Stuffing an insane amount of tech into an affordable package, the Ride Manic Snowboard satisfies everyone from ambitious beginners to seasoned shredders fueling dawn-to-dusk riding with peanut butter sandwiches. Despite its affordability, the Manic Snowboard charges everything across the mountain with sure-footed poise and unflappable stability, courtesy of its versatile medium flex (it's a bit stiffer than what Ride claims), linear carbon additives, and go-anywhere directional shape. The Manic manages the seemingly conflicting task of balancing affordability with riding performance, courtesy of Ride's proven technologies packed into a versatile shape and hybrid flat-to-rocker profile. Looking at this design, the Manic is a directional board that's set-back enough to benefit from improved float and straight-line stability at high speeds. The Directional Rocker is flat along the board's effective edge, making it a stable, locked-in platform for carving, picking up speed, and stomping landings. To enhance playfulness, the tip and tail feature rockered zones, which loosen up the board from hooking up on turns, as well as allowing you to butter and manipulate the tips with less catch. The nose rocker is much longer and more pronounced than what you'll find in the tail, giving the Manic excellent buoyancy and float in deep, untracked powder. Ride keeps the Manic a refreshingly simple affair with its Foundation core, which features tip-to-tail aspen wood for a smooth, consistent flex with high levels of durability. Biax fiberglass allows for a bit more torsional flex, which is key for beginner-to-intermediate riders seeking a bit more forgiving feel while linking up turns and learning new tricks. Something rarely seen on boards in this price range, the linear carbon stringers enhance its snappiness for boosting off natural hits and jumps in the terrain park. Another stand-out feature, Ride's signature Slimewalls place urethane in the sidewalls to dampen vibration and...