About this Review: This review is my honest opinion of the snowboard, which I tested for one day in November of 2022.

My take

The Ride Psychocandy makes for a great volume-shifted, surfy party board with a little more power than most. Great for intermediate to advanced riders looking for something fun and snappy.

About the snowboard I tested

• Model: 2023 Ride Psychocandy
• Size: 154 cm

About me

• Height: 5’8”
• Weight: 160lbs
• Experience: 20 years of snowboarding

Test conditions

• When I tested this: November 2022
• Days tested: Loveland demo, 11/16
• Mount position: 20.5in wide, 18/0, Goofy
• Boots: 2020 Rome Libertine
• Boot Size: 8
• Bindings: 2023 Ride C6
• Where I’ve used it: Loveland, CO
• Terrain: Early season conditions with hard to icy snow in some spots, softer push mounds, and chunky late-day chop.

How it performs

What I was looking for

I have owned the Warpig in the past but felt like it just lacked a little bit of energy, and the Superpig has always just been more board than I look for in a volume-shifted, all-mountain board. The Psychocandy with the carbon Slimewalls in the tail but still flat seemed like the perfect balance to get what I liked from each of the Warpig and Superpig into one board.

Why I chose to test this gear

The Psychocandy had always intrigued me, but it really piqued my interest after talking to the Ride rep and learning that they have effectively made this more of a unisex board by altering the core profile in the 54 to something more akin to the rest of their “men’s” boards. Some similar options would be the Dancehaul Pro, Jones Mind Expander, and K2 Party Platter.

What I love about it

• Speed: At speed, this board excels to a point. The flat profile definitely makes the Psychocandy more of a board that wants to skip over the terrain instead of plowing through it. As long as I keep my weight a little bit more over my backfoot where the extra carbon is, the board remains composed, and I never feel like it is out of its depth. The nose doesn’t want to quite fold in really choppy terrain, but getting too much weight over the front would effectively disengage the tail, where I find more of the stability at speed to be.
• Edge hold: The board holds an edge with carbon array five and carbon in the sidewalls through the tail. Getting it up on edge takes a little bit more work, but once there, it feels locked-in underfoot.
• Groomers: The characteristics of construction make the Psychocandy feel light and lively underfoot but smooth. The urethane sidewalls and underfoot impact plates work well to soak up little vibrations and keep the board composed on groomers.
• Powder: The shape, width, taper, and camber all work together to get the nose up and the tail down. I have no concerns about this shape and profile in deep snow whatsoever.
• Backcountry: The stability of the tail and the edge hold make this a decent option for anyone looking to get into a freeride scenario on a volume board. The micro rocker in the tail also helps to disengage the tail when needed, so it doesn’t feel grabby or hooky in steep terrain as I swing around between edges.
• Durability: The standard urethane topsheet, rolled sidewalls, and sintered base all work together with Ride’s solid build quality to deliver a board that will last. No durability concerns from me.
• Weight: Ride boards, though they are built robust, don’t tend to be the lightest options out there. However, the Pscyhocandy felt pretty light underfoot. I would say it’s average in weight, but for a Ride, it is on the lighter end of the spectrum.
• Stability: Snap and power of the tail are great. The extra carbon array underfoot and the carbon in the sidewalls work well together to provide ample stability underfoot and through the tail. Being flat, the board is easy to engage and definitely has some boost.

Issues I’ve encountered

• Trees: The little bit of extra effort when transitioning edges with more weight on the front foot are something that would bother me in trees. The dynamic nature of that terrain means that a lot of body movement is usually required to be fast and efficient. Having to also worry more about body position in relation to how the board will react isn't what I would look for.
• Turns: Volume-shifted boards usually take a little more effort to get on edge due to their width, but I feel like the Psychocandy takes a little more than average if I keep my weight centered on the board. If I drive off the back foot more, the board definitely comes to life. Quick and snappy with a lot of power and drive through a turn. It can be laid all the way over and driven hard through a turn. Once I keep my weight a little more back-foot biased, the board is a dream to turn.
• Moguls: Any board with more width will struggle a bit with bumps. It has the power through the tail to kind of plow over small bumps, but navigating a deep and large mogul field on this width will feel like work for most.
• Park: It’s certainly doable, and the flat profile will make it forgiving for this kind of riding, but the directional tapered shape and flex are not usually what I would look for in a park board.
• Switch riding: The tapered directional shape and flex means the board is definitely going to feel different riding switch. It’s certainly not a death sled if I end up backward, but it is not this board-shining attribute.

Favorite moment with this gear

I had always been hoping that the Pig line from Ride would basically be what the Psychocandy is. It is easy to be on, rips turns, has power and snap from the tail, floats great in deep snow, and is generally a board one can grab for most of the mountain in any conditions. Very happy to see they have kind of, under the radar, beefed up the 54 and 58 sizes to match more of their “men” flexes for this board.

Value for the money vs. other options

Compared to the Dancehaul Pro, it is easier to engage and snap the tail, better on hardpack and groomers than the Mind Expander, and more stable through variable terrain than the Party Platter.

Final verdict

The Psychocandy is the perfect middle ground between the Warpig and Superpig, offering a stable and snappy tail but a profile that is easy to live with and remains playful. Offering the board in primarily “women’s” flexes but adding a more substantial core to the “men's” sizes makes the board much more marketable and versatile for a greater range of riders.