A photographic study of the beauty in the lines. From our latest print issues.

Let’s take a moment to appreciate the line and form unique to the design of every snowboard. From the hourglass sidecut to tip and tail shapes and even various camber profiles, each one is meticulously engineered to perform a specific way in a certain set of conditions. Being the product editor here at Snowboard, I’ve got a lot of gear (both snowboarding and camera) kicking around, and Nidecker’s Snow.Surf trio is something worth plenty of special attention.

The short, stout Mosquito, versatile, mid-length Smoke and aptly named 174cm Gun make up this collection, and their shared aesthetic (as well as the way they ride) conjures up the vibe of the SR-71 Blackbird. The Cold War–era spy plane, funded by the CIA and developed by Kelly Johnson under Lockheed’s Skunk Works division, embodied the ultimate in sleekness. Introduced in 1964 and designed to push the envelope of possibilities at the uppermost edge of the atmosphere while reaching unfathomable speeds, the SR-71 still holds the records for both the highest and the fastest air-breathing manned aircraft—records that were set in 1976.

Nidecker’s three-board Snow.Surf quiver takes a similar approach to the snow. Like the SR-71, this collection is built specifically for challenging the upper echelon of snowboarding. The faster you take these boards, the happier they are—and honestly, you won’t find their speed limit. The 174cm Gun’s 10-meter sidecut radius lives for speed, and even the 148cm Mosquito, with a tight 7-meter sidecut radius but extremely stiff flex, loves flirting with the fall line.

Just like the Blackbird, the Snow.Surf offerings have lines and chines that enhance each board’s sleekness through the snow. Aside from looks, extended convex sidewalls transmit additional energy from tip to tail and create a strong, precise edge hold at extreme angulation. The Gun, Smoke and Mosquito are also shaped for speed, with elongated, sleek radial blends that form each model’s nose. These relaxed arcs allow the boards to slice easily through the snow’s surface while on edge, as well as create a larger surface area in the nose for better powder flotation. When combined with the speed these boards are capable of operating at, it opens up a whole new vision of the mountain.

Photographed with a Pentax 6×7, using a 105mm f/2.4 lens, on Ilford Delta 100 silver gelatin film.