2023 Ride Shadowban Snowboard Review
By: Ced Gloria, Community Impact Coordinator | July 6, 2022
The Lowdown
You know those hits or lines that are now ingrained in your DNA makeup? Yeah I'm a different guy after this Ride.
The Ride Shadowban — the directional twin snowboard that will crush the park, cruise the pow, and keep ya nice n’ sturdy when rippin the ‘roy. Or maybe it will cruise the park, crush the pow, and keep ya loosey goosey on the ‘roy. Whatever the ride is, the Shadowban is chirpin. Full of life, snappiness, and spunk, best keep your lips sealed and let the board do the talking.
Technical Details
I found the Ride Shadowban to be an all-mountain dream. Touch the base if you get a chance, it feels smoooootthh. With the new sintered stone ground base, you don’t have to worry about keeping speed for that gosh darn traverse or bogging down on hot slushy days. Besides the killer matte graphics, the best part of the board has to be what’s on the inside. With that being the Performance Core, Carbon Array 3, and pre-cured glass, this board has torsional flex that made me grin from ear to ear. Being able to maneuver the board how I wanted felt playful but responsive. Whether I was throwing a slash, pressing a feature, or snapping an ollie, the guts of the board thrive.
With the Shadowban being standard camber, I was slightly concerned it would be too much for me. After laying the board on the snow and realizing the camber is so minimal, 2-3 mm if that, I knew it would only benefit edge hold, pop, and stability. Engaging the camber will rock the nose and tail to assist with float, and releasing-engaging into your next turn. Slime walls to help reduce chatter, landings, and impacts from boxes, rails, and shark fins. and Oh, did I mention Impact Plates underfoot? Yes, for saving knees.
| Sizes (cm) | 147, 151, 154, 155W, [157], 160W, 161, 164W |
| Rocker Type | Rocker/Camber/Rocker |
| Shape | Directional Twin |
| Flex Rating | Soft (2 / 10) |
| Dimensions (Tip, Waist, Tail - mm) | 300 - 254 - 300 |
| Sidecut Radius (m) | 9.3 / 6.8 / 6.3 |
Ride Impressions
Out of the box, I knew this board was going to rule. If it wasn’t for the graphic, it was for the feeling of the board. It looks and more importantly feels well made. Edges so sharp they may getcha! Dull those down a bit and voilà! I rode this board in a variety of conditions from the Southwest to the Pacific Northwest and was very pleased.
Pow Day
The Shadowban gets the job done with fun. I was a little concerned with the standard camber profile, and my concerns were quickly put to rest. If it was a bottomless day, I would’ve mounted bindings back. I find mass amounts of value in directional twins, especially when I know it's powy, and I’m feeling jumpy. Having some tail for landing gear or to ride out switch in deeper snow, can be a plus. Hardly remembering to keep the nose up - the board floats! Being slightly on the heavier side of the 157cm’s size range, I was impressed. Tight sidecut allows for hooking into those pow slashes and easy maneuverability while in the trees.
Groomers, Sidehits, and Park
This is where the board feels truly at home. If my main focus is to make the mountain my playground, I’d go with the Shadowban any day. I really fell in love with this board when I found the snappiness of it. Having loads of pop and playfulness, it felt great to air and has more than enough to get you soaring THAT much higher. Being slightly softer, straight lining the board felt surprisingly good! Feeling secure at high speeds but finding the sweet spot right in the middle. I thought the board was a blast to lay down some carves and get dancey on the groomers. One thing I noticed with the Quadratic sidecut was the quick hook into a turn. As the sidecut gets tighter towards the middle of the board, it allows for stable, tight turns. Having snap and dampness for sidehits, jumps, and park features, the board exceled when catching air and landing.
Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆
Pros
- Torsional flex – maneuverability and playfulness
- Versatile – from groomers to pow, the Shadowban is a blast in all conditions
- Performance Tech – has the guts to excel under high energy riding
Cons
- Heavy – maybe I was sore, I should work out
- A little soft – may not be supportive enough for heavier riders.
- Bottomless Days – size up or mount bindings back.
Who Is It For?
This Board is built for the creative rider who likes to have fun and wants to make the mountain their playground. I would gear this board towards an all-mountain freestyle rider, or purely all-mountain. I could also recommend this board for someone that has been riding the same board for the last 7-15 years, looking to stay close to traditional but yearning for some updated tech. This board has all the means to keep you happy on the hill, no matter your experience. If you’re someone that grabs their board and worries about conditions later, the Shadowban will treat you well. With amazing versatility and a fun personality, you've gotta take it out for a date, and see how you get along.
The Bottom Line
The bottom line – it's awesome! I would ride this board, no matter the day or conditions. During all of my rides, I was never wishing for more of this, more of that, I was content with the ride. I also love the graphics! Matte finish with color pop, yew! I found joy, in being able to find new creative fun because of the board under foot. This is just another reason why snowboarding is such an ongoing experiment. The board shape is rad — a slightly squared nose and tail, closer to a traditional shape with updated meat and taters to turn a wooden plank into a snow-devouring weapon.
About the Reviewer
Name: Ced Gloria
Age: 27
Height: 5’ 8.5”
Weight: 180 lbs
Size Reviewed: 157
Location(s) & Conditions: Arizona Snowbowl (Surprisingly pow), Stevens Pass (Slush), Mt. Hood (Creamy)
Bindings: Union Atlas Snowboard Bindings
Boots: Ride Fuse Snowboard Boots
Riding Style: Fast and all over the place. I love to ride the mountain as if it were a skatepark. Finding anything to jump off, over, or around is major fun. Carving at high speeds or pointing it and screaming to the snow gods to hold my edge. An all-mountain rider that thinks he’s more skilled than he actually is.