The Natural Selection Tour brings together the world’s most talented snowboarders to compete on challenging natural terrain: think heavy glaciers, large vertical drops and exceptional tree runs. Riders face immense obstacles on these natural trails, and must use their skills and creativity to overcome them and out-do their competitors.
Tackling tough conditions requires gear that holds up: so what are professional snowboarders equipping themselves with? We’ve put together a guide of top picks from the pros.
Travis Rice
Travis Rice is one of the most influential snowboarders on the planet, with a host of accolades spanning a career of almost 20 years. Rice leads the way in big-mountain freestyling, carving new paths for the future of snowboarding.
His snowboard of choice is the Lib Tech Golden Orca 161 (2021/22 model), developed by Rice himself in conjunction with Lib Tech. Beginning with the Orca, also crafted by Rice several years prior, the Golden Orca was re-engineered with a versatile nose and tail, allowing you to ride and land switch flawlessly.
Rice’s legacy continues with the Lib Tech T.Rice Golden Orca 2023