Sometimes you need a great snowboard on a budget. Curated experts make sure to take each snowboarder's budget into account every time they make recommendations. This list brings together their top recommendations for boards under $500. Want a more personalized fit? Don't forget to talk to a Snowboard Expert here on Curated for free advice and recommendations on the best board for your needs.
- Arbor Foundation Rocker Snowboard · 2023
- Arbor Ethos Rocker Snowboard · Women's · 2023
- Jones Frontier Snowboard · 2023
- Salomon Lotus Snowboard · Women's · 2023
- Burton Ripcord Snowboard · 2023
- Nitro Lectra Snowboard · Women's · 2024
- K2 Standard Snowboard · 2023
- Lib Tech Skate Banana Snowboard · 2023
- Lib Tech T.Rice Pro Snowboard · 2023
- Ride Twinpig Snowboard · 2023
Arbor Foundation Rocker Snowboard · 2023
The Arbor Foundation Snowboard is a medium flex board that is ideal for hitting whatever features you can find on the mountain and the grip tech underfoot ensures you have control when you need it. This classic, all-around, all-mountain board has a parabolic rocker that is ideal for a surfy ride, natural float, and buttery turns and spins! This board will cruise the groomers and ride the park with ease.
The Arbor Foundation Snowboard is a medium flex board that is ideal for hitting whatever features you can find on the mountain and the grip tech under foot ensures you have control when you need it. This classic, all-around, all-mountain board has a parabolic rocker that is ideal for a surfy ride, natural float, and buttery turns and spins!
A high-quality do-it-all board. System Rocker profile so it is shaped like a "banana" and the points of contact are between your feet. Easy to turn and playful. Great for cruising groomers and riding park. GripTech for added edge hold on those icy days.
Arbor Ethos Rocker Snowboard · Women's · 2023
This is a fully rockered deck that will be quite noodly and playful. This means that the edges curve away from the snow instead of towards it, so turn initiation is easier and catch free. If you like to get buttery and and surfy, this is the deck for you!
Jones Frontier Snowboard · 2023
This board can seriously do it all. It's out for hidden turns, great powder and snow, and can handle anything you throw at it. Made for everything on the mountain from freestyle to bootpacking, this medium flexing board has a directional rocker that supports float in that soft snow, and effortless turns on the hard snow. The Frontier is made with the Jones' durable sintered 8000 base, a sturdy wood core that adds pop, and an eco friendly top sheet that looks good and helps our earth feel good too. Directional rocker - hybrid rocker/camber flex pattern defined by more tip rocker then tail camber between the bindings. The rockered tip floats the boards' nose and improve maneuverability. 6/10 flex rating, so plenty of room to play but gives you the durability that you're needing.
Salomon Lotus Snowboard · Women's · 2023
Summary: The Salomon Lotus is a beginner/intermediate board that's great for pushing your boundaries and conquering new terrain! It's a very forgiving board and will make you quite confident in your progression! It's soft flexing and therefore playful so you'll never feel like you have to fight it and will have full control over your riding!
Notable Features:
- The edge of this board is fully detuned straight from the factory, this means that you're less likely to randomly catch and edge and fall on this board than you would be on other boards!
- this board is a directional twin which means it's nearly identical from end to end. This makes it super versatile and great for riding in either direction if you want to explore riding with either leg forward! The nose is just ever so slightly bigger than the tail which helps it cruise through deeper snow on powder days!
Personal thoughts: this is one of those boards that is great if you're a beginner but it'll also totally stand up to more technical riding, making it great for intermediates as well!
Burton Ripcord Snowboard · 2023
Solid deck for progressing on, with its flat profile, you'll get a catch-free ride so you get tons of room for freedom of trying new things and keeping your confidence levels up! The softer flex gives you a ton of opportunities to get jibby in the park if you so desire but keeps the ride as a whole, mellow. Not much this deck won't be able to do all over the mountain.
Softest of the three, an amazing bang for buck and a similar vibe to what you have already been riding. Easy edge transitions, ready to tackle the whole mountain!
Nitro Lectra Snowboard · Women's · 2024
Lightweight wood core give you the power and response in the pop you need without sacrificing strength and durability. Hybrid flat camber profile has nose and tail lift before the traditional contact points for catch-free and effortless turns. Float, press, and explore all over!
K2 Standard Snowboard · 2023
The K2 Standard Snowboard is a great choice for those just getting started in the sport, or for intermediate riders looking to improve their skills on a forgiving, playful deck. It's made with a Catch-Free Rocker Baseline that moves the contact points off the snow for an intuitive and easy-going ride. Combines a soft flex and snappy Aspen wood core. Biaxially woven fiberglass hugs the aspen core and gives the board edge hold needed to handle higher speeds as you progress and explore new terrain. Directional twin, so you can play while moving in either direction as you fine tune your skills. It also uses Rocker Profile, featuring K2s Catch Free tune-that is flat in between the bindings and rockered just outside them as well. This results in easy release and initiation of each toe side or heel side turn. Easier turn release from the turns will equal faster progression. The package is rounded out with an Extruded 2000 base which is forgiving, durable and always ready for more fun.
