This site contains affiliate links to products. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links.
Fall has arrived and for those of us who live near mountains and ski resorts that we take down the snowboard (or skis if you happen to go that route) and tune them up for the season. Inevitably, we also start thinking about upgrading our gear, because who wants to ride a snowboard from a few seasons ago. The operating system may not even work anymore! LOL!
OK, so we often don’t have a compelling reason to upgrade our gear, unless our old boards are really just too beat up to ride much longer. Or, maybe you’re a newer boarder and you want to get your first leveled-up snowboard? Either way, we can find compelling reasons to pick up a new board. So, let’s take a look at 5 great new snowboards to consider if you’re in the market for a new snowboard this year!
Burton Custom
I’m dropping this one first because I’m a Burton fan. I’ve ridden on and owned many Burton boards over the years. I learned on a Custom, switched to a Supermodel, went back to a Custom, and so on. So, with Burton coming out with a new Custom for the season – yes, please!
This year’s version of the Burton Custom Snowboard is a great blend of sticking with what works, while also innovating. The classic all-mountain board shape is designed to appeal to old-school riders looking for a responsive, freestyle-focused, go anywhere on the mountain ride. Then, the advanced tech features will win over plenty of new fans.
So, what do you get in the new Custom? First off, a cambered board, which is becoming rarer these days. But, it is the perfect fit for a hard-turning and popping board like the Custom. The Custom is slightly directional in shape, but generally very symmetrical and designed to flex consistently, whichever way you point it down the mountain. While the shape may look old-school, what’s under the hood (so to speak) is all new. With Burton’s Superfly 700G Core, Carbon Highlights, a Sintered Base, and plenty of other new proprietary tech features, the Custom is very much in line with the other high-end 2022 boards on this list.
As far as looks, this is a very clean, old-school board from a graphic design standpoint. Nothing flashy, but you’re not here to grab attention with the look of your board, just how you ride it.
Burton and Custom reviewers recommend the board for advanced pipe and park riders, as well as those who like the feel of traditional camber without sacrificing new construction innovations.
MSRP – $629.95
CAPiTA Mega Mercury
Now let’s move on to a newer option – the CAPiTA Mega Mercury. This is a brand new board from the award-winning board manufacturer. It is designed as a freestyle-focused, medium-stiff-flexing ride and takes advantage of some tradition with a lot of new tech.
Here’s another board that continues to take advantage of camber, with a Resort V2 Camber Profile, meaning a camber between the feet, and reverse camber outside of them. The stance is set back just a hair on this board, and there’s no taper from tip to tail. This is CAPiTA’s New Age Directional shape, incorporating progressive sidecut and DEATH GRIP, to keep the board absolutely locked in during tight turns. But then, you may have noted this is a Mega board. That means a host of new features.
The Mega Mercury includes an exclusive FSC® Certified 3D Thermopolymer Starship Core™. Basically, this means an extra light, extra strong, and extra responsive board. CAPiTA also includes recycled Thermopolymers for additional weight savings and dampening. Then, they have added an aftermarket performance stone-grind to their Hyperdrive Sintered Base. Last but not least,, the Mega Mercury is topped off with a Megalite Skin Topsheet, which claims a 60% weight savings over CAPiTA’s standard topsheets.
The MSRP is $749.95 but you can get it on Amazon for only $599! Click here.
Salomon Assassin Pro
Here’s another board that can help you own the park and also attack some serious powder. The Salomon Assassin Pro Snowboard. This is Salomon’s top-of-the-line, swiss army knife of a board. It includes a twin shape built on a directional flex pattern, and of course, comes with an admirable list of cool new technology features.
The Ghost Green Core incorporates sustainably harvested Paulownia wood that is hand-selected for its strength to weight ratio. Add in Ghost Carbon Beams in the tip and tail, and this board absolutely pops. Underfoot we’ve got a flat area between the bindings, camber under them, and rocker in the tips and tails, helping you really lay into your turns, and keep your nose up in the deepest powder. Want some more? Well, this whole package is a Sintered EG base with a Fine Stone Finish, helping deliver maximum speed when the time is right.
Reviewers suggest the Salomon Assassin Pro for freestyle-leaning riders looking to take their skills to the whole mountain. This board is definitely at home in the terrain park, but its high-end features mean it can easily handle bigger lines and jumps with soft landings, as well as dampen the vibrations and chatter you may find at higher speeds.
The MSRP on this one is $549.95. Get it on Amazon for $499.
Ride Zero
Ride has been making snowboards for a long time, and this brand new, gender-neutral, freestyle-focused board is a great addition to their legacy. This is another great mix of tradition (including the graphics) with a new school vibe and advanced tech to make a truly versatile park and freeride snowboard.
The Zero kicks things off with an Asymmetrical Twin Hybrid Rocker. This means it’s got more rocker than camber. It also has a twin shape, but the sidecuts are asymmetrical, meaning the board has a well-defined heelside and toeside but no dedicated nose or tail. All of that structure comes together to deliver an easy turning and predictable ride in either direction. The Zero also has a medium-flexing performance core made of Aspen, Bamboo, and Paulownia. There are also carbon stringers throughout, and double impact plates under the bindings. Top it all off with a stone-ground sintered base and you’ve got a fantastic park and all-mountain boards.
This one you can also find on Amazon for $499 here.
Lib Tech T. Rice Golden Orca
The Lib Tech Orca has been a huge hit with riders since the day it was introduced. So, who wouldn’t want to check out the new Golden Orca for 2022? No one. That’s who.
First off, while graphics aren’t the most important thing (at all) on a great snowboard, check out the crazy graphics on this new board. It’s eye-catching, to say the least. But, now let’s get to the real stuff. This board is a bit of a cross between an Orca and a T. Ric Pro, which means you get a total powder-hound of a board that is ready to go serious freestyle and basically turn you into a Lib Tech fan for life.
This boar is designed to be ridden short. It has an extra-wide waist width for easy float in all that glorious powder and rocker between the feet to make sure your tips stay up. The stance is set back, but a touch more centered than the regular Orca. This delivers better switch abilities, and the New Power Kink tail helps here too. With a sintered base, Magne-Traction throughout, and a medium/stiff-flexing Aspen, Paulownia, and Balsa core, the Golden Orca is a dream to ride. Whether you are surfing on some deep powder or turning it on a groomed run, this board delivers.
The most expensive of the lot, this has an MSRP of $749.99. You can find it on Amazon here for $649.
