Curated Snowboard Experts Matt Kaminski and Yuri Czmola got their hands on the 2023 Lib Tech T. Rice Pro this spring and put it to the test at Powder Mountain in Utah. Check out how it performed in the carving, freestyle, and freeride categories, but consider the fact that each and every rider is different; if you have any questions about the T. Rice Pro or need recommendations on which board would be best for you, reach out to a Snowboard Expert here on Curated.

Before we get started, it's worth noting that Curated Experts are not sponsored by any brands. All of these reviews are completely unbiased.

Brand Claims

What does Lib Tech (Mervin) claim about this board? [Matt] Lib Tech claims that this is a freestyle, all-mountain, resort ripper. It's perfect for those days where you want to go out and have some fun with your friends. Lib Tech claims this board has a mid to stiff flex. I would put it more in the mid range, probably somewhere around 6 out of 10, maybe 7 out of 10 if you're a lighter rider, but in reality, this thing is a little softer, especially if you're looking for something meant for freeriding, I would definitely stay away from this. If you're looking for something that can press and jib and be able to butter around, hit some park, this is going to be the right board.

[Yuri] Lib Tech claims this product to be an all-mountain one-stop-shop, approved by Travis Rice. And it can handle anything from steep terrain and shoots to the park of your choice.

Overall Impressions

What is your overall impression of this board? [Matt] Off the bat, I was a little intimidated by this board. Just its overall size and width, it makes it a super interesting board to ride. The first thing you have to notice is the crazy profile. Most Lib Techs really feature a rocker dominant center with the camber under the foot. That being said, this board really rides on that rocker. Honestly, looking at this board, I'd expect it to be more of a freeride board, but I could see this really performing better in the park or on some fun side hits. Overall though, it's a super snappy board, super responsive, and you need to be on your game riding it. It's not a board that you can just jump on and cruise around. This thing's going to take you in the direction it wants to go and it's going to make you ride the board hard.

[Yuri] Overall? I had a blast on this thing. I usually feel very at home with Lib Tech's side cut, when it comes to turning on Magne-traction, it gives a nice edge feel. I was a little bit concerned about the rocker between the feet and how it would hold up in terms of chatter, but the snowboard did a very good job. It was very versatile. I was able to ride a wide array of conditions from classic hard frozen spring conditions, to softer slush, and between the edge hold and the stiffness in the nose and tail, this board handled it all very well. All in all, despite the fact that there is rocker between the feet. There was a nice camber feel overall, that allowed me to really manage high speeds and have a great time today at Powder Mountain.

Carving

How does it turn? [Matt] So turning this board, you really are going to want to lay into the edges and use the serrated knife here. That's called Magne-traction. So all of these boards come with Magne-traction, basically every Lib Tech. It's a serrated knife edge that literally cuts into the snow. I was on some of the hardest conditions this morning and I could hear it ripping through the groomer.

[Yuri] I was able to ride in the trees. It was actually a blast. I was able to kind of tap saplings and ride around and it was very stable and locked in, which was kind of the original concern a couple turns in, but this held up pretty well. If you are looking to begin exploring the woods and riding around there, this is a great option for that.

Is it easy to control? [Matt] This board definitely turns, but you're going to have to work for it. That's the one thing I noticed, is that riding flat, it almost seems like it's going to catch an edge, but once you're in the turn and actually on the edge, it feels like it's going to hold really well.

Is it stable? [Matt] The T.Rice Pro is a C2 hybrid profile, that means rocker between the bindings, and camber from the binding out to the nose and tail. This allows for stability, due to how stiff the nose and tail are. And it reduces chatter, by being able to absorb it due to its stiffness. The rocker between the feet allows for a nimble feel, switching from toe side edge to heel side edge. This board actually does surprisingly well on some uneven terrain. I was able to jump on the side of the groomers today, test out a few little side hits and 180s, and I was surprised how well it actually held on that uneven and sketchier terrain.

What about dampness? Any chatter in the board? [Matt] This board definitely wants to ride a little faster, but honestly going too fast, you might get a little bit of chatter. I'd say this is a perfect board to be riding mid speed, maybe around 30 or 40 miles per hour.

How does it perform at speed? [Matt] This board definitely will want to snap back at you and ride straight if you're going fast. If you're also cruising on a mellow groomer and you're noticing that your board's going straight, you better be on top of your game. I found a few times where my heel edge almost wanted to grab. So I definitely recommend if you're going to be riding this board to be aware of what you're riding on at all times.