Lib Tech Skate Banana Snowboard · 2023
Fun and easy to ride, ideal for progressing those tricks in the park! From a day one snowboarder to an experienced rider looking for a softer option, this is the perfect board for you! Lib Tech is famous for inserting a rocker section in the center of the boards, brought to life with camber under foot. The rocker in the center of this board will make it super easy to flex and press while the camber underfoot will give you amazing edge hold and control when landing off jumps. Magnetraction is like a serated knife that will cut into the icey and hard pack snow. Mid to soft flexing so ideal for any rider who wants an easy board to press!
Lib Tech T.Rice Pro Snowboard · 2023
A true beast of it's kind, named and shredded by one of the best freeriders of our era, Travis Rice. True and tested in the back country of Jackson Hole, this board is designed to be sent off some major powder pillows and flow the smoothest lines known to human kind. Longer camber sections underfoot with a short rocker in the middle will have you smiling with every carve. Mid to slightly stiffer flexing but the rocker in the center really makes this board easy to press. The ultimate park and powder experience awaits!
This twin board is second to none in delivering maximum versatility in backcountry terrain and is just as fun playing around the resort and through the park. C2 camber profile - rocker in-between the feet and camber underfoot for precision turning and maneuverability. Magne-traction for max edge old on firmer snow or ice. Mid-stiff flexing and horsepower (HP) construction providing strong stability and dampening for the hard charger and sender.
Ride Twinpig Snowboard · 2023
This snowboard is a great twin option for floating in pow, hitting up the park, and cruising! The stability of the wide platform let you size down and still reap the benefits of a snowboard a few sizes larger!!
Arbor Element Camber Snowboard · 2024
The rider who is looking for a tried and true legacy all-mountain board with a twin shape for a freestyle feel. Mid flex to the board is balanced to provide enough stability to charge hard and enough flex to play around the park and lock in some presses. This camber profile reduces edge catching at the contact points, and has a precise crisp snap out of turns, great for carving, and quick initiation in tight spaces. Grip tech adds extra edge hold in icy conditions when you need it. A do it all workforce for the rider who wants maximum versatility for all sorts of conditions and terrain you find in resorts.
Arbor Formula Rocker Snowboard · 2023
Parabolic Rocker, flex rating 5/10, so sits right in the middle of playful with some moderate stiffness for support and durability. The Formula Rocker utilizes an all mountain twin shape, manageable flex, and lively sinister core. This board leverages decades of real life results of riders that have been on it year after year. This is the perfected formula (pun totally intended). This board can rip all over the mountain, is catered to intermediate riders and beyond. Directional twin, so you're totally free to ride as much switch as you'd like. This is the surfy ride with natural float, buttery turns and spins, and catch free tracking across the snow, with some unreal edge hold.
The Arbor Formula Rocker is perfect for the all mountain rider who likes to keep things simple and to the point. A perfect twin shaped snowboard with a rocker profile will ride surfy and playful, a super easy board for most riders to get on. Coming in with a 5/10 flex, this option from Arbor won’t feel to soft or stiff. Grip-Tech tri-radial sidecut with designed contact points under the toes and edges will keep this board locked in on any hard pack or icy terrain.
GNU Money Snowboard · 2023
Budget conscious riders that want a ton of great tech packed into a price friendly option. GNU's accountants got mad at the board builders for letting this board out of the factory at such a low price. Magne-Traction edges, C2 rocker camber hybrid, sustainable wood core, and eco-sublimated graphics make the Money strong and poppy with precision control. True twin shape is at home in the park and rips everything you can find at the resort. Intermediate to advanced riders looking for a freestyle focused board that performs well anywhere you take it on the mountain.
It has full rocker and a mellow flex for easy turn initiation and forgiveness. It will carve nicely because of its asymmetrical edges and magne-traction. It will hold an edge in icy conditions and be easy to ride anywhere. Camber underfoot for added response and pop.
C2 Rocker Camber hybrid profile is where it's at! This board gives you that and then some. With a freestyle-oriented profile, this board is fun and easy to ride and you will enjoy progressing on it easily!!!
K2 Raygun Pop Snowboard · 2023
The 2023 K2 Raygun Pop is a very well known intermediate board in the all mountain realm of snowboarding. It can jib, jump, stomp and slash, so in other words it is one of the most versatile decks on the market. It loves resort groomed runs just as much as park laps and coveted stashes of pow. A nice blend of camber and rocker, it gives reliability and stability without being too aggressive. Better yet, it wont break the bank! Intermediate and advanced riders unite!
