Snowboarding Types – Freeride, Freestyle, Alpine, Backcountry

How do you snowboard?

Skiing was originally a snow sport that migrated over to water and other surfaces like grass. Snowboarding is a sport that originated in the water and migrated the other way to the snowy mountains. Snowboarding is like surfing on snow.  Surf boards and snowboards have a similar shape and both are controlled by shifting the weight. There are other similarities too – they are both exhilarating, addictive sports that attract a core of enthusiasts.

Snowboarding was developed in the 1960s but it wasn't until the 1990s that it really took off. Today, snowboarding is almost as popular as skiing and is now an Olympic sport. Besides its similarity to surfing, snowboarding owes a lot of its techniques to skateboarding. Many of the exhibition moves that have become a part of snowboarding were developed from skateboarding.

Snowboarding is often compared to skiing but the two sports require quite different techniques. Whereas skiers control their movements by shifting weight from one ski to another, snowboarders shift their weight from side to side and forwards and backwards. 

There are 4 main types of snowboarding and each type uses its own variation on the basic snowboard design.

Freeride

This is the most popular style of snowboarding - freeride snowboards account for 50% of snowboard sales. Freeriders are more focused on the enjoyment of the run itself rather than the tricks or speed practiced in other styles. Freeriders can explore the mountain terrain as they please – through wooded areas or powder bowls or simply on a wide slope. 

Freeride snowboards are usually ridden in one direction. The tail (backside) of the board is narrower and flatter than the tip. It can be ridden backwards but usually only for short distances. These boards are easy to manoeuvre and are suitable for beginners.

Freestyle

Most people associate snowboarding with freestyle – tricks and aerial manoeuvres that borrow heavily from skateboarding.  Freestyle boards are usually shorter and lighter than other snowboards and the boots are softer. This makes them easier to control and allow greater flexibility in body movements. Freestyle boards are upturned at both ends to allow them to be ridden in either direction.

Alpine

Alpine snowboards are designed for groomed ski trails. The board handles more like a ski – it travels in the same direction as it is pointing (rather than the sliding motion used in other snowboards) and turns are sharper and faster. The boards themselves are longer and narrower than other types of snowboards with the boots angled towards the front.  They are designed for speed and are more difficult for the beginner to handle.

Backcountry

This last style of snowboarding was actually the original. In the early days of the sport many ski resorts prohibited snowboards from their trails, so the only option was to hike up a mountain on snowshoes. Today, backcountry snowboarding has a loyal following – some of whom may hire snow cats or helicopters to take them up the mountain.

Freeride boards are the most common for backcountry use, and there are also specialized 'split boards'. These boards are in two detachable halves. When split they can be used as cross-country skis to get up the hill and then they are reattached for the ride down.