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The Whitelines Choice Awards 2019-2020

Our pick of the bunch

Over the course of last winter, the Whitelines team were never far from the mountains. With industry events around Europe and a full-time team based in the French Alps, we tested nearly four hundred snowboards, bindings, boots and goggles. Of course, we tried out many of the usual suspects and long-standing favourites again, but there were plenty of new models and upgrades thrown into the mix, too.

“The Whitelines Choice Awards are the culmination of what our team believe to be the top performers in their given categories”

This year, for the first time, we’ve called out our best of the bunch. The Whitelines Choice Awards are the culmination of what our team believe to be the top performers in their given categories.
We’ve extensively put each product through its paces and narrowed down the winners into the categories outlined below. While there’s obvious crossover between these (a freeride board will clearly perform well in powder, just as a park board won’t be confined to the kicker line), we believe each winner excels in it’s given area.

And before you ask, every Choice winner remains impartial and free from commercial sway. They are unbiased and genuine thoughts from the Whitelines family.

Scroll down to view all men’s and women’s winners, or skip to a particular category using the links below

All-Mountain | Park | Freeride | Carving | Powder | Newcomer | Splitboard | Value | Graphics | Boots | Bindings | Goggles

Whitelines Choice: All-Mountain Winners

These are your ride anywhere, do anything snowboards. There’s an abundance of all-mountain decks on the market that claim to do it all, but only a handful that truly deliver. It’s a tricky balance to strike: creating profiles that can deliver pop, whilst floating in powder; or carve aggressively and still inspire confidence to take a couple laps in switch. For riders looking for that one “quiver killer” to pull out of the locker every day of the season this is your category.

Check out our full list of the best all mountain snowboards for 2019-2020 here


Salomon Assassin Pro Snowboard 2019-2020
PRICE: £560
Welcome back to the premium version of the all-mountain ace, the Salomon Assassin, it’s the Assassin Pro. This is truly a weapon. To the untrained eye, there might be not much to distinguish between the two Assassins but the Pro is the beefy meathead brother.

Just like its namesake, the Assassin Pro also carries a camrock profile, directional twin shape and quadralized side cuts. What tells these two apart, in the main, is the core. The Assassin Pro’s core is made out of lightweight paulownia, a core type that Salomon likes to call the Ghost Green Core. Paulownia is one of the newer woods used for snowboard manufacturing, and one of its signature traits is that it is light yet strong.

Take a closer look at the 2019-2020 Salomon Assassin Pro here

Check out our full list of the best women’s all mountain snowboards for 2019-2020 here


Capita The Equalizer Women’s Snowboard 2019-2020
PRICE: £440 / €480
With a mid-body camber, flat tail and reverse cambered nose the Equalizer allows for both pop and stability. The nose extends further on while the tail becomes blunt, which makes for a perfect powdery float.

New for this season is the dual blaster ashpop core, which means that the already durable board now has an even more dense and powerful core for increased board control.

  • BUY FROM SURFDOME
  • Take a closer look at the 2019-2020 Capita The Equalizer here


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    Whitelines Choice: Park Winners

    Anyone seeking the ultimate performance off the lip of the jump and sliding down the rail line, look no further than a park specific board. These decks are normally built around a true twin shape, as switch landings and take-offs will be as regular as… well, regular. Flex wise, it’s really up to you and your style of riding. Often, park boards will have a slightly softer torsional flex, while additives in the nose and tail or running down the centre of the board’s length find their way into the more premium models to maximise pop.

    Capita Super DOA Snowboard 2019-2020

    PRICE: £600 / €650
    The Capita Super DOA is a new, slightly stiffer version of the Capita DOA and with somewhat different tech.

    With camber between the feet, a short flat section outside the feet and an even shorter rocker section in the nose and tail, you’ll get pop, stability and float.

  • BUY FROM SURFDOME
  • Take a closer look at the 2019-2020 Capita Super DOA here

    Check out our full list of the best women’s park snowboards for 2019-2020 here

    GNU Pro Choice Women’s Snowboard 2019-2020

    PRICE: £510 / €570
    The Pro Choice is Jamie Anderson’s weapon of choice for when she wants to rip shit up. It’s a beefed-up version of her super popular Ladies Choice, built for when you need to pack a powerful punch wherever you are on the mountain.

