Tl;dr: Rossignol is a brand that often flies under the radar. However, they’re one of the longest-running winter sports companies and provide a variety of boards for every rider type. In this article, we’ll take a look at who the brand is, the type of boards they offer, and which may be best for you.

Hello. My name is Gaelen, and I’ve spent over half my life snowboarding. Over the past 11 years, I’ve had the privilege of snowboarding 50+ days yearly in locations such as Vermont, Colorado, Oregon, and Alaska. Further, I’ve spent the last five years working in a snowboard rental shop that primarily uses a Rossignol rental fleet. I’ve also recommended many of their boards to my customers on Curated. So you can trust in me for all things Rossingol.

Who Is Rossignol Snowboards?

Rossignol (often called Rossi) got their start in the winter sports industry way back in 1907, when they were founded by Abel Rossignol in Voiron, France as a ski manufacturer. Over the last century, Rossignol became what you might call a “household” name in the ski industry. They’ve always been around and probably always will be.

Fast forward to 1987, when Rossignol produced their first snowboard after seeing how popular the sport was becoming. Over the next few decades, Rossignol never saw the same massive popularity in the snowboard industry as it did in the ski industry. However, they’ve still carved a name for themselves in the snowboard industry and have sponsored legendary riders such as Travis Rice and Jeremy Jones. They’ve managed to become one of the few brands that rental shops will use for their fleet of snowboards. Today, Rossignol Snowboards operates out of Park City Utah, they sponsor a handful of professional snowboarders and sell over a dozen snowboards for men, women, and junior shredders.

What to Consider Before Purchasing a Rossignol Snowboard

If Rossignol Snowboards Are Commonly a Rental Fleet Brand, Are They Still Quality?

Just because you may see Rossignol boards in a rental shop doesn’t mean each of their snowboard models are lower quality. They’ve got plenty of more expensive boards that are comparable to other top brands on the market. But my advice would be to stay away from their rental fleet, if possible.

Is Rossignol a Budget Snowboard Brand?

A common misconception is that Rossignol is a budget brand for snowboards. While it is true that they’ve produced very affordable entry-level boards in the past that were way cheaper than any other company, their current line-up isn’t targeted at the budget-conscious snowboarder. Their entry-level boards are a bit more affordable than most other brands; however, most of their boards fall into the $400–600 range, which is right on par with other professional brands.

What Types of Snowboards Does Rossignol Produce?

Rossignol doesn’t exactly make every type of snowboard imaginable, but they do make a snowboard for almost any type of rider. I’d say their main demographic is the beginner to intermediate range for all styles of terrain, but they also have a handful of advanced boards in their arsenal. We’ll cover some boards later in this article so you can get a feel for them.

Different Types of Rossignol Snowboards

Rossignol mainly produces all-mountain boards, as well as some freestyle and freeride options.

All-Mountain

All-mountain boards can ride just about anywhere on the mountain. They are “good” at everything but not the best at anything, and are ideal for riders who are looking for one snowboard that will provide them with the most versatility possible. Rossignol makes all-mountain boards for every skill level.

• Beginner-Friendly: These are very soft-flexing boards with a hybrid profile that’s rocker dominant. They’re a good choice for a variety of beginners from the person who’s never seen snow to the rider who’s mastering green circle trails.
  • Rossignol Evador (Men’s), Rossignol Soulside (Women’s)
• Intermediate: These boards feature a balanced, middle-of-the-road flex (5/10) and an equal amount of camber and rocker in their profile. This flex and camber profile balance is meant to provide maximum versatility for any sort of terrain on the mountain. They’re best suited for casual riders who are confident on green circles, working on blue squares, and aspire to ride black diamonds soon.
  • Rossignol Ressuragence (Men’s), Rossignol Airs (Women’s)
• Advanced: These advanced all-mountain boards share the same rocker/camber even split profile as Rossignol’s intermediate boards; however, they’re much stiffer. A stiffer snowboard will handle gnarlier terrain such as trees, bumps, deep powder, and chunder, and provide a smooth ride where beginner and intermediate boards cannot. These boards are best suited for riders looking to spend most of their days on blue squares and single/double black diamonds. They should not be ridden by beginners. At this time, Rossignol does not offer an “advanced” women’s all-mountain snowboard. Advanced female riders who want a Rossignol board should consider the advanced freeride boards that are female-specific.
  • Rossignol One (Men’s), Rossignol Revenant (Men’s)

Freestyle

Freestyle boards are designed to excel in the terrain park and help you become the best freestyle rider possible. Currently, Rossignol produces 11 models (including three kids' boards).

