Understanding snowboard camber jargon can be overwhelming and quite frankly, confusing. A lot has changed since the good ol' days of camber, camber and more camber. The market is now flooded with all kinds of snowboard cambers and to make matters even more confusing, different brands call the same snowboard profiles different names. Yes, it's all a bit overwhelming for you guys who just want to grab a board, hit the hill and have a hoot! Well here at First Tracks, we want to help you understand camber profiles so you can easily choose the right snowboard for your needs and start shredding.
Okay so we are going to break down the Camber's for you from the easiest to ride "looser" profiles to the most aggressive to ride with the ultimate edge to edge response.
Reverse Camber, Rocker, Banana
Reverse camber is the easiest profile to learn to snowboard on and is a great choice for beginner to intermediate riders. The raised contact points of the reverse camber profile means the board turns with little effort and catching an edge is near to impossible. Reverse camber boards are also great for those who love a "looser" surfy riding feel. For all those playful riders that love to butter and learn on snow tricks reverse camber is for you. Reverse camber is also really fun in powder as the raised contact points help with float in deeper snow.
Flat Camber, Flat Top
Flat camber is great for those who want a little more control then reverse camber but don't want quite the aggression of traditional camber. This is a great option for cruizy riding that still performs with stability. Beginners to intermediate riders will enjoy this camber, as well as park rats due to the flat surface being great for locking onto rails and catch free sliding .
Flying V, Hybrid Camber, V rocker
Flying V is a hybrid of both rocker and camber, this carefully engineered profile is designed to give you aggression and performance where you need it (under foot) and maneuverability, float and catch free edging. This camber comes in many forms with the rocker, camber and sometimes flat zones varying in intensity from board to board. This camber profile is for the person that wants to carve the mountain but also wants a board to float in powder, be forgiving on a lazy turn and spin and jib catch free. One could say this is your ultimate quiver profile. You can ride this camber just about anywhere and you will be pleasantly surprised with its versatility.
Rock out Camber
Rock out camber is a popular option for riders of varying ability. Generally suited best to intermediate to advanced riders. Rock out camber boasts the benefits of camber with increased pop and a slightly more forgiving tip and tail. this is a great choice for riders that love the response and aggression of camber but want to enjoy a little more playfulness. The raised tip and tail helps with float in powder snow.
Camber
True camber is the most aggressive of the cambers. It's old school, it's back in fashion, it's the bomb!! Camber is for those of you that want to carve hard, dig that edge in, ride fast, ride hard, and continue to push the limits of your riding. Camber suits intermediate to advanced riders who like strong edge hold and stability at speed. If your riding camber you generally have the ability to take this board from the park, to the backcountry and into those powder stashes. Camber is for the skilled and adventurous.
Now you have down low on camber's you should be able to assess your riding style, ability and desires to pick the right camber to have you smiling from ear to ear, lap after lap.