2025 Favorite Alternative Freeride Snowboards - An Honest List of Top Boards After Extensive Testing

[@thegoodridesnow]

One thing everyone. I am doing Short/Wide Favorites next. They were in the Alt Freeride Favorites list last year. I wanted to do a separate list because they have enough difference to be in their own category. It's something my web developer is going to change on thegoodride.com but for now Short Wide's are still in Alt Freeride. Sorry for the confusion.

[@bigmack10]

The Yes PYL is amazing, I have a 17/18 I still rip today and it is my absolute favorite board ever.

[@thegoodridesnow]

Thanks for your take and yeah such a fun ride. It's a Freeride favorite.

[@bigmack10]

@@thegoodridesnow I bought it all those years ago after seeing one of your vids on it!

[@Meddy813]

Just joined your patreon! love the content cant wait to see the other videos on there!

[@thegoodridesnow]

Many thanks for helping us pay the bills in the summer! Message me there if you have any questions.

[@henrydegenry]

These videos rock thank you happy thanksgiving

[@thegoodridesnow]

Many thanks!

[@alexcarpen3201]

Im just a little surprised the Dancehaul/dancehaul pro hasnt made the list this year. But what a great list, having any of those boards would be a treat for absolutely anybody. Thanks for a great video James!

[@thegoodridesnow]

Dancehaul will be on the Short Wide list I'm working on next. Thanks!

[@alexcarpen3201]

@thegoodridesnow keep ripping dude! Sadly i was very hyped about the wide when i bought it but a trend i keep seeing with these short wide boards is that the longer the board, the closer it is to regular wide. There are just a handful of boards that are really wide in the large sizes. Dont get me wrong, i love my board (157 dancehaul) but i sometimes wish it was just a bit wider. Like a warpig in my size would be. What is your opinion on the matter?

[@guybenshushan523]

@@thegoodridesnow Will the excavator also be there? :)

[@nodeal134]

the short wide outline is a dancehaul lol

[@thegoodridesnow]

yes @guybenshushan523

[@gkl68]

Picked up a mantaray cuz of your review. Looking forward to try it this season!

[@thegoodridesnow]

Right on and hope you love it as much as I love mine.

[@Fjordo11]

Great content senior Beast.

[@thegoodridesnow]

Thank ya!

[@SUPNH]

K Cafe Racer & 56 Mantaray . 2 of the best freeride boards period. Love the articulated carves w the Mantaray. Thanks for your recommendations James/ Chris@SnowSurfNH

[@thegoodridesnow]

Thanks for your take and glad they work for you. Cheers!

[@Surfratglass]

Love the 1.0 hovercraft

[@connormills2476]

love these reviews, could you review the koura pocket rocket really interested to hear your take on the board. I just bought the korua TF so excited to try it out this season

[@thegoodridesnow]

Thanks! I rode the old one in waist deep pow. So unique and fun. kzbin.info/www/bejne/iHS2aIR6et6Nd8U I'll try to get on the new one.

[@bretthadley2043]

Korua boards should be on every top 5 list. Great video and info as always.

[@DrCrimp-sg5pb]

I agree 🙌. I have 3 of them and used to be such a Korua fanatic that I lost track/wasn’t giving other boards the attention they deserved. Now this offseason I bought 3 boards (2 second hand). And I prefer them over the Koruas I own. Let’s say… I couple are very similar but have a couple of things that make them different. The alchemist is a beast in its own league 🫡 haha

[@alexli3545]

Over Mind Expander and Cardiff Powgoda, which one would you prefer for Mt Bachelor riding?

[@thegoodridesnow]

Powgoda because it sets further back and has more rocker before the nose. We need all the float we can at Bachy when it's deep and far from steep.

[@thestevenr28]

Great vid as always! Looking at the PYL UnInc. Boot 11.5, 6'3"tall, weigh 180lbs. Currently daily drive a yes standard 162. Looking for that bigger mountain board but concnered the tapered underbite side cut may give me issues with my large feet. Can i get away with the pyl uninc in a 161?

[@thegoodridesnow]

You know I'm not sure the PYL Uninc is the best call coming from a 162 Standard. That's much wider over the back foot and I'd like this better for you if you were a 10-10.5. It also will feel pretty small coming from the Standard 162. You might like something longer like the Jones Mind Expander 166 or Transition Finder 160 instead. If you want to get into it more, hit me here to give me the info I need to help you much better. shop.thegoodride.com/merchandise/gear-advice/

[@thestevenr28]

@@thegoodridesnow Thank you for the input! I have been looking at the T Finder a little bit as well, continue the research. Thank you again for all the excellent snowboard content.

[@thegoodridesnow]

Thanks for the good words!

[@sochisuits8200]

Супер! Спасибо за обзор, бро. Какая доска понравилась больше всего ?

[@Bohdisattva326]

Nice dude 🏂🏂❄️🏂🏂

[@thegoodridesnow]

Many Thanks!

[@dylansewell3802]

Currently riding a capita super doa with union ultras. Thinking about upgrading to atlas or falcors with my tm-2 boots. Any suggestions?

[@Chris-cw8ey]

Sorry if i missed it but what was the best pow floater of this list? Hovercraft 2.0? Thanks for the content.

[@thegoodridesnow]

Yep Hovercraft 2.0 and new Powgoda with set back inserts.

[@spookszoo]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/kJ3Yc2SCbZWSoNksi=PQJCQqXJyms7iT1Y The guy from Drift boards is comparing these exact boards on a low angle powder day in this video. Spoiler: powgoda came out on top in that reviewer’s eyes

[@thegoodridesnow]

So it was tracked up when Brigham was on the Powgoda vs. the Hovercraft so his perspective is off and he picked the Powgoda over the Hovercraft on the chair before he even rode it just based on specs. I rode both in super deep untracked snow and found the Hovercraft is better there. I do agree with Brigham though on choosing the Powgoda over the Hovercraft if you are riding more tracked up snow like he was or tighter tree lines because its much easier/quicker to turn.

