Best Beginner Snowboards: Reviews & Buying Guide to Beginner Boards

Need to find the best beginner snowboards but don’t know where to begin? Read our buying guide to find the best beginner Men’s, Women’s & kids snowboards

It’s important to spend a little time talking about snowboards for beginners. A lot of people think they’re unnecessary. Some people think they’re too expensive. And many others think that if you are going to buy one, there’s no need to be choosy since you’re only going to have to replace it later on anyway.

Are these people right to think this way?

The answer is a big, bold, and brawny NO!

But there just aren’t enough resources out there for people to learn the reasons why they’re wrong about beginner snowboards. Or if there are, then they’re either too difficult to find or people just don’t have the desire to read them.

Let’s change that right now. If you’ve come here because you are interested in trying snowboarding for the first time–or if your loved ones are–then please take the time to become educated about this necessary category of snowboards. You’ll find out just why we shout NO! to those people who hold negative opinions of training snowboards. And hopefully we’ll get you joining us in the fight!

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Beginner Snowboards: Do You Need One?

YES!

Even if you just decide to rent a beginner board, you should definitely not jump straight into the bindings of an advanced ride. There’s a reason they call them beginner and advanced, you know. One is made for people who don’t know a snowboards tail from the head. Remember your first time riding down a mountain on your snowboard? You spent 99% of the time on your butt, right? Beginners need help controlling a snowboard and standing on their two feet. Non-beginner boards are designed for professionals with impeccable balance, timing, and experience.

If you’re just starting out, you can do some serious damage–both to your learning curve and to your physical well being–by riding on a board that is meant for a more advanced carver.

You will certainly have to replace it later on in your snowboarding career–once you’ve outgrown its teachings–but that’s no reason to skip this all-important step. The truth is that beginner snowboards aren’t that expensive. And the ones that do cost a little bit more–like the Burton Feather snowboard, for instance–are ones that will last much longer into your career.

Really, it should be a no brainer. If you’re a beginner, you need to be riding a beginner snowboard.

Beginner Snowboards: What to Look For

There are many factors that should go into your decision about whether or not to buy a specific board, but these four should be your top priorities.

Style — What kind of snowboarding do you want to do? Do you want to learn how to tear it up in the park & slide across rails (freestyle/park boards)? Do you wanna cut your own path in the backcountry (freeride snowboards)? Race down the mountain as fast as you can (alpine snowboards)? Or go everywhere you can in the resort (all-mountain snowboards)?

Size — Like skis, the right snowboard will be sized according to your height and weight. Bindings will be made for your shoe size. Make sure all your measurements are current and accounted for when you go into the pro shop.

Flex — The flex ratings go from 1 to 10, and they’re all good for certain styles of riding. For beginners, you should really look for a softer flex. Snowboards with a 2-4 rating are good news for newbies.

A Second Opinion — One of the most important steps you need to take is to see what other people have to say about the board you have your eyes on. Among other things, the Internet is a fantastic place to find consumer reviews of just about any product on the market. See what real riders are saying about snowboards–their opinions are much more reflective of reality than those of the manufacturer, after all.

Naturally, there are other factors to take into consideration when buying your beginner snowboards, but these four take the prize for the most important. What about PRICE, you say? Well, yes, price range is also important, but most of the best beginning boards are all priced around the same amount–$100-$150–so there’s no need to be too critical.

Best Beginner Snowboards: Where to Find them

Beginner snowboards can be found just about anywhere these days. Most brand names have at least a couple of models made specifically for new riders, so any of the major manufacturers’ websites will have boards for sale.

Another great place to find your perfect beginner board is REI.com. Along with Backcountry.com, REI is a specialist in all winter sports equipment. Their selection is vast and various–with plenty of superb snowboards just waiting for you to find them.

The Top Beginner Snowboards

To help you take the first steps toward finding the perfect training snowboard for you, here’s a look at three of the bestselling newbie snowboards on the market today. These three snowboards also represent a cross-section of all the ages and genders that may be looking for a new snowboard: men, women, and children.

Burton Clash Snowboard for Men — This is probably the best all-mountain beginner snowboard for men ever made. It’s just as handy on the pipes in the park as it is in the powder of the backcountry. An EZ V rocker, Biax React fiberglass construction, and Cruise Control technology make this a truly spectacular teacher.
K2 Vandal Snowboard for Kids — This K2 snowboard features a jib rocker that will have your kids learning the advanced tricks of the trade in no time flat. Honestly, the progression your kids will feel with the Vandal is outrageously fast. This board features a three-degree base bevel, Twin Hyper Progressive sidecut, and 2000 extruded base.
Roxy Sugar Banana for Women — Most people are probably wondering why the Burton Feather snowboard isn’t in this spot. It’s because the Sugar B has all the perks of the Feather but at a much more reasonable price. With the Sugar B, you’ll be able to go from bunny slopes to black diamonds faster than you can shake a stick. The best features of the Sugar B include a Precision Stock core, CTX 2500 base, and biaxial fiberglass construction.