An award winning all-mountain board comes at a killer price for the quality construction and versatility. Directional twin that has great control, a bit extra pop, yet with a nimble and playful feel suited to those in the beginner-intermediate range. A great board for progression at an even better price.
Groomer-cruisers, freestylers that like to jump and hug rails, any boarder looking for a quiver of one.
Decathlon Park & Ride 500 Snowboard · 2024
Medium flexing all-mountain freestyle board guided more towards intermediate-advanced riders! 6/10 flex for all-mountain versatility. Directional twin with a combination of rocker and camber for a stable ride. Sintered base on this board makes it built for speed!
A wide board great for on-piste and hitting up the park. You can also set the bindings back far for powder!
Ride Warpig Snowboard · 2023
A directional, playful, volume shifted deck, designed for the rider who loves a freestyle feel in their freeriding. Very wide waist allows you to size down 5cm or so, and the wide waist adds stability and float in powder. Hybrid camber profile, with a set back camber zone under foot for solid edge hold carving and pop off of side hits, and loads of rocker to the nose for pow floatation. The tail and nose are not too stiff, so this board can butter nicely and lock into presses. Slimewall edge tech reduces chatter adds stability on landing. This board is a blast for the rider looking for a directional shaped board for all terrain riding, looking for a surfy feel in the trees and a dream in the pow.
From laying deep into carves to big mountain lines, freestyle laps in the park to powder stashes in the trees, this Volume Shifted option from Ride is designed to feel playful and be durable. The Warpig is a true weapon of choice when it comes to all-mountain riding. Naturally a wider board, you can size down a few cm for a more nimble ride. A true mid flexing directional board for the intermediate to advanced rider.
This board is super fun. It's a volume shift board allowing you to ride it shorter but get the same feel as a normal size board. The directional zero camber profile allows for float in pow and super easy turning. The tapered bi radial sidecut and carbon 3 array give it stability when getting deep in the turn as well as getting pop when you wanna get some air. The Warpig is so versatile and so much fun!
Ride Manic Snowboard · 2023
Summary: This snowboard is an all-rounder powerhouse that you can ride on groomers, down steeps, in the trees, on ice, in the park, heck you could probably even ride it through the parking lot (please don't though)! It's a very durable all-mountain board that's friendly towards learning and will serve as an great choice for the beginner/intermediate who strives to shred harder!
Top features of this snowboard:
- Rocker in the nose and tail and camber between the bindings makes this a versatile board you can easily take all over the mountain!
- It's "quadratic sidecut" makes it exceptionally easy to get into turns and really gives you good grip and control when making those turns!
- With a soft-medium flex, this board is plenty playful and forgiving as you progress, giving you a smoother style!
Why I personally love it: I personally really like that Ride uses something called "slimewalls" which is exclusive to their brand. These slimewalls absorb vibration and create a much smoother ride when cruising down the hill!
All-mountain resort rider. Will take care of performance while still being forgiving!
GNU B-Nice Snowboard · Women's · 2023
Anyone who is looking for a forgiving board! Whether you are a rider who is learning or you're an experienced rider who is looking for a fun park board! The GNU B Nice has something for everyone!!
Decathlon SNB 100 Snowboard · 2024
This board is meant to hit the whole mountain! It's a super versatile deck that floats well in deep powder, has very soft torsional rigidity, and great edge grip. It will be a lively board, but it still gives you a touch of control.
Arbor Formula Camber Snowboard · 2023
The Formula from Arbor is the perfect recipe for a great time all over the mountain. Thanks to its twin shape, a mid-flex and the rocker profile you will be hitting anything from park, groomers, or powder. In this particular model with camber it will make less aggressive when leaning on the edge. The Formula will provide incredible grip, pop and reliability from someone starting out to someone looking to improve their skills.
If you are looking for a lively board that is going to pop when you want it to and hold and edge when you need it to, look no further! The Arbor Formula Camber is designed for the all-mountain rider who wants a solid board that can handle some hard charging and not feel too stiff. Coming in with a mid-flex and twin shape, riding switch or learning some new freestyle tricks will come with ease.
A true all-mountain twin that can handle all areas of the mountain with ease!! Parabolic camber keeps you locked in on the carves, and gives you nice pop as well! Equally as comfortable in the park as it is in the pow and on the steeps! GripTech so handles well on ice.
Roxy Raina Snowboard · Women's · 2023
This board has a playful, medium-soft flex that was designed to help you progress all over the mountain. The directional twin shape + c2 camber/rocker makes it a great board for progressing your turns, learning/riding switch, and will float well in pow. MagneTraction will ensure that the board is gripping no matter what type of terrain you're riding.