[@spookszoo]

Fair enough. I’m guessing you would put the storm chaser in the powder/short wide category? Thank you for your reviews btw- I went with the pyl uninc for my DD from this list for mostly freeriding in the sierras, your review definitely helped make up my mind

[@PrismWZ]

I’m the exact same size you are, in that 5’10 range about 190 pounds. What size did you get for jones hovercraft? Im a 9.5-10 in boot size.

[@thegoodridesnow]

Boot size is super important so we are close but not the same. I'm a true 9. If you are a 10 that's a pretty big difference. 9.5 is less but it's still easier for you to turn a board than it is for me. Check the in depth review where I talk about 160 vs. 156 for me and why I chose the 156 for my riding style and preferences. If you like speed more than control then I'd suggest the 160. thegoodride.com/snowboard-reviews/jones-hovercraft-2-0-snowboard-review/

[@mikeyp3694]

Great list. Would the Stale fall im the short-wide category? That thing is pretty darn wide and not particularly long 😊

[@thegoodridesnow]

There is always overlap between categories. I would say the older Stale model more like the Service Dog rode much shorter and wider but the new model rode much more narrow, especially under the back foot. I'd love to own a 157 which would feel more like the 158 Mind Expander, 158 Powgoda etc. The 154 felt too small and too narrow where the old 153 felt like a lot of board.

[@JunPeng-i3y]

How does the Mantaray compare to the Skeleton Key? Looks like they are both pretty similar in terms of shape and stiffness. Is it like a premium Skeleton Key with much better base?

[@thegoodridesnow]

Two pretty different rides even though they have some overlap in places. Mantaray- Much faster base, way better grip, similar float and a more tapered/directional feel. SK- Much more centered feel with the balanced freeride geometry sidecut. Much more pop on an ollie and spring out of a turn with all that extra camber.

[@Jrod32391]

Have you ridden the nitro dinghy, things a beast in this category

[@thegoodridesnow]

YES so damn behind. Didn't make this list but like I said in 1:39 there are a lot of great boards out there right now and that's one of them.

[@theoelshout200]

Hello ! Did ever tried a Slash snowboard? I love my slash vertical . It carves great, stable at high speed and it floats good in the pow.

[@thegoodridesnow]

Yes I rode many Slash boards a while back. I'm overdue for trying them again.

[@patrickwu8415]

Jones mind expander size recommendation: Which size do you recommend 154 or 158 for 5’11 (180cm）， 156lbs (72kg, 75kg max sometimes) and US 9.5 boot size ? Thank you very much!❤

[@cb1p111]

158...longer effective edge... Better ride

[@patrickwu8415]

@ would it be too much for my weight?

[@thegoodridesnow]

@patrickwu8415 what make/model/size/year board do you ride now and how does it work for you?

[@cb1p111]

@patrickwu8415 154 is 130-180lbs, 158 is 150-200lbs, 72kg=159lbs, 75kg=165lbs. Remember to weight your body, boots, filled backpack, clothing and helmet plus goggles.

[@patrickwu8415]

@@thegoodridesnow I’ve only ridden Nitro Beast 155 and Burton Custom X 157/158， both worked for me. Burton Custom X feels more stable and works better in powder , ME would be my first powder board.

[@henrydegenry]

Going from a 2021 hovercraft to a new alchemist for this type of terrain, what should I expect? People keep saying how stiff the alchemist is but you have it listed on your site as almost the same stiffness as that year hovercraft, is that accurate or close? Hovercraft is the stiffest I’ve been on

[@thegoodridesnow]

It's stiffer than the Hovercraft 2.0, rides longer and narrower. The Hovercraft is on the medium side of med/stiff and the Alchemist is on the stiff side of Medium/Stiff. Both go straight and fast well but in different ways.

[@FastFash]

Between the Jones ME and the Yes PYL Uninc , which one can charge a straight line and absorb the chop better? edit: also the K2 excavator, which of the 3 are most stable at speed?

[@thegoodridesnow]

So the ME and Excavator can absorb chop better with the stiffer flex but the PYL Uninc can go straight better so it's about what is better for you. The Excavator runs shorter/wider though so it bucks a little more than both these boards and is the most cranky in harder uneven snow.

[@W35TJ031990]

Can you review the new Arbor Candle rain?

[@thegoodridesnow]

I'll for sure try. It's been a while since I got on Arbor and would like to ride several of their boards.

[@hrmnish]

What about the flagship pro? How does that stand in this list?

[@thegoodridesnow]

Fun board but this year I liked the Flagship Pro better. Check the review here thegoodride.com/snowboard-reviews/jones-flagship-snowboard-review/ and check the Flagship Pro review here. thegoodride.com/snowboard-reviews/jones-flagship-pro-snowboard-review/

[@Max21072010]

What about burton fish?

[@thegoodridesnow]

Pow Favorite...If you go to thegoodride.com/snowboard-reviews/?mens=1 you can see all the favorites and Categories

[@ashlynnhurley7438]

Can we get a video on womens boards??

[@thegoodridesnow]

Working on that but it probably wont' happen soon.

[@nodeal134]

i have heard Stale say stale before when talking about this borad...

[@thegoodridesnow]

Yes, like I said, you can call it both. Rome's product manager said this... "To be honest, there is really not a right or wrong way to pronounce those two boards, the first year I spent a lot of time trying to get people to go with the proper Norwegian pronunciation but its all good really, both are readily accepted."