Snowboarding is more than just a sport; it’s a way of life, and a language of its own. Whether you’re a seasoned shredder or a beginner trying to keep up, knowing the right snowboarding slang can make you sound like a pro (or at least help you understand what the hell that dude on the lift is talking about). Now depending on where you live things may vary, but this list cover most situations.
Without further ado, here’s a glossary of 101 snowboarding slang terms to help you navigate the slopes.
A
Air – Any time a snowboarder gets off the ground, whether it's a jump, ollie, or any other airborne maneuver.
All-Mountain – A snowboard that is designed to handle any type of terrain, from park features to powder.
Alley-Oop – A type of aerial trick where the rider spins in the opposite direction of the natural spin.
Ankle Buster – A fall where you land on your ankles or ride over an obstacle and twist your ankle.
Air-to-Fakie: A snowboard trick done in a halfpipe or on a quarterpipe, air-to-fakie is when a rider rides straight up the wall, gets air, and lands back on the wall riding backward (AKA switch or fakie).
Aprés – The social time after a day of riding, usually involving drinks and relaxing with fellow snowboarders.
B
Backcountry – Off-piste or ungroomed terrain that's not patrolled or maintained. Often accessed via hiking or helicopter.
Backside– A term for spinning or performing tricks in the direction of your non-dominant side. For example, if you’re regular, spinning counterclockwise would be backside.
Backside Air- To catch air where the rider takes off from a quarterpipe and spins so that their backside turns towards the outside of the pipe before landing.
Bail– To fall or crash, usually in a dramatic fashion.
Banana Board – A playful term for a snowboard with a large amount of rocker, resembling the shape of a banana.
Base Layer- The inner-most layer of clothing is called the base layer -sometimes called long underwear or if youre old school long johns (but we dont )recommend that).
Berm– A banked turn or edge, often found in the terrain park or on a trail with a high-speed corner.
Blunt Slide- A blunt slide is when a rider approaches a feature and the front foot goes over the feature so that the feature is directly underneath the back foot. If the rail is behind the rider upon approach, or otherwise their back is facing uphill once initiated, it is called a backside blunt slide, or “back blunt.” Alternately, if the rail is in front of the riders frontside during the slide then it is considered a frontside blunt slide, or “front blunt.” ORRrrrrrrr, when this trick is done with the feature underneath the front foot it is referred to as a nose blunt. Head spinning yet?
C
Carve – A smooth, controlled turn made on the edge of your snowboard.
Camber: Is the upward curve (or bend) of a board. A camber snowboard has an upward curve between the feet. Used to hold an edge or pop an ollie.
Chute- A steep gorge or gulley on a mountainside that is bordered by rock and snow is called a chute.
Cliff Drop – Jumping off a cliff or rock face, often seen in extreme backcountry riding.
Crank– To give full effort, usually referring to a powerful turn or riding with intensity.
Cork– A spin trick where the rider flips sideways off-axis while spinning.
Corduroy: The freshly textured lines left in the snow by groomers at ski resorts are called corduroy.
Cornice- A cornice is an overhanging mass of snow on a ridge or crest of terrain. Cornices are created by wind and are considered a hazard (tread carefully).
Cowabunga – An exclamation of excitement, popularized by surfers but adopted by snowboarders as well... ok no one really says that (except maybe Ninja Turtles), but we thought it woudl be funny to see if we could get you to say it.
D
Ding- A scratch or dent in the edge, base, or topsheet of a snowboard is sometimes called a ding.
Directional Snowboard- A directional snowboard features a non-symmetrical shape between the nose and tail (typically a longer nose than tail, and/or a set back sidecut).
Drop-In – The start of your run from the top of a slope or feature.
Duffed– Slang for falling or wiping out.
Double Cork – A trick where the rider does two flips while spinning in the air.
Dude – In case you have lived under a rock for the last 30 years- A casual, friendly term for a fellow snowboarder, regardless of gender.
Deck– The flat area of the snowboard. Also used to refer to landing on the ground or flat.
Duck Stance: Also known as “duck-footed,” is a snowboard stance where the back binding is angled towards the tail and the front binding is angled towards the nose so that the feet are turned slightly outwards.. like Donald.
E
Edge – The metal strip along the side of the snowboard that helps with grip and carving.
Eggplant – A trick where the rider grabs the front of the board and does an inverted spin.
Extra – This isnt just for snowboarders, BUT in our world its when a rider goes above and beyond, either by performing a difficult trick or by pushing their limits. ex: "Yo, that backside 540 was extra!"
