Calls for More High Quality, Female-Specific Snowboard Gear are Being Answered

Calls for more high quality, female-specific snowboard gear are being answered. For 2018, a handful of super durable and first-ever designs for both snowboarding and splitboarding is up for delivery. Here are eight top picks from brands prioritizing their ladies’ line.

1) Oracle Split | Venture

“With women’s splitboards, it seems that manufacturers are offering fewer model and size options for female backcountry enthusiasts [compared to male], even though women’s participation in splitboarding is growing—maybe the numbers aren’t as great as what manufacturers initially thought they would be,” said Venture Vice President Lisa Branner.

—But female riders range from short and petite to more than 6 feet tall, so two sizes don’t accommodate for all, she explained. Given such a broad demographic and spectrum of terrain preference, Venture made it their mission to expand their women’s splitboard selection.

The Oracle Split is Venture’s first women’s specific all-mountain splitboard. The profile is Straight-Line Rocker with flat underfoot to a mellow rise on the nose and tail, just outside the bindings. Compared to Venture’s Freeride Tempest, the Oracle Split is a bit less of a pow-centric board and friendlier in all conditions from ice to groomers, hardpack and pow (specs versus specs: the Oracle’s taper is more mellow, so the tail isn’t as narrow; the stance setback is milder; the nose is stiffer).

What makes the Oracle women-tailored? The flex pattern and tighter stance options, for two.

2) Jones MTB | Thirty Two

“A lot of our boot line was targeted towards women who ride in the park or was a lot more forgiving. We saw an opportunity to offer a more supportive boot on the stiffness range—that’s more like a 9 or 10—and more performance-driven and a burlier build with all of the bells and whistles,” said James Kim, Brand Merchandizing Manager and Senior Footwear Designer.

The result: Jones MTB, the brand’s debut (and possibly the first-ever) ladies’ specific splitboard boot.

The Vibram outsole is crampon compatible, a fill-zip gaiter covers the laces to protect them from freezing and getting soaked, and there’s a Walk Mode Collar: controlled by a Boa release system, the collar can fold down to offer a wider range of mobility and comfort while skinning and walking. The Elite Liner is injected with Energy Foam—which means it’s supposed to be supportive, comfortable and survive a hammering.

The design features a lower collar height than the men’s version and is constructed with a women’s last shape.

“More women are going bigger outside of traditional snowboarding and doing skinning and splitboarding, and we saw a need to support them,” he explained. “Men and women ride the same, but as a natural byproduct of the sport existing over a long time or having more people do the sport, you’ll see people spread out and not just pigeonhole themselves into one way.”

3) Upshot | Bent Metal Binding Works

Bent Metal Binding Works launched this season. Next up, they’re ready to debut the Upshot: their first women’s all-mountain freestyle binding.

The binding design is modeled after a snowboard’s sandwiched layers. Beneath the footbed is a composite panel with a topsheet, core, bottom sheet and glass.

“Now, the binding is wide open to the types of materials that can be used in order to create a fine-tune flex, like a snowboard. Designers and creators can grab the same materials off of the shelf,” explained Mervin Manufacturing Binding Category Manager Paul Ferrel.

Riders can switch out that panel—called the drive plate—for stiffer or softer support. The plate features a sublimation graphic that’s heated and infused, so the image is saturated with rich color. And the high back’s forward lean adjuster is a progressive cube-shape that’s easy and simple to twist to varying angles.

4) The Arc | Spark R&D

Piece by piece, Spark R&D is expanding their in-house production—and this year adds a new level to the ladies’ specific splitboard bindings. Using a 3D-scan process, they collected data from various women’s boots and dialed in the optimal strap shapes for two her-binding options. The Arc is more flexible while the Surge is stiffer.

5) Scarlett Bib | Strafe

Made for touring, these ladies’ bibs are waterproof-breathable, feature a stretchy back panel, zippered side entry and burly Cordura hem guards. The elastic halter suspender is adjustable. But to steal the gold, these bibs took SKI’s Hot Gear award for the drop-seat design: ladies don’t need to even remove their jacket for a relief break.

6) Mission Pro 25 | Dakine

Made for backcountry, the women’s Mission Pro 25 features two options for toting boards—compression wings for vertical placement or a horizontal carry flap—plus a third option for holding skis. Inside, you’ve got avalanche tool pockets and a goggle pocket.

“We go to big lengths to make sure the packs are the same volume but have women’s specific fit with slightly shorter torso lengths, curved shoulder straps, a more canted or angled waist belt, narrower shoulder strap exit points for shoulder width, and a higher adjustment range on sternum strap,” explained Nate Kuder, Dakine Product Line Manager for Technical Packs and Luggage.

7) Sequoia Down Jacket | Holden

Adding another eco-friendly element: Holden is launching their first responsibly tracked and sourced Allied Feather down jackets. The line includes the women’s Sequoia.

The Japanese nylon smooth-weave fabric is waterproof-breathable fabric (20K/20K) and critically seam sealed. Yes, there are underarm vents. The zippers are the unbeatable YKK, the powder skirt is removable, and the 3-way adjustable hood is DWR treated.

8) Nitro

Nitro upped their focus on the women’s apparel. “I designed laterally across the line, so whatever I did for the men’s or women’s designs, I would do for the opposite. I didn’t want to cheap out on the women’s options,” explained Doni Tso, Nitro Snowboards Design Lead for Outerwear.

The 3.5-layer women’s Monashee Jacket incorporates an as-lightweight-as-possible powder skirt, sleeve gaiter and thumbhole, ultra low-profile snaps, a whistle, and 37.5 technology, which helps to regulate temperature.

“37.5 is basically carbonized coconut husks ground down to ultra small active particles and then applied to the side of the fabric that is closest to your body, which help the rider to maintain their optimal body temperature by moving water vapor and sweat away from the body,” explained Tso.