Flex is the measure of how hard or easy it is to bend a snowboard when you try to bend it along its length. You will find that some boards are stiffer than others and it takes more force which ordinarily means the board has a thicker core. Boards that are harder to flex ordinarily grip the snow better and are more stable. They exert better force on the surface of the snow.

Because of the larger grip and maneuverability they provide, racers and heavier riders will have a preference for stiffer boards.

On the other hand, softer-flexing boards are more matched to lighter and less aggressive riders as well as the type of snowboarders who enjoy performing freestyle tricks. Boards that are softer flexing have thinner cores and are normally lighter.

The term flex pattern is also derived from the overall flex of the board, although this is talking about the total make up of the board. It is actually talking about the amount of flex that the snowboard is capable of at several points. A board may be soft at the front and stiff at the heel or vice-versa. The arrangement of the various flexes to the board is the flex pattern. The different types of materials used in the production of snowboards allows for a mixture of flex patterns and thus there will be a noticeable difference in the way one board performs compared to another.

First you should work out what type of rider you are – non-aggressive or aggressive, light or heavy – and then the style of snowboarding you want to do – Alpine freestyle or freeride. Factors such as these will help you in agreeing on the type of flex that will suit you in your new snowboard.

There are numerous snowboard manufacturers in the industry so the task of buying a snowboard could be hard to do. Snowboards HQ presents a few of the makers out there as well as the range of snowboards obtainable for sale.