Guide to the Best Snowboarding Brands
10 of the most popular snowboarding brands, their stories, and what to watch for
Published March 5th, 2025
Calling all snowboarders — beginners and newbies included! Are you curious about the different shapes and styles of various boards? In the market to branch out and try a new model or brand? Do you feel stuck or unsure about how to make a decision? We’re here for you!
There are a lot of snowboarding brands to choose from. I’m here to drill down through common questions, offer advice, insights, and even dispel some myths you may have heard.
I am an avid snowboarder with over 20 years experience. As a former pro ski patroller (which I did on my snowboard), former competitive snowboarder, and SAR K-9 handler, I aim for at least 50 days on the hill each season.
It’s important to look at your needs and skillset before deciding on a brand for your next snowboard. Generally, brands that are geared toward resort riding and beginners would be a better fit for someone new to the sport, vs. a brand that specializes in big mountain and advanced riding.
Here are some of the top brands in snowboarding that are established, innovative in the industry, and are utilizing eco-friendly practices to stay ahead of the industry. While there are many snowboard brands, we chose to focus on brands that you might be most likely to find in your favorite shop and that serve a specific niche market.
We write mission-driven gear reviews. To find the best gear, we combine expert reviews, everyday user opinions, and rigorous independent trail testing—never native ads or sponsored posts. We are 100% reader-supported and may make a small commission from some qualifying affiliate links. Learn more.
10 Major Snowboarding Brands
Burton
Overview
The first snowboard manufacturer and probably most recognizable is Burton. It’s best for beginners looking for all-mountain boards. In addition to making snowboards Burton makes everything you need to go snowboarding, you can get outfitted from head to toe in Burton gear. Being able to buy Board, Boots and Bindings in addition to outerwear and goggles all from one place can eliminate a lot of stress for new snowboarders. Many times you can get a discount if you are purchasing a kit.
Details
What they make: boards, boots, bindings, clothing, helmets, goggles, accessories and bags
Starter Package includes: board, bindings, boots
Features to check out: Custom and Process Snowboards, Step-on Bindings System
Best for: Burton is a one-stop shop for everything snowboarding. You can get your board, boots, bindings and outwear all in one place. They have beginner to advanced model boards, making it easy to know which board to progress to next. With many shops using Burton as its rental fleet, many riders start out on Burton boards so it’s easy to progress to a new Burton board when they are ready to invest in gear.
Sustainability or Ethical Focus: Burton is the first snowboard company to become a Certified B corporation, meeting third-party assessment's high standards for social and environmental performance.
Quick Facts:
Founded: 1977 by Jake Burton in Vermont
Signature Innovation: Channel Binding system, allowing for customization of binding placement beyond drilled holes in other brands.
Fun Fact: Jake Burton campaigned at ski resorts to allow snowboarders to ride alongside skiers (previously resorts were skiers only).
Jones Snowboards
Overview
Jones has an emphasis on freeriding boards that are built to last with minimal impact to the environment. Balancing sustainability with eco-performance and innovation to create long lasting boards with a minimal environmental impact. Best for freeriding boards. Jones are ridden by serious snowboarders who want to get the most performance out of their equipment and have something they can rely on for hours of riding.
What they make: boards, bindings, clothing, accessories, bags
Starter Package includes: board, bindings
Key Products: Stratos and Flagship Snowboards
Best for: models for intermediate to advanced riders with a carver series and surf series of snowboards.
Sustainability or ethical focus: The Jones factory runs on 100% solar power, they are also Fair Trade Certified. In 2023 Jones started a Re-Up Tech, the world's first snowboard recycling program, collecting dead snowboards and re-using materials to make new boards.
Quick Facts:
Founded: 2009 in Truckee CA by Jeremy Jones
Signature Innovation: Re-up technology, making new snowboards from used snowboards.
Fun Fact: Jeremy Jones is the founder of the POW (Protect our Winters) foundation. POW has 77,000 members working towards educating about climate change and protecting the winter sports that are loved.
CAPiTA
CAPiTA was founded by snowboarder Blue Montgomery in Washington state with the idea that snowboards should be made by snowboarders. With flashy and fun graphics and innovative designs, CAPiTA specializes in freestyle boards but also has a good fleet of all-mountain and powder boards. If you are a graphics driven consumer CAPiTA is a great choice for wild and fun images that make a statement, it is hard to be super serious when you are riding a board with a unicorn in space on it, the graphics scream fun on the mountain.
What they make: boards, accessories and bags
Starter Package includes: board and bindings
Key Products: Defender of Awesome and Space Metal Fantasy Snowboards
Best for: CAPiTA has some of the most unique and whimsical graphics in snowboarding.
