LEAVE THE BASE BE

“Is it possible to add custom graphics to the bottom of my snowboard?”

I just want to address this question in detail since it has been asked so often. Unfortunately, the answer is no.

The base of a snowboard is absolutely crucial to its performance. Most bases are made of a very specific polyethylene plastic called “P-Tex”. A huge amount of research has gone into perfecting this material and many companies still pour resources into improving it further. P-Tex is used because it’s both durable and provides the least amount of friction against the snow. It’s also porous which allows the base to absorb wax, slide even faster and protect the base.

When you purchase a snowboard with a graphic on the underside, the graphic you see is actually printed inside the board, and is then covered with a clear base. This helps protect the graphic and allows the P-Tex base direct contact with the snow. The only exception is when a base is pieced together with various colors of P-Tex that have been cut precisely by machine. Once again, the P-Tex is still in direct contact with the snow.

First, lets talk about the performance issues you would experience by slapping paint, ink or vinyl on the bottom of your board. On a small scale, any open pours are going to clog and prevent wax from clinging to the base. However, this would be the least of your worries if you have a layer of paint, clear coat or vinyl contacting the snow. Plain and simple, it’s just not going to slide well, decreasing both your speed and ease of turning.

Another major issue is durability. While friction is greatly minimized on the snow, nothing is going to hold up bombing a hill at 40mph, much less sliding across a rail or tabletop. A solid clear coat would probably hold up for a short time, but after reading the last paragraph, I hope you are not still considering it.

So unless you want to creep down the steepest slope, plan to use your snowboard as a means to achieve an intense workout or just plan to hang it on you wall, leave the base be. Nothing is worth disrupting the harmony between base and snow.