Snowboard NOSE & TAIL - How to choose a snowboard .info

Choose it like a proby CASI-ACMS snowboard instructorsTrust no copycats!All in one placeRead less, ride more |

Choose it like a proby CASI-ACMS snowboard instructorsTrust no copycats!All in one placeRead less, ride more |

Go to content
start > Board > Specs.
Snowboard NOSE AND TAIL shapes
Except for when riding deep stuff, the influence that the size and shape of the nose and tail of a snowboard can have in the boards performance is not that big (even the offset stance setback has more influence), so much people just choose a cool shape that they like. Snowboard brands know that and use the shape of the nose and tail of their snowboards to catch your eye, brands are coming out all kinds of outlines on the snowboards noses and tails. The size and shape of the nose and tail of the snowboard comes more into play when riding powder, slush or mixed conditions and when popping ollies and nollies.

snowboard nose and tail vs efective edge



snowboard round nose/tailNormal round nose and tail
The typical snowboard tips, or maybe not so much anymore. For a long time it was the only nose and the most common tail and have always worked just fine.





snowboard blunt nose/tailSmaller, starighter nose (Blunt nose)
More control and less energy spent, because of less swing weight
You can ride a smaller size with the same control, because with the same snowboard size it has more effective edge than the normal nose.
Easier nose/tail grabs and fewer hook-ups on rails, because of the smaller board size that'll make
Sinks easily when below the surface (in powder) because by being smaller the nose also becomes lower and flatter, but float well because of its large surface.


snowboard big noseBigger nose
Sinks less and floats more in powder, slush and mixed snow conditions because it's more curved and has more surface (the front of the board gets bigger).
The snowboard noses tend to get pointier when they get bigger. A big wide nose will float more but with more weight, more swing weight and less control. Can be nice on short and wide powder boards.



snowboard big pointy nosePointier nose (straighter shape)
Less shattering / more control, because it cuts better through the snow, even smaller noses.
A pointier nose saves on weight while adding size, and because it doesn't add that much swing weight and because of the shape itself (that helps controlling your direction on fluffy powder, much like the point of a surfboard does in the water) will float more and more precisely in deep powder.




snowboard swallow tailSwallow tail
Strictly for powder sticks. The swallow shape helps with spreading your weight keeping it in the center of your back foot, and it works a bit like fin in a surfboard giving you more precision. Is usually flatter, making riding switch an impossible thing. Also helps the tail to sink, like a pointy tail or a short one.




snowboard pointy tailPointy tail / Short tail
They will help the back of the board to sink.
A pointy tail gives you a bit more precision, like the surfboards fins, as does the swallow tail.




snowboard asymmetrical tailAsymmetrical tail
Stay away from Asymmetrical tails if you are focusing on olies and manuals, they can throw you of balance. The better / stronger you ride, the less of a problem this is. You'll find asymmetrical tails in most asymmetrical snowboards but you may find it in any other type of snowboard too, the snowboard brands have been cutting the noses and tails in different shapes because it looks ...well, different, and cool.
Back to content