r/snowboarding • u/jjaypex • 6m ago
Gear question How much do boards ACTUALLY change year to year?
Preface; I’m a gear nerd and I’m curious what the consensus is- or maybe there’s someone here with some insider info/has first hand experience. Not sure if there’s really a right answer here.
I bought a new tennis racquet recently and when doing research it surprised me when the general consensus is that racquet tech barely changes year by year. Some people even saying I could use something from 15+ years ago and unless I’m some sort of unknown prodigy; I likely won’t ever know the difference to a brand new 2026 model. The best example is some pros often use 5-10year old gear just repainted to match the outgoing model of their sponsor for marketing.
So it got me thinking. Besides a slick new paint job, how much do you think boards actually change year to year? Apart from the major tech discoveries that kind of mark a new generation of gear; carbon stringers, sintered base, channel mount. How much time would have to elapse until a board is really “phased out” 5 years? 10 years? Never? Or is this new tech rolling out every year?
I see there’s board reviewers on YouTube always reviewing the latest models. But they’re always compared to similar boards from that year. What about its predecessor? I know many don’t replace their stick every year. But what if they did? Is there really something new goin on under the hood? Or are the annual polarizing graphics and coined tech just really good marketing.