best wrist guards for snowboarding

The 5 Best Wrist Guards For Snowboarding

by Ben
Updated:

The best wrist guards for snowboarding are affordable, comfortable and above all, protective!

I tested every pair I could get my wrists hands on. And the results are in…

The best wrist guards for snowboarding are the Demon Flexmeter D30. They were designed and tested by medical professionals, creating flexible and supportive protection.

These wrist guards are awesome. However, the price-tag might scare you away. 

Keep reading for more great options!

My Top Wrist Guard Picks

Are Snowboarding Wrist Guards Worth It?

Yes, wearing snowboarding wrist guards is worth it. 

Wrist guards significantly reduce the risk of wrist injuries, especially for beginners or those learning new tricks. In fact, for every fifty snowboarders who wear wrist guards, one serious wrist injury will be prevented [source]. 

Sounds good to me. Shall we take a more detailed look at the best options?

The Best Wrist Guards For Snowboarding

Editor's Choice!
1. Flexmeter D30 Wrist Guards
9.5/10 Our Score

Brand: Demon Flexmeter 
Type: Under Glove
Options: Single or Double (choose double for skateboarding or longboarding)

  • The best wrist guards for snowboarding!
  • Physician developed, patented wrist protective technology.
  • Doctor recommended wrist protection.
  • Easily fits under gloves.
  • Laboratory tested and proven protection.
  • Gradually flexes with your wrist. Impact is safely dispelled higher up the arm, avoiding the risk of forearm breaks (a significant risk with cheaper alternatives).  

✖️ Premium protection comes with a premium price tag
✖️ The double sided are a little bulky - but you can remove the palm skid plate for snowboarding

More Details:

The Flexmeters have been popular for years. And for good reason!

The “progressive hinge” allows significantly improved flexibility of your wrist, especially compared to traditional wrist guards.

The resistance and support increases the more you flex your wrist. This is super supportive and offers great range of movement. 

FLEXMETER WRIST GUARDS - the best wrist guards for snowboarding

The Flexmeter wrist guards also use D30 – a soft material that hardens on impact. The greater the impact, the more it hardens. Pretty smart huh? 

Which makes sense given that they were designed by doctors and orthopaedic surgeons. 

They come in two options:

  • Single Sided
  • Double Sided 

The double sided wrist guards include a skid plate on the palm, perfect for longboarding or skateboarding. This is removable. But if you only need them for snowboarding, get the cheaper single-sided option. 

Personal Thoughts: Developed based on extensive research and testing, these are definitely the best wrist guards for snowboarding. 

I can still bend my wrists in them – which is amazing. They are a little expensive, but it’s a small price to pay for premium protection. Plus mine have lasted nearly 10-years!

Best For: Anyone seeking optimal protection, especially those with pre-existing wrist injuries.

Best Value!
2. Burton Impact Wrist Guards
9.3/10 Our Score

Brand: Burton
Type: Under Glove

  • The best value wrist guards for snowboarding!
  • A great balance between performance and price
  • Nice and secure, with double straps
  • Good range of sizes
  • Super easy to wear under gloves or mittens (though you may need to size up)

✖️ Not as flexible or well-tested as the Flexmeter

More Details: 

The Burton Impact wrist guards feature tapered top splints with softer neoprene palms. Whilst these are in theory “flexible”, they’re certainly more rigid than the Flexmeter. 

However, there’s still enough give to adjust your bindings without feeling like you’re in a straight jacket. 

They are also shorter in length and slightly easier to put on. You can thank the large pull loops for this. 

Personal Thoughts: These are pretty great wrist guards for snowboarding – especially at this price point.

I found them to be straightforward, comfortable and supportive. They also held up pretty well in the multiple crashes I put them through. 

But they are certainly bulkier than Burton would have you believe. I wear mittens and so had plenty of space, but a few of my fellow testers noted that they were a snug fit – consider upsizing your gloves. 

Best For: Riders looking for a solid wrist guard, that won’t break the bank. 

Budget Option
3. Dakine Wrist Guards For Snowboarding
9.1/10 Our Score

Brand: Dakine
Type: Under Glove

  • Extremely budget friendly 
  • Comfortable neoprene sleeve design
  • Super slimline 
  • Dakine make great gear

✖️ A little light on protection
✖️ Some rider's won't like the old-school metal palm bar

More Details:

The best wrist guards for snowboarding on a budget.

The Dakine wrist guards take it back to basics. They’re essentially a neoprene sleeve with a rigid palm bar for support – much like the old-school skateboarding wrist guards. 

This makes them lower profile and pretty easy to fit under most gloves or mittens. 

The drawbacks are that you sacrifice flexibility. The materials are also less breathable and so your palms will be sweaty (knees weak, arms are heavy…). 

Personal Thoughts: These are a great budget option, but I did find them less comfortable than the alternatives.

The rigid palm bar stops you closing your hand fully. Not an issue for shorter days on the hill, but got to me after 5 or 6 hours.