Dreamscape by Decathlon Endzone 500 Snowboard · Women's · 2024
A fun flexing, easy to turn, true twin. This board is great for beginners looking for a forgiving ride, that is catch-free, and playful due to its flat to rocker profile, and its softer flex. Also, due to those same traits, this will make any freestyle rider happy with how easily it butters, and turns at slower speeds. Very solid board for the price! Beginner-intermediate riders looking for fun, easy to turn, flexible board that won't break the bank.
Salomon Wonder Snowboard · Women's · 2023
This board features a directional twin shape with a rock out camber profile. What does this mean? The best of all the worlds. You get stability and control on steeper terrain, without sacrificing the pop and playfulness that you will want in freestyle situations. Flat between the bindings for stability, with camber near the feet for locked in carves, and rocker in the tip and tail for pressability. A great board for anyone wanting to explore more diverse terrain or try out park!
This board is going to kill it all over the resort and in the park! Medium flex, combined with a rocker/camber/rocker profile gives this board tons of pop, great edge hold, and control at all speeds. Go through the trees, bomb the runs, hit some jumps, and get those nice turns in! Directional twin so you can ride it either way, but it'll ride a bit better your normal direction!
The Wonder is a great all-mountain option with side country and powder in mind. Floaty, yet the rock out camber offers supreme edging due to the camber underfoot, while the flat between the bindings offers stability for less than ideal conditions, or just support for going fast!
Never Summer Snowtrooper Snowboard · 2023
Never Summer calls this their swiss army knife, designed for the rider who cruises the resort, does a bit of it all, and wants a board that can perform well in all types of conditions. All mountain freeride style, directional board, with a hybrid rocker camber profile - which means it has rocker in between the feet and mild camber underfoot. This gives you a very playful, nimble and surfy feel with the rocker, and enough camber to lock into turns and get the edge hold you need. Mid flex, is not overly stiff, so it is an easy board to maneuver around, nice for buttering, and freestyle riding. High-quality construction, with a texture top sheet, is practically scratch resistant, and you really no not even have to use a stomp pad. If you are looking for a solid middle-of-the-road board to slay some pow, surf the trees, grab some side hits, and cruise the trails, this may be the board for you.
Decathlon SNB 100 Snowboard · Women's · 2024
This board can handle everything well, a directional twin to make riding switch a breeze while also giving you a little bit more nose for those deep days on the mountain. With a mid flex and standard camber this board is capable of handling everything from off piste, deep carves, and park jumps while staying playful and forgiving with its rocker nose and tail points. Great board for an intermediate to advanced rider, who wants a board that can handle any day on the mountain with ease!
Ride Twinpig Snowboard · 2022
Park, deep carves on the groomers, side hits and steeper terrain. Sidewalls are made of skateboard wheel urethane for vibration dampening and durability. Great for butters and jibs.
Just about everything but heli-drops in AK, great in the park too.
Burton Hideaway Snowboard · Women's · 2024
Directional flat camber allows you to turn easily and float when the mountains fill up! with a tiny bit of taper from nose to tail this board turns easily without and grabby feel. Great option for riding blues and greens and progressing to every part of the mountain.
Beginners primarily, if you want to take it into the park it will do a fantastic job there. The soft flex profile linked up with the flat bottom and rocker at the tip and tail make this an awesome starter!
Salomon Dancehaul Snowboard · 2023
This board features a tapered directional shape and extra width to give extraordinary float and control across the whole mountain. If you're looking for a board to take you through any terrain, and give you tons of pop and control while you do it, this is the perfect board. The fiberglass construction makes this board light, meaning it can float over the clouds of powder you're chasing down. Rock out camber profile is lively, precise and playful. Basalt Stringers giving the board more stability and power, and pop. Volume shifted, which, means it has a really wide waist, therefore it is ridden a bit shorter than a regular length board... Consider one of the more rad boards on the market!
Ride Benchwarmer Snowboard · 2022
Any all-mountain or freestyle rider that is on the aggressive side will love what this board brings to the table. It is fast, has soooo much pop, and really snaps out of turns. A nice, and stiff twin for the riders that like to get after it in the park, or anywhere else on the resort. A mostly camber board with rocker in the tip, and tail. That combined with its stiffer flex gives this board all the control, pop, and stability any aggressive rider would love, but can still turn in tight spaces. Double impact plates, carbon stringers, and a stone ground sintered base, this board is loaded with tech that is normally in boards that are normally $650+. This is a really strong board that should hold up really well for heavier riders.
It has impact plates to make the board much stronger and more resistant to breaks. The traditional camber makes it great for all-mountain riding. This is an asymmetrical twin with a different heelside and toeside radius to help with carving and balance. This one is more geared towards the park and is built to be lightweight and extra strong.
Rossignol Soulside Snowboard · Women's · 2024
Intermediate riders and up. It'll hold an edge and have pop, but will still be forgiving enough so allow for maximum progression.
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