Home » 2026 Short / Wide Favorite Snowboards – A Best of List

2026 Short / Wide Favorite Snowboards – A Best of List

Welcome to the 2026 Short / Wide Favorite Snowboards list that comes from more extensive testing and comparing than any other list you will read. 

What Is A Short/Wide Snowboard To The Good Ride?

If you want to know what Short Wide boards are for us? These boards are a lot like Alternative Freeride and Freeride boards but come in a shorter, wider package. If you want to know more, you can also check out a detailed breakdown at The Good Ride Riding Styles Explained article.

This Is Not A Pay To Play Short / Wide Favorites / Best Of List

If you don’t know The Good Ride, these boards earned their spot solely by how they ride. I’ve ridden close to 1,000 snowboards and extensively tested and compared them. Nobody else does this.

Stranda Biru $869 (Made To Turn)

Ability Level: Advanced To Expert

Shape: 12mmTaper and Directional

Setback:-20mm @ 21.25” On Sidecut / -4.5” @ 21.5” Set All The Way Back

Camber Profile: Almost Full Camber With A Little Early Rise Before The Nose

Flex: Medium Stiff Flex

Positives/Swipe Right

• Incredibly Fun To Carve
• Great Pop
• Super Fast Base
• Above Average Grip
• Good Float For This Much Camber
• Not Bad In All Conditions

Negatives/Swipe Left

• Not a lot of sizes
• Can Be Unforgiving/Catchy

Summary

The Stranda Biru is a special board because it has a super-fast base, lots of camber, amazing pop, a little extra disruption in the sidecut for more grip, and it’s just an amazing board to turn and get air with. It’s not that bad in powder either for being an almost full camber ride. There aren’t many boards like this on the list, and this is my favorite of all the boards for carving, with the Gnu Gremlin being a close second and a better board for harder snow, but we’ll get into that later. This has a really special across-the-groomer and circle carve to it that really tickles my taint.

Full Stranda Biru Review

Buy Direct From Stranda –  $690 Buy it Now

 

Telos Backslash $649 (Short Wide Versatility)

Ability Level: Intermediate to Expert

Shape: -16mm Taper and Pretty Directional

Setback: -20mm @ 21.25” On Contact Length / -4” @ 22” Set All The Way Back

Camber Profile: Directional Camber with more early rise in the nose and a lot less in the tail. 

Flex: Medium-Stiff

Positives/Swipe Right

• Really Short & Really Wide
• Turny / Slashy
• Easy Float For Its Size
• Very Fun To Carve
• Above Average Base Glide
• Very Good In Uneven Snow For Being So Short/Wide
• 2026 Has Better Dampening

Negatives/Swipe Left

• Sizes 5cm apart instead of 2-3cm

Summary

The Telos Back Slash ride’s really short and wide, but it’s more damp than you would think, without taking anything away from this really easy, fun pop. I’ve ridden this in a 153 and 148, and I only wish there was a size in between, but I prefer the 148. I was lucky enough to get the Back Slash in all conditions, everything from powder to uneven snow, and I was really impressed at how well it performed. It’s a very fun, versatile, turny, slashy, do anything kind of short wide that I think a lot of people really appreciate.

Full Telos Backslash Review

Buy From

Telos– $799 Buy it Now

Backcountry – $799 Buy it Now

 

 

K2 Excavator $599 (Slashy / Turny / Floaty)

Ability Level: Intermediae To Expert

Shape: 20mm of Taper and Very Directional

Setback:-20mm On Sidecut @ 20” / -4.625” @ 20.75” Set Back

Camber Profile: Directional Camber with a touch of early rise before the tail and a good bit before the nose

Flex: Medium-Stiff / Upper Tier Pop

Positives/Swipe Right

• More Poppy Than Most K2 Rides
• More Damp Than Most Boards With Light/Poppy Construction
• Solid Float
• Above Average Carver

