The Best Splitboards for Men and Women of 2024

Never Summer’s recent return to the world of full camber profiles is welcomed and much needed. The brand’s long stint strictly making boards as rocker/camber hybrids led to its all mountain boards being good, not great. The Never Summer Proto Splitboard ($1,120) is great! The Proto was the board our testers wanted to take out every day. It has a fun, playful feel while still being sturdy and reliable across all conditions. The directional shape helps it effortlessly float through powder, and it can seamlessly transition to firm icy slopes where it reliably holds an edge, giving our testers the confidence to get down anything. 

The combination of wood and bamboo in the core keeps the board snappy without creating an overly damp feel. Above and below the core materials Never Summer lays up carbon in an X shape between the feet and a V shape outside the feet. This carbon lay out improves torsional flex, creating a reliable feel when on edge without making the board overly stiff from tip to tail. The Proto received a seven on our flex scale compared to a manufacture assigned eight. We might have given it an eight too, but on paper that felt too close the the Weston Ridgeline Carbon considering on snow there was a more noticeable difference. 

While our crew liked the Never Summer Proto Splitboard, we would still place it in a more aggressive category. The board is easier to float through low angle powder than, say, the Weston Ridgeline Splitboard, but it still prefers to be ridden fast and prefers steep slopes. It is certainly not the most playful board in this group, but makes a great option for advanced riders who need performance in demanding terrain but also mix in a few mellow powder days.

We’ve been fans of the all-terrain Jones Women’s Solution ($980) for many seasons and it hasn’t steered us wrong. Nor has this exploration tool shown much depreciation despite being our number one backcountry partner. Whether we’re creating tight lines through the aspens and evergreens, painting slopes, gassing down an open face, traversing an iron slope, or dropping into a 45-degree plus line, the Solution has been staunch and trusty.    

The spooned nose is clutch. Inspired by surfboards, Jeremy Jones imagined that splitboards would benefit from a subtle curve along the base: think of a spoon with a curve in all directions versus the nose-to-tail upturn like a banana. Called the 3D Contour Base, the design makes transitioning into turns more nimble with less resistance and increased glide. We concur — and shredding with a spooned nose is one helluva good time. Goodbye, punchy nose dives. Hello freedom. 

Shape, flex pattern and profile are all directional with a hybrid camber-rocker profile. Meaning, camber is located between and beneath the feet, a mild rocker is at the tail, and stronger rocker is at the tip. The Traction Tech 3.0 edges add a wavy silhouette with three bumps along the edges — and the center bump is larger than the other two — increasing the contact points for gripping snow, which is incorporated on both the interior and exterior edges for climbing or descending. The 3.0 version of Traction Tech adds more aggressive bumps under each binding and a larger centered bump in the sidecut. The core is made with high-quality paulownia and minimal poplar stringers for power and longevity. 

Nerve-wracking and meditation-jolting are two descriptors for dropping into a line and seeing the tip clip pop open. This was the only women’s splitboard we tested with the Karakoram Tip-Lock tip clips, which include a streamlined lock that swivels shut for added security. The additional micro-step when putting the split skis together or taking them apart took getting used to but overall, we appreciate the safety checkpoint. The Karakoram Ultra Clips 2.0, of which there are two sets that reconnect the interior edges of the splitboard, are smaller and lightweight compared to the original Ultra Clip design. 

We pulled on the all-seasons Jones Pre-cut Nomad PRO Splitboard Skins ($300) for uphill walks with an effective, strong glue that’s not sticky or thick.

Overall, this skin design is among the thinnest, lightest-weight, and most streamlined while remaining effective. The nose’s metal clip was easy to pull onto each split ski and the tail clips fluidly popped into place. We didn’t have any issues with the tail clip coming off or snow getting sandwiched despite encountering steep, deep sandbox snow conditions at times. We appreciate the packability and the plush — 70% mohair, 30% synthetic — is surprisingly soft to the hand. These puppies are also PFC-free and have a Bluesign-approved anti-glopping treatment.  

