If you are looking to purchase a snowboard you will see that there are various different types of snowboards such as a Free ride, Alpine or Carving Board and Freestyle Board. Depending on the board, they are made out of special materials and their sizes are different so the board can handle accordingly. You need to choose a board that will best fit your riding style.Out of the three boards Free Ride is the most common board. If you enjoy catching air or just carving down the mountain the Free Ride board is the one for you. It is the most versatile board which allows you to do most everything you want to do. This board is manufactured according to a directional pattern which is designed to only follow one track. This means that the tips at the end of the board are not the same. On the Free Ride boards the end is slim and shorter if compared to the tilt of the snowboard. In this aspect the balance of the board is headed more towards the rear of the board. These boards are more flexible and can be easily moved by a beginner rider. This board is quick with action but not nearly as quick as the Freestyle Board.Freestyle Boards are a lot more steady due to their broadness therefore are more tolerant to the rider. It's not too long, or any lighter than a traditional board. It doesn't flex like the other boards which allows it to turn even quicker and easier. The benefits of this board make it a lot more responsive for the rider. The board is designed for stunts done in the terrain parks and on half pipes. Because the Free Style board doesn't have a good edge it reduces the performance on carving, twists and going downhill fast. Most of the Free Style boards have the same tilt and double directional. Because the tips are the same it allows the rider to be centered on the board making no difference in which way you ride. Because of the double tip design you can ride the board backwards or forward depending on the rider Alpine and Carving Boards are narrower if compared to the Free Style and Free Ride boards. They are designed narrower to allow the rider to travel fast and turn on a dime. Because of its design the Carving board allows the rider to turn quickly on the edge and allows you to stick to the solid snow better and more stable at higher speeds. These boards look similar to a ski, just blown up. Thhese boards only have a spade front and are one directional.