The Five Best Snowboards for Women

In case you haven't noticed, women have proved to be just as capable at snowboarding as men. Indeed, the sport has spawned a new generation of female stars in Torah Bright, Lindsey Jacobellis and Kelly Clark, just to name a few. However, they use boards that are slightly, yet distinctively different from men's boards. Women have different centers of gravity and tend to have smaller feet than men, and their boards are designed with this in mind.

Luckily, women's snowboards are equal to men's in quality, and they are fast catching up in quantity.

If you are looking for one of the best snowboards for women, I suggest trying one of these:

K2 Women's Lunatique All-Mountain Snowboard, 2011/2012 edition ($359.95)

I can safely say this is one of the best all-mountain boards on the market. It's very versatile because of the dual progressive shape, which makes it easy to balance and turn on for park riding. The shape is also fine for freestyle because you can ride switch with ease. Additionally, I like how durable this board is with its rhythm core and extruded base.

Arbor Flight Snowboard for women, 2010/2011 edition ($239.93)

Any woman who wants to ride freestyle would be wise to consider this snowboard. Indeed, it's simple to ride in reverse due to the true twin tip shape and reverse camber. And this board is great for trying spin tricks and rail sessions, as it has a parabolic rocker shape for improved edge control. Another nice feature is the bio-plastic topsheet, which protects the board from damage. Finally, you can't beat the low price.

Burton Fortress Snowboard for women, 2011/2012 edition ($649.95)

This is a snowboard fit for serious riders. It will give you plenty of pop because of its directional shape and fiberglass energy strands. Also, it's a good board for fighting fatigue due to its high-tech damping composition. Although this is a great board, the expensive price makes it a poor choice for beginners.

K2 Women's Va Va Voom Freestyle Snowboard, 2011/2012 edition ($349.95)

Another good board for freestyle is this one by K2. It's quite stable even in its shorter size, since it utilizes a longer than average effective edge. Another nice thing about this snowboard is the sandwich construction, which makes it more responsive for free-riding. So if you want to do tricks, this is a good option.

Burton Feather Snowboard for women, 2011/2012 edition ($329.95)

What makes this Burton snowboard stand out is that it comes in unusually wide versions. This is an ideal feature if your feet are a bit too long for a standard board. Otherwise, this is a good model for both intermediate and beginning boarders who want an all-mountain experience. I especially like how it has slightly upturned edges, as that will make turning and stopping much easier.

Floyd Saunders is a native of snowy Minnesota. He has been a downhill and cross-country skier since childhood, and he has dabbled in snowboarding, snowshoeing, hockey, and ice fishing.

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