With an adaptive personality, durability, edge bite, and all-around balance, the Jones Women’s Solution will be joining us on many missions to come.

Read the full GearJunkie review of the Jones Women’s Solution.

When we first heard of Stranda and the Stranda Descender B.C. Splitboard ($895), we had no idea what to expect from the Swedish company. Did they even have splitboarders over there? The answer is yes — not only do they have great terrain, powder, and splitboarders, but they are great board shapers as well. The second we strapped into the Descender at the top of a line on a mid-winter pow day, we were hooked. 

The Descender is a directional freeride, semi-stiff, slightly surf-inspired splitboard that holds speed and gives confidence like no other. Designed for speed, float, and glide in powder while also providing grip when things get icy and a core that dampens all sorts of chunder there’s a lot to love.

Going back to our first run on the Descender we were blown away by how fast this board attacks deep powder while remaining light enough underfoot to stay super playful. We found ourselves trying butter 3’s, switch landings, and hucking ourselves off every pillow we could find. 

We loved the Stranda Power Bumps: wavy edges at the inserts that provide excellent traction on steep and icy slopes. Integrated tail clips helped keep the skins on during the uphill. 

The Phantom Hercules Hooks got the job done but were harder to get together when packed with snow compared to the Karakorum Ultraclips. While we loved the performance of the Descender, there was a lot less to love about the supplied Stranda Climbing Skins which stopped sticking to our board after a few tours. 

Overall, this surf-inspired directional freeride board was one we kept coming back to from the plethora of boards we tested. The Stranda Descender B.C. Splitboard is a solid choice for pow or variable snow and a range of terrain or objectives.

Designed by legendary snowboarder Marie-France Roy for advancing, aggressive riders, the Veda is an exploratory maven. First launched in the 21/22 season, this cambered directional ride handles everything like a champ. From variable, firm coverage at the tops of peaks to pillowy snow in the pines and springtime mashed potatoes at lower elevations, the Arbor Veda Camber Splitboard ($750) had our back. New for 23/24, the size run includes bigger boards to accommodate more riders: 156, 159, and 162W in addition to 152.  

The slight setback stance and longer nose lend well to deep days, but don’t compromise what inevitably is the majority of your hours on a splitboard. And we never felt the board give up power in technical terrain. The 27.8 cm length and 28.7 cm width in the front paired with the 19.3 cm length and 27.8 cm width in the back is a great blend.

Slightly stiffer with a sintered base, the board didn’t back down to chunder and saved our legs from feedback. On ascents, edging across steep terrain was confidence inspiring — the board was hearty. This design also felt easy to navigate edge to edge through tight forests despite snow variability swinging from soft to heavy in the spring.

The Parabolic Camber means the profile’s traditional downturned curve is reduced toward the board’s ends, offering a responsive and relatively poppy feel. Along each edge is Grip Tech, which offers four contact points for the snow where the board bulges, like an ocean wave, for an improved grip: Two are in line with the bindings, and another two toward the tip and tail.

The four corners of the board also feature 1.5-degree upward tapering, dubbed fenders, to pull the edges off the snow for more seamless transitions and a less hooky feel, which brought ease in tough conditions. We never got bucked. No chatter. No bounce-back. No grabbiness. With a medium sidecut radius at 8.65 meters — not too deep or shallow — the board is fairly fun to rip around whether we’re making tighter or drawn-out turns. 

The model-specific SplitGrip Climbing Skins ($230), made by Arbor and Kohla, are available for the Veda and worked splendidly. Debuted in the 19/20 season, the glue bond and tail clips showed no drawbacks. Sliding over the snow, that mohair/nylon hair excelled on steep and slick uphills, and we noticed no unusual back-slides. The wide metal clip slides quickly onto the corner of the split ski’s nose while the sturdy butterfly clip takes a pull to get over the tail but doesn’t budge. The adhesion was super strong — we typically needed a knee to divide a skin that’d been folded together in our pack — and clean. 

