Buttering is a category of flat-ground snowboard tricks where you balance on your board’s nose or tail. The term “buttering” was coined by pro rider Craig Kelly in 1993 when he saw his fellow pro rider Mike Ranquet try to lipslide a curb-like patch of snow. Craig coined the term “buttering” because it looked like the nose of Mike’s board resembled a knife spreading butter on a piece of toast.
Buttering is still a type of trick that riders enjoy learning today. However, buttering is the type of trick that can be ridiculously challenging if you don’t have the right type of board to help you hold it. With that in mind, we compiled the best 2024 snowboards specifically for buttering.
Each of the snowboards on this list is designed to be easy to press and hold butters.
So, let’s get right to it.
Excellent Snowboards for Buttering 2024
Bataleon Disaster Plus
The Bataleon Disaster Plus is everything you could ever want in a snowboard for buttering. This board is designed for riders who wish to have a pressable board for jibbing in the park or buttering all over the resort. This board stands out above other boards in the flat ground category because of its higher-end base and stability while still being incredibly soft and flexible. To say it simply, the Disaster Plus has an exceptional blend of features that make it the ideal choice for riders seeking ultimate playfulness and control with their butters.
Additionally, this is a true twin park snowboard that was engineered to meet the demands of street and jib enthusiasts. With a softness rating of 3/10, it’s one of the softest flexing boards available. This remarkable softness translates into effortless presses and buttering, requiring minimal effort to achieve stylish, locked-in presses. If you’re transitioning from stiffer boards, you’ll find that shifting your weight forward or backwards is a breeze, allowing you to execute perfect presses with finesse.
The Bataleon Disaster Plus is the ultimate choice for riders who want to dominate the park and elevate their buttering skills. With its unmatched softness, Jib 3BT stability, camber profile, true twin shape, sintered speed, and surprising pop, it’s the perfect board for those seeking effortless presses, stylish buttering, and a whole lot of fun on the slopes.
Features That Make It Phenomenal for Buttering
- Spoon-Shaped Nose and Tail for Easier Buttering: The Bataleon Disaster Plus features the Jib 3BT base (Twin triple base technology), boasting the widest center base among Bataleon boards. This design provides a stable platform for presses, 50-50s, and flat base tricks. The wider base offers room for error, giving you the confidence to push your buttering skills to the limit.
- Camber Profile for Playfulness: One of the standout advantages of the Disaster Plus is its camber profile. Most of the other boards on this list are either flat or will have a reverse camber profile. This isn’t the case with the Disaster Plus. While it delivers essential edge hold, pop, and stability, the raised contact points ensure the board remains playful and loose when ridden flat-based. This feature alone makes this board an outstanding choice for buttering. It also helps you transition from edge to edge while maintaining a strong edge hold and easily transitioning to a loose and forgiving feel.
- True Twin Shape: With its true twin shape, this board ensures that riding or landing switch feels identical to regular riding. This symmetry is crucial for executing technical tricks and maintaining control in the park.
- Sintered Speed: The Disaster Plus has an upgraded sintered base, making it one of the fastest boards in the softer flexing buttering category. With that in mind, you will need to wax it regularly to keep it performing at its peak. The fast base will help you on the slower days in the park get enough speed to hit features most other riders won’t be able to.
- Surprising Amount of Pop: Despite its softness, the Disaster Plus surprises with a decent level of pop. Thanks to its camber profile and carbon beams, it offers more pop than many other reverse camber boards on this list. The regular camber shape contributes to this pop, making it a playful yet poppy board that can butter with ease.
Sizes: 148, 151, 153 Wide, 154, 156 Wide, 157
Flex: Soft (3 out of 10)
Capita Pathfinder Reverse Camber
If you’re looking for a snowboard that’s as playful as it is versatile, the Capita Pathfinder Reverse deserves your attention. This board is on the cheaper side of the spectrum, and it has gained in popularity over the years. It used to go by the name the Capita Horrorscope, and now Capita calls it the Pathfinder.
The detail that makes this board phenomenal for buttering is that it has a softer flex, wider waist width, and a rocker profile that lends itself to getting the tips of the board in the air. This thing was made for taller presses and buttering.
