The Snow test team spent a week at Spring Break in Kaunertal riding the latest snowboards to bring you our pick of the 10 best in the all-mountain category.
Test team:
Maisie Potter – three times national snowboard champion representing Great Britain in international Boardercross competitions.
Mark Barber - action sports journalist specialising in winter sports travel, snowboarding and gear reviews.
Jamie Barrow - Britain’s fastest snowboarder and holds the Guinness World record for the fastest speed on a snowboard while being towed by a vehicle.
Gnu Space Case | £435 
BEST FOR Beginner to expert all-mountain freestyle jib riders!
There’s a playful elegance that makes the Space Case so much fun to ride, especially for jibbing and side hitting. But so much more than just a jib board, the Space Case needs to be let loose on the mountain.
The asymmetrical and angular design gives a shorter heel-side edge contact to combat heel drag and makes it almost impossible to catch an edge. In tracked out snow, the Space Case gives a mellow ride with good all round stability but is also extremely responsive in short and mid-radius turns, locking in well for big carving. Turning in powder snow is effortless, playful, and floaty.
VERDICT
One of the best boards of the year that will wow all-mountain riders of all abilities all winter long.
Capita Birds Of A Feather | £255 
BEST FOR Intermediate to expert women chargers.
This mountain charging stick has a true twin hybrid profile with positive camber that’s stable at speed on groomers, with a slight Rocker at the top and tail that helps it float in powder.
The BofF struggles slightly on uneven cookie fields and it’s not forgiving, but loves long sweeping carves. The board has an average flex and enjoys jibbing and buttering, but excels at stomping down big kickers and a joy to ride switch. Not at home in the park, it’s best for lapping groomers.
This is a durable stick with Kevlar bound sidewalls, a wax infused base, and 4 x 2 stainless steel inserts for extra strength.
VERDICT
An enjoyable women’s all-mountain board that demands to be ridden hard – not for those with a lazy riding style.
Burton Custom Flying V | £445
BEST FOR Any rider to ride the whole mountain with style.
The wavy profile of the Burton Custom Flying V makes for a versatile ride and ensures the board is a complete all-rounder – a near perfect score.
Slightly stiffer than its Process cousin, it attacks the mountain with good stability and hardly a vibration underfoot, even at speed. It can do mellow rides too.
Turn initiation, helped by Burton’s Channel system, is fast even in a tight turn, and handles arcing carves well everywhere except hard packed snow.
In powder, the board has great buoyancy with minimum effort.
The ‘V’ is also not bad for jibbing but excels on the kickers.
VERDICT
Trust Burton to create the near perfect all-mountain board that can reward experts and forgive beginners.
Bataleon Evil Twin Asymmetrical | £398
BEST FOR Intermediate to expert riders pushing the limits.
The Evil Twin Asymmetrical is modelled from the popular Evil Twin, but with the added bonus of twin asymmetrical edges.
This addition adds an extra dimension to your riding, giving easier and more powerful carving for the rider on both heel side and toe-side turns.
This is a stiff board, so targeted more towards the intermediate and advanced riders but is very stable even at higher speeds. The board did not feel ‘chattery’ when pushed hard and it slashed through crud easily, even if you’re not super aggressive in the turns.
VERDICT
One of our favourite boards, the Evil Twin has a freeride feel that will deliver piste-side and pipe fun all day.
Salomon Rumble Fish | £370
BEST FOR Progressive riders wanting a ‘go-anywhere’ board.
New for 2017 the Rumble Fish feels like a more advanced version of the Salomon Gypsy – requiring more aggression, but rewarding with highly stability for faster speeds, carving and jumps. Being true twin, it is equally good for freestyle riding.
The Rumble Fish is actually based on the popular Assassin model and has the same ‘Rock Out Camber’ profile, with a raised flat section across the middle and rocker either end. Like the Assassin, this gives the Rumble Fish great versatility, but at the same time, it’s not the most forgiving of all-mountain sticks when it comes to sloppy riding.