Sustainability or Ethical Focus: CAPiTA sources 98% of its materials within a five hour drive of “The Mothership,” an eco-friendly facility where boards are made.
Quick Facts:
Founded: 2000 by Blue Montgomery
Signature Innovation: Holysheet Fiberglass, Technora Flax Boosters, Resort V1 Profile
Fun Fact: CAPiTA’s company mantra is “Everything is Possible”
Salomon
Overview:
Founded in 1947 in Annecy, France, Salomon is known for making top-tier skis, and started making snowboards in 1997. Salomon snowboards are reliable and reasonably priced. They have a large fleet of all-mountain boards to choose from, with models for kids, women, and men. Much like Burton, Salomon has something for everyone.
What they make: boards, boots, bindings, clothing, helmets, goggles
Starter Package includes: board, bindings, boots
Best for: Salomon has skis, snowboards, and clothing, making it a one-stop shop for winter alpine sports.
Sustainability or Ethical Focus: Salomon has removed all plastic from packaging and uses recyclable cardboard in its place. 100% of Salomon snowboard bindings feature repairable parts and the baseplates now come with a lifetime warranty.
Quick Facts:
Founded: 1947 in France by François Salomon
Signature Innovation: Rocker technology
Fun Fact: Salomon started as a manufacturer of saw blades.
Weston
Overview:
Founded in 2012, specializing in boards for everyday riders. Weston is most known for splitboards and backcountry boards, but also has a fleet of powder and freeride boards with a unique look, throwback styles, and fun boards for intermediate to advanced riders. If you want a splitboard Weston is your brand. They also make skis.
What they make: boards, Avalanche Gear
Starter Package includes: board, bindings, skins
Key Products: Backwoods Split, Japow snowboard
Reasons to check them out: Weston claims to make boards for everyone, not just the pro riders. They have a cottage brand feel while still maintaining a high-quality, pro-level design.
Sustainability or Ethical Feature: 1% for the Planet member and Certified B corporation, Weston uses eco-friendly materials and sustainable practices down the supply chain.
Quick Facts:
Founded: 2012 by Barry Weston Clark, now owned/led by Leo Tsuo
Signature Innovation: Boltless Bases and Split Tech
Fun Fact: Originally a gear shop in Colorado, Weston started making boards and eventually the boards became more popular than the rest of the gear. Eventually they started making skis as well.
Lib Tech
Overview:
Lib Tech started with Mike Olson after taking a break from GNU. Originally as an inside joke about Liberace’s Technologies and shortened to the name Lib Tech. Lib Tech boards are known for originally having a skeleton design on the base of all its snowboards. Lib Tech makes excellent freestyle and ExperiMENTAL boards for intermediate to advanced riders. Lib Tech offers lots of unique shapes and designs not found in other brands.
What they make: boards, bindings, accessories
Starter Package includes: board, bindings
Key Products: Skunk Ape and Skate Banana
Unique Selling Points: Offers B-Grade boards at a discounted price with cosmetic flaws for budget conscious riders.
Sustainability or Ethical Call Out: Same parent company as GNU
Quick Facts:
Founded: 1988 after Mike Olson temporarily moved away from GNU
Signature Innovation: Banana Rocker
Fun Fact: Lib Tech got the name from “Liberace Technologies” after Mike Olson created a skateboard with that name written on it.
GNU
Overview:
GNU has a line up of creatively designed boards for all mountain, park and powder riders. GNU is best known for its park boards, which have a fun, poppy, stable, responsive ridability to them. It has boards that cater to beginners to advanced and freestyle riders across size and gender, and the boards have unique and fun shapes and artist-designed topsheets. An eco-conscious brand with a fun attitude. Best for freestyle and all-mountain beginner to advanced riders.
What they make: boards, bindings and accessories
Starter Package includes: board, bindings
Key Products: Head Space, Velvet
Unique Selling Points: Offers B-grade boards at a discount for budget-conscious riders. The boards have the same performance, just visual blemishes since they are all handbuilt in Washington.
Sustainability or Ethical Call Out: The factory uses wind and water-generated power and eco-sublimation printing techniques. It claims zero hazardous waste since 1977.
Quick Facts:
Founded: 1977 by Mike Olson and Pete Saari
Signature Innovation: “Banana Tech”
Fun Fact: In the 1980’s GNU was the first brand to make snowboards specifically for
Bataleon
Overview:
Bataleon snowboards are all designed with a Triple Base Technology that promises to create smoother turns, and more fun on snow for everyone. Bataleon boards are versatile boards with innovative designs for anyone who wants to have more fun on the snow. It is difficult to take a run through a resort park without spotting a few of these boards.