We loved pulling this splitboard out for select tours. With that gorgeous dark wood and emerald-colored inlay, the creative design is easy on the eyes. Overall, the Arbor Veda Camber Splitboard isn’t too stiff, too poppy, or too flexible — it’s just right. The board is offered as a solid for resort days, as well. 

Jones has been making splitboards for a very long time. One could call the Jones Men’s Solution Splitboard ($980) the flagship splitboard of the board company.  Backed by and named after founder Jeremy Jones, the brand has spent years in the R&D department working on one board to rule them all, hence the name Solution. 

The pioneer brand describes the Solution as “the ultimate all-terrain split and offers unrivaled backcountry performance in any snow condition,” and our testers found it to be just that: one splitboard that can do it all well. We could call this board a ‘jack of all trades’ for backcountry conditions. We had the board in deep powder, crust, windboard, death ice, and spring slush, and every time, the board felt stable and comfortable in these conditions. We didn’t have to think too hard about our movements; the board was naturally comfortable across the backcountry. 

While this board can handle all varieties of conditions in the backcountry, our testers found it to be a master of none of them. If we had to ride one splitboard for the rest of our lives, this would be a great choice — the design gets an 8/10 in everything but a 10/10 in none — but at the end of the day, the board lacks freeride soul. It’s hard to put into words “The Feeling” one gets when making a turn in the backcountry. We wouldn’t primarily describe this board as having a playful edge, or that surf-like feeling. This is not to say we had a bad time with the Solution; it just feels more like a precision tool than a soul stick. 

This splitter is packed with attention to detail including a sintered base and bottomless bridge — meaning, the eight bolts that hold the clips do not go through to the base but are instead raised on a visible ‘bridge’ in the center of the board — both of which help this board reach high speeds on the descent. We are big fans of the integrated tail clips when used in combination with Jones climbing skins and the Traction Tech Edge 3.0 — the unique wavy center edge that provides great grip on steep and icy skin tracks. Jones has been at the forefront of sustainability when it comes to building splitboards, and the Solution is no different.

Starting with a sustainably harvested wood core and top sheet, recycled sidewalls and edges, held together with a bio-based resin and built in a factory powered by solar power, you feel good about where this board comes from. Ultimately, the Jones Men’s Solution Splitboard is great for anyone looking for a one-board quiver that will ride well no matter what the forecast throws at you. 

This splitboard acts as awesome as its solid counterpart, a difficult achievement to reach in the land of cut-in-half boards. The Stranda Women’s Descender Splitboard ($895) drives like a steady steed. This all-mountain board plows through crust yet is easy to guide, disperses snow upon smack landings off pillow drops, and is playful yet strong. 

The women’s iteration, first launched in 21/22, has a tad softer flex than the men’s version, and is the brand’s top-selling model — we’re not surprised. With head-to-tail widths of 28.4, 24.8, and 27.5 cm on the 152 length, and one of the largest tapers of splitboards on our list, this design feels stout under foot but is also a joy to quickly zip back and forth through tight glades. The gentle protrusion of the edges outside the inserts, dubbed Power Bumps, strengthens the edging power of the board, which was noticeable — especially while traversing steep hardpack faces. Safety: Check. 

A bit of rocker in the tip and tail aid lift. That’s blended with a “low” camber — the board is elevated 4 mm — which extends further behind the back foot, resulting in a lift beneath the rear binding, poppiness, and driving power. Mixed into the paulownia timber core are full-length poplar and ash wood inserts, triax glass with carbon stringers, and PU sidewalls with rubber strips along the edges for dampening — all of which lower the weight while reducing chatter.  

Partnered with Kohla, the brand offers a basic climbing skin in the pre-cut Stranda Climbing Skins ($248), which we found excelled across various snow and skin track conditions and ambient temps. A durable metal clip slides onto the nose of your split skis. At the tail, a metal clip with a sharp hook attaches to the edge via a small divot, with the design meant to save weight. Though, the attachment is not our favorite to use because the narrow piece of metal needs to latch just right and is needle-pointed. The glue never glopped, nor was it too sticky, but some testers did experience a skin peel-off a couple of times — as the adhesion isn’t the hardiest. However, the glide and grip of the mixed mohair blend worked well across the season. 

