7 Best Women’s Snowboards 2016-2017

Our favourite female-specific snowboards of the year, as chosen by the Whitelines Team

For female snowboarders, it’s always a good idea to consider buying something made specifically with a woman in mind. The differences are fairly subtle, as there’s no need to reinvent the wheel, but any considerations for the general differences in men’s and women’s physicality are to be welcomed. You can expect the size range to skew smaller, for example, and the flex rating is often a little softer. 

“The range of available boards is as strong and as varied as ever, so you’re bound to find something that matches your riding”

Of course, finding the right stick for you doesn’t stop there; there’s no point buying a women’s freeride board if you just want to lap the park, nor is it sensible to buy something best suited for a beginner when you’re already charging.

Fortunately, the range of available boards is as strong and as varied as ever, so you’re bound to find something that matches your riding. Here are a few of our favourites to get you started.

All boards are in alphabetical order. All photographs by Sami Tuoriniemi – click any image to enlarge

Production: Tom Copsey / Andrew Duthie / Arian Schlichenmayer / Sami Tuoriniemi

Testers Choice Snowboard Awards 2016-2017

  1. Park
  2. All-Mountain
  3. Freeride
  4. Women’s
  5. Under £350
  6. Shapes

 

Burton Deja Vu

Females of any standard can get on with the Deja Vu. The profile gives it a loose, forgiving feel, but it’s no noodle.

The true twin shape and flex mean that it’d make an ideal park board, but thanks to a sintered base and extra-grippy edges it’s capable of handling a lot more than that.

Check out our full review of the 2016-2017 Burton Deja Vu

Buy direct from Burton

 

Gnu Klassy

Join Kaitlyn Farrington on her new venture, as she takes the newly overhauled Klassy deep into the backcountry.

With aggressive camber sections in the profile, not to mention Magne-traction edges, it tears up the piste like few others. Get it in the pow, though, and anything’s possible thanks to its combination of float and pop.

Check out our full review of the 2016-2017 Gnu Klassy

 

K2 Wildheart

 If you’re looking to get on the ‘short & wide’ trend this year, here’s a brand new board that you should definitely take a look at.

The Wildheart is a carbon-enhanced freeride weapon that is nimbler than most thanks to its reduced length. You still get all the float you could ever want, though, so the pow is where it belongs.

Check out our full review of the 2016-2017 K2 Wildheart

 

Rome Winterland

A bona fide freeride stick, this is a new one for 2016/17 and is expected to win over the pow fiends.

Stiff, solid and set back, you can afford to really push the Winterland to the limit, whether screaming down a face or carving up the groomers.

Check out our full review of the 2016-2017 Rome Winterland

 

Roxy Banana Smoothie

Smooth by name, smooth by nature; this all-rounder from Roxy is designed to let you get a bit loose both on and off the piste.

The profile is tailor-made for pow float, and also makes presses and butters a breeze. The Banana Smoothis is an all-terrain vehicle that funseekers of all abilities will enjoy.

Check out our full review of the 2016-2017 Roxy Banana Smoothie

 

Salomon Gypsy

 Countless Salomon Gypsys have found their way into the board bags of dedicated park rats, thanks to its slay-it-all construction

The true twin shape and flex combines perfectly with the (mostly) camber profile, making this a high performance park board that’s available for an impossibly low price.

Check out our full review of the 2016-2017 Salomon Gypsy

 

YES Hel Yes

 Female freeriding remains on the up-and-up, and it’s partially thanks to boards like the Hel Yes.

By pouring bucketloads of both top-end materials and BC backcountry experience into Helen Schettini’s pro model, YES have made something for the unstoppable pow-chargers.

 

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