Personally, I’d try to stretch my budget to the Burton option. This offers a higher-quality wrist guard for only 10-15 bucks more. But if this isn’t possible, the Dakine wrist guards are still a great call!

Best For: Riders on a tight budget.

Best For Kids
4. Kids' Burton Impact Wrist Guards
9.3/10 Our Score

Brand: Burton
Type: Under Glove (low-profile)

  • The best children's wrist guards for snowboarding
  • The same as Burton's Adult wrist guards, just smaller
  • Small enough to fit under kids gloves or mittens
  • One of the only pairs of wrist guards made specifically for kids. 

✖️ Not as well-tested as the Flexmeter

More Details:

Essentially the same as Burton’s adult version – but smaller.

One of the few pairs of wrist guards specifically designed for kids. These are a must-have for family trips!

Children’s wrists don’t fully develop for many years; fractures at a young age are worth avoiding. 

Personal Thoughts: Clearly I didn’t test these myself, however they’re pretty much identical to the adult version. My snowboard instructor buddies also swears by them – and my two youngsters have a pair.

Best For: Kids.

Best Gloves!
5. Dakine Wrist Guard Gloves For Snowboarding
9/10 Our Score

Brand: Dakine
Type: Wrist Guard Gloves

  • The best wristguard gloves for snowboarding
  • A gauntlet length well-insulated glove with palm and backhand supports (fully removable if needed)
  • Great wrist cinching and external velcro straps 
  • Also available in in a youth/kids version

✖️ Tricky to adjust the wrist guards tight enough
✖️ The rigid supports can damage the glove liner over time

More Details:

The best snowboarding wrist guard gloves. 

Dakine have combined a supportive wrist guard with a high-quality pair of insulated gloves. This solves the ever-present issue of finding compatible wrist guards and gloves. 

Personal Thoughts: I didn’t expect to like these, but they were actually really nice. The gloves are really high quality and the external straps kept the wrist support in place. 

The main drawback is that you can’t adjust the wrist guard and gloves independently, making it tricky to get a truly custom fit. 

Best For: Anyone in the market for gloves and wrist guards (or anyone struggling to fit wrist guards underneath their gloves). 

The Best Women's Wrist Guards for Snowboarding

As wrist guards are unisex, the best Women’s wrist guards for snowboarding are also the Demon Flexmeter D30 and the Burton Impact Wrist Guards. Simply choose your correct size and you’re ready to ride!

How I Tested These Wrist Guards

Following a particularly nasty bail a few years ago, I fractured my wrist in 2 places. Ouch.

After a painstaking season without snowboarding, I was determined to make a comeback.

So I embarked on a season-long mission to discover the best snowboarding wrist guards. I tested over a dozen pairs, in all conditions, in all terrain. I’m therefore pretty confident on the above choices!

Features of The Best Snowboard Wrist Guards

Look out for a number of key features in your wrist guards:

  1. Flexibility: Wrist guards don’t have to be rigid to offer protection. A good pair will allow you to move your hands – whilst still feeling supportive. 
  2. Breathability: Nobody wants sweaty, wet hands!
  3. Comfort: For obvious reasons.
  4. Compatibility with Gloves: This can be tricky. Generally speaking a large glove will fit over a large wrist guard (if they are the same brand). 

FAQs

Are Wrist Injuries Common In Snowboarding?

Wrist injuries are the most common snowboarding injury, accounting for up to 28% of all injuries. These injuries vary from minor sprains to severe fractures. 

How Do I Protect My Wrists When Snowboarding?

To protect your wrists when snowboarding:

  1. Wear wrist guards!
  2. Learn proper falling techniques.
  3. Strengthen your wrists through exercises.
  4. Progress gradually – don’t rush!
  5. Be aware of your surroundings.
  6. Take breaks and rest when needed.

How Do Wrist Guards Work?

Wrist guards work by providing support, stabilization, and impact protection. They maintain proper alignment of the wrist, redistribute excessive force and serve as a reminder to protect the wrists whilst snowboarding.

Contrary to popular belief, most fractures are caused by over-extension of the wrist (rather than direct impact). Wrist guards therefore prevent your wrist from bending beyond a safe range. 

Do Wrist Guards Go Over or Under Gloves?

Snowboard wrist guards are typically designed to be worn under gloves or mittens. They are low-profile and designed to fit comfortably beneath your gloves. This ensures a supportive fit and that your wrist guards won’t fly off during falls. 

Final Thoughts

That’s everything you need to know about snowboarding in wrist guards. 

Ultimately, it’s never a bad idea to have a pair in your arsenal.

I wear mine all the time, but some of my buddies only strap them on for new tricks. The choice is yours!

If I can recommend any other piece of protective gear, it would be snowboard impact shorts.

Happy riding!

You may also like

Leave a Comment

Subscribe for discounts AND A Chance to win $50!

Sign up to our newsletter for entry into the annual $50 gift card draw.

Subscribe for discounts AND A Chance to win $50!

Sign up to our newsletter for entry into our annual $50 gift card draw.