Negatives/Swipe Left

• Base Glide Could Be Better

Summary

The K2 Excavator is another fun, setback, turny, versatile, do-it-all kind of short wide that I think a lot of people will appreciate. And while it doesn’t have the fastest base, it does hold wax very well, and it’s a very fun board in powder if sized right.  The reason the excavator made the list is that it’s just such an easy board to ride. It doesn’t do any one thing great, but it does everything really well, and I like this lighter, poppier, but not too chattery, construction with K2 versus their damper construction in other models. That is, of course, my personal preference, and if you like really damp boards, then maybe you wanna look at the Almanac when we talk about that later.

Full K2 Excavator Review

Buy From

Our Best Partner – Blauer Board Shop – $599 Buy it Now

Evo – $599 Buy it Now

Sun & Ski $599 Buy it Now

Tactics – $599 Buy it Now

Christy Sports– $599 Buy it Now

REI– $599 Buy it Now

 

Lib Tech Orca $649 (Turny / Slashy / Forgiving / Great Grip / Great Float)

Ability Level: Committed Beginners To Expert Riders

Shape: 10mm Taper and Very Directional.

Setback: -2.5″ @ ?? On Sidecut. -4.125” @ 21.75″ Set All The Way Back

Camber Profile: Directional Hybrid Rocker
Flex: Medium Stiff / Great Pop

Positives/Swipe Right

• Fun To Carve Groomers
• Good Grip in Smooth hard snow
• Very Good Float
• Good Pop

Negatives/Swipe Left

• Not The Best In Hard Uneven Snow

Summary

The Lib Tech Orca’s base is thirsty, and it has a very loose auto-spinny feel. However, once you get used to it, this can be an amazing board for those who see hard snow and are good at keeping the board on edge at all times to mitigate that loose feeling, while also wanting a forgiving, floaty, easy ride in powder. And while this doesn’t carve as hard as many boards on this list, it still has a very special turn. Especially if you engage the camber over the back foot, it really springs out of the turn well.

Full Lib Tech Orca Review

Buy From 

Our Best Partner – Blauer Board Shop – $599 Buy it Now

Evo – $599 Buy it Now

Sun & Ski Sports – $599 Buy it Now

Tactics – $599 Buy it Now

Christy Sports– $599 Buy it Now

REI– $599 Buy it Now

 

 

Gnu Gremlin $749 (Exceptional Grip / Poppy Springy Carver)

Ability Level: Advanced to Expert

Shape: 12mm Taper / Very Set Back & Directional
Setback: 2” @ ?? on sidecut / -4” @ 21.5” back on board

Camber: Full Camber With a Passive Bend in the middle

Flex: Medium Stiff / Great Pop

Positives/Swipe Right

• Excellent Hard Snow Short Wide
• Excellent Carver For A Daily Driver
• Excellent Pop
• Excellent Grip

Negatives/Swipe Left:

• Thirsty Base
• Not The Best Float For this Shape

Summary

The Gnu Gremlin is an almost full-camber, technical, aggressive version of the Lib Tech Orca. It has the same thirsty base as the Orca, but it doesn’t float as well. That being said, it has such a special turn and such a stable, poppy, energetic but not chattery ride in hard snow that is truly special. This is a really fun ride for when it gets hard, and you still wanna carve. Of course, it gets a lot of air as well, and this year, if you want a longer, narrower, more poppy dynamic version of the gremlin, you can go with the turbo gremlin, and that’s an alternative free ride favorite. So if you love to carve and see a lot of hard snow, this is your ride.