Whether you’re plowing through deep powder at the top, managing sluff, or taking super steep drops, this board comes through. The directional silhouette has a way of dispersing whatever conditions it flows through — pushing through chunder and traveling well without requiring an exorbitant amount of effort to turn. Where this board shape doesn’t take an award is switch riding, but it’ll do that, too, when needed. Hands down, the Stranda Women’s Descender Splitboard is among our favorite all mountain splitboards to date.

New for the 23/24 season, the much loved powder slaying Capita Navigator is now available as a splitboard. This highly anticipated release will assist you in getting untouched turns all day long, or at least as long as your legs last. The Capita Navigator Splitboard ($1,000) is a soft and playful splitboard that effortlessly floats through low angle powder and easily navigates tight gladed terrain.

The playful nature of this board is what earned it a title. This was the go-to board for our testers to enjoy low angle pow and tight trees on those deep snow and high avalanche danger days. Couple the soft, easy riding nature of this board with the huge range of sizes, and this makes for the most accessible and best entry level splitboard of the group. The Navigator presents a fun, playful ride, which is refreshing among a sea of more aggressive leaning boards.

Did we mention that this board is soft? It was difficult to compare it with many of the boards in our test, which is why we dropped our rating down to a four as compared to the manufacturer-assigned six.  More aggressive riders may find this board won’t provide enough support in more technical terrain. The soft flex also allows for a lot of vibrations to be felt by the rider’s feet. When you take this board out of the powder and into a firmer snowpack, you feel every bump, and it becomes difficult to hold an edge, especially at higher speeds.

Overall, the Capita Navigator Splitboard makes a great option for more relaxed riders. The directional shape, coupled with Capita’s “flat kick” tip technology, allows effortless float in powder, while the parabolic side cut creates a tighter turning radius for snappy turns through the tightest tree runs. It’s also a great option for more playful riders who are used to riding a soft or rockered board as their daily driver at the resort. Another positive note to mention about all of the snowboards made by Capita is the eco-friendly “Magic Bean Resin” they use in the production of their top sheets.

Magic Bean Resin is a plant-based product with a bio content of 60% renewable, agricultural raw material. It is produced with no greenhouse gas emissions and requires less heat than typical top sheet materials, lowering the energy needed during the production process of the boards.

Wildly fun and float-tastic, this butter knife perfectly smears pow and is such a maneuverable yet muscular ride. The Arbor Swoon Splitboard Camber ($750) for ladies threads vegetated terrain, snappily ollies, and achieves balance as a true twin. Our favorite all-time deep runs have been opening the throttle, sweeping down alpine basins full of pearly goods on this Swoon Camber. 

A twin shape means the tip and tail are mirrored with the same widths and sidecuts, zero taper, and centered inserts between the contact points. The tip and tail length are nearly identical, too: 21.8 cm up front and 20.8 cm in the back on the mid-pack 152 length. The result? A sense of being dead-center on the stick, which works well even in powder thanks to the overall build.

The board’s camber enables responsiveness, non-catchy reaction, and pop even in soft snow. Arbor calls the technology Parabolic Camber, meaning the profile’s curve is gradually reduced toward the tip and tail. Coupled with Grip Tech — four points along each edge where the material protrudes for an improved grip on snow — the split feels stable on the uphill and descents. The four outermost contact points toward the board’s ends are tapered 3 degrees off the snow, called fenders, enabling smooth edge-to-edge transitions.

Construction begins with tough yet pliable and sustainably sourced white ash wood that’s soaked, veneered into sheets, then stacked with a layer of mixed fiberglass, backed with fleece, and pre-laminated with natural castor bean oil. A sintered base ups durability and handles speed. For eco-friendliness, the splitboard utilizes Entropy Bio-Resin created from industrial waste versus a traditional petroleum-based solution. The build process also nixes a topsheet completely, making the ride lighter, too. 

