Rating 5/5
Game Changer
I started splitting my own boards back in the day when there weren't many vendor options and the ones available did not match my riding in Alaska. Everything changed when I received my first Furberg back around 2013, complete game changer with the stability at speed on steep terrain. Blew my mind and I haven't turned back and keep coming back for more. Wrote in to Backcountry mag years ago asking why they weren't reviewing the most innovative snowboard available and now you are winning awards. Keep up the good work! My only wish/request is you kick the Freeride turning radius back up to 18+.
Rating: 5/5
The Freeride Split
For a couple of seasons, I’ve heard a lot of positive feedback regarding Furbergs boards. So last season I decided to get my own. I can’t say that I regret my decision.
I’ve used it on +40 tours in a great variety of terrain and snow condition. And it has always felt like I could trust my Freeride Split, both on the way up and down.
It’s pretty light and therefore enjoyable touring with. When touring in steep and icy terrain it feels like the board gives me better grip then boards I’ve used before. And when that has not been enough crampons has been the answer.
It has tackled anything from powder, harder packed snow and slush for me here in the backcountry of Tromsø. To me it’s both versatile and responsive board.
The only thing I wasn’t pleased with was the quality of the most upper layer of the board around the edges.
It, to me, seemed to loosen up, starting to fade in a faster way then what could be expected due to normal usage. This was, of course, nothing affecting my riding experience but more of a cosmetic issue, that in the long run would lower the second hand value of my board.
After contacting Furbergs custom service about this issue (the replied the same day) sending them some photos of my board, I was told this was a warranty issue and that they will replace my board.
That is what you can expect of a "smaller” brand; quick and personal service. I was saved a lot of hassle and I was very pleased with that.
Now I am looking forward to a new season on my Freeride Split.
Rating: 5/5
Top quality
I like this board so much I have 2 of them...I bought a fresh one at the end of 2017 season, thinking I'd destroy the 1st one, but I still haven't even ridden the new one yet (Dec 18). I ride this board year round in Colorado, summer included. As far as construction of the board goes, the quality is 2nd to none. I work in a ski shop, so I see lots of different splits and nothing holds a candle to the construction of the Freeride. Stable at speed, holds an edge when its icy and floats like a champ in the deep stuff. Doubtful I'll ever buy another from another manufacturer. Buy this board, you won't be disappointed.
Rating: 5/5
Fun and playful
Super fun board to ride. Feels comfortable at speed, nimble in the tighter spots and forgiving if you're riding a bit loose:). I'd buy this splitty again in a heartbeat.
Rating: 5/5
Great all mountain tool.
I have been using Furberg splitboards the last couple of seasons. They have always been reliable boards for all possible conditions. As a guide in western Norway i use this board in all possible conditions, blower and ice alike
Rating: 4/5
Freeride split! Earn your turns!
The Freeride Split is my second splitboard. I used to ride a jones solution split and was quite happy with it, though a bit heavy when touring. The Freeride weights a bit less, which is much welcome. Light and playful in the deep pow, edgy and responsive when you need it to be. Handles well on hard packed snow as well, but riding fast on hard snow will give some turbulence to the board. I have the Spark bindings, easy transitions! Haven't had any trouble with ice. Only had a chance to enjoy the board for one season, looking forward for the next one.
Rating: 5/5
Perfect
After climbing the mountainside on snowshoes I was persuaded to try this splitboard. I was skeptic... But the board arravied and it was easy to put together. It was great to walk up the mountain with it. I was excited about the downhill run, but from the very beginning it was just the board and me. It was incredibly easy run and flowed like a dream on the snow! Can definitely recommend it!
Rating: 4/5
Fragile
The board is very nice in to use where there is bot too much powder, haven't tried it in alot of powder. My friend also has the same Splitboard an there came a cracke at the back of the board after landing on the rear end of the board.
Answer from Furberg Snowboards:
Hi Torbjørn,
Thanks for the review!
Could you please tell your friend to get in touch with us? This should normally not happen from a bad landing, so it might be a warranty case.
Rating: 4/5
Thumbs up
I've had the freeride split for aboult half a season, and it completely altered my view on splitboard touring. My previous boards have been quite low flex boards fitting my riding on open faces. As I have moved to Voss which offers a lot more forresty riding I decided to go for something a bit more playfull and forgiving.
My oppinion
Positive
The freeride split is realy cool to mess around with in bumpy forresty terrain, but still offers enough stabilty and grip to make me comfortable on open faces. Both on the best powder days and the worst hardpacked and icy days, it performes nicely. The board is forgiving the times my weightshift is a bit off, which has saved plenty of my rubbish landings. I treasure durabilty over lightweight witch furberg seems to have done as well.
Negative
Maybe Im picky, but for me the position of the bindings on the board was very particular to make the board work for me.
The higher flex makes touring a bit less efficient on this board than the stiffer ones, less gripp on edge, and sinks more in the middle when in deep snow. Then again, if I wanted to maximize efficiency I would switch to randonee.
I have come to be very good friends with the freeride split, and it is realy making me see the potential in Voss' terrain. Realy stoked for the season to come riding with this board.
