Snowboarding Glossary: Essential Terms for SnowboardersUpdated 6 months ago

Advanced Tricks, Technologies, Regional Slang, and Historical Terms in Snowboarding

Advanced Tricks

**63. Backside Rodeo
A trick that combines a backflip with a 180-degree spin, creating a unique off-axis rotation. The trick demands precise body control and is popular in freestyle and big-air competitions.

**64. Frontside Boardslide (FS Board)
A jib trick where the rider approaches a rail or box from the frontside and slides with the board perpendicular to the rail. A foundational rail trick, it’s also one of the first tricks many riders learn in the park.

**65. Method
A stylish grab where the rider pulls their back leg up while grabbing the heel edge, arching their back for maximum flair. Known as one of the most iconic snowboarding tricks, it’s a crowd-pleaser and a testament to a rider’s control.

**66. Double Cork
A high-level aerial trick involving two inverted off-axis flips. Double corks are common in big air and slopestyle events, requiring both amplitude and precision to land.

**67. Backside 540 (BS 540)
A half-turn spin where the rider performs a 540-degree rotation with their back facing the jump. The “backside” label indicates the initial direction of rotation, with many variations based on grabs and stance.

**68. Handplant
A trick where the rider plants one hand on the edge of a halfpipe or banked wall while momentarily inverting their body. This old-school trick has become a favorite among pipe riders and showcases strength and style.

**69. Cab 720
A 720-degree spin initiated from a switch (opposite) stance. Named after skateboarding legend Steve Caballero, Cab spins add style and technicality, especially when paired with unique grabs.

**70. McTwist
A trick that combines a flip and a 540-degree spin, named after skateboarder Mike McGill. The McTwist requires a controlled off-axis rotation and is a highlight move in both skate and snow halfpipe.

Specialized Snowboarding Technologies

**71. Asymmetrical Sidecut
A sidecut with a tighter radius on the heelside edge to improve carving and balance. Asymmetrical boards cater to a more natural stance, helping riders maintain stability through turns.

**72. Carbon Stringers
Thin, carbon fiber strips embedded into the snowboard to enhance responsiveness, torsional rigidity, and pop. Commonly found in high-performance boards for advanced freeriders and big mountain enthusiasts.

**73. Hybrid Camber
A mixed profile combining camber and rocker sections, creating a balance between pop, stability, and float. Hybrid camber is versatile and increasingly popular for all-mountain and freestyle boards.

**74. Poplar-Bamboo Core
A core construction that combines poplar wood with bamboo for a lightweight, responsive feel. Known for its strength and natural flex, this core is common in eco-friendly and high-performance boards.

**75. Biaxial and Triaxial Fiberglass
Layers of fiberglass woven in different directions. Biaxial fiberglass (woven at two angles) offers flexibility, while triaxial (woven at three angles) provides stiffness, ideal for stability at high speeds.

**76. Titanal
A high-strength alloy of aluminum commonly used in snowboard cores for added stability and vibration dampening. Boards with Titanal construction handle well at high speeds and on rough terrain.

**77. Splitboard Skins
Adhesive-backed strips that attach to the bottom of a splitboard, allowing it to grip the snow while climbing. Essential for backcountry touring, skins are typically made of nylon, mohair, or a blend of both.

**78. V-Rocker
A rocker profile with a V-shape, featuring rockered sections in both the tip and tail and a flat middle. The V-Rocker design enhances float and playfulness in powder, making it suitable for freestyle and all-mountain boards.

**79. TBT (Triple Base Technology)
A unique board shape with a lifted side edge in the nose and tail, creating a 3D base profile. Triple Base Technology offers smoother turns, catch-free rides, and better float in powder.

**80. Urethane Sidewalls
A dampening material used in snowboard sidewalls to absorb impacts and reduce chatter. Urethane sidewalls add durability and a smoother ride on rough, icy terrain.

Regional Slang

**81. Japow
A combination of “Japan” and “powder,” referring to Japan’s famously deep, light, and dry powder snow. Known worldwide, Japow is ideal for powder boards and revered by powder enthusiasts.

**82. Cham’ Lines
A term referring to the legendary off-piste lines in Chamonix, France, where extreme freeride routes are the norm. Cham’ lines often feature steep chutes, cliffs, and glaciers.

**83. Sierra Cement
Heavy, wet snow often found in California’s Sierra Nevada mountains. Sierra Cement is challenging to ride due to its weight, requiring boards with a wider nose and more float.

**84. Cascade Concrete
A Pacific Northwest term for dense, sticky snow that’s often wetter than traditional powder. Riding on Cascade Concrete can be tiring, so riders may opt for a stiffer, more responsive board.

**85. Euro Carve
A style of carving popular in Europe, particularly among alpine snowboarders, involving deep, low-to-the-ground turns. The Euro Carve shows off a rider’s edge control and commitment.

**86. Chili Powder
Refers to the light, dry snow found in the Andes mountains of Chile. Perfect for powder riding, this type of snow is known for its floaty, forgiving texture.

**87. Boilerplate
An East Coast term for hard-packed, icy snow that’s difficult to ride on. Requires sharp edges and a stable board to handle the slick surface.

**88. Dumped
Slang for heavy snowfall, indicating a large amount of fresh powder has accumulated. A “dump” is a snowboarder’s dream for a fresh, floaty ride.

Historical Terms

**89. Snurfer
The original predecessor to the snowboard, invented in 1965 by Sherman Poppen. The snurfer was a small board with a rope handle for steering, and it set the stage for modern snowboarding.

**90. Craig Kelly
Known as the “Godfather of Freeriding,” Kelly was a pioneer in the 1980s who influenced the style and spirit of modern snowboarding. He helped shape freeriding as a discipline and popularized backcountry snowboarding.

**91. Apocalypse Snow
A 1983 French film series that featured snowboarders riding in Chamonix, France. It helped bring snowboarding to European audiences and showcased freeriding’s potential.

**92. Banana Technology
Introduced by Mervin Manufacturing (parent company of Lib Tech), Banana Technology introduced the rocker shape to snowboarding in 2007. It created a trend of reverse-camber boards that made tricks and powder riding more accessible.

**93. Ingemar’s Method
Named after Ingemar Backman, who performed a groundbreaking method air in 1996. The trick, performed with incredible height, was a landmark moment in snowboarding style.

**94. Burton Air
A popular board model from Burton Snowboards in the 1980s and 1990s, known for being a lightweight, all-purpose board that helped drive the sport's popularity in North America.

**95. Tom Sims
One of the early pioneers of snowboarding and skateboarding, Sims founded Sims Snowboards and played a significant role in the development of early boards and gear. His brand remains iconic.

**96. Skate-Influence Era
Refers to the period in the late 80s and early 90s when snowboarders adopted tricks and styles from skateboarding, leading to more technical and trick-based riding in parks.

**97. Alpine Snowboarding Renaissance
A movement in the 90s that focused on alpine carving and speed. Though less popular today, alpine snowboarding paved the way for precision-focused boards and techniques.

**98. X Games Arrival
The 1997 debut of snowboarding at the Winter X Games helped legitimize the sport and brought it to mainstream audiences, showcasing tricks like spins, flips, and halfpipe riding on a large stage.

**99. Heli-Snowboarding Boom
Heli-snowboarding, where helicopters take riders to remote backcountry locations, became a luxury trend in the late 90s. Heli-snowboarding offers access to untouched powder and challenging, isolated terrain.

**100. Big Air Explosion
The mid-2000s saw an explosion in big air events, where riders performed huge tricks on massive jumps. This era of big air helped introduce snowboarding to a broader audience, pushing the limits of what was possible.