We want to keep this splitboard in our gear room for epic surf days. That said, we found a limit of power when it comes to navigating extremely variable, sun-crusted, frozen, chunky, washboarded tracks, especially at high speeds — which can be inevitable on bigger, exploratory tours toward each season’s bookends. The split was quite squirrely in that tough terrain, as well as while skate-skiing sans skins. No-go. After clipping back on those puppies, we made our way. 

Arbor partnered with Kohla to create the SplitGrip Climbing Skins ($230) that come cut to the Swoon, which are fantastic and launched in the 19/20 season. We had no issues with the base being too sticky or not sticky enough or glue coming off or falling apart. The glue is clean, non-goopy, and heavy-duty, often needing a knee to split the folded skin back open at the transition. Underneath, the blended mohair/nylon performed well on steep uphills, and we noticed no backward slippage. A wide metal clip easily slides onto the corner of the split ski’s nose while the reliable butterfly clip takes a little extra tug to get it over the tail but stays put. 

For pow-seeking soul laps, the Arbor Swoon Camber is among our dreamiest picks. The design targets intermediate to advanced riders. There’s a rocker option and this board has a solid version, too, which some women dig so they can build steam on the same design — no hopping back and forth.

The Weston Ridgeline Splitboard ($950) provides a stiff and hard-charging attitude in a pleasantly lightweight package. The weight is especially noticeable on the skin track where this board makes for easy steps and snappy kick turns. A very small amount of aluminum in the core and a set of parallel carbon stringers running tip to tail make this board feel stiff and damp under foot, combined with a traditional camber profile and directional shape create an exceptional level of stability and confidence at high speeds and in variable snow conditions.

That stiffness and damp feel do make this board demanding to ride. It is not the friendliest board to ride when the terrain mellows out but the snow is still deep. In low angle pow, the board tends to dive under the snow and you’ll find you have to work hard to make it float. This was the stiffest board in our test, receiving a flex rating of nine on our scale compared to an manufacture assigned rating of eight

We tested this board using the proprietary Weston branded skins, manufactured by Pomoca. These skins are designed with tip and tail clips specific to Weston snowboards. The tip attachment is easy and seamless, the skin clip simply attaches to the board through a hole at the tip of the board.

We found the tail clip to be less user friendly, it was difficult to get the horizontal clip of the skins to mesh with the vertical tail notch in the board. This resulted in a poor connection between the board and the skin causing them to come unclipped multiple times during our tests. It is also good to note that these skins will only work on a Weston board with tip holes and tail notches.

If you’re prioritizing big lines in demanding conditions the Weston Ridgeline Splitboard won’t hold you back from getting the most out of your descents. It craves speed and responds with an amazing amount of stability. On the other hand, riders seeking better board feel, a more relaxed experience, or who plan to keep it safe in low angle terrain most days will want to check out some of the other boards on our list. 

For big mountain missions with ample vertical change and wildly diverse snowpack conditions, the stalwart Venture Oracle Splitboard ($949) for women is up to the challenge — whatever it is. This steel stallion excels in steep, high alpine terrain — mirroring where it’s built at a grassroots factory in the San Juan Mountains of Silverton, Colorado — and pierces any chop, petrified mogul, or steeled surface. 

Venture’s profile, for the Oracle and all their splitties, is named Straight-Line Rocker: flat underfoot to a mellow rise outside the inserts. A layer of 30-degree triaxial fiberglass creates longitudinal rigidity topped with tough carbon steel edges and a durable carbonium topsheet. The enduring sidewalls are made of sintered P-Tex and the base is sintered, too. The moderate sidecut is deeper by nearly 8% for the 23/24 season, which is mixed with a 28.5 cm width nose, 24cm width waist, and 26cm wide tail. All these ingredients enhance edge control. 