Features That Make It Perfect for Buttering
- Butters and Jibbing Are the Focus: The Pathfinder is designed for urban jibbing and park laps. Its soft flex and flat kick profile allow for effortless buttering and jibbing, making it a go-to choice for freestyle fanatics.
- Durable Sidewalls: Capita’s innovative Fortress™ Kevlar-bound sidewalls enhance the board’s durability, ensuring it can handle the impacts of park features and urban terrain.
- Cheaper Price Tag While Still Very Durable: For the performance it offers, the Capita Pathfinder comes at a budget-friendly price, making it accessible to a wide range of riders.
Sizes: 147, 149, 151, 151 Wide, 153, 153 Wide, 155, 155 Wide, 157, 157 Wide, 159 Wide, 162 Wide
Flex: Soft (4 out of 10)
Gilson Undead
The Gilson Undead is the perfect true twin-shaped softer board for butters and flat-ground tricks. This board has a unique base technology, with its edges lifted a few millimeters off the snowboard’s base. This feature makes the snowboard an extremely playful and catch-free ride, allowing it to butter and go completely sideways without the edges getting in the way. The lifted edges make the board feel playful when it needs to be while still allowing it to hold an edge when it needs to offer a little extra edge hold, too.
The Gilson Undead has a softer flex, which makes it ideal for buttering. The board’s profile is primarily rocker (lowercase u-shaped) between the rider’s feet, which makes it more playful and easier to press into your butters. Additionally, the rocker profile helps with turn initiation and provides a catch-free experience if you’re jibbing in the park.
Overall, the Gilson Undead is a versatile snowboard that offers the perfect flexibility and profile for flat-ground tricks while performing exceptionally well as an all-mountain snowboard you can ride all over the resort.
Features That Make It Ridiculously Simple to Butter With
- The contact points are lifted and the edges are set back. – There is a one-inch perimeter running around the edge of this snowboard where the base is higher than the edge by about 1/8th of an inch.
- The hybrid profile – This board has a generous rocker section between your feet that makes buttering and pressing as simple as leaning back or forward.
- It’s wider platform. – The Undead is intended to be a volume shifted (it’s a wider / shorter board). The wider nose and tail serve as an easier platform to balance your butters and presses with.
Sizes: 144 (150 equivalent), 149 (155 equivalent), 154 (160 equivalent)
Flex: Soft (3 out of 10)
Capita Ultrafear Reverse Camber
For the 2024 season, the new Capita Ultrafear became available in two different camber profiles. The one that’s been available for the past few years is the Ultrafear Camber. However, this year, Capita decided also to offer a version that will be perfect for buttering called the Ultrafear Reverse Camber. This board is a true twin board with a slightly wider waist width and mellow sidecut. The Reverse Camber version of the Ultrafear now has a hybrid profile that is flat between your feet with a rocker profile in its nose and tail. The combination of the wider board with the flat-to-rocker profile makes this snowboard ridiculously easy to butter with.
The Ultrafear is also known for its exceptional lightweight, and Capita just made the board a few grams lighter by upgrading the 2024 Ultrafear to the new P2 Superlight core. The construction of the new core looks like this.
The new core is a combination of paulownia and polar strategically placed to maximize the board’s pop and durability while keeping it as lightweight as possible. This is the same lightweight core the Capita DOA has been built on for the past two seasons.
The Ultrafear is incredibly durable thanks to its Carbon Aramid Body Armor™. If you accidentally hit your nose or tail on a feature in the terrain park, this board was specifically designed to take the impact where most other snowboards would chip or crack. Capita also added cork near the edges of this deck. The added cork helps give the Ultrafear to absorb the chatter of rough terrain and make the impact of jumps feel softer.
The 2024 version of the Ultrafear has a higher-end sintruded base. That means its hybrid base is constructed using the materials and techniques of an extruded base. However, it was made using a higher temperature, and its wax was compacted with additional pressure to make it feel equally as fast, hard, and durable as a sintered base. The main benefit is that it won’t require as much waxing maintenance as a sintered base, and it will be easier to repair if you happen to get any deeper scratches while hitting rails or boxes in the park.
