Christine Savage on the Ride Psychocandy. p: Jeff Baker
The testing crew. p: Baker
Christine checks out the line up of boards. p: Mark Clavin
Ally Watson on the Rome Ravine. p: Clavin
Abby Furrer on the Rome Muse. p: Baker
Mary Sardinskas takes the Shannon Dunn re-issue for a few laps. p: Walsh
p: Clavin
Ally Watson on the Never Summer Proto. p: Clavin
Hydration breaks. p: Walsh
The Rome Muse. p: Clavin
Abby feels out the flex of the Never Summer Infinity.
While Christine checks out the Arbor Mantra.
Kelsey Boyer taking the Salomon No Drama on some sidehits. p: Clavin
p: Clavin
After-riding necessity, Igloo Cooler. p: Walsh
Main Lodge parking lot hangs. Thank you Igloo and Rumpl for the support of the test! p: Walsh

ISO: Daily Driver – The Snowboard Magazine 2024 Women’s Board Test

words: Ally Watson
October 31, 2023

OUR SECOND ANNUAL WOMEN’S AND GENDERLESS BOARD TEST WENT DOWN under sunny spring skies at Mammoth Mountain last April. While it was generally late season for most of the testers, Mammoth wasn’t showing any signs of shutting things down after its colossal season. The mountain had seen such immense snowfall that a lot of the natural features and bigger side hits had gone MIA. By the time we got there, the storm cycles had slowed, and we were graced with classic spring riding the entire week.

The focal point of this year’s board test was to find women’s and genderless boards that can do it all. We were hunting for quiver killers that would actually kill a quiver. Sure, some riders might have a collection of boards racked up in their garage, different sizes and shapes, with a purpose or a significance for every one of them. And without diving deep into the storytelling of collections, a quiver doesn’t have to be huge; it can be made up of any amount of artillery a rider hangs onto, which for most, is a few different boards with opposing purposes. Of course, this isn’t an option or desire for everyone, for a variety of reasons. But whether your personal fleet is expansive, specific, or made of one, it’s a great feeling to find a board that you love and can depend on for just about everything; that single deck that you know you’re going to have a good time on and that allows you to keep your program uncomplicated and fun.

OUR 2024 TESTERS

So, with the seemingly infinite surplus of options out there, this year’s board test focused on keeping things simple by aiming to find true do-it-all decks that a rider can rely on as a daily driver no matter the conditions. We assembled a team of seven experienced testers from different regions and backgrounds to put the boards through the paces and pick their favorites. While every board was designed to competently do it all, some prioritized freestyle design and others leaned toward freeriding. Luckily, Mammoth’s terrain and springtime park offerings provided plenty of proving ground for the boards to shine, and our testers took full advantage of everything the mountain had to offer.

Over the course of the week, we were able to identify six snowboards that can go everywhere and do everything. Of course, it was difficult to pin down the best quiver-killing performers, and as the testers swapped boards back and forth, they discussed whether each board could transition easily from pow to park, or steeps to side hits, to ensure its versatility. The results came through after endless chairlift chats and a few gutter balls at the bowling alley, but with a crew of riders just as diverse as the boards themselves, it was with authentic insights that our final list of favorite boards came together. Over the following pages, we present the results of the 2024 Snowboard Magazine Women’s Board Test, the best daily driver snowboards at shops this season.

Over the next month, we will be dropping videos of the tester’s six favorite snowboards from Arbor, Burton, Never Summer, Ride, Rome, and Salomon. Stay tuned our YouTube and @snowboardmag to see which were selected as the best 2024 daily driver snowboards. Thank you Rumpl and Igloo for supporting the Snowboard Magazine 2024 Women’s Snowboard Test!