Introduction
If you’re passionate about snowboarding, chances are you’ve contemplated expanding your riding experience beyond the snowy slopes by investing in a longboard for off-season training. Many snowboarders find that they can transfer their skills to skateboarding, thanks to their familiarity with board control and balance. During spring and summer months, longboarding becomes a popular way to maintain fitness, improve carving skills, and enjoy a surf-like sensation on pavement. However, not all longboards replicate the snowboarding experience perfectly; selecting the right deck size, shape, trucks, and wheels is essential. Certain riding styles such as freeride and downhill are naturally akin to snowboarding, but even carving on specific boards can evoke that mountain feel.
Similarities Between Snowboarding and Longboarding
Carving on a longboard can closely resemble snowboarding, especially when using wheels designed with a rounded lip and a harder duro, which allows for a sliding or skidding sensation similar to snow presses. While longboard carving can emulate the fluid turns of snowboarding, true edge carving on a longboard is limited; you cannot really ride on the edges like on a snowboard. Nonetheless, the trucks’ lean provides a comparable feeling. Snowboarding emphasizes carving on metal edges instead of sliding, but some surf skate boards with specific designs aim to mimic this precision. When riding a longboard, much like snowboarding, the rider shifts weight onto the front foot for better steering and stability at higher speeds.
Freestyle longboarding, which involves downhill riding combined with sliding tricks like 180s and switch stance, is perhaps the closest to snowboarding. Sliding, a fundamental snowboarding technique for slowing down, requires practice on longboards due to the higher speeds and the need for a suitable setup—low platforms, stable trucks, and appropriate wheels. Mastering slides on a longboard offers effective speed control, especially on inclines, and requires a good balance of technique and confidence.
Characteristics of an Ideal Longboard for Snowboarders
For an authentic snowboarding feel, opt for a drop-through or low-riding deck equipped with softer wheels and high-quality bearings. These features help mimic the carving sensation of snow. Flexible decks with camber profiles also enhance the ability to load up and rebound, generating energy for dynamic turns. Pumping longboards utilize deck flex to gain momentum, making the rider emulate snowboard movements on flat terrain. Snowboarders often prefer trucks set very loose with bushings chosen for carving responsiveness. Some prefer low-angle trucks, such as 43°, paired with barrel bushings for a more skate-like but still carving-oriented experience.
Another innovative approach involves surf skates—boards with specialized geometry trucks that enable tighter and faster turning than standard cruisers, closely replicating surf or snowboard turns. Surf skates can offer a snappy, surf-like feel, though some models are designed to emulate traditional longboarding styles, such as those from Hamboards. Now, let’s explore some recommended longboard setups tailored for snowboarders.
Featured Longboard Models for Snowboarders
Loaded Vanguard
The Loaded Vanguard is a highly regarded snowboard-inspired longboard, designed for exceptional carving and pumping. It comes in full-sized options (38” or 42”) with a lightweight construction that resembles a snowboard in both shape and flex. Its cambered profile features sidecuts, facilitating tight turns and energetic carving. Many riders praise the Vanguard for its snowboard-like ride quality, thanks to its soft flex, which allows deep engagement in turns, especially with Flex 3 specifications. For an even more snowboard-like experience, some add wedge risers or surf skate trucks.
Feedback from enthusiasts like Louis highlights its versatility: “Coming from a surfskate background, I find the Vanguard’s high-speed carving and pumping abilities remarkable. Its flex mimics skiing rebounds, and with larger wheels (85mm), it smooths out rough surfaces. While it can’t be pumped from a standstill, once in motion, it offers fluid, snowboard-like turns with the right pumping technique. The board’s forgiving nature and foot placement tolerance make it a fantastic momentum-based ride.” Louis also notes that setting up trucks loosely and experimenting with bushings enhances carving. Overall, the Vanguard provides an unparalleled carving sensation akin to skiing or snowboarding, making it an ideal off-season training tool.
Arbor Axis
The Arbor Axis stands out as a flagship snowboard-inspired drop-through longboard. Its symmetrical freeride form features large cutouts and sidecuts for precise responsiveness and smooth carving. Available in 37” and 40” sizes, with wheelbases of 27.5” and 30.5” respectively, the Axis boasts a stiff, durable 8-ply maple construction and a low center of gravity for stability at high speeds. Its design facilitates switch riding and sliding, similar to snowboard maneuvers. The medium concave provides secure foot lock-in, while the snowboard-like sidecuts optimize carving ability. This makes it an excellent choice for those seeking a true snowboard feel on pavement.
Landyachtz Fixed Blade
The Fixed Blade offers remarkable stability at higher velocities thanks to its sizable platform, dropped deck, and reinforced concave that locks the rider’s feet in place. Measuring 38” x 9.8”, with a 29” wheelbase, it combines responsiveness with topmount stability, ideal for snowboard-style carving and switch riding. Its robust 8-ply maple deck, reinforced with carbon stringers and fiberglass bottom, ensures durability. Large wheel cutouts accommodate 70mm freeride wheels, enhancing slide control and responsiveness. This board is perfect for riders looking to emulate snowboard carving and sliding on asphalt while maintaining excellent stability and control.
Hamboards: Longboard-Style Surf Skates
Hamboards are stylish, longboard-style surf skates designed to emulate the carving sensation of snowboarding and longboarding. These longboards, extending up to 5 feet, feature spring-loaded trucks that allow tight turns and responsive carving. The 5-foot Logger model is renowned for providing a close experience to snowboarding on moderate hills, thanks to its size and truck design. On flat terrain, gaining momentum requires pushing, but once moving, the snowboarding sensation is quite authentic. Shorter models like the Huntington Hop also serve as effective cross-training tools for off-season snowboarding preparation.
Waterborne Surf Skate Adapter
The Waterborne surf skate adapter transforms any standard longboard into a surf skate, by inserting it between the trucks and the deck. Snowboarders find that applying the Waterborne front and rail adapters to a large deck (40+ inches) offers a carving experience similar to snowboarding, especially when pumping. However, this setup tends to make the back foot more dominant once momentum is built, which can affect sliding. Some users find that attaching the Waterborne to a mini-cruiser enhances body motion and turns, mimicking snowboarding movements. Designed initially to emulate ocean surfing, the Waterborne adapter provides snowboarders with a familiar feel of carving and dynamic turns on pavement, bridging the gap between land and sea riding experiences.