Salomon Lily Snowboard - Women's 2011

Freestyle or park snowboards tend to be a bit shorter in length and love terrain parks, rails, jibs, trash cans, tree trunks, riding switch (non-dominant foot forward), wall rides and more. Freestyle boards often feature a true twin shape, and are typically selected by those looking to ride the terrain park. A more versatile variant of a freestyle board is the all-mountain freestyle, which combines the versatility of an all mountain snowboard with the playfulness of a freestyle snowboard.

Whether you’re a progressing intermediate exploring new runs and terrain, or an accomplished rider seeking new thrills, the majority of skiers and snowboarders fall into this level. Intermediate to advanced skis and snowboards may be somewhat wider or stiffer than beginner-intermediate skis and snowboards, usually with a stronger wood core and sandwich sidewall construction. Intermediate to advanced boots and bindings range from softer flexing freestyle options to stiffer choices built for stability at speed.

A flat profile is just as you’d expect – flat from near the tip of the board to near the tail. This shape splits the difference between camber and rocker, with more forgiving turnability than a fully cambered board and more precise edging capability than a fully rockered one

The amount a snowboard flexes varies significantly between boards. Snowboard flex ratings are not necessarily standardized across manufacturers, so the flex may vary from brand to brand. Many manufacturers will give a number rating ranging from 1-10, 1 being softest and 10 being stiffest. Here at evo we have standardized the manufacturers' number ratings to a feel rating ranging from soft to very stiff. Generally you will find flex ratings of 1-2 as soft, 3-5 as medium, 6-8 as stiff, and 9-10 as very stiff. Flex ratings and feel may ultimately vary from snowboard to snowboard.