    The board features Mervin’s C3 camber profile – which is their most aggressive – and has a shorter, mellower rocker between the bindings, then more dynamic camber under each binding for increased power and drive. The fact that it’s only very slightly rockered in the middle compared to its sister the Ladies Choice gives it more explosive pop and a more aggressive on-piste performance.

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    Whitelines Choice: Freeride Winners

    These are your hard and fast charging vehicles. Taking the odd detour through the park or dabbling in a couple switch turns isn’t entirely off the cards, but freeride snowboards come to life when they’re pointed in their preferred direction. Directional shapes and flexes allow for easy float and smooth turn initiations, and a stiffer tail will deliver control right to the end or the arc when you’re reaching top speeds.

    Check out our full list of the best freeride snowboards for 2019-2020 here

    Bataleon Omni Snowboard 2019-2020

    PRICE: £429 / €500

    The Bataleon Omni epitomises what freeriding is about. A base that absolutely flies and a rock-solid core that holds steady at warp speed? Tick. A board that floats on the deepest powder days without so much as an inch of back foot lean? Tick. All packaged up with a profile that not only delivers power and aggression running its entire length but does so in a way that won’t T-bone you the second you take your eye off the ball? Yep, one more big massive tick.

    It’s the omnivorous juggernaut that goes full hog across the mountain and still gets you home in one piece.

  • BUY ONLINE
  • Take a closer look at the 2019-2020 Bataleon Omni here

    Check out our full list of the best women’s freeride snowboards for 2019-2020 here

    Jones Mind Expander Women’s Snowboard 2019-2020

    PRICE: £529 / €600
    This directional beauty of a board is made for the creative freeride and freestyle rippers. The Surf Rocker shape allows for an insanely floaty feel in powder and keeps the nose pointed skywards without an ounce of effort. Its short tail also allows for easier turns and surfing your way through whatever snowfields you may encounter will feel effortless.

    Despite the Mind Expander’s home being in powder, a spin on the piste is definitely enjoyable too. It might not be the smoothest board to ride on the piste with, with a stiffer nose which dampens the ride, in the right conditions it’ll rail a carve like the best of them. Worth keeping in mind when dealing with a shape like this (blunted nose, squared off tail and tight sidecut), you might want to choose a shorter model than you’d usually go for.

    BUY DIRECT FROM JONES

    Take a closer look at the 2019-2020 Jones Women’s Mind Expander here


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    Whitelines Choice: Carving Winners

    This category is purely for on the edge. There’s been a recent trend, from brands like Nidecker and Korua, in producing boards built for honing the art of the turn. Camber profiles will dominate on a carving snowboard, and extra width underfoot allows riders to get their lean on without the dreaded boot drag. Not all carving boards are one-trick-ponies, but their unforgiving nature will find less experienced riders getting quickly bucked off.

    Check out our full list of the best carving snowboards for 2019-2020 here

    Amplid Pentaquark Snowboard 2019-2020

    PRICE: €840

    The Pentaquark sits among a series of three boards in what Amplid call their ‘Centrifugal Collection’. Everything about it screams high-speed, high-angle riding on the line. It features a fully positive camber, reinforced with carbon stringers in the tail. It won’t be a forgiving or intuitive ride for many snowboarders and it essentially comes with a ‘minimum entry requirement’. However, for those who’ve been honing the craft of turning for years, even decades, this is your ticket into the big leagues.

  • BUY ONLINE
  • Take a closer look at the 2019-2020 Amplid Pentaquark here

    Check out our full list of the best women’s carving snowboards for 2019-2020 here

    Korua Pencil Snowboard 2019-2020

    PRICE: €449

  • BUY DIRECT FROM KORUA
  • Good news ladies, at long last the boys at KORUA have broadened the line to include a couple of new female-friendly sizes. The Pencil hits the shelves in an all-new 147 size and is primed for ripping up the groomers. The red and white cult classics have never been known for sticking to convention, and the pencil epitomises the brand’s raison d’être – yearning for turning.

    As with any snowboard built for tipping and gripping, it’s shaped around a directional outline with a sizeable taper from end to end. It’s a tale of two halves with the pencil, the nose of the board rolls easily into the turn but, as soon as you’re in, the dials crank up and pull you round the arc. Buckle up, you’re very much on for the ride with the Pencil. Thankfully, it’s one you’ll never want to get off.

