trying to be anything it’s not”

Roundup

It’s a board that transcends all categories, be they ability level, gender or riding style. The beauty of the Happy Place is that it really is just a great snowboard without trying to be anything it’s not, one that anyone can jump on and have a really fun time. Plus, you absolutely cannot argue with the price tag. If you’re looking for something in the same vein, but just a little beefier, be sure to check out the Slash Spectrum.

Pros:

• You’d be hard pushed to find a board that offers better value for money
• It’s a great deck for any rider, regardless of ability level

Cons:

• Aggressive freestylers might find it a little soft for bigger park features

“My favourite board of the season. I absolutely loved the Happy Place- it ticks every single box I have. I’ve previously ridden this in a 145 and it was good, but this slight size down was definitely preferable for me and my riding style.

If you’ve been to Flachau and ridden the Stash you’ll know some of the features can be a bit intimidating. Especially with the hellishly foggy weather we had where you were lucky to see 10 feet in front of you. But my oh my the Happy Place was such a confidence booster throughout the whole thing.

I really found my freestyle feet with it, it encourages you to try things you previously might not have attempted and allows for a little forgiveness if you’re riding a bit sketchy. It’s super playful in the nose and tail, really nice for buttering and pressing, but you can pick up speed without it flapping around.

For a pretty soft board, the pop is still there, I found you do have to work a little for it and load up the tail, especially when the snow isn’t super firm. I normally find myself playing catch up when riding, but the Happy Place picks up speed out of nowhere even in that late in the day sticky mush. All in all, I’d recommend it for people who prioritise freestyle and playful riding but don’t want something that has to stay in the park all day.”

We now make this board starting at 135cm… that’s SMALL! But it’s part of Gigi wanting to make snowboarding more accessible for everyone. Not to mention his older son Jona has now upgraded from our kids board the Splash to the Happy Place… so it’s a double whammy. Oh btw, it now goes up to 163W up from 159W last year, as Gigi’s also noticing bigger feet size in general. Getting smaller, bigger too… talk about inclusivity!”

Buy the Slash Happy Place: £439 at Blue Tomato UK 

Buy the Slash Happy Place: €520 at Blue Tomato EU