Abstract: Though the sport of snowboarding is not new, it has taken many years to understand the specific characteristics which are required for making snowboards. There is better understanding of the dynamic bending properties needed for current riders, especially for the competition driven rider whose demands require boards with different tip, tail and middle characteristics. Early snowboard designers understood the use of snowboards as articles for gliding down a snow covered slope making long curving turns, where tips and tails would be as stiff as the middle core. But now, the boards are jumped into the air, launching from half pipes edges and sliding down steel rails, requiring different flex contours. Snowboards are now required to be very flexible yet elastic being required to bend convexly and concavely, yet springing back to their shape immediately, with some riders wanting stiff tips or soft tails or a combination of both.

Abstract: Though the sport of snowboarding is not new, it has taken many years to understand the specific characteristics which are required for making snowboards. There is better understanding of the dynamic bending properties needed for current riders, especially for the competition driven rider whose demands are ever changing, driving research and development to new levels on a daily basis. The early designs of snowboards were based on principals learned from the ski industry. Early snowboard designers did not understand or anticipate the use of snowboards as articles for gliding down a snow covered slope making long curving turns and at the same time, the boards to be jumped into the air, launching from half pipes edges and sliding down steel rails. Some of the differences from skis to snowboards can be seen in the prior art for skis. Skis are made for quick turns with a desire to stay firmly attached to the snow surface, where snowboards are made for long carving turns and jumping.