What they make: boards, boots, bindings, bags
Starter Package includes: board, bindings, boots
Unique Selling Points: Triple Base Technology is applied to all of Bataleons boards so beginners and advanced riders all get the same benefit from it.
Sustainability or Ethical Focus: Bataleon sells FlipFlop boards which have different colored bases as a way to make sure that the base material is not wasted during production.
Quick Facts:
Founded: 2001 in Norway by Jorgen Karlsen
Signature Innovation: Triple Base technology which is a convex base shape to the tip and tail of a snowboard.
Fun Fact: The three finger logo is a nod to the Triple Base technology that Bataleon snowboards is known for.
Arbor Snowboards
Overview:
From backcountry splitboards to beginner-friendly resort boards Arbor has something for almost everyone. Many of Arbor’s boards are offered in both rocker and camber models so you can find the right board for your style. With a high emphasis on being environmentally conscious, its designs are understated and classic. Most Arbor boards are twin tip and lean towards intermediate riders. Best for powder and freeriding styles.
What they make: boards, bindings
Starter Package includes: board, bindings, boots
Key Products: The Element (men’s) and Veda (women’s) snowboards
Unique Selling Points: The original eco-friendly board
Sustainability or Ethical Call Out: First brand to replace the plastic topsheet with responsibly sourced wood veneer. Arbor has a “Returning Roots” program that donates to groups who protect and restore forests. Arbor snowboards also started using a Bio-Resin on all Powerplys and R.A.P. topless tech veneers. Arbor also uses recycled steel in the edges and recycled plastics for ABS sidewalls.
Quick Facts:
Founded: 1995 in Washington by Bob Carlson
Signature Innovation: Rocker System and Camber System designs built to improve on Rocker and Camber designs without creating a hybrid design.
Fun Fact: Began making skateboards using leftover materials from snowboard production.
Rossignol
Overview:
A long standing ski brand with a loyal customer base launched into snowboards starting in 1987. Currently one of the main brands in rental shops, making Rossignol one of the first brands many riders try. Durable and dependable Rossignol makes long-lasting reliable boards. These boards are geared towards beginner to intermediate riders, making them a great choice for someone buying their first board. Best for all-mountain, beginner riders.
What they make: boards, boots, bindings, clothing, bags
Starter Package includes: board, bindings, boots
Key Products: The Sushi and Sashimi Snowboards
Unique Selling Points: Rossignol makes skis as well as snowboards, making them a one-stop shop if you enjoy both sports. With an outerwear line to match, you can go head to snow in Rossignol gear out on the slopes.
Sustainability or Ethical Focus: Fully traceable materials, Rossignol is working to make 100% of their products fully traceable by 2025. Rossignol is also working to reduce waste soon releasing a program where used rentals are collected, refurbished and sold second hand to consumers. Rossignol is also working on a program to sell imperfect snowboards that are still usable at a reduced price. This is all part of Rossignol's RESPECT Program.
Quick Facts:
Founded: 1907 in France with wooden skis by Abel Rossignol. Rossignol started making snowboards in 1987.
Signature Innovation: AmpTek with traditional camber underfoot and varied rocker in tip and tail, and L.I.T.E. Grip used in some snowboards to lower the weight of the boards but keeping edge control.
Fun Fact: The Strato Ski was the first pair to sell one million pairs. Rossignol snowboards are frequently used in resort rental shops so many riders will try out a Rossignol snowboard as their first board.
Should I stick with the same snowboarding brand?
Yes, there are advantages to being brand loyal, such as the ease of moving from the beginner line-up to an intermediate board in the same line. You always know what to expect from the next board you buy, the next board up in the line will be softer or have more pop to it. You also want to consider that not all brands of bindings (for example, the Burton Step On) fit on all boards, typically your bindings will outlive the life of your board and you will be using your same bindings as you upgrade snowboards.
Many shops like evo.com have packages at a discount with boards, boots and bindings all from the same brand. Beginner snowboarders may benefit from purchasing from a brand that makes bindings and boots in addition to snowboards with the knowledge that everything will work together.
Is there a standard way to talk about snowboarding tech?
Today, there are dozens of snowboarding brands making boards with reverse camber and magne-traction. But what does all of this mean? Every brand has unique terms to describe the technology and design to differentiate themselves from the competition. Many of these brands are utilizing similar technology and ideas but framing them slightly differently which can seem very confusing as a consumer.
There is not a standardized language for the different types of technology in the snowboarding industry; different brands can have different names to describe the same tech. This is finally starting to get better, but is another reason to perhaps stick with one brand while you are getting into the sport.