While the Venture Oracle Splitboard feels stiffer than the other splitboards we’ve tested, and is also the sturdiest. If an iron maiden beneath your feet is the top priority, look no further. On softer coverage, a stout board like this one can be fun to carve, just don’t expect a playful, pop-star. What we love about this board is how it doesn’t ping you off obstacles — the rig slices through them. The edge is dependable. This is an incredible big-mountain tool for the right aggressive terrain, snow, and rider. Welcome to the workhorse. 

The board is offered as a solid, as well, and was first launched as a splitboard in the 17/18 season. The design comes with the Spark Tip and Tail Clips, which have five progressive notches for tightness as you spin and secure them into place. 

Launched in the 23/24 season, the K2 Isolator Unisex Splitboard ($850) volume-shifted splitboard is a powder lover’s dream. The Isolator is a split version of K2’s bestselling hardboard, the Excavator, which is a unisex and volume shifted design. What is volume shift, you might ask? The design redistributes the surface area of the snowboard from the tip and tail to the waist, which reduces heel/toe drag and also swing weight. Volume shift boards are shorter and wider than traditional boards meaning riders can downsize 4 -10 cm from the usual length. 

In a word, this board is wide. Coming from our tester who uses a size 11 splitboard boot, the 158 model features a 26.8 waist width, meaning large-boot riders can ride a neutral stance without heel or toe drag or being forced into a duck foot or positive camber stance. On top of the stance options, the Isolator delivers an unmatched surfing experience when things get deep. From Colorado’s champagne powder to the PNW concrete this board has no issues with float, displacing powder better than any board we tested. But when things dry up and the storm cycle stops the board does not handle icey, crusty, windboarded hills as well as it performs in the fluffy stuff. When things get slushy in the spring the wide Isolator trenches turns and floats atop the mashed potatoes. 

While a directional board, the Isolator features a dual radius sidecut (as in, the same radius sidecut edge to edge), which K2 promotes as a unisex design. The board also features a paulownia wood lightweight and flexible core and tip to tail carbon fiber stringers, which keep the board poppy and playful in the turns. Karakoram UltraClips hold the tip and tail together for a split that feels like a solid. Splitpack inserts or narrow channels that take the place of standard binding screw inserts offer more versatility for stance widths and binding placements.

The K2 Isolator Unisex Splitboard was also the only board to come with pucks from the factory.  A “SnoPhobic” topsheet helps eliminate snow building up on the topsheet (which we found to be true). We found the extra width in the tip and tail meant the splitboard didn’t fit in a normal skin track, and even if we were in the back of the group, we were still somewhat breaking trail on both sides. Overall, this board is for the powder chaser who wants unmatched float in a small package, as well as for bigger-footed riders searching for a more flexible width. This was as close to a surfboard for the powder as we could find. 

Are you someone who counts grams? Do your friends call you a weight weenie? Then the Stranda Descender Fjäderlätt Splitboard ($1,245) might be the perfect bestie for you. Fjäderlätt translates to “featherlight” in Swedish and is Stranda’s take on an extremely lightweight, high performance splitboard. 

Shaving grams, the Fjäderlätt 161 comes in at just 2,790 g or 6.1 lbs compared to the Descender 161 at 3,100 g or 6.8 lbs. The splitboard starts with a paulownia wood core, reinforced with ash inserts and aluminum stringers to maintain rigidity. Then the entire board is wrapped in a full carbon fiber triax weave resulting in a lighter weight, more durable, and stiffer splitboard designed for high alpine missions compared to the normal Desender.

The Fjäderlätt has the same set of features and shape as the Descender that we love. The board retains its playful, surfy, and confidence inspiring feel in the powder but really excels when things get steep and the board needs to go on your back to reach the summit. Whenever we were planning a high alpine mission we reached for the Fjäderlätt over the OG Descender for the noticeable weight savings. Our testers could feel the lighter weight on the skin track, the bootpack, and the descent. The added stiffness helped the lighter board still feel supportive underfoot while remaining very playful and agile. 