VERDICT
A competent all-mountain all-rounder that can handle fast groomers, freestyle and powder with aplomb.
Ride Helix | £390
BEST FOR Intermediate and expert riders who like to work hard and be rewarded for it.
The Helix is an all-mountain freestyle board and highly recommended for a mountain charger who likes the occasional play in the park.
With an asymmetrical twin shape that helps heel turns and makes switch riding almost easy, the Helix is a traditional camber board that feels super stable at speed and smashes through uneven terrain. The stabilisation is helped by Ride’s very own ‘roll-in slimewalls’ that are designed to reduce chatter. But, it does have the camber trait of being a little catchy and you need to put the work in – but when you do it feels amazing and pays back in dividends.
The Helix held well for big and small carves in the quite soft spring snow, but we needed to concentrate to stop it sliding.
We would say it’s a bit stiff for jibbing in our opinion, but it is still a fun board to ride, with a turn of speed thatcarries speed well across flats.
VERDICT
If you want a do-it-all board that will demand your A game and reward you when you deliver it, this could be it.
DC Media Blitz | £410
BEST FOR Advanced riders who want a stiff freestyle board.
Built for freestyle, we believe that the Media Blitz really should be classed as an All-Mountain Freestyle board. The Media Blitz simply does not do slow, where it struggles to turn – but as soon as you get up to a higher speed, it holds an edge effortlessly. Despite feeling quite stiff and super stable at speed, it still feels playful.
The edge control is simply on another planet, bringing carving and pipe work to a different level.
Advanced riders need only apply as this board needs heaps of aggression. As well as its stability on the slopes it’s also solid over kickers and comfortable on landing.
VERDICT
If you’re an advanced rider who wants to charge the whole mountain at high-speed then you’ll love the Media Blitz.
K2 Party Platter | £330
BEST FOR Experienced riders who want a fun, ‘surfy’ feel.
K2’s Party Platter is a stubby new board designed with a surfing concept which can be 7-10cm shorter than your usual ride.
The board is flat across the mid-section with rocker tip and tail. The ‘tail kick’ is again surf inspired for easy switch riding and we all agree this works well.
The turn initiation and response is incredible and this board can turn on a six pence. It is a fun ride and ideal for dialling in carves and jibbing off natural side features with a good pop. The surfing concept really hits home while riding powder and it can even handle the groomers with relative stability at speed.
VERDICT
An innovative new ‘surfy’ freestyle design which turns on a sixpence, loves powder and is fun attacking groomers.
Amplid GoGo | £300
BEST FOR Beginner to intermediate rider’s first board.
The Amplid GoGo is a nice all-rounder without being spectacular in any way. Pigeon holed as an All-Mountain snowboard it certainly leans towards freestyle element with excellent flex qualities. The GoGo is a True Twin Camber Rocker Hybrid, which makes it user friendly for all abilities with beginners appreciating the forgiveness of the rocker. The rocker also gives the GoGo a playful element, while the camber gives a good snappy pop. It is also a durable board with an Extruded 4 Base which is hard wearing and designed for low maintenance – No need for everyday waxing!
VERDICT
A very reasonably priced and enjoyable first all-mountain board for beginners and intermediate riders.
Rome SDS Royal | £260
BEST FOR Aggressive, technical, piste-loving riders.
Brand new for 2016-17, the Royal is almost flat all along its length with Rocker at the top and tail as well as ‘QuickRip Sidecut’ technology designed to give quickness and control. Indeed, we found this was an ideal board for piste cruising at any speed.
The Royal has been included with ‘Hot Rod’ technology which is a single glass barrel that Rome claims adds more of a dynamic poppy flex than flat glass fibres, although we didn’t find the Royal to be overly playful and jibby.
Taken slightly off-piste, the board has a reasonable float with the rocker at the top and tail, but is more at home on tracked snow.
VERDICT
Not for lazy riders but if you live and breathe for carving wide and fast then you will love the SDS Royal.