Eco-friendly innovation in snowboarding
One thing we care about at Treeline is sustainability. Snowboarding has become increasingly more focused on eco-friendly building materials and processes. Most of the brands we feature here have more than one eco-friendly fabrication process. From using renewable energy sources to sourcing materials closer to the factories to reduce the carbon footprint, almost all the major snowboard brands are concerned about protecting the environment and aware of the dangers of climate change on the sport that they love.
Types of snowboards
Snowboards are usually broken down into the following categories: all-mountain, freeride, freestyle or park, powder, women’s, kid’s and splitboards. There may be crossover between the categories but you'll be a lot happier with your gear choice if you take some time to understand what kind of riding you want to do and what the limitations of a specific board might be across categories.
For example, I know many adult male riders who, for a time, were into riding on a women’s-specific park board because it was smaller and poppier than the men’s version, so don’t let a gender-specific board sway you from trying out a board that looks fun to you. Men can ride boards designed for women and women can absolutely ride boards designed for men. Oftentimes women’s boards are shorter and narrower than men’s boards to fit individuals with smaller feet and who are shorter and may have a lower center of gravity.
All-Mountain: These snowboards are designed to do all types of riding, but not necessarily to do anything specifically better than the other. These are great for beginners who may want to try a variety of riding styles before committing to a board specifically designed for one style.
Freestyle: Freestyle snowboards are the park boards. They are usually further divided into boards designed for jibs or jumps. The jibs are the metal and non-snow surfaces that you may find in terrain parks, the jumps are the man made snow jumps and half pipes that you find at resorts.
Freeride: These snowboards are best for riding in trees or natural terrain that hasn’t been groomed, like small cliffs and rocks and whatever you can find off-piste.
Powder: If you are lucky enough to ride on a big powder day, having the right board will make your experience magical. Powder snowboards are designed to float on top of the surface, helping you make turns that just feel like butter. There is no way to describe it, you have to experience it for yourself. The wrong board on a big powder day can create more work fighting against the powder and getting stuck on the slopes or buried in the snow. Powder snowboards aren’t as much fun on non powder days, but a good one can last you many many years.
Splitboard: You can absolutely carry a freeride board or powder board into the backcountry, but you will be much happier investing in a proper splitboard and skinning up the slopes like the skiers do instead of walking or snowshoeing (that’s more gear to carry too). If you plan to do a lot of backcountry riding, a splitboard is a must. Make sure you check out our guide on How to Get Started Backcountry Skiing and our Avalanche Gear Checklist if you’ll be heading into avalanche territory.
Other cool facts about snowboards
Snowboarding has come a long way since it was first introduced in the 1960s with the Snurfer and Winterstick. From being initially banned at ski resorts to finally being introduced as an Olympic sport, it has been a long journey for snowboarding. Now, snowboarders ride alongside skiers at resorts without much fanfare and, with few exceptions, snowboards are allowed almost everywhere skiers are. Here are a few other cool facts about snowboards:
You can ride your friends' boards. That's the best way to find a new board you like. Unlike ski bindings, snowboard bindings work for a variety of boot sizes making it easy to trade boards while riding.
Your board will most likely wear out before your bindings. Bindings are easily moved from one board to another with just a few twists of a screwdriver. You don’t need bindings for every board that you get; you can use one pair for multiple boards.
There isn’t just one size board that works for each person. Try sizing up and down and see what style of riding you enjoy most. I have boards that range in size by 12cm depending on what I want to use them for. Shorter boards will be easier to turn, longer boards will feel more like snow surfing especially on powder but may not be as maneuverable. There is no right or wrong choice, they are just different.
Twin Tip boards can be ridden the same way. Goofy or regular and directional boards are meant to be ridden one direction and that depends on your stance and how you set it up.
Your snowboard set up is very customizable. The bindings can be adjusted forwards or backwards on the board creating a different riding experience. It is really fun to tinker with the settings and get things just right.
Snowboarding is super fun! Just get out there and start riding. Grab some friends or make some new ones on the chairlift.
About the author
Sara has spent over 20 years skiing and snowboarding in the mountains and always travels with too much gear, just in case the weather changes when she gets there. A former pro ski patroller and SAR K-9 Handler, she usually aims for at least 50 days on the hill each year, either on skis or a board. She has flown with her board to Canada and Utah and knows all too well the perils of having to choose a bag for travel that fits everything and isn’t too heavy.
I went years without having a snowboard bag for my gear. I would go on road trips to ride another mountain and just throw my board into the back of a friend's car and hope for the best. I was 15 minutes from my local mountain and never thought about all those trips I was taking carrying my boots and board and gear to the car everyday. Having a daily-use bag has changed that for me, I can load up a bag inside my house and walk to the car once with my coffee and go–it is so much easier.
To see all of Sara Kruglinski stories, check her author page.