• Beginner-Friendly: These two boards are both incredibly beginner-friendly with a soft flex and a hybrid profile that’s predominantly rocker. If that description sounds familiar, it’s because it’s the same construction as their all-mountain beginner boards. So even though these are “technically” freestyle boards, I’d recommend them not only to the riders just getting started in the park, but also to riders who are just getting started with snowboarding in general. They’re also the lowest-priced adult boards from Rossignol.
  • Rossignol District (Men’s), Rossignol Myth (Women’s)
• Intermediate/Advanced: These boards feature a medium flex and camber/dominant profile which yields lots of pop and stability in the park—making it suitable for larger rails, boxes, and jumps. Like all the rest of the boards in Rossignol’s freestyle fleet, these options feature twin tips—meaning they’re great for switch riding.
  • Rossignol Jibsaw (Men’s), Rossignol Diva (Women’s)

Freeride

Rossignol’s current line-up includes four freeride boards. They’re all primarily targeted towards intermediate to advanced riders who are confident on blue squares and above, and intend to spend a large part of their time riding in the woods or fresh snow.

All four of these boards are built with a stiff flex and a hybrid profile that’s camber dominant for maximum speed and stability in sketchy situations. They’re also all directional, meaning they’ll float great through powder, but aren’t so great for switch riding.

• Rossignol XV and Rossignol XV Sashimi: These men’s boards are more traditionally shaped freeride options. They’re a solid choice if you do want to spend a good amount of time simply cruising groomed trails, and they’ll excel when the powder starts falling.
• The After Hours: Built with the same purpose as the XV and XV Sashimi, the After Hours is produced in smaller sizes to keep female raiders in mind.
• The Rossignol XV Sushi: Perhaps Rossignol’s most iconic freeride board due to its shape, the XV Sushi is a board that’s best suited to take on deep powder days. However, it’s not as effective on non-powder days as other boards on this list.

Features Unique to Rossignol Snowboards

While Rossignol doesn’t have any board technology that is completely exclusive to their brand, they do offer some interesting board features.

AmpTek

Rossignol's AmpTek technology is the brand’s name for their board profiles that contain traditional camber underfoot and varying amounts of rocker in the tip and tail.

Benefits:

• Boards with both camber and rocker tend to offer the most versatility

Be Aware:

• Not all Rossignol boards with an “AmpTek” profile have the same amount of rocker and camber in them—be sure to read each board’s tech specs to find the exact amount

Magne-Traction

Rossignol’s “Magne-Traction” edges are the same as you’ll see on other popular board brands like GNU, Lib Tech, or Roxy. They’re essentially multiple serrated edges along the board’s fringes which provide increased edge hold and grip on hard-packed or icy snow.

Benefits:

• Better edge hold and control on icy terrain

Be Aware:

• Not an end-all solution when riding on ice—riders should still be cautious

L.I.T.E Grip

This technology is used in some Rossignol boards to reduce the overall weight of the board while maintaining edge hold and response.

Benefits:

• A lighter board equals less effort to control, easier to get into the air, etc.

Be Aware:

• Board weight is not extremely reduced—binding choice will play a large role in how much lighter your board will be

How to Choose The Right Rossignol Snowboard For You

In order to help you visualize your specific needs and the board that works best for you, below I’ve included several examples of Curated customers. Each includes the preferences they have for their next board, features they should look for, and the Rossignol snowboards that would meet their criteria.

Hannah: A Beginner Who’s Sick of Rentals

Hannah is a beginner snowboarder who wants to stop using rentals and get her own board. She’s comfortable on the bunny hill, but other greens are still a challenge that she’s hoping to conquer with the right Rossignol board.

Features Hannah should look for:

• A women’s-specific board that is produced in the board size she needs
• A soft flex for an easy turning experience
• A hybrid profile that’s rocker dominant for forgiveness now with room to progress

Snowboard examples:

• Rossignol Myth
• Rossignol Soulside

Jackson: An Aggressive Rider Through The Trees

Jackson is an aggressive rider who likes to ride hard and fast. He’s recently gotten into riding in the trees, so he’s looking for a board that will excel in that terrain. However, he loves the feeling of cruising down groomers, so he still wants that ability from his new Rossignol board.

Features Jackson should look for:

• Medium/stiff flex for stability at speed and in variable terrain
• A camber-dominant profile for strong edge hold through carves
• A directional twin or directional board shape for float through variable snow

Snowboard examples:

• Rossignol Revenant
• Rossional XV
• Rossignol XV Sashimi

Cooper: A Weekend Warrior

Cooper is a weekend warrior. He enjoys snowboarding and is decently good at it, but has no plans to ride extreme terrain of any sort anytime soon. He’d call himself an all-mountain rider, as he likes to dabble in park, trees, powder, and groomers. So he wants to find one board that’s suitable for any occasion.

Features Cooper should look for:

• Medium flex for maximum versatility—playfulness in the park and stability at speed
• A hybrid profile with a healthy amount of both rocker and camber for versatility
• A true twin or directional twin shape for versatility in any terrain

Snowboard examples:

• Rossignol Resurgence
• Rossignol One

Having Trouble Making a Decision? Reach Out to a Real Expert

After reading this guide, you should have a better idea as to what Rossignol is all about. And keep in mind that the brand also produces their own bindings for you to complete your set with.

If you’re still having trouble deciding on which “Rossi” board is best for your needs, there's a Curated Snowboarding Expert, like me, ready to help. Message us in live time for free, customized gear recommendations. It’s the best way to avoid analysis paralysis when choosing your next shred deck!