[Yuri] At speed, this board has a great feeling of being locked in due to the Magne- traction. I was curious about the rocker, but it really was able to create a locked in feeling once you got it high enough on edge, and it allowed for large radius turns.

Freestyle

Could you speak about playfulness and pop? [Matt] Out of all the Lib Tech boards I rod today, this was definitely the most playful. I was surprised because Travis Rice is definitely a freeride-oriented rider. This board I would say, is more designed for his park skills and jibbing ability. You can really press this board. You can really play into it. Butters came super easily. Super fun board all around.

[Yuri] All in all, Lib Tech rates this, a 7 out of 10 in terms of flex. The rocker between the feet does make it inviting. It does require some effort to butter. I myself happen to be a taller-bigger guy being 6’6. So, I had a great time actually buttering this thing and hitting side hits. It's pressable and able to handle that, and or park options, but it definitely requires a little bit of effort.

What about riding switch? [Matt] This board can handle some switch riding. I was able to get over on some 180s super easily. I transitioned very well and felt natural riding switch. It is slightly directional, so you will want to go in one direction, but it is capable of riding switch.

[Yuri] This board is a great all-mountain twin. It felt great in either direction.

How is it on jumps? [Matt] The one thing I did notice with this board, going big, you can notice that it's going to want to flex on you. That's definitely something I look for in a freeride board. If I'm going to be sending it off at any cliff or jump that's over 15 or 20 feet, I want something a little more solid. That being said, this would be the perfect board for hitting smaller jumps, 15, 10 feet, anything that's not too big. If you're going to be planning on going big, you might find that when you land, the board's actually going to want to flex and noodle around on you.

[Yuri] This camber profile is a great introduction into riding park. I think I would suggest something like a C3 camber profile, if you're looking to go beyond the intro category. It just allows for a little bit more of a locked in feel. This is very inviting in terms of initiating and starting rotations, with the rocker between the bindings. Sometimes I had feeling where it washed out a little bit, when I was going off of side hits or anything accessible today, like rollers due to the rocker between the bindings, you can definitely adjust, but this is more of a board to explore that as opposed to one that would be perfect at it. I would recommend this board to any intermediate rider, potentially leaning towards expert. And if you're okay with that washing feeling between the feet, this board does a great job of landing.

Freeride

How would it be in powder? [Matt] I could see this board performing extremely well in some powder. It having that rocker profile in the center, and when you lay it flat, it really almost spoons up to the nose. Bigger, wider nose here, too. It's definitely going to flow in any snow you take it in. Now that being said, I wouldn't want to go in two feet of snow. I'd really only want to ride this thing in up to a foot of powder.

[Yuri] The rocker between the feet does allow for some nice float. It got a little sticky and I had to plow through some uneven terrain and I do feel that the effortlessness of rocker between the bindings would allow for some good float if you needed it, if you were to explore bigger parts of the mountain.

What kind of terrain would it perform well on? [Matt] Yeah, honestly this is a great do-it-all type of board. I could really see this thing performing well in the park, doing well in the groomers, doing everything in the trees, finding those powder pockets and being able to absolutely rip the entire resort up.

Is there any location you'd pack this board for? [Matt] This board would be perfect for any East Coast rider. Anyone looking for something that has some excellent edge hold.

Recommendations

Who would you recommend this board to? [Matt] The Travis Rice Pro is a great snowboard if you are looking to ride steeper terrain and feel out something a little bit stiffer. The 7/10 flex is very fitting. And I do think that this allows you to be locked in on the steepest of terrain, as you begin to progress and transition from an intermediate into an expert. I would definitely take this thing out West, not that you can't ride it on the East Coast, it is very much possible, but this definitely is a snowboard with a big mountain feel like the pro rider, Travis Rice.

[Yuri] This snowboard is great for introducing a lot of experiences. I think if there is an expert rider out there looking for more of a ‘locked-in’ feeling between your feet or a classic camber feel, this might not be the board for you. I would adventure towards their C3 camber profile boards, or maybe more of a camber dominant option. This is a great snowboard that is very much a jack-of-all-trades.

Snowboards work differently for different types of riders. If you need help finding the right board for you, reach out to Matt, Yuri, or another Snowboard Expert here on Curated for free, personalized advice. Note that the 2024 version of the Lib Tech T.Rice Pro is linked below - same tech, just different graphic: