Choosing from the literally thousands of snowboard and snowboard binding combinations is almost impossible.Â
Which is where snowboard packages come into play!
These have been carefully paired together, providing a great first setup. And I’ve tested dozens of pairings to find this seasons’ best.Â
The Best Beginner Snowboard Packages are the:
- Nitro Prime Raw Snowboard with Rambler Bindings
- K2 Standard Snowboard with Formula Bindings
- Gnu GWO Snowboard with Bent Metal Bolt Bindings
- Salomon Sight Snowboard with Rhythm BindingsÂ
- Burton Instigator Snowboard with Mission Bindings
Don’t worry, I’ll take you through every important and juicy detail below.Â
My Top Beginner Package Picks!
- Best Overall Beginner Snowboard Package: Nitro Raw with Rambler Bindings
- Best Freeride Package for Beginners: Salomon Sight with Rhythm Bindings
- Best Freestyle Snowboard Package for Beginners: Gnu GWO with Bent Metal Bindings
The Best Beginner Snowboard Packages 2023-2024
1. The Nitro Prime Raw with Rambler Bindings
Snowboard Flex: 5/10
Profile: Flat-Out-Rocker
Shape: All-Mountain Directional
Binding Flex: 6.5
- Best all-mountain beginner snowboard package!
- A forgiving, progression-focused snowboard profile
- Super clean aesthetics
- Amazing bang for your buck!
✖️ Not ideal for icy conditions (due to the lack of camber)
More Details:Â
The Nitro Prime Raw also topped the list of best beginner snowboards this season!
It has a strong extruded base, plenty of pop and a generously low price-point. The flat-out-rocker employs rockered tips with a flat section in-between. The resulting ride is forgiving, catch-free and very beginner friendly.Â
The Nitro Rambler bindings make the perfect pairing. They have an equally versatile design, with canted footbeds and comfortable straps.Â
Personal Thoughts:Â
I had a blast on the Prime Raw. I took it through the park, groomers and even a little powder stash. The edge-hold isn’t quite on par with more expensive options, but at these prices, I can’t complain!
The bindings, while being slightly more advanced, made for a great combination. They provided excellent response and are versatile enough to keep up with you for years.
2. The K2 Standard Snowboard with Formula Bindings
Snowboard Flex: 4/10
Profile: Directional Rocker
Shape: Directional Twin
Binding Flex: 6/10
- An extremely premium package
- Will stay relevant to intermediate level (and beyond)
- Excellent turn initiation
- Forgiving - reduced risk of catching an edge
- Comfortable, lightweight binding straps
✖️ Probably slightly too soft for heavier riders
More Details:Â
Pairing the K2 Standard with the K2 Formula bindings makes for one of the best beginner snowboard packages.Â
The Standard features a mellow rocker profile and K2’s “Catch-Free Tune”. This makes it nice and forgiving, avoiding catching those pesky edges.Â
It’s more symmetrical (twin) than the Prime Raw too, making it a little better for freestyle.Â
The Formula binding has been around for years. They’re reliable, durable, comfortable and versatile. What more do you need?
Personal Thoughts:Â
A super nice snowboard package from K2. Both the board and the bindings are perfect for progression, all whilst being capable of taking you to intermediate level (and above).Â
I’d say it’s a touch more forgiving than the Prime Raw, but also a touch less poppy. What really gave the Prime the edge is the price-point. But if you can stretch the budget a little, the K2 Standard/Formula combo is a keeper!
3. The Gnu GWO BTX Snowboard with Bent Metal Bolt Bindings
Snowboard Flex: 4.5/10
Profile: Banana (Hybrid Rocker)
Shape: True Twin
Binding Flex: 4
- Super easy turn initiation
- An excellent investment (especially for freestyle progression)
- Awesome edge-hold technology (Magne-Traction)
- Let's be honest... looks amazing!
✖️ One of the more expensive packages
✖️ Banana profiles can be a little love/hate
Details:
The Gnu GWO (Gnu World Order) BTX pairs beautifully with the Bent Metal Bolt bindings. Together, they make the best freestyle snowboard package for beginners.
You will pay slightly more than some of the other options on the list. But this could be a worthy investment for any budding all-mountain freestyle riders.
What makes this board a good option?
Well, it uses Gnu (and Lib Tech’s) proprietary Banana snowboard profile. This is a rocker dominant profile, offering easy turn initiation, improved float and more pop than your average beginner board.
They’ve also thrown in Magne-Traction, an edge hold technology which helps the board to hold an edge, even in less favorable conditions.Â
Personal Thoughts:
I’m a little biased about this setup, mostly because I had such a great time when I tested it!
The week I was due to test the GWO had both an epic powder dump and a brand new terrain park. The board was a joy to jump, spin, press and carve. The bindings were comfortable and adjustable, plus they look pretty badass.Â
Obviously, it’s not designed for powder, and there are better boards for that (like the Salomon Sight). But for an all-mountain freestyle package, with room to progress, it’s a great option!
4. The Salomon Sight with Rhythm Bindings
Snowboard Flex: 5/10
Profile: Cross (Hybrid)
Shape: Tapered Directional
Binding Flex: 4
- Best beginner snowboard package for freeride
- Perfect for learning to carve and hitting high speeds
- Great option for your first powder ventures
- All-mountain freeride capable
✖️ Less suited to freestyle
✖️ Bindings slightly on the soft side (these are a stiffer alternative)
More Details:
Next up, the Salomon Sight paired with the Salomon Rhythm bindings.Â
What makes this package stand out from the rest?
Well, it’s a little more freeride focused. This means it excels in carving, groomed runs and most importantly, powder!
Salomon have correctly understood the fact that not every beginner plans to tear up the park. If you’re intending to focus on the fine art of carving, this option was made for you.Â
Personal Thoughts:
I’ve been a fan of the Sight for several seasons, and the Rhythm bindings were actually one of the first bindings I owned.Â
I was pleasantly surprised to find that both items have been carefully fine-tuned over the years. The Sight has gained it’s “all-mountain freeride” title, with the addition of a subtle taper and a more directional shape.Â
But I was just as pleased to find that freestyle was still on the menu. The combination of moderately soft bindings with a medium flexing board made for some tasty tweaked out grabs. Kudos Salomon.Â
5. The Burton Instigator Snowboard with Mission Bindings
Snowboard Flex: 3/10
Profile: Flat Top (Flat/Rocker)
Shape: Directional Twin
Binding Flex: 4-5
- An all-mountain slaying package
- Designed for optimal progression
- Really fun for butters, presses and spins
- Snowboard and bindings work together seamlessly
✖️ A little too soft for larger riders (like me)
More Details:
Another all-mountain freeride focused setup!
The Burton Instigator and Mission bindings crept onto this years list of best beginner snowboard packages.
 The board itself is a super-soft flexing, press-able, powder-capable board. The flat (zero camber) profile makes the board more forgiving whilst maintaining the pop. Â
The mission bindings have been around for over a decade, now offering high-level design and entry-level prices.Â
Personal Thoughts:
Burton are a huge company, with vast sums invested in their R&D department. As you’d expect, they’ve therefore done an excellent job with this snowboard package!Â
Whilst I did find the flex a little soft (I’m a little chunky), it was still great fun and super confidence-inspiring.Â
Okay it’s a slightly odd one… It has the features of a freeride board (a tapered directional shape and setback) mixed with freestyle (soft flex, flat top profile). But it works!
Final Thoughts
Wrapping things up, the perfect beginner snowboard package really depends on your own preferences and budget.
You’ve got top picks like the Nitro Prime setup, the freestyle focused GWO and the freeride-inclined Salomon Sight. Â
All of these choices are super friendly for beginners, so you can’t go too far wrong. But remember, it’s all about what feels right for you.
If you’d like a little more advice, or to understand snowboard tech a little better, I highly recommend our snowboard buyer’s guide.Â
Happy riding!
FAQ's
Your most frequently asked questions - answered!
Good question. Whilst some beginner snowboard packages still include boots, most people (myself included) would now advise against this.Â
With 3 different products, it becomes far too complicated. Boots are a very personal piece of equipment. You wouldn’t want to limit your choices to only those available in a package.Â
Instead, use a snowboard boot buying guide to understand boot tech and narrow down your options.Â
The best beginner snowboard setups will provide a versatile and forgiving ride. Opt for an all-mountain, softer flexing board, paired with comfortable boots. As a general rule, your bindings should then roughly match the board and boots’ flex ratings.Â
Some great examples are:Â
You can calculate your snowboard size with our snowboard size charts and size calculator.Â
Your binding size depends mostly on your boot size. Check out our snowboard binding size charts, which include most of the biggest binding brands.
You’ll have noticed me describing twin, directional twin and directional tapered snowboard shapes.Â
Each shape has a distinct purpose and will excel in different ways. As a complete beginner, you don’t necessarily need to know much about snowboard shapes.
However, if you’d like to learn, I’ll point you in the direction of our guide to snowboard shapes.Â
This one’s a little more complicated. Beginners should generally stick with a rocker, hybrid rocker or flat snowboard profile.Â
Camber (the OG snowboard profile) is better for edge hold, but comes with a much higher risk of catching an edge.Â
Again, our guide to snowboard profiles has everything you need to know.Â