Rating: 4/5
Review the freeride-split
This was the first board I bought as a splitboard and I am more than pleased with the board. The only thing that I can think of that can make this board even better and-/or more likeable is for us tall and heavy guys with sasquatch-feet to get the 170-model with a wide mode. I dont know if this might change the whole board if the waist was 290-300.
Thanks for a great board and great support during my order. Looking forward too a new season with deep pow and sunny skies!
Rating: 4/5
Review
The best board I’ve ever ridden in powder, the last season in sogndal was amazing! So I got to use the board a lot, taking turns was incredible. The only thing I can think of that was negative is that the metal screws easily became rusty.
Rating: 4/5
Surprise ride
I bought two 160cm Freerides, both the solid and the split, for the '17/'18 season. It was an uncommonly big season for me, 50+ days riding, which is a lot by my standards. I would say that I have spent a good half of these days on a Furberg. I am a fairly tall guy (190cm), so 160cm might be a fair bit on the short side, but I am also skinny (about 70kg), hence I was sure the 165 would be too much.
Initially, I thought the Freerides would be boards for rather specific conditions and terrain, given their unusual layout. I was thinking "wide open/good snow/fast riding", doubting usability in icy and/or tracked out terrain as well as tighter surroundings like tree runs. Performance on icy surfaces in particular were a concern for me, and as you will read, I have no definitive answer yet.
However, I rode the solid at Baldface Lodge, which means a lot of dense tree runs in deep snowpack, and it handled the tight turns and abrupt stops like a charm, not sinking, not catching, easy to turn on the spot. I tried a Yes 20/20 in between, which allegedly is at home in this type of terrain, and right away I wanted to get back on the Freeride. Supergood. Frankly, I was surprised.
I have also ridden the boards on more serious terrain, like around Verbier's Mont Fort as well as some classic runs in Chamonix and Diablerets, and I was even lucky enough to get some heli-runs in Riksgränsen. In that type of terrain (obviously) the boards excelled. Nice float, stable at high speeds, relaxed ride all around. Also, I felt the boards handle tracked out, choppy traverses well, stable and catch-free.
One thing I was worried about is iced up traverses. I cannot legitimately comment on this as (luckily) conditions were just too good for the most part. I would still think that in terms of grip the superwide sidecut is a bit of a drawback there, and on the few days with rather icy conditions I had last season, I basically always chose to ride other boards. However, I have splitboarded up the Gran Paradiso and the Pyramide Vincent, both well above 4000m, on the Freeride Split. The first section of the run down Pyramide Vincent was icy for sure, so was Gran Paradiso, but icy to a level that - in my view - hardly any board could correct. So, as said, for lack of experience I cannot say for sure, but maybe adding something like a serrated edge would ease my doubts...?
On a side note, I felt that I could land drops and jumps well on the board, and even if at times the tail felt like giving way (mind you 160 is a rather short board for me), it never did.
The only surface I would still at any time prefer other boards to the Freerides is groomed pistes. While I have learned to ride on-piste with them in reasonable style (took me a while), I find they are not exactly carving machines. It is a bit of a shame, because the flex is OK for some fun butters etc., but it just does not have that turning radius you want on-piste (and how could it given its USP?).
To sum it up, I really like the boards and will continue to ride them. I would however appreciate an in-between length of maybe 162 or 163 for the really big stuff (or wait until Furberg eventually puts out the Big Mountain board there have been so many rumors about).
Rating: 5/5
Title: The Perfect All Around Board
The Freeride Split is the perfect all around board for shredding in Alaska. The stiff board and large radius sidecut make charging big open lines a blast. The large sidecut also gives better traction than magna traction or similar technologies on steep icy faces. The new 2017 version seems to have a slightly looser tail and is far easier and more playful to turn in the trees and on powder days.
Rating: 4/5
Title: n/a
I started doing Snowbard at age 15 in 1984 with a board made by myself in fiberglass and wood core. I then moved on to snowboards like Burton, Sims, Nitro, Scott. In a world where the big brands have started with innovative ideas and spirits but which have been lost over the years following the logic of businnes. For me, the Furberg snowboards are synonymous with a message of lovers of the pure spirit of snowboarding. Today at the age of 49, the Furberg boards are the closest to me in my free spirit of the 80s of a 15-year-old boy who has fallen in love with the freedom the backcountry can give you and with modern innovation continues to thrill me. Thanks Furberg to exist and produce high quality snowboards in Freeride and Backcountry style with great passion.
Giovanni Gianfredi - Italy (Aosta Valley)
Rating: 5/5
Freeride Split
Very solid snowboard! Meets all my expectations.
Rating: 5/5
Best ever
Got split board last year and rode in whistler bc Canada for season. Deep pow year. Board responsive durable and could handle all thrown at it. Special surprise was total control over groomed and bumps. Just the best. Carved and pops.
Rating: 5/5
Clean lines
The Freeride Split really surprised me in a good way. When i bought it it was the one of few bords awailable in 170 lenght. I was surprised in how good the board performed for its lenght and wide form. From steep clean Mountain lines too short quick turns in the Woods the board performed excelent! Im 195cm tall and its been hard finding a board suited to my lenght and weight.