Words by Mark Clavin.
Photos by Simon Berghoef.
What is a better place for a handful of freestyle workhorses to be put to the test than a rope tow? Non-stop laps with no chance of your equipment getting a break until you are ready for a warm drink in the lodge or a cold one in the parking lot. For those that haven’t had the pleasure of sweating while riding in below freezing temps, we highly suggest you toss your board in the car and find the closest one to enjoy. Not only is the setting perfect for testing, it is a immediate reminder of community as every lap up is a perfect time to watch all your friends enjoy their trip down the hill. Tapping Michigan-born photographer Simon Berghoef for his unique take on his home state’s offerings, we sent our 2025 park boards up to Cannonsburg Resort (right outside Grand Rapids, MI) to let the locals flex, slide, pop, and hit everything they could. Over four days with a mix of every type of weather the Midwest can throw, Simon gathered all the evidence we needed to name our new class of Platinum Park Picks. Enjoy.
DISCLAIMER: If you are still looking for a park board for this winter, the next few pages are for you. If you already have one, you might want to skip unless you don’t mind buyer’s remorse or a little jealousy building with every image. The Burton Good Company, Never Summer Llama, Nidecker Sensor Team, Salomon Abstract, Ride Kink, and Rome Artifact all have our stamp of approval and officially enter the halls of top boards for this winter. Get on one or get out of the way because you will definitely see these things charging at your local resort come opening day.
NEVER SUMMER Llama—$659.95
153, 156, 157W, 159
“First time on a Never Summer and I was thoroughly impressed by how fast I felt comfortable on it. Definitely one of the most fun boards I’ve ridden. The triple camber had solid pop and was easy to lock in on turns or flex on rails. My friend Homi rides their boards and I like him.” – Jack Smith
ROME Artifact—$499.95
147, 150, 153, 156, 159, 154W, 157W
“Loved this year’s graphic and it felt amazing to ride. The nose and tail have a double kick lift to them. It’s flexible enough to get into good presses, but also not too flexible to wash out on bigger jumps. The bamboo inserts really make a difference with the pop as well.” – Lucas Rocafort
NIDECKER Sensor Team—$499.95
147, 150, 153, 156, 159
“My favorite part of the board was its forgiveness, not too soft but not too stiff. Perfect middle ground and was a blast to try some new things on. Traditional camber is always the move. This board did exactly what I wanted it to do.” – Koji Buckhold
BURTON Good Company—$449.95
135, 145, 148, 152, 155, 159, 155W, 159W
“Go big, spin fast and when you land it absorbs and makes it so easy to ride away clean. The board locked into rails and honestly the graphic had me in a choke hold. I would definitely recommend. Just a really good all around board.” – Jesse Wood
SALOMON Abstract—$549.95
138, 143, 147, 151, 153, 155, 158, 162, 155W, 158W
“Fast and playful. Good pop. Super snappy in the park. Loved the shape and the white top sheet is clean. I would 100% ride it again.” – Logan Buitton
RIDE Kink—$499.95
155, 157W, 158
“This board gets the job done in any condition, but stands out best in the park. Presses like a dream. It’s playful while still giving me that perfect locked in feeling on rails. And that pink color…turns heads for days. Hits the nail on the head for me.” – Chloe Wright