Full Gnu Gremlin Review

Buy From 

Evo – $599 Buy it Now

Tactics – $599 Buy it Now

Christy Sports– $599 Buy it Now

REI– $599 Buy it Now

 

 

Salomon Dancehaul $549 (Mtn Freestyle in A Short Wide Tapered Directional Shape)

Ability Level: Intermediate to Expert

Shape: 10mm Taper / Directional

Setback: 0mm @ 20.25” / -4.375” @ 21” back on board

Camber: Mellow Directional Camber With Early Rise

Flex: Medium / Easy To Butter / Great Pop

Positives/Swipe Right

• Great Poppy Mtn Freestyle Feel In A Tapered Directional Shape
• Fast Base
• Pretty Good Float
• Very Good Pop
• Not bad Switch For Beig This Directional

Negatives/Swipe Left

• Not Good For Hard Charging

Summary

The Solomon Dancehaul is the best ride on this list if you love a poppy, fun-to-play-around mountain freestyle personality in the shape of a tapered, directional, short-wide. This and the Almanac are my favorite boards to ride switch on this list, and this poppy little thing beat out boards like the Ride War Pig and Super Pig in the same day tests because it was just a little narrower/easier to control, had more pop, a faster base, and that same versatility. That being said, if there isn’t a size in the Dancehaul that works for you, the war pig or super pig could be a good option as well.

When set all the way back, this floats pretty well, too, and it makes for a very good one-board quiver at a reasonable price. If you’re willing to sacrifice a little uneven or performance to get more pop and a stiffer flex, the Dancehaul Pro could work too.

Full Salomon Dancehaul Review

Buy From 

Our Best Partner – Blauer Board Shop – $599 Buy it Now

Evo – $599 Buy it Now

Tactics – $599 Buy it Now

Christy Sports– $599 Buy it Now

 

 

K2 Almanac $549.00 (Low Cost Damp Mtn Freestyle Personality In a Short/Wide Tapered Directional Shape)

Ability Level: Intermediate to Expert

Shape: 12mm Taper / Pretty Directional

Setback: 0mm @ 21”(Freestyle Ref) /  -0.75″ @ 21″ (Freeride Ref)  / -3.375” @ 21.75″ back on board

Camber: Directional Camber, but with early rise before the tail and nose

Flex: Med-Stiff  / Easy To Butter / Medium Pop

Positives/Swipe Right:

• Exceptional in Uneven Snow
• Very Centered Feel / Easy To Ride Switch
• Very Damp
• Great All Day Ride
• Mtn Freestyle Personality In A Directional Shape

Negatives/Swipe Left:

• Not The Best In Deeper Pow
• Base Isn’t as Fast As Some
• Not as Much Pop As Some On This List

Summary

Last up, but far from the least, is another low-cost favorite, the K2 Almanac. This is great for those who want something like the dancehall but want a more damp, chatter-resistant ride. It does come at the expense of some pop. While I love the excavator, this ride is more centered, it’s a better riding switch, and has more of a mountain freestyle personality in a tapered directional shape. I do wish it had a faster base and more setback for deeper pow days, but it’s far from a deal-breaker for most… especially at this price point. This is a great choice if you’re a bell-to-bell rider and want a do-it-all board that’s gonna handle all kinds of messy, uneven snow.

So there you have it. That’s the list for 2026. If your board didn’t make the list, don’t ask why. Instead, go to thegoodride.com and check the review to find out what I thought of it there. If it’s not there, then ask me to review it, and I’ll reach out to the brand.

Full K2 Almanac Review

Our Best Partner – Blauer Board Shop – $599 Buy it Now

Evo – $599 Buy it Now

 

What If Your Board Didn’t Make The List?

Now…If your board didn’t make the list, it’s fine, and it can still be your favorite. If you want to know why your board didn’t make the list, go to the Snowboard Reviews, and check our review. If it’s not there, email me, and I’ll do my best to get on it.

Now that you know where I’m coming from, it’s time to get to this list. If you want to learn more about the board, click through to the individual reviews on The Good Ride, check the ratings, use our filters, and the comparison tool.

I was not paid to write this 2026 Short Wide Favorites List, and it is written from an honest, objective perspective with no brand oversight. If this review helped, we’d appreciate it if you support objective content by:

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