Overall, the Ultrafear is the perfect freestyle snowboard for beginner to advanced park riders who want a durable, playful, and fast deck to help them master the art of buttering.
Want to learn more about the 2024 Capita Ultrafear? Read our full review of the Capita Ultrafear.
Features That Make It Outstanding for Butters
- Butters and Jibbing Are the Focus: The new flat to rocker profile were designed with buttering in mind.
- Perfect 4/10 flex – It is pressable for butters and yet still perfect for jumps
- It is durable. – Carbon Aramid Body Armor acts as a type of Kevlar to protect the sides of your board from getting dents from hitting rails.
- It is insanely lightweight. – 2024 now has the P2 Superlight core
- Fast, easy to maintain base
- Damp / Smooth Ride – There is a layer of cork built into the deck to help it absorb shock and keep it riding smooth for you.
Sizes: 147, 149, 151, 153 Wide, 155 Wide, 157
Flex: Medium ( 5 out of 10)
Never Summer Proto Synthesis
The Never Summer Proto Synthesis is another top contender on our list, thanks to its profile, flex, and edge hold. As one of the latest additions to the Never Summer lineup, the Proto Synthesis brings innovation and performance to the forefront. This board features Never Summer’s Shock Wave Rocker Camber profile, which offers a skate-like, playful, yet still-in-control feeling ride. This profile excels in powder, park, and, of course, buttering. Here is what the profile shape looks like.
To make this board perfect for East Coast riders, Never Summer gave the Proto Synthesis a Vario Power Grip Sidecut. That means that there are five additional contact points to improve this board’s edge hold and carving ability. The unique sidecut improves the board’s edge hold on ice and harder conditions.
The Proto Synthesis was built to withstand the rigors of buttering and park riding, this board is known for its durability and speed. It can handle countless sessions of flat ground tricks, hitting rails, or launching off jumps while still maintaining its peak performance.
Features That Make It Great for East Coast Butters
- Vario Power Grip Sidecut – Extra contact points to grip into ice.
- Skate-like feel: The is a board with a playful yet still in control feel.
- Perfect 6/10 flex – It is pressable for butters and still responsive enough for carving the entire resort.
Sizes: Men’s: 152, 155, 158, 161 Women’s 142, 145, 148, 151
Flex: Medium ( 6 out of 10)
Burton Custom Flying V
The Burton Custom Flying V is a best-selling board that also can be perfect for learning your first set of flat-ground tricks. The Custom Flying V is a simple board to learn to ride that is designed with versatility in mind. If you’re looking for one board that can do it all and still butter, this will be the right option for you.
What Makes It The Perfect Beginner Board for Buttering
– Flying V™ Profile: The board’s Flying V™ profile combines camber and rocker for a balanced ride. It offers stability when carving and the playfulness needed for buttering tricks.
– Proven Performance: With a history of excellence, the Burton Custom Flying V has been a trusted companion for riders for decades. It’s a reliable choice for those who want a snowboard that can handle any terrain.
– Personalized Feel of Burton Channel Mounting: Burton offers custom options for mounting your bindings, allowing riders to tailor it to their exact preferences. This ensures that you get a board that feels like an extension of yourself.
Sizes: 150, 154, 154 Wide, 156, 158, 158 Wide, 162, 162 Wide, 166 Wide
Flex: Soft (3 out of 10)
Jones Mind Expander Twin
The Jones Mind Expander Twin is a board that combines freestyle playfulness with powder performance. While it may not be a dedicated buttering board, its versatility makes it suitable for riders who want to dabble in butter tricks while exploring the backcountry.
What Makes It The Perfect Powder Board for Buttering
Medium flex for versatility: Many boards designed for backcountry / big mountain riding are going to be stiff. That’s not the case with the Mind Expander Twin. It has the perfect middle-of-the-road flex that allows you to press and butter while still having stability to carve beautifully.
A Lightweight / Durable core: This board has a Bamboo Surf Core that’s light, durable, and has loads of pop.
Surf-Inspired Design: The Mind Expander draws inspiration from surfboards, with a wide nose and a narrow tail. This design excels in deep powder and allows for creative buttering in softer snow conditions.