Elbow Bender – A term for someone who enjoys après-ski drinks a little too much.
Exposure– A term used for the amount of risk or danger associated with a particular terrain feature, like a cliff or steep line.
F
Face Plant – Falling face-first into the snow after misjudging a jump or landing.
Fakie: Swiped from skaters, in snowboarding fakie (AKA switch) is riding the opposite of a rider’s natural stance facing front. i.e., if a snowboarder normally rides goofy (right foot forward) and then spins so the left foot in front, they are riding fakie.
Freestyle – Riding in the terrain park or doing tricks on features like rails, jumps, and boxes.
Freeride – Riding on natural, ungroomed terrain like powder or backcountry.
Flair – A grab trick where the rider spins in a stylish, exaggerated way.
Frontside – A spin or trick done in the direction of the rider’s dominant side. For example, if you're regular, spinning clockwise is frontside.
G
Gap: A gap is a jump feature where there is space between the take-off point and landing. Kinda self explanatory.
Gaper: Not teh nicest of terms. A gaper is a snowboarder or skier who is totally clueless. Think Kook. Typically unskilled. Gapers are easily spotted by their “gaper gap,” i.e. the gap between their helmet and goggles. If you can avoid it, dont .be that guy.
Goofy – A riding stance where the rider’s right foot is forward. Opposite of "regular." To all the fellow goofy riders out there, we are a tribe onto ourselves.
Grab – A trick where the rider grabs the snowboard while airborne. Popular grabs include mute, melon, and indy.
Gnarly – Slang for something difficult or intense, often used to describe dangerous or extreme features.
Grom – A young, often beginner snowboarder.
Grind – Sliding along a rail or edge while the snowboard is in contact with it.
H
Huck– To throw yourself into the air, usually without worrying too much about technique.
Hit– A jump or feature that you attempt to ride, whether you’re just going off it or performing a trick.
Hang Time – The amount of time a rider stays in the air after hitting a jump.
Heel Edge – The edge of your snowboard that’s on the side closest to your heels.
Hardpack- Is snow that is densely packed due to repeated riding or grooming and or a lack of fresh snow.
Halfpipe – A U-shaped structure designed for freestyle tricks, often seen in competitions.
Hip- A hip jump is a park feature in which the landing points to the left or right (or both) from the take-off.
I
Indy – A type of grab where the rider grabs the heel edge of the board with their lead hand.
Inbounds- Inbounds refers to terrain within the boundaries of a designated resort
In the Flow – When a rider is performing with smooth, natural style and isn’t thinking too much about the moves.
J
Jib– Is any non-snow feature that can be ridden. It also can be use to describe a slide or grind on an object like a rail, box, or log in the terrain park.
Jump Line* – A series of jumps in the terrain park designed to be hit in sequence.
Junk* – A term for poorly maintained or rocky terrain that makes riding difficult.
K
Kicker– A ramp or jump designed to launch a rider into the air.
Kook – A beginner snowboarder who doesn’t yet know the basics, or someone who acts like one.
Knuckle – The lip or edge of a jump where the transition between flat ground and the ramp begins.
L
Lip – The edge of a jump or halfpipe that you push off to gain height.
Lift Line – The queue you stand in to catch the chairlift.
Lateral – Refers to a sideways movement on the snowboard, like when doing a slide or grind.
Landing Gear – A term for your legs or stance when you’re preparing to land a jump or trick.
Loose – When snow conditions are soft, often a description of powder snow.
M
Mellow – Describing a smooth, easy terrain or a chill riding style.
Munchies – The hunger that sets in after a long day of riding, usually followed by snacking at the lodge.
Mountain Dew – Slang for a challenging or gnarly line on the mountain.
Manual – A trick where the rider balances on the back or front wheels of the snowboard without using the edge.
Moguls: Loved by skiers, hated by snowboarders, moguls are mounds of snow that form on trails.
N
Nose – The front tip of the snowboard.
Nollie – A trick similar to an ollie, but performed by popping off the nose of the snowboard rather than the tail.
Noob – A slang term for a beginner or someone who is new to snowboarding.
Nose Grab** – A type of grab where the rider grabs the front (nose) of the snowboard while in the air.
Nosepress: Where the rider presses all of their weight downwards into the nose of their board while sliding on a box, rail, or other jib feature so that the nose as the only part of the board in contact with the feature.