Designed for athletes consistently on the bootpack and in alpine missions, where every gram counts, the Stranda Descender Fjäderlätt Splitboard is for riders looking for every last drop of performance from their gear. Is the full carbon board worth the extra $350? After a long day in the alpine our shoulders and legs said yes. 

The ladies’ Jones Dream Weaver Splitboard ($800) is a playful all-around ride that’s less aggressive than other splitboards among our top picks, great for beginner and intermediate shredders, or a nice choice if you’re looking for a forgiving stick. New for 23/24, the board incorporates the light, poppy Control Split Core: premium paulownia wood with half as much poplar, as stringers. The eye-catching, brightly-colored mountain graphic on this season’s board, created by artist Annie Brace, is an added garnish we really enjoy. 

Well-rounded and with a directional shape and directional flex pattern, this board also has a directional hybrid camber-rocker profile. Between and beneath the feet is cambered, which transitions to slight rocker in the tail and exaggerated rocker in the nose. 

Among our favorite details include the Traction Tech 1.0 edges, a mildly wavy edge with three bumps that increase the contact points, which is incorporated on both the interior and exterior edges, adding bite on uneven snow while skinning uphill or riding down. 

We threaded this gal through tight glades, powdery slope sides, chunky crystals, sun cups, and spring-induce divots. On the softer side, the Jones Dream Weaver Splitboard felt playful though it didn’t collapse when slicing through huge chunks. That pliability is noticeable on firm, steep high-alpine faces, and if too much force is applied, you could wash out, so it’s not our top pick for gripped terrain. Overall, the board moves smoothly edge to edge through moderate slopes and snowpack while being straightforward and gleeful to ride. 

A powder queen made for the ladies, the Weston Revel Splitboard ($949) takes a cue from the men’s Japow: Nothing competes with the wide-spooned nose, rockered tip, tapered profile, and classic fishtail when it comes to surfing white mountain waves. This also isn’t a graphics swap. Based on feedback from female riders, compared to the brother Japow, the design’s swallowtail is shorter, the nose is a bit more blunted, the waist width is narrower, and the core slightly differs.

That carved-out tail leads to greater speed and less energy: All you need is to lean back. The board’s core features durable 71% poplar, 26% paulownia, and carbon stringers and an insert in the tail, plus 3% bamboo under the inserts for binding retention, leading to a lighter weight yet poppy ride. The sintered 4001 base is durable. For longevity, the sustainable, strong nylon topsheet is made from castor bean oil. 

As of the 22/23 season, Weston’s splitboards feature tip holes and tail notches to pull on the new brand-specific mohair-mix climbing skins with ease. On the Weston Approach Splitboard Skins ($235), the small reinforced holes are placed at the top-center of each ski nose and the notches are likewise centered, so the skins are straight and transferable between each ski versus being designated to a left or right side. At the top of the skin, the metal, smooth L-shaped hook easily slides into the hole: a Pomoca design. The proprietary clips on the ends are a bit clunky and don’t fit seamlessly with the Revel’s tail notches, due to the deep arch of the swallowtail. But they work. The glue is top-notch, sticky yet clean (again — Pomoca!) One thing to keep in mind is that this skin design is not universal and would not be compatible with other brand’s splitboards. 

Overall, uphilling goes fine with this board. While descending variable snow, we were surprised that the Weston Revel Splitboard edged well through very crunchy, narrow hallways and into sun-baked curbs lining the aisle. Ollieing a fishtail feels silly, and there seemed to be minimal chatter due to less material overall. Nonetheless, this board is the most fun in powder, where it absolutely flies. It’s fast! It’s oh-so fun.

Hats off to the unisex WNDR Alpine BelleTour ($999), a revolutionary new splitboard designed to have the least impact on the planet without compromising on performance. Since the brand’s inception in 2019, WNDR Alpine has redefined the snowsports industry by switching from petroleum-based materials to organic materials in the form of algae to build their skis and snowboards. 

