34 OUTSIDE MAGAZINE
Dispatches Snowboards
11.19
Wood Grain
Wizardry
FOUR TREE-TOPPED
DESIGNS THAT LOOK AS
GOOD AS THEY RIDE
BY DREW ZIEFF
BEST POWDER BOARD
A. Snoplanks Asym Fish $799
Likely the weirdest snowboard
shape we’ve tested, the Asym
Fish is the epitome of experimen-
tal. The compact heel-side edge
and cockeyed nose are designed
to counter the imbalances
snowboarders feel when standing
sideways. Our crew found the
edge-to-edge action surprisingly
quick. In powder, the unsinkable
nose and light bamboo and car-
bon core imparted ample float.
BEST URBAN BOARD
B. Arbor Westmark Frank April
Edition $499
Arbor’s aesthetic may be rooted
in the woods, but the Westmark is
built for the streets. This is, after
all, the brainchild of Frank April—a
Quebecois renowned for shred-
ding the concrete jungle. Ample
camber lends pop and hold, lead-
ing one rider to claim that “carves
come easy and butters look
steezy.” A park tester warned that
multiple contact points could
lead the board to catch at speed.
BEST CUSTOM BOARD
C. Igneous Dark Star $1,399
Our tester Dark Star boasted a
yellowheart topsheet that was so
beautiful, we wanted to hang it
above the mantel. Those civilized
notions quickly disintegrated:
this beast belongs in the wild.
With a blunt nose, notched tail,
and aggressive sidecut, it draws
clean lines through corduroy. Why
so pricey? Igneous handcrafts
to order, with exotic woods like
orange pine and cocobolo.
BEST FREERIDE BOARD
D. Jones Flagship $650
Jones’s Flagship is a multitool—
not flashy but capable of handling
every type of terrain imaginable.
A set-back stance, camber un-
derfoot, a rockered nose, and stiff
flex deliver the stability that spicy
lines require, while a spoonlike tip
and tail facilitate flowy, effortless
turns. “Responsive in steep trees
and on big landings,” confirmed
one cliff-dropping tester.
ABCD