  • BUY DIRECT FROM KORUA
  • Take a closer look at the 2019-2020 Korua Pencil here


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    Whitelines Choice: Powder Winners

    It’s all about the float. Powder snowboards obviously favour shape and surface area above all else – either achieved through elongated noses with progressive rocker profiles or squashing the length and creating a short and fat style deck. Some prioritise fast, fall line descents on exposed faces, while others will be happiest when cutting fun lines through the trees and chucking spins off every feature.

    Check out our full list of the best powder snowboards for 2019-2020 here

    YES 2020 Snowboard 2019-2020

    PRICE: £619
    Many men will be thrilled to read that good things sometimes do come in small packages. Case in point being the YES 20/20. Three years since it was first released, Romain, DCP and JP have redesigned that most elusive of things – a true twin powder snowboard. Welcome to the new age of backcountry freestyle.
    BUY DIRECT FROM YES

    Take a closer look at the 2019-2020 YES 2020 here

    Nidecker Odyssey Women’s Snowboard 2019-2020

    PRICE: £375 / €400
    This little ripper is designed to surf snow, cruise in between trees and charge on the groomers.

    If you’re not accustomed to speed, you might have a hard time getting your turns in, but if you’re a certified charger this board will without doubt make sure you can rip through any odd bumps along the way while still making sure you’ll get your carves laid down with steeze.

  • BUY ONLINE
  • Take a closer look at the 2019-2020 Nidecker Odyssey here


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    Whitelines Choice: Newcomer Winners

    Here’s one for new kids on the block. Recent years have seen brands become increasingly experimental in their shapes and constructions, often fusing the styles of pre-existing models in the line or supercharging some of their fan favourites. If you’re after the kind of rider who likes to stay on the frontline of innovation, here’s your category.

    YES Hybrid Snowboard 2019-2020

    PRICE: £489
    What happens when two of YES Snowboard’s most prolific freeride decks bump uglies? You get the Hybrid. On the 420 side of the family, the board gets its short and fat genes which paved the way for a revolution in powder specific shapes. Then, from its PYL heritage, it has that extra kick up the arse for charging harder, steeper lines. An unlikely romance, for sure, but the by-product has the look and feel of a modern-day classic.
    BUY DIRECT FROM YES

    Take a closer look at the 2019-2020 YES Hybrid here

    Check out our full list of the best new women’s snowboards for 2019-2020 here

    Ride Psychocandy Women’s Snowboard 2019-2020

    PRICE: £445 / €500
    It is here – the female addition to the infamous Ride Pig snowboard line, the Psychocandy.

    The Ride Psychocandy is designed to ride like the men’s version of it, the Ride Warpig. The Psychocandy is a directional all-mountain charger with a tapered directional shape, a fully flat profile and rocker at both ends. It’s an absolute animal- and we love it.

  • BUY ONLINE
  • Take a closer look at the 2019-2020 Ride Psychocandy here


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    Whitelines Choice: Splitboard Winners

    Once the weird, creepy uncle of snowboarding who occasionally showed up at the party, splitboards have firmly cemented their place in almost every brand’s line-up. Some have been in the game for years; others are making an appearance for the first time this season. When choosing a splitboard, there’s two things to consider – efficiency on the way up (how you’ll be spending 90% of your day) and performance on the way down (where you’ll get 90% of the enjoyment from your day).

    Jones Mind Expander Splitboard 2019-2020

    PRICE: £799

    Surprise, surprise, Jeremy’s topped the splitboard podium. Five years ago, this would have been close to a one-horse race. These days, every brand worth their salt haven’t just dipped their toes but cannonballed deep into the business of earning your turns. All the more reason then that the Mind Expander Split offers something pretty special to stand out from the competition.

  • BUY DIRECT FROM JONES

    Take a closer look at the 2019-2020 Jones Mind Expander Splitboard here

    Burton Anti Social Women’s Splitboard 2019-2020

    PRICE: £700 / €780
    The Burton Anti-Social splitboard has a directional shape with 12mm taper. The increased volume in the nose keeps it from submarining in the deeper snow and increases its mobility. With camber in the back of the board you can be sure to hold an edge better than you hold your liquor on a Friday night, while the rocker in the front will keep you cruising along easily.

