YES W Basic Snowboard Review – Steph W

2021

The Yes Emoticon took the Yes Basic and shrunk it down for women.  It’s got that same design as the men’s Yes Basic. That gives you a lot of all mountain to freestyle versatility at an affordable entry-level price. Not much changed from 2017 to 2021 with the Yes Emoticon. Except the reference stance width was narrowed a bit across the line with 2018. And the 2019 rocker/camber/rocker profile mellowed a bit from 4/4/4 to 3/2/3. It’s going to be a very subtle difference but overall, it rides very much the same as before.

Ethics Statement: We don’t get paid by the manufacturer to write these reviews.  We do make money from the “Where To Buy” links, but this is our best attempt at an honest and objective review from an average rider’s perspective.

Yes Emoticon 2015-2019 Snowboard Review

The Yes Emoticon’s camber profile allows the board to ride the same way in every condition out there without changing its stability or overall personality on you.  That’s an intangible bonus that not many boards out there have in the hybrid rocker or rocker world.

Approximate Weight:  Feels Normal to bordering on light.

On Snow Feel:  The Yes Emoticon is stable like a camber board but catch-free.  It’s an easy board to one foot off the chair and easy board to get through long flat runs or cat tracks.

Turn Initiation: Quick and easy edge to edge.  It’s a very easy board to turn.

Flex:   Kind of medium between the feet but pretty soft in the tip/tail.  It makes for buttering that is incredibly easy.  It’s so easy that some might not like it and others will take a little while to get used to. It’s probably the only thing I wish they could fix.  It would be great if it was a little stiffer.

Edge Hold:   The side cut is unique.  It’s has two disruptions at each binding. So 4 waves per edge that grips really well for it’s flex. At the same time, it’s not too grabby either in softer snow.

Powder:   There is more volume in the nose and less volume in the tail so when you are in powder it has a better directional float.

Carving:   So if it wasn’t for the softer flex this would be a great carver but it can still lay into a really fun carve that will take you back uphill.

Speed:   It’s not a bomber board and gets chattery at higher speeds. For an extruded base it keeps it’s speed well and doesn’t have to be waxed too much. Extruded bases are slower than sintered bases but extruded bases are tougher and don’t have to be waxed as much.

Uneven Terrain:   Very easy to deal with the end of the day crowded resort snow.

Switch:   Pretty easy either way.

Jumps:   Nice springy ollies and it’s fun hitting kickers in the park or finding things to launch off on the mountain.

Jibbing:   Very easy jib board and it’s confidence inspiring.

Pipe:   If you keep the edges sharp and don’t jib the Emoticon is a pretty fun pipe board.  It’s really forgiving and has enough edge hold to for sure ride pipe.

All in all, this is a very fun all mountain freestyle to freestyle board that has a soft and playful ride without being loose between the feet.

Paige’s Perspective

The YES. Emoticon is an all mountain freestyle board that will boost your confidence in whatever conditions you are in and will inspire you to be creative in your riding.

This board made riding in sub-par conditions really enjoyable. The Underbite gives you confidence in hard and icy conditions but also provides a catch-free ride in softer snow. I was able to maintain speed and edge hold with ease while riding through ice patches. This side cut also helps you maintain precise control throughout each phase of your turn.

Although the Emoticon has a soft flex (4/10), it still manages to make carving feel pretty breezy. The soft flex also makes buttering almost effortless.

The combination of a true twin shape and a camrock profile create a board that is playful but also stable at higher speeds. Even when off-piste, the Emoticon manages to maintain stability and control.

Even though I demoed an Emoticon that was larger than my preferred riding size, it was still extremely responsive and easy to maneuver.

The Emoticon rocks an extruded base. This means you can feel free to go hard on those jibs, as scratches are easier to fix on this type of base. Extruded bases also retain wax more efficiently, making you able to quickly pick up and maintain your speed.

This is a great board for intermediate to advanced riders who are looking to push themselves in the park and all over the mountain. It will give you the confidence to try new things in your riding, but is forgiving enough to allow you to make mistakes along the way. Even in seasons without ideal conditions, you will still be able to have a great time on the Emoticon.

2017