Every season the snowboard magazines that hit newstands and mailboxes define in their own way the top boards of the season. Snowboarder Magazine uses the on-snow industry demos at Mammoth Mountain, Stratton, Mission Ridge, Boyne Mountain, Snowbasin and Keystone to find out which boards rank the highest ranking boards among the shop staffers. The end result is the top three men’s boards and the top women’s boards.
Of the 5 winners, I’ve ridden 2 of the snowboards the women’s K2 Eco Pop and men’s Rossignol Angus. However from what I’ve been hearing on the machete and slayblade, I’m not surprised to see them in the list and am looking forward to riding them. The Rossignol Angus is having a good year and while it didn’t completely win me over when I rode it, it’s not a board to be overlooked and certainly has the taste for ripping down the mountain. The K2 Eco Pop is one of my favorites from this year, giving women a solid board to handle the mountain, lightweight and yet stable and the zero camber doesn’t sacrifice good riding.
No matter what test is out there, what shop kid tells you what board they liked or what blogger gives you reviews…trying these boards out for yourself is the surefire way to know what works for you and what doesn’t.
Snowboarder Magazine’s Best of Test 2010
Men’s Winners:
1. Ride Machete
2. Rossignol Angus
3. K2 Slayblade
Women’s Winner:
1. K2 Eco Pop
2. Burton Feelgood V-rocker
Top Boards by Region
East
K2 Jibpan
Rome Pusher
Lib Tech Skate Banana
Midwest
K2 Parkstar
Rossignol Angus
K2 Slayblade
Colorado
Venture Storm
Rossignol Decoy
Capita Indoor Survival
Utah
K2 Slayblade
Ride Machete
Arbor Draft
California
Capita Green Machine
Rossignol Retox
Never Summer SL-R
Washington
K2 Believer
Rossignol Jeremy Jones
Ride Machete
With over 100 riders input on the Best of Test, Snowboarder Magazine lets the winners decision go to the shop kids around the country. Riders that could be all ability levels, styles and in different locations pick their top models that end up becoming the Best of Test winners. It’s interesting to see the test in unknown riders hands but these are also people that might work at your local shop, that you respect and have come to know.
What are your thoughts on this list?
September 20th, 2009 at 8:32 pm
I was surprised that they published my reviews on the Machete and Slayblade
September 20th, 2009 at 8:34 pm
haha I’m not surprised James, I trust your reviews and input on the boards as well.
September 21st, 2009 at 2:56 am
Rossignol Jeremy Jones? Is this the same jeremy jones as Burton? 2 sponsors? That possible?
September 21st, 2009 at 5:42 am
Tim, there are two Jeremy Jones…Rossignol big mountain Jeremy Jones and Burton’s jibber Jeremy Jones. Two different guys.
September 21st, 2009 at 8:30 am
Looking forward to your take on the Slayblade and Machete. I am hoping to demo some boards this year but my short list is those two and Never Summer SL-R.
September 22nd, 2009 at 10:56 am
Talk about a popularity contest, the shop kids just pick what board company they like best. The Snowboarder magazine Best of Test is very biased and inaccurate. The TWSNOW Good Wood test is actually done by people in the industry who have been riding almost all their lives. Not some shop kid trying to land a flow sponsorship. I never really trust shop kids they’re always trying to sell their favorite product or themselves for that matter. Rossi Decoy? come on! K2 JibPan as #1? That thing is a noodle. Obviously some jibkid tested it ONLY on rails because that board is junk on anything else. TWSNOW Good Wood all the way. Did they even test any of the C2 Power Bananas?
September 22nd, 2009 at 4:51 pm
i balieve transworld gave the machete a good wood award over 400$ in park,so the shop kids also know there stuff!!! im glad too hear the machete was well liked cuz i got 1 a 155 machete,so i cant wait too ride it.
September 23rd, 2009 at 5:56 am
@keither – Different strokes. I highly rate the Decoy and am a big fan of the Jibpan (noodle? hardly, the Draft is a noodle), but I found the C2 I tested felt slow and muted compared to the SL-R. Slayblade and the Rossi Jones are fantastic too. I’m a bit surprised that the Machete is so high on the list as I feel the DH2 rides better.
I can’t take TWS seriously as long as they continue to insist that the Vapor is the top pipe board.
September 23rd, 2009 at 12:48 pm
Interesting points Keither…I agree on some. TWS Good Wood covers all the boards, but the Best of Test is dependent on riders and what they have ridden which won’t be every board. It would be interesting to see the list of boards that the riders have been on and then the boards they selected. There’s no way to know the whole list of boards tested, which I wish both mags would put out…like here’s the boards ridden and here’s the winners. No test is perfect though, it is fun to see the different takes on them.
Alexander, totally I keep hearing good things about machete so can’t wait to ride it either.
Grill, I’ll add DH2 to the list for reviews this year, sounds like it’s another good option from Ride for this season. I’m not surprised on the vapor but that’s my opinion, I think it is ideal for pipe.
September 23rd, 2009 at 3:07 pm
hey shay hope all is well,ya im glad i got one now,i also got that stepchild jp w rett,it looks sweet,now if i only knew how too jib lol .
and for powder i got the 09 libtech mullet,any reviews on the danny kass turbos bindings would be great ,im assuming there gonna be good for park/jibs/pipe.
the ride dh2 also looks great and so does the society.but if there was any board id want too buy on sale later in the season would be a never summer evo r..
September 23rd, 2009 at 7:36 pm
Awesome Alexander, hop you like your new Stepchild…learning to jib, that’s what I’m doing this winter but I feel a lot better in the park after camp so we’ll see how I progress this season. Good luck with your progression! Mullet for powder sounds good! I’ll definitely try the DK bindings, those are on the list.
September 24th, 2009 at 3:00 pm
hahah right on,the stepchild looks amazing and with the rett its ready too ride,im def gonna be working on my park mostley this year,thanks and good luck too ya too.
i kinda went all out this year since i have been using used snow stuff since this year.
i am waiting on my union dks today were is ups lol hahahah
laters..
September 25th, 2009 at 4:39 pm
Well, it is a good list of boards, but what about a list of top ten bindings? and boots? the board is important, but even if ur riding a sweet board, bad bindings will ruin the quality.