    The light core of the Anti-Social makes it an ideal board for anyone looking to buy their first splitboard. When you’re skinning up mountains, weight makes all the difference, so even if it seems marginal you’ll be thankful for it as you’re halfway up.
    BUY DIRECT FROM BURTON

    Take a closer look at the 2019-2020 Burton Anti Social Splitboard here


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  • Whitelines Choice: Value Winners

    Snowboarding’s an expensive hobby, but the right tool for the job needn’t be. There’s fierce competition in this sector of the market. Brands often ‘trickle down’ much of the technology from their higher end snowboards to produce results that defy their seemingly impossible price points. If you’re on a budget, but don’t want to risk rolling the rental shop dice on each trip to the mountains, these snowboards have you covered.

    Burton Kilroy Directional Snowboard 2019-2020

    PRICE: £380 / €440
    Remaining true to the Kilroy line, the Kilroy Directional is a camber board through and through, just like its softer brother, the Kilroy Twin.

    With a medium flex you can be sure to get the best out of both worlds riding the Kilroy Directional. It’s just soft enough to fool around with, but firm enough to be responsive.
    BUY DIRECT FROM BURTON

    Take a closer look at the 2019-2020 Burton Kilroy Directional here

    Check out our full list of the best value women’s snowboards for 2019-2020 here

    Head Everything Women’s Snowboard 2019-2020

    PRICE: £300 / €370
    Head have created an easy-to-control ride that will help riders looking to progress across every area of their riding on whatever terrain the mountain throws at them.

  • BUY ONLINE
  • Take a closer look at the 2019-2020 Head Everything here


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    Whitelines Choice: Graphics Winners

    Nidecker Liberty Snowboard 2019-2020

    PRICE: £525 / €550
    With a surfy camrock profile, fish tail, 60mm set back and pointed nose, you’ll get everything you’d want from a powder board.

    A short fish tail and lots of setback makes sure you can breeze through the trees with ease, whilst the nose gives it some extra float.

  • BUY ONLINE
  • Take a closer look at the 2019-2020 Nidecker Liberty here

    Check out our full list of the best graphics women’s snowboards for 2019-2020 here

    Bataleon Distortia Women’s Snowboard 2019-2020

    PRICE: £389 / €450
    When you’re looking to improve your freestyle skills, there’s not many more confidence inspiring sights than 3BT. The uplifted edges allow you to be much sketchier when you land without chucking you on your arse, and the fact that you don’t have to stomp every single trick is going to have you making super natural and fast progression..

  • BUY ONLINE
  • Take a closer look at the 2019-2020 Bataleon Distortia here


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    Whitelines Choice: Boots Winners

    Adidas Tactical Lexicon ADV Snowboard Boots 2019-2020

    PRICE: £330

    The Adidas Tactical Lexicon ADV is an upgraded version of the traditional Adidas Tactical boot. This new version has had a Gold Level liner and a nice 90s design added to it, so it was a no brainer for us to put this badass boot in the Whitelines 100.

    The gold level liner is there to keep your feet securely placed within the boot. The dual-density liner is tailored to curve around your feet in the most comfortable and customised way, adding just the right amount of security to your ride.

    With a Footbed boost you can be sure these boots will let you charge through whatever comes your way. They’ll suck up the hard landings and absorb the choppy snow, so you can expect a solid ride when wearing these.

  • BUY ONLINE
  • Take a closer look at the 2019-2020 Adidas Tactical Lexicon ADV here


    Deeluxe Team ID Lara Women’s Snowboard Boots 2019-2020

    PRICE: £255 / €275
    This beauty of a boot made its debut on the market only one season ago and has already become a firm favourite with quite a few fierce females out there.

    Thanks to the two separate flex zones in the ankle part of the boot, you’ll have impeccable control over the flex of the boot with your heel staying put. Not only are you certain to stay locked into the boots, but their thermo block will ensure your feet are kept warm and cosy throughout the whole day.

    Making the Team ID Laras even more female friendly is the “Girl Power Handle”, a feature that’s been specially designed for women’s hands to make tightening the boots a breeze.

