It's easy to be tempted by graphics when buying a snowboard, but don't overlook the amount of research and technology that goes into good boards. Chris Leigh, gear expert at Mervin Manufacturing, shares his tips on what to look for.

What's new in snowboards this season?

We've got a few new boards this season. One of my favorites is from GNU's new Impossible series. It's one of the first boards in the world to use magnesium fibre in its construction. This board has more pop than any other board. It also uses EC2, our newest base profile. This profile has rocker between your feet and in the nose and tail. The elliptical camber design puts the camber [the gap under the centre of a snowboard when it is placed on a flat surface] right under your inserts, making it very forgiving, but still powerful. The Impossible also has the new Pickle technology, which gives you a deeper sidecut on your heelside edge, making your heelside edge more responsive.

Also new is Lib Tech's Horsepower construction on the Travis Rice HP, Banana Magic, Birdman and Travis Rice Split boards. This new construction uses our best wood core, the Columbia Gold eco wood. This wood is a combination of five different species. It is fast growing and is 20% lighter than aspen with the same strength. Horsepower also uses 100% basalt glass laminate, which is 94% stronger than traditional fiberglass. The biggest new genre in snowboards over the last few years has been split boards, mostly for experienced snowboarders venturing out into the backcountry. The boards split down the middle to become a pair of skis for touring, then they transform back into a snowboard when you get to the top of your pristine run.

Another emerging trend is the powder hybrid. These boards are designed to excel in the deep powder, with increased surface areas and specific base profiles. With the popularity of heli-boarding and boarding with snowmobile access, there is a higher demand for boards that have more float, like the Dirty Pillow, Birdman and Banana Hammock.

What should people of different skill levels look for when choosing a board?

The main things to be aware of are board size, width, base profile and torsional stiffness.

Identifying the kind of riding you do will help you choose your board size. For the powder seeker, make sure that your board is big enough to float efficiently when you get to the good stuff. A freestyle rider would want a shorter board for jumps and tricks. A good tip is to be aware of the width of the board--you want to match the board width to your feet as closely as you can. Avoid boards that are too wide or narrow. 

The new base profiles are specific to the different kinds of riding. Boards with C2 and EC2 have Magne-Traction [serrated edge] and rocker between your feet, and camber in the nose and tail. These have the maximum amount of edge contact and are perfect for power freestyle and freeriding. Banana tech has Magne-Traction and rocker between the feet and flat tips. These are a bit looser and more forgiving. This profile is perfect for freestyle riders and great for entry level riders, as it eliminates the toeside edge catching issue of old camber boards. An advanced rider would want a board that excels at high speeds. The board needs to have torsional stiffness so that it doesn't twist. Torsionally stiff boards hold an edge better at high speeds, where as torsionally soft boards are more forgiving and are recommended for entry level riders.

How have boards changed over the years?

Our boards used to have camber and radial sidecuts, now they have Magne-Traction and multiple base profiles. On the inside, we are now using magnesium fibre, basalt fibre, liquid crystal polymer, vectran fibre.

How much of performance is dependent on gear?

The right gear makes everything easier for you and helps you enjoy your day more.

Top 5 picks for boards this season?

• GNU Impossible series
• Lib Travis Rice Horsepower
• Lib Banana Magic
• Lib Attack Banana
• GNU Park Pickle

What do you see changing in boards over the next few years?

More specific base profiles, more high-end materials, lighter and more responsive snowboards.