The 2027 Nidecker Cheat Code felt like an incredibly approachable beginner board. It’s easy to steer. It feels noticeably lightweight, and it has everything a beginner rider would want to find in their first snowboard.
With that being said, I am not a beginner, and I wanted to see if this snowboard still worked for the intermediate rider who wants a soft board like this to jib with.
The best part is that it does.
While the Nidecker Cheat Code is marketed as being a beginner board, it’s also an outstanding, pressable park board, too.
The Cheat Code felt surprisingly responsive and controlled to carve with for how soft and forgiving it was. It held its own on the icy Vermont conditions I rode it in. It was easy to lock into presses with, and had an extra little boost of pop for hitting small jumps with in the park.
Nidecker Cheat Code 2027 Review
The flex pattern of the Cheat Code felt incredibly soft at a 3.5 / 10. To nose press this board, you simply lean forward and balance.
While it is soft and easy to press, it is decent enough to carve with too. I’d keep in mind this was made for a beginner, so if you’re an experienced rider looking to really lay into your turns, look for another deck. This is more for the rider looking for something soft to jib with.
It locks onto rails and boxes incredibly well, making it a great choice for anyone just looking to hit small features in the park, or use as their first park board.
Hitting small to medium jumps felt like a highlight of the Nidecker Cheat Code. For how soft it is, it still comes packed with a boost of pop. It’s camrock profile gives you an extra boot with your ollies while being very forgiving on your landings. If you land slightly off axis, its rockered tips allow you to simply pivot your way around to ride away clean.
Carving-wise, it felt responsive enough to go at casual speeds. It felt chattery when I tried to push it, though. This was made with beginners in mind, and for someone just learning, it’s forgiving and controlled and rides like you’d expect. It’s in the “this will do” or “well enough” categories. If you’re an intermediate or advanced rider who loves to carve, this isn’t the deck for you, as it will leave you wanting more.
Overall, if you’re a beginner looking for a deck that’s under $450 that’s easy to carve all over the resort with, this is a stellar one to check out. Alternatively, if you’re a park rider looking for a dedicated jib deck, this is a hidden gem of a jib stick, too. It’s catch-free, easily pressable, and best of all, it’s cheap.
Pros:
- It’s one of the best budget-friendly beginner decks you can get.
- It is inexpensive while offering a ton of value with its tech features. It has a full poplar wood core, responsive Biax Plus fiberglass, a vibration-dampening Absorbnid topsheet, and a durable N-5000 extruded base all tied together with a classic sandwich construction.
- The Cheat Code works well as a dedicated jib board. It’s easily pressable and molds around features to help you balance on them.
Cons:
- Experienced All-mountain riders will want more out of its carving experience.
- The base isn’t the fastest. It was durable and worked well enough to get from feature to feature.
Nidecker Cheat Code Score Breakdown
The Cheat Code earned a 79.5 out of a possible 100 in our Park / Street boards rating scale. Here are the stats from the review.
The Nidecker Cheat Code earned a 79.5 out of a possible 100 points on our Park / Street boards rating scale. The part to consider about the score is that this particular board is scored against park boards that more advanced riders will be using, but this deck is intended to be a budget-friendly, solid option for beginners. So you’ll need to take into account that it’s more meant to be easy to ride and learn with than its ability to score well in all categories. (So its score reflects that, but it is exactly what it says it is: a “Cheat Code for beginners to learn in the park.”)
This board works as its described and is a great board for a beginner to learn to carve with, but it is also stellar as a jib board that you can get at a steal of a price too.
About the Reviewer
Rider Name: Steve Weber
Conditions: Sunny / Icy Vermont Park Day in Early February
Board Reviewed: 2027 Nidecker Cheat Code 156cm
Bindings Used: Nidecker Supermatic OG
Boots Used: Thirty Two STW Boa
Pictures from the Review
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Steve Weber is the passionate snowboarder, skateboarder, and author behind Board of the World. He understands that most gear reviews focus on having the perfect snow conditions, but his testing methodology is different. Living in Pennsylvania, Steve describes exactly how a board performs when the conditions aren’t perfect. His reviews cover performance on ice, hardpack, and flat-out brick conditions. So Steve is the guy reviewing boards for the conditions that East Coast riders actually face.
Bringing 27 years of East Coast snowboarding and 21 years of skateboarding experience, Steve is a 43-year-old intermediate park rider. His recommendations are informed by decades of battling icy conditions, ensuring every review accounts for the board’s performance on the roughest of terrain.
For the last six years, Steve has poured his passion into writing in-depth, unbiased reviews that help riders make informed decisions about the gear they’ll use. He gets his first look at new gear each January at the EWSRA January Mart and rides the next season’s boards at the EWSRA on-snow demo in Stratton, Vermont. These events give him a direct line to learning about the new gear tech a few months in advance. He also consults on a local snowboard shop’s website and helps the team decide which gear to stock for the season. When he’s not writing reviews, Steve is often found riding at Montage Mountain and testing out new boards.
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