Class of 2017: GNU

GNU has made a name for itself in Snowboarding for not shying away from trying new things: be it wild art, color combinations, or materials, GNU has always been down for pushing the boundaries of snowboarding through imagination and experimentation.

The gents over on Mt. Weird are coming out swinging for GNU’s 40th. Most old guys start to slow down and pine for the good old days once they start getting in their 40’s, but based off GNU’s 2017 line, it’s safe to say GNU isn’t slowing down anytime soon. Here’s what we have to say about GNU’s 40th lineup.

Party Monsters

Kicking off the lineup for GNU is the Carbon Credit, an easy rider of sorts. This Award winning, all terrain twin snowboard is all about getting down. Whether it’s the park, terrain, fresh pow, or in the urban sprawl, the Credit’s Unreal Control, Unreal Edge Hold, and Unreal Construction make it a perfect all conditions party machine. And for you little rippers, the Carbon Credit comes in youth sizes too.

Another all-night, all-terrain party monster from GNU is the Metal GNURU. Repeat after me: Control, Precision, Float. The Metal GNURU features a perfect combo camber and asymmetrical shape for enhanced freestyle/freeride controlled, floaty, precision. Bliss on a board basically. Don’t forget to send this board the invite if you’re looking to shred everything on the mountain. If ripping everything in sight is your bag, you just might want to try out the Riders Choice. It’s a Twin Asymmetrical Machete. This All Terrain Freestyle/Freeriding blade sliced and diced for the GNU pros and will surely do it again for you and your bros. This may be GNU’s most awarded freeriding board GNU has to offer.

Bringing up the rear is the speedy and aggressive Headspace, an asymmetrical freestyle dream machine for every terrain. The Headspace excels at high speeds, but offers a soft flexing C3 Camber designed for progressive, precision snowboarding. This is Forrest Bailey’s jib focused all terrain stick of choice, a great board for aggressive, skilled riders.

Class Clowns

GNU reminds you that you should have probably paid attention in Geometry with the ZOID, a board that takes asymmetry to the highest level. Directional trapezoidal contact footprints sink up with your stance to give you an effortless ride no matter what you’re into. Whether it’s the park, powder, or ripping corduroy, this wild shape is a blast.

Another symmetrically challenged geometry puzzler and self-proclaimed space traveler/enthusiast is the Space Case. If you’re into space travel, this might be the board for you.

It may not be asymmetrical, but the Billy Goat sure does like to tease. Regardless the conditions, this skate influenced daily driver likes to make everything look fun: precise carving, high intensity lines, fresh pow, big kickers, or bumping around in the park - everything looks like fun on the Billy Goat. Temple Cummin’s Mt. Baker tested all terrain freeride stick.

Not that there’s anything funny about tiny, removable aluminum slasher fins or early 80’s inspired GNU Geometries, but the Finsanity may be the funnest to hang out with in the bunch. There’s just something about this Directional retro throwback that we just can’t get enough of...

Tree Huggers

The Rider's Choice is a rad board, so GNU decided to give it an eco Materials upgrade. Meet the Eco Choice by Nicolas Muller, an asymmetrical twin Freestyle/Freeride board with a carbon footprint the size of a deer turd. Its Clear Bio Beans topsheets expose the fast growing FSC certified wood core. Throw in some water based inks, non-toxic resins and recycled sidewall plastics give and you’ve got one environmentally-conscious shred machine you can ride guilt free all up and down Mother Nature’s beautiful bosoms and valleys.

Like the Eco Choice, the Mullair is an eco-conscious rip machine with a few obvious differences, one of which being that it’s a directional all terrain freestyler/freerider that excels in powder.