  • BUY ONLINE
  • Take a closer look at the 2019-2020 Deeluxe Team ID Lara here

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    Whitelines Choice: Bindings Winners

    Rome Katana Snowboard Bindings 2019-2020

    PRICE: £330 / €380

    Few bindings come close to the levels of innovation and customisation that Rome provide. The Katana maybe exemplifies this better than all of them. This is right up there as the best all-mountain binding in the world. Whether you’re looking to spend days, maybe even weeks dialling in the perfect fit, or screw them to your deck before you’ve even left the shop, they won’t disappoint.

    The kind of riders the Katanas are aimed at should be generating hefty levels of torque and leverage on the straps – whether that’s out in the backcountry or lapping slush laps through the park.

  • BUY ONLINE
  • Take a closer look at the 2019-2020 Rome Katana here

    NOW Brigada Women’s Snowboard Bindings 2019-2020

    PRICE: €250

    The Brigade’s little sister makes its debut for this season and delivers the missing piece in the NOW puzzle – a performance, all-mountain, freestyle focussed women’s binding. The long-awaited addition to the NOW army didn’t disappoint. This one’s got mass appeal written all over it but will definitely find its calling in the park.
    The all-new women’s specific FM Highback features here, too. It has a lightweight, minimalist designed to make tweaking and creative, freestyle riding way more achievable, but has an asymmetric outline, with a higher medial side, to follow the natural angle of your riding stance and deliver more contact and support to the boot.

  • BUY ONLINE
  • Take a closer look at the 2019-2020 NOW Brigada here

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    Whitelines Choice: Splitboard Bindings Winners

    Spark R&D Arc Pro Snowboard Bindings 2019-2020

    PRICE: $540
    By using 7075 aluminium in the heel hoops, they’ve created an even lighter alternative to the Arcs. The ladders, adjusters and straps also get an upgrade with tougher materials that hold their shape for lasting durability. They are, are 20% lighter than the originals.

    For those who felt that the Arc highbacks may have been a little on the soft side, torsionally, the Pro puts things to rights. Using carbon-reinforced nylon, they’ve not only made them stiffer but (starting to see a pattern here?) lighter, too.

  • BUY ONLINE
  • Take a closer look at the 2019-2020 Spark R&D Arc Pro here

    Spark R&D Arc Women’s Snowboard Bindings 2019-2020

    PRICE: $385

    The binding features a narrower baseplate, lower and more compact heel hoops, and custom moulded straps designed to accurately fit the most common boot brands out there. The aluminium baseplate is cut out to drastically shave excess weight off without compromising the binding’s overall stiffness. There’s another advantage to this: Metal conducts the cold. The less of it underfoot, the better the chance your toes have of staying warm when you’re out on a dawn patrol.

  • BUY ONLINE
  • Take a closer look at the 2019-2020 SPark R&D Women’s Arc here

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    Whitelines Choice: Goggles Winners

    Giro Method Snowboard Goggles 2019-2020

    PRICE: $130
    It’d be fair to say that Giro products have been more commonly found in the heart of the peloton than the drop-in of the super pipe. This year’s all-new Method goggle signifies a change of direction for the brand. With the helping artistic hand of legendary skater, snowboarder and artist, John Cardiel, they’ve gone straight for snowboarding’s jugular and launched a goggle “designed with the core rider in mind”. Hands down, this was our test team’s favourite looking goggle of the year, with a lens that could just about make a dog see colour.

  • BUY DIRECT FROM GIRO
  • Take a closer look at the 2019-2020 Giro Method here

    Dragon NFXs Snowboard Goggles 2019-2020

    The NFXs is the smallest goggle in the NFX family, and shares much of its DNA with its relatives, including the use of Dragon’s Lumalens technology. Lumalens is designed to enhance contrast between colours, making it easier to distinguish between lumps and bumps in the piste. The lens makes it easier on your eyes by improving your depth perception, so you’re not left straining to see what’s in your path.

    Marks on your goggles aren’t the end of the world, but they are super annoying, so Dragon have made these lenses water repellent, and they also don’t absorb the oils from your fingers. The less goop on your lenses, the less you’ll have to clean them and risk scratching them.

  • BUY ONLINE
  • Take a closer look at the 2019-2020 Dragon NFXs here

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