3D Contour Base: Jones’ 3D Contour Base enhances float and maneuverability in powder. While it’s not specifically designed for buttering, it offers a unique and playful experience.
Sustainability Focus: Jones is committed to sustainability, using eco-friendly materials and manufacturing processes, making the Mind Expander an environmentally-conscious choice.
Sizes: 146, 150, 154, 158, 162
Flex: Medium ( 6 out of 10)
Lib Tech Skate Banana
The Lib Tech Skate Banana is a popular choice for anyone looking for a beginner friendly board that can butter and press like a dream. Its true twin shape makes it perfect for switch riding, allowing you to comfortably perform flat ground tricks with either foot facing forward.
This board has a hybrid profile with a rocker section between your feet. It looks like this.
This is a hybrid rocker shaped (V-shaped) snowboard with a rocker dominant section between your feet and two slight camber zones right under your feet to the nose and tail. This profile allows the board to butter easily while still delivering excellent performance both in the terrain park and the rest of the resort. The Skate Banana has a catch-free, playful feel to it that makes it simple to ride and very easy to butter.
The flex rating of this snowboard is on the softer side at a 4/10. You will be able to do butters and tail presses easily while still remaining stable enough for steeper terrain or hitting jumps. The Skate Banana’s core is made of 75% Aspen and 25% Paulownia wood. This combination of the wood used in the snowboard gives it its lighter weight while making it incredibly strong. The base of the board is a mix of a sintered and extruded base. It is fast base that will not require as much wax or maintenance as other bases on the list. If you are looking for an easy to ride, park friendly snowboard that can rip the entire mountain, then this board is for you.
Lastly, if you’re an East Coast rider like me, you’ll love that the Skate Banana also uses Magne-Traction edges to give the deck seven different contact points. This feature offers an additional level of grip on ice.
What Makes It The Perfect Beginner-friendly Board for Buttering
- Softer Flex and Rocker Profile: Its soft flex allows for easy board manipulation, while the rocker profile provides a forgiving and playful feel that will be incredibly simple for a beginner to learn to ride.
- The Twin Shape: The true twin shape ensures consistent performance, and the medium flex rating offers support for controlled and stylish butters.
- Superior Edge Hold: This board has serrated edges that provide additional grip and stability while buttering or carving around on ice.
Sizes: 150, 152, 153 Wide, 154, 156, 156 Wide, 159, 159 Wide, 162 Wide
Flex: Soft (4 out of 10)
What to consider when choosing a snowboard for buttering?
When choosing a snowboard for buttering, consider the following:
- The board’s flexibility – A soft to medium flexing board will make pressing into butters easier.
- The board’s length and width. – Look for a shorter length with a wider waist width. The wider platform will offer you more control while holding your butters for longer periods of time.
- The board’s shape. – The shape, like twin or directional twin, will enhance its maneuverability.
- The type of camber profile. – The type of profile, such as rocker or hybrid camber, affects smooth buttering ability because these profiles allow the nose or tail to remain in a lifted position more easily than a traditional camber profile.
Final Thoughts
It’s clear there are some exceptional options available for those who want the type of snowboard that excels at buttering. Each of the snowboards mentioned above have their own unique qualities that make them suitable for various riding styles, experience levels, and preferences.
Please remember that the best snowboard for buttering ultimately depends on your individual riding style, skill level, and the conditions you get to ride in most often. Before making a decision, we recommend trying to test ride a few of these boards to see if they can work for you.
In conclusion, whether you choose the Gilson Undead for its innovative design, the Never Summer Proto Synthesis for its durability, the Capita Pathfinder Reverse for its freestyle power, the Burton Custom Flying V for its versatility, or the Jones Mind Expander Twin for its powder performance, you’re bound to have an incredible snowboarding experience in 2024.
So, gear up, hit the slopes, and let your buttering skills shine with any of these decks
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Steve Weber is an avid snowboarder and skateboarder. He has been snowboarding for 26 years, skateboarding for 20, and is always looking for a new board sport to try out. When he is not riding or skating, he runs a marketing agency. Board of the World is Steve’s blog for skateboard and snowboard gear reviews. The blog’s goal is to help people find the right board for them and encourage people to have fun outside.