What flex
should you choose?

The three settings

Within a shape, flex is set by the thickness of the core. The Soft, Regular and Stiff versions use the same outline and materials, milled to a different core profile. Between shapes there is more at work: the core profile, the fibreglass and carbon layup, and the width of the board itself, because a wider board resists bending differently. That is why the shapes sit where they do on the scale below, and why several of them land on a half step.

Soft. Playful and forgiving. Bends more readily underfoot, takes less effort to load and is easier to press and butter. A good choice if you prefer a softer feel or want the board to be easier to work at lower speeds.

Regular. The reference. The flex each shape is designed and tested around, and the setting most people choose. If you are unsure, start here. It is how we intend the shape to ride.

Stiff. More support. Takes more force to bend and gives more support when the board is being ridden hard. A good choice for riders who prefer a firmer feel, carry more speed or put more force through the board.

There is no right or wrong here. All three are available on every shape and every size we make.

How the flex scale works

We publish a flex number rather than a word, because medium means nothing across two brands and everything within one.

The scale runs low to high. A 5 is a softer board than a 7. It is our scale, not an industry standard, so compare our numbers to each other rather than to someone else’s.

Soft is two points below Regular. Stiff is two points above. That holds for every shape and every size we make.

So a board that is a 6 at Regular gives you 4, 6 or 8. A 7 gives you 5, 7 or 9. A 6.5 gives you 4.5, 6.5 or 8.5. Once you know the Regular number for the shape you are looking at, you know all three of your options.

Soft

Regular

Stiff

Flex for all fourteen shapes at Soft, Regular and Stiff. Soft is two points below the Regular figure, Stiff two points above.

Shape	Soft	Regular	Stiff
Rhythm Stick	3	5	7
Happy Turn	3.5	5.5	7.5
Yamazaki	3.5	5.5	7.5
Half Baked	4	6	8
Sea Biscuit	4	6	8
Cabin Fever	4.5	6.5	8.5
Fugu	4.5	6.5	8.5
Snurfs Up	4.5	6.5	8.5
Tipi	4.5	6.5	8.5
Cardiel	5	7	9
Winnie	5	7	9
Joy Kill	5	7	9
Joy Craft	5	7	9
Joy Machine	5	7	9

How to choose your flex

Most people should take Regular and stop reading here.

If you are still deciding, three things point one way or the other.

Where you sit in the weight band. Near the top of a size’s range, Stiff can give you more support. Near the bottom, Soft can make the board easier to work. If you sit comfortably within the range and have no strong preference, Regular is the starting point.

What you want the board to do. Speed, powerful turns and bigger landings can point toward Stiff. More playful riding, pressing and buttering can point toward Soft.

What you ride now, and what you would change about it. This is often the most useful answer. If your current board feels like hard work by the end of the day, that can point softer. If it folds when you drive it, that can point stiffer.

If you are unsure, take Regular. It is the setting the shape was designed around, and it is what most of our boards are built at.

Who these boards are for

We build for the rider ordering the board.

Our weight bands run from 41 kg at the smallest sizes to over 100 kg at the largest, with flex selectable across the range. A 60 kg rider and a 105 kg rider can both ride the same shape, in the appropriate length and flex.

There is a fuller answer to this question and it has its own article coming.

What we would need to know

Three things usually settle it.

Your current board, by brand, model and length, and what you would change about how it rides.

Your weight.

How and where you like to ride.

Send those and we will tell you what we would build, rather than a range.

Boot size matters too, but that decides width rather than flex. It is covered in the sizing article.

Board Selector

Find your size.

Your weight, your boots, how you ride. We will point you at the right board.

Find my size→

Common questions

What flex should I choose?

Regular, unless you have a specific reason not to. Regular is the setting each shape is designed and tested at. Soft suits riders who want a more forgiving board that is easier to press and butter. Stiff suits riders who ride fast or load a board hard.

Can I change the flex after ordering?

Flex is built into the board, so it is decided when you order. It is not adjustable afterwards.

What are the Soft and Stiff numbers?

Soft is two points below the Regular figure for that size, and Stiff is two points above. A board that is a 6 at Regular is a 4 at Soft and an 8 at Stiff. That offset is the same on every shape and every size.

Does flex change with the size?

The number is relative to the size of the board. A Joy Craft 148 at 6 and a Joy Craft 158 at 6 are not the same board to bend. But the numbers do compare between shapes: a Snurfs Up at 6 and a Cabin Fever at 6 feel alike, and a Joy Craft at 7 is firmer than both. Read the table across shapes, not across lengths.

Is your flex number comparable to other brands?

No. It is our own scale, so use it to compare our shapes to each other. There is no shared industry standard for snowboard flex numbers.

Do you make boards for heavier riders?

Yes. Our weight bands run to over 100 kg at the largest sizes, and Stiff is available across the range. Length, width and flex are all chosen for the rider.

Do you make boards for lighter riders?

Yes. The smallest sizes start at a 41 kg band, and Soft is available across the range.