Choosing The Right Snowboard For Your EA Instructor Course

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So, you’ve signed up for your EA Ski & Snowboard instructor course—congratulations! Now, you need to find the perfect snowboard to support your journey toward becoming an instructor. With so many options available, it can be difficult to know where to start. We have compiled our expert advice to help you choose the best board for your snowboard training.

Not all snowboards are created equal. Since you’ll be training to become an instructor, you need a board that can handle a variety of conditions and allow you to refine your technique. Here are the main types:

All-Mountain Board – The best choice for instructor training. It performs well in most conditions and terrain, making it the most versatile option.
Freestyle Board – Great for park riding, but not ideal for learning all aspects of instructing.‍
Freeride Board – Designed for off-piste and powder, but not as well-suited for general training.

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Profile

There are many factors to consider when choosing the right snowboard, but the most important one is its "profile." While modern boards come with plenty of advanced technology, most can generally be classified into four main categories.

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Traditional Camber

In this profile, the center of the board is raised off the ground, creating a natural spring-like effect that enhances "pop." Traditional camber is ideal for carving, responsive performance on groomed runs, and park riding.

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Pros: excellent edge hold, power behind turns, pop for ollies, precise turn initiation, control at high speeds
Rider Style: groomed runs, hard-packed snow and ice, speed, racing
Rider Ability: intermediate and up

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Reverse Camber (Rocker)

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In this profile, the centre of the board, between your feet, stays in contact with the ground while the tips rise upward. Reverse camber is perfect for powder riding, as the lifted tips help you stay afloat. It also makes learning spins easier since the edges are less likely to catch.

For those snowboarders looking at doing a snowboard training or internship in Japow, this board is perfect for riding light, dry champagne powder. Read Tom's story as a snowboard instructor in Japan HERE. He rode a Korua Dart Fish board - A Japanese design. This is a highly versatile ripper for slaying turns in deep pow stashes, and for long drawn out turns on-piste.

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Pros: catch-free feel, looser ride, nose floats in powder and deep snow, quick turn initiation
Rider Style: groomed greens, powder, park
Rider Ability: some boards will be suited to beginners, some suited to advanced park riders or backcountry powder hounds

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Flat Camber

A completely flat camber isn’t the most common profile, but it combines benefits from both traditional and reverse camber. It’s a all-around option, offering solid edge stability on groomed runs while making it easier to stay afloat in powder.

Pros: long effective edge, great edge grip, easy to generate pop, stable, maneuverable
Rider Style: groomed runs, park laps, rails, jumps
Rider Ability: beginners or park rats

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Hybrid Camber

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This is a broad category that blends different camber profiles to create a variety of riding experiences. Some common variations include:

Camber/Rocker – Traditional camber between the feet with rocker at the tip and tail.
Rocker/Flat – Flat camber between the feet with rocker at the tip and tail.
Rocker/Camber – Rocker between the feet with camber zones (humps) underfoot.

Each hybrid design combines different profile elements to offer a unique balance of stability, float, and responsiveness.

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Pros: versatility, power behind turns, pop, float in powder, good turn initiation and edge hold at higher speeds
Rider Style: “all mountain” - groomed runs, off-piste, powder
Rider Ability: from intermediate riders looking to improve, to advanced/expert looking for the power of camber without sacrificing float

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Measurements

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When choosing a snowboard, two key measurements to consider are length and width. Both play a significant role in shaping your riding experience.

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Length:

Many people mistakenly choose a snowboard based primarily on their height. While height does play a role, weight and riding style are even more important factors. Most manufacturers provide specific size recommendations for each board.

A general guideline is to choose a board that reaches between your chin and cheekbone. However, if you're a more aggressive rider or on the taller and heavier side, consider sizing up. On the other hand, if you’re a lighter, shorter, or less aggressive rider, downsizing may be a better option. For the best advice, consult EA Ski & Snowboard training consultants HERE

Width:

The width of your snowboard is crucial to prevent toe and heel drag while turning. At the same time, you don’t want to struggle with an overly wide board if you have small feet.

To avoid drag, ensure your boots don’t overhang the edges by more than 2 inches. If you have larger feet, look for a wide board—most manufacturers offer wide versions of their models. Conversely, if you have smaller feet, opt for a narrower board for better control and responsiveness.

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Flex and Shape

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The final two factors to consider when buying a snowboard are the shape and the flex (or stiffness).

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Snowboard manufacturers are introducing a wide range of fun and unique shapes. However, most boards fit into one of two main categories:

Shape:

Directional: These boards have a clear front and back. They are often designed for powder, with the raised front helping the board stay afloat and the flatter, stiffer back providing better control. However riding switch is a difficult task on a directional board.
Directional Twin: The tip and tail are similar, but with slight differences. These boards have an intended front and back but are more forgiving when riding switch.
Twin: Both ends of the board are identical, making it the most popular shape. Twin boards are easier to ride switch, as both ends perform the same.

Flex:

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The flex of a snowboard is all about how soft or stiff it is, and it can totally transform your ride! Softer boards are perfect for the park, giving you that extra pop for ollie's, spins, and presses, while making manoeuvres like butters feel effortless. Plus, they’re super playful and responsive! On the flip side, stiffer boards are built for power—they give you the stability you need for carving hard, keeping control at high speeds, and smashing down the mountain with precision.

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What snowboard is best for an EA course?

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When it comes to a snowboard instructor course, there’s one board profile that stands out nearly 95% of the time: Traditional Camber. This profile is perfect for mastering the fundamentals, which is crucial for becoming a Level 1 or 2 instructor. You’ll spend a lot of time on-piste, focusing on basic skills before moving on to more advanced carving and edge control.

With traditional camber in mind, we recommend a true twin-shaped board with mid-flex. This setup will give you solid grip while carving and make it easy to switch - which is also apart of the training skills required for the exam. Be sure to follow the manufacturer’s length recommendations, as choosing the right size is key to control. A board that’s too big or small will make things unnecessarily difficult.

And while cool graphics may catch your eye, remember—they’re the least important factor. You won’t even see them once the pow covers your board!

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Why EA Ski and Snowboard Training?

EA Ski and Snowboard Training is the world's largest and most reputable ski and snowboard instructor communities. Besides being one of the worlds largest ski instructor communities, the unique opportunity to offer a job placement. This means that, as long as you pass the exam, we can guarantee a job offer at a ski school.