Here, the BelleTour features a directional freeride shape designed for big radius, high speed turns with enough versatility for all conditions. A shovel nose, wide waist, and slight swallow tail give the board plenty of float in powder. Matched with a 7.8 meter radius sidecut the board remains snappy for quick turn initiation. The Algal-Core and sidewalls provide unmatched damping and stability on the descent. The board does feel a bit heavy underfoot coming in at 3300 g or 7.2 lbs (156 cm) but the extra weight felt incredibly stable when powering through chunder or railing turns in variable conditions. 

Sustainable materials really set this splittie apart from other splitboards. First up is the Algal-Core, a composite core made from a mix of microalgae-derived polyurethane and domestically sourced aspen. The bio-based core offers superior dampening properties compared to solid wood core boards. Next is the Algal-Wall sidewall, a cast polyurethane from microalgae oil which is poured as a liquid onto the outside of the core. The Algal-Wall not only uses sustainable materials but also increases impact strength and damping over traditional materials. The board also uses WNDR’s Spiral Plate insert packs or binding inserts made from reclaimed production waste that are shown to outperform in pullout strength testing over traditional wood inserts.

All these combine to a board that rides as good as the feeling that the materials used aren’t harming our planet. Overall, the WNDR Alpine BelleTour is a sustainable splitboard that provides unmatched stability and damping across all types of conditions in the backcountry. 

At just under a grand, the Venture Paragon Splitboard ($949) for men comes in as a rather average-priced option on the market. Pair the price of this board with its ability to handle variable terrain choices and snow, and it’s a good option for those looking to stay under the $1,000 dollar mark.

Unfortunately, unlike other boards in this test, it’s difficult to pin down what the Paragon excels at.

This board seems to handle most terrain OK but not great, failing to really present a wow factor for itself. The flat camber and directional shape do help with float in powder but it is coupled with a damper feel that prevents the board from being playful, resulting in a lifeless feel underfoot. We gave this board a seven on our flex scale which might be overly too stiff to match the flat camper profile which is typically associated with boards of a more playful nature. This differs slightly from the six (of eleven) assigned to this board by Venture.

In the end, the board comes out as one that will suit the needs of an intermediate rider stepping into the backcountry for the first time. If you are unsure of what expectations you have for backcountry riding this board won’t hold you back. It does, however, seem to have a bit of an identity crisis, yes this board is capable of floating through pow and can certainly hold an edge through firm snow. Our testers couldn’t help wondering how much more fun this board could be if it was made a little softer to match to flat camber, or what if it was made with traditional camber to better match the flex?

Regardless, the Venture Paragon Splitboard is still a good all around board for the price, especially considering these whips are handmade at an awesome little factory in Silverton, Colorado.

Let us introduce you to the younger, more playful brother of the Solution: The men’s Jones Stratos Splitboard ($950). While both boards feature a 3D Contour base, which creates 7 mm of spoon in both the nose and the tail, the Stratos is a more directional snowboard featuring a slight swallowtail with 10 mm of tapper. This shape helps the tail sink in powder, which in turn lifts the nose, giving more float and a quicker turn initiation. Jones also shaped a more directional nose to build out a more directional shape. 

Helping to put the directional shapes into effect Jones included a directional flex pattern to match. This means the nose, tail, and center are slightly different flexes, which is unique to the Stratos over the Solution, which has a continuous mid-to-stiff flex. Our testers found this to be one of the stiffest boards we tested with most of the flex in the nose and slight flex in the tail. This was really noticeable in heavy spring slush but also helped with float in powder.  

The Solution and the Stratos are siblings sharing the exact same set of features we’ve known to love from Jones. The Stratos does feature the Traction Tech 3.0, giving it a better edge on the skin track or icy descents. We found the Stratos to be a bit stiffer, more playful, and easier to make quick turns whereas the Solution liked long and fast turns the best, One one particularly deep day of testing we had trouble keeping the more tapered nose above powder especially as it got lower angle but generally this is where the Stratos excelled over the Solution. 

Indeed, the Jones Stratos Splitboard is still a highly versatile splitboard for a range of conditions which aims to fill the gap of playfulness the Solution lacks.