EVERYTHING STAYS DIFFERENT. This is the motto by which snowboard manufacturers live out their creativity - increasingly outside the established winter sports industry. Every year, new brands are added and even more disappear. Nothing is as constant with boards as change. New designs are developed in a variety that cannot be found in any other piece of sports equipment. But in addition to the external appearance, technical innovations can also be discovered from time to time.
GENIUSNESS has been spreading in recent years in bindings, where Plum makes it possible to switch between "regular" and "goofy" with one hand movement, or the Clew binding mounts the upper part of the binding on the shoe so that you can then step into the part of the binding mounted on the board without bending down. Works with all soft boots and snowboards. We recently spotted an attachment for twin boards that turns any board into a powder board in just a few simple steps. Overall, more and more suppliers are focusing on very consistent lines. The look is hard to describe, we have put together some typical presentations of the new models.
PURE SURFING could be seen as the latest trend. Boots with good grip and equally good supports on the board, sometimes with a rope handle - this is how professionals can surf easily through the powder. The Eretic piste scooter is suitable for the slopes. The boots are also becoming more and more sophisticated. Super-light, effective damping systems protect the joints even under extreme loads. The cable constructions in ratchets and straps are now so sophisticated that, ideally, the system only needs to be adjusted once. Quick-release fasteners are the order of the day, and the forward lean adjustment is convenient without tools. Soles like those on mountain boots ensure a secure grip even on icy halfpipe copings.
SPLITBOARDS will also be around in the coming season. Especially if Mother Nature is not stingy. Since the
Since splittable boards have become increasingly the focus of manufacturers a few years ago with the big trend towards backcountry tours, there are year after year
New ideas come up every year. There is now hardly a major brand that doesn't have a splitboard on offer. Not only is the range getting bigger in general, but the variety of models is also increasing - and the connection between the two halves of the board is becoming more and more sophisticated.
WEIGHT IS SAVING WHERE POSSIBLE. Lightweight carbon constructions in particular help to reduce weight. Low weight is a particular issue for freeride boards. Anyone who carries their board on their backpack while climbing is happy about every gram less. With basalt fibers from
With lava stone, Goodboards uses a light raw material that requires little energy to extract. Compared to glass fibers, basalt shines with extremely good mechanical properties, such as excellent damping and its low weight. Specialties make boarding an unrestricted pleasure even under unusual conditions.
FOR ALL THE DIVERSITY, the basic lines remain unchanged: There are the fast alpine race boards, which are reserved for real experts. But most people rely on the agile and shorter freestyle boards that are mainly found in the parks. A lot of investment is made in products for young beginners in particular.
