Snowboard Camber Profiles: All You Need to Know

When it comes to picking the right snowboard, one of the most important factors to consider is the type of camber profile.
With so many different options available, it can be difficult to choose which one is right for you.
That’s why in this post, we’ll dive into the world of snowboard camber profiles, exploring the positive and negative aspects of each type and their adaptability to various styles and terrains.

Whether you’re a beginner or an expert, this guide will help you choose the perfect camber profile for your next ride.

What is snowboard camber?

Snowboard camber is the longitudinal profile of the board, or more simply the shape of the snowboard seen from the side.

When examining snowboard camber profiles, a concave pattern is referred to as camber, while a convex pattern is called rocker.

These camber and rocker sections can be combined in various ways to create different profiles, making it possible to tailor the snowboard to specific needs.

The camber is a important part of the snowboard as it influences the performance and adaptability of the board for different riding styles and terrain types.

Snowboard camber profiles

Here are the snowboard camber profiles we will look at:

– Traditional camber

This profile has the center of the board raised when the snowboard is resting on the ground.

Due to the curvature, the traditional camber creates more pressure on the ends of the board and less in the center area. That provides good edge hold, great responsiveness, and stability even at high speeds.

Furthermore, this profile is suitable for jumps, as the higher pressure on the board ends provides better explosiveness and pop.

However, a disadvantage of the traditional camber is the low flotation, due to the greater concentration of pressure at the points of contact with the snow.

– Rocker or Reverse camber

The rocker camber, also known as reverse camber is the opposite profile of the traditional camber.

In this case, the point of contact with the snow is the middle part of the snowboard. While the nose and tail areas are raised.

This shape allows for less pressure at the ends of the board and more in the middle, favoring flotation in powder. However, the concave shape results in less edge grip than the traditional camber.

– Flat Camber

The flat camber is a profile denoted by the lack of camber along the entire surface of the snowboard. However, it is rocker at the nose and tail ends to prevent it from catching on the snow.

Snowboards with a flat profile provide a lot of stability and good edge-hold, but at the expense of speed due to the large contact surface with snow.

Note: In some snowboards, the camber may be directional, so designed to be ridden in one direction. In the case of flat camber, the flat area will be shifted toward the nose of the snowboard.

Hybrid Camber

Hybrid cambers combine parts of rocker and camber, trying to mix the advantages and qualities of both profiles. In many cases, this type of profile offers better performance than basic profiles.

There are several variations of hybrid camber, depending on the distribution and amount of rocker and camber used, so the strengths and weaknesses vary.

– Camrock (rocker-camber-rocker)

Camrock, also called Hybrid Camber, is a type of hybrid profile that combines parts of rocker and traditional camber.

This profile offers excellent flotation in powder snow thanks to the rocker part at the ends of the board. While the traditional camber area provides stability even at high speeds and good pop for tricks.

Note: The size of the rockers and camber parts will depend on your preference. For example, if you’re just starting, you might want to go with a more rocker profile because it will make it easier to turn and give you more stability.

Note: In some snowboards, the camber may be directional, so designed to be ridden in one direction. In the case of camrock, the camber area will be shifted toward the nose of the snowboard.

– Hybrid rocker (camber-rocker-camber)

The Hybrid Rocker profile combines a traditional camber section under the feet with rocker parts between the feet and at the ends of the snowboard.

This profile offers the benefits of the traditional camber, such as increased edge grip and high pop, along with flotation and easy control of the rocker parts.

This type of profile is very popular among snowboarders who want to have a very versatile snowboard, suitable for all situations.

Note: Snowboard producers often offer variations in the length and width of the camber and rocker sections, and sometimes even a directional shape.

Best snowboard camber for beginners

For beginners I recommend a snowboard with flat camber. In fact, this profile has a lot of stability, which is crucial for beginners. In addition a flat board is usually less expensive than the other types.

Another great option is the hybrid rocker. It is very stable and thanks the camber parts it eases turn start, which is very useful for beginners.

I recommend reading our guide to discover all the other features a snowboard for beginners should have.

Best snowboard camber for freeride

In freeriding you need a lot of flotation and edge hold, so the most suitable profiles are:

• Flat
• Directional flat
• Camrock

Another possible choice is the rocker profile, however it is good only at low speeds due low edge-hold.

Best snowboard camber for freestyle

In freestyle it is necessary to have a lot of pop, but for some tricks such as jibbing it is not essential.
For this I recommend the traditional camber or hybrid rocker profile, while for jibbing, the flat one is great.

Best snowboard camber for all mountain

An all mountain snowboard needs to be very versatile, so you need to have almost all the essential features for freestyle and freeride.

The camber profiles I recommend are:

• Rocker
• Hybrid Rocker (all mountain – freestyle)
• Camrock (all mountain – freeride)

General Snowboard camber Considerations

In general, it is important to remember that:

• The amount of pop a snowboard can generate is influenced by the width of the camber zone. The camber zone works as a kind of spring that compresses when pressure is applied to the board.
• Rocker parts increase flotation.
• The more the contact surface increases, the more the speed decreases.
• Edge-hold is related to the distribution of pressure on the snowboard foils.

Manufacturers’ variants

– Flying V

The Bruton Flying V camber is a burton patent and features small camber areas underfoot and rocker between the feet and at the ends of the snowboard.

This profile is attractive to those who want to experience a particular snowboard that offers good responsiveness.

– Directional Flying V Snowboard

Burton’s patented Directional Flying V camber features a directional profile in which one foot is in the camber area while the other is in the rocker area.

With this profile, putting pressure on the foot in the camber area makes it easy to lift the tip of the board.

This profile has been created for powder.

– Flat Out Rocker

The Salomon flat-out Rocker camber has a unique profile that gives great stability even at high speeds thanks to the center flat zone. Plus, the rocker areas at the ends give great flotation.

In conclusion, understanding the different types of snowboard camber profiles allows you to make an informed purchase.

Whether you’re a beginner or an advanced rider, there’s a profile for you out there. With the right profile, you can enjoy a board that fits your needs and performs at its best.

So, take the time to explore the options and find the perfect camber profile for you!

What to do next…

Now that you know all the snowboard camber, there are other important things to know to take your riding to the next level:

• Learn about all snowboard shapes and their features.
• What is snowboard flex and how it works.
• What is snowboard waxing and why should I do it.

If you’re looking for help choosing the right camber for your needs, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us! Just shoot us an email at support@adventurerhub.com, or leave a comment at the bottom of this post.