About this Review: This review is my honest opinion of the snowboard, which I purchased with my own money in January of 2022.

My take

The 2022 Ride Benchwarmer delivers a solid and classic camber board feel. It fits better on an experienced rider that can handle a stiffer flex. The board feels at home most on big jumps, high-speed carving, and park.

About the gear

• Model: 2022 Ride Benchwarmer
• Size: 161 wide

About me

• Height: 6’2”
• Weight: 180 lbs
• Experience 10 years of snowboarding/skiing

Test conditions

• When I bought this: January 2022
• Days tested: 15 days
• Mount position: I run my bindings pretty much twin stance 15% for front foot and 14% for back foot. Ideal for twin riding.
• Boots: Adidas Lexicon 2022
• Boot Size: 10
• Bindings: Ride C-6
• Where I’ve used it: Brighton and Woodward Park City, Utah
• Terrain: Park, powder, and resort groomers

How it performs

What I was looking for

I was looking to ride a stiffer traditional camber deck which is what the Benchwarmer is—a pretty stiff poppy camber-shaped deck. Something able to handle high speed and also big jumps.

Why I chose this gear

I needed a jump deck that would be very stable at high speeds and hold an edge as best as possible. Also, I needed a stiff, durable deck that would not snap on high impact or break easily.

I considered trying out the Ride Zero and the Ride Berzerker during this period, but those just did not fit the ideal setup I needed. So happy I ended up trying the Benchwarmer.

What I love about it

• Speed: Deck is amazing for any high-speed situation mostly because of its rigid camber profile shape, which keeps it very stable.
• Edge hold: Classic camber profile keeps my edges locked in. Not very forgiving when I catch an edge, though.
• Turns: Heel-to-toe during turning on this deck is seamless and feels great in any condition or terrain. The asymmetrical quadratic sidecut really plays a role in this.
• Groomers: Glides across groomers perfectly. It feels at home on any resort groomer.
• Trees: Very nimble deck even though it has stiffer flex and core. The camber edge control really helps while going through the trees.
• Park: This deck definitely handles great in the park. Whether it's jumps or rails, performance is top tier in the park overall. The twin tip shape really helps with that.
• Durability: Very durable deck because the core being aspen combined with bamboo gives a snap-free deck. Edges and tips hold up as well.
• Weight: A balanced weight throughout the board. Not too light and not too heavy is the best way I can describe it.
• Switch riding: Twin tip deck shape, which means it rides the same in switch stance as it does regular—a huge plus for riders looking to ride switch stance regularly.
• Stability: Very poppy deck because of the strong camber shape. It also plays a huge role in why it's so unstable anywhere on a mountain.

Issues I’ve encountered

• Powder: So maybe not an ideal deck of choice for powder because of its twin shape, and the fact it's a pretty heavy camber shape and profile does not help it float very well on the deeper snow days.
• Backcountry: Kinda relates back to the float factor. Don’t get me wrong, this deck is great for jumps and, depending on the rider's skill, maybe a pretty good choice for a backcountry booter. But it's just not really made with backcountry in mind because of its twin shape and camber profile.

Favorite moment with this gear

My most memorable moment riding the Benchwarmer was at Woodward Park City on a sunny day. Just boosting the large jump line with my friends was a great day overall, and the deck handles the jump line so well. It just stomps everything.

Value for the money vs. other options

Hard to top the price point for value with this deck coming in at a very fair price, and still being a quality, durable deck. Other options are out there, like the K2 Raygun is similar price range but just not the same quality tier. Benchwarmer is one of the best bangs for bucks out there.

Final verdict

Overall, the Benchwarmer does what it promises to deliver—a high-quality stiff and very stable camber profile deck. In addition, it has a simple, clean graphic that looks great in person and a base that pops while catching boosty airtime.