O
Ollie – A jump where the rider pops the snowboard off the ground without the use of a ramp or kicker.
On the Edge – Riding with the snowboard's edge engaged in the snow, either for carving or to prevent slipping.
Off-Piste – Riding in areas that are not groomed or maintained, usually in the backcountry.
One-Footed** – Riding with one foot unstrapped, often seen in relaxed or chill riding.
P
Pow– Short for powder snow, the fluffy, soft snow that makes for ideal riding conditions.
P-tex – A brand of plastic used to repair the base of your snowboard after a rock or other obstacle leaves a mark.
Park Rat – Someone who spends most of their time in the terrain park hitting features and doing tricks.
Pop – The force you apply to your snowboard to make it jump off the ground or to initiate a trick.
Powder Day – A day when fresh snow has fallen, creating deep powder that’s perfect for snowboarding.
Q
Quadruple Cork – A trick where the rider flips four times while spinning in the air.
Quiver – A collection of different snowboards a rider owns, each designed for different terrain or conditions.
Quick Release – A type of binding system that allows you to unstrap from your snowboard quickly, often used for safety.
R
Rider – Any person who snowboards.
Rail – A metal rail in the terrain park used for grinding or sliding.
Ripper – A skilled snowboarder who rides aggressively and with style.
Regular – A riding stance where the rider’s left foot is forward on the snowboard.
Reverse Camber: The opposite of camber, reverse camber is another name for rocker.
Rocker – A board shape where the center is raised and the nose and tail have more curve, which helps with floating in powder.
Rooster Tail- A high, arching spray of snow that gets thrown up behind a snowboarder as they make a turn, or to bury their buddies.
S
Shred – To ride aggressively, usually in the terrain park, carving up the snow with speed and style.
Shifty: A snowboard trick where the rider twists the upper body and lower body in opposite directions in the air.
Setback- Setback refers to how far back a stance is mounted from the reference stance.
Stoked– A term of excitement, meaning you're pumped or thrilled about something.
Skid – To slide sideways on your board without turning, often resulting from lack of control.
Slopestyle – A freestyle event where riders perform tricks on a course with jumps, rails, and other features.
Slush – Wet, heavy snow that typically forms in spring conditions.
Stomp Pad- An anit slip/ no-slip pad that can be applied to the top of a snowboard to provide traction when one foot is unstrapped.
T
Tail – The back part of the snowboard.
Trick – Any sort of maneuver performed on the snowboard, such as jumps, spins, grabs, or slides.
Tail Grab – A trick where the rider grabs the tail of the snowboard while in the air.
Tweak – To add extra style or extend a grab during a trick.
Totally Rad – A throwback term used to describe something cool or impressive, often used by old-school riders. If youre not 50, dont use this term. Even then its questionable.
U
**Uptight** – A rider who seems stiff or overly cautious while riding.
**Underflip** – A type of flip trick where the rider rotates underneath the board.
**Uptrack** – A marked track that leads uphill, often used for splitboarding in the backcountry.
V
Vertical/Vert – The vertical drop of a mountain or slope, describing the steepness or difficulty level of a run.
Vibe – The overall atmosphere or feeling of a place or situation.
Volcano – A term used to describe a large, steep, and intimidating jump or feature.
Vested – A slang term for a rider who's fully geared up, particularly with protective padding and gear.
W
Wall Ride** – Riding up and along a vertical feature, such as a wall or cliff, in the terrain park.
Wipeout – A big fall or crash, usually resulting in a dramatic loss of balance or control.
Wide – A type of snowboard designed for riders with larger feet (typically over size 12).
Whip – A sharp, fast turn or maneuver, often used to describe powerful carving or spinning.
Wide Open – When conditions are clear and there’s plenty of space to ride without obstacles or crowds.
X
X-Games – The premier extreme sports competition, which includes snowboarding events like slopestyle and halfpipe.
X-Rider** – A snowboarder who competes at a high level, especially in freestyle events like slopestyle or halfpipe.
Y
Yew!– An exclamation of excitement, similar to “woo!” or “yeah!” often shouted during a particularly epic moment.
Yard Sale – A crash where all of the rider’s equipment (snowboard, gloves, goggles, etc.) flies off in every direction.
Yeti – Slang for a huge, monster-sized snowboarder or an epic ride.
Z
ahhhhh, I got nothing for Z
Welp, That’s a wrap! So, even if you’re hitting the slopes for the first time you’re now a seasoned pro, or at least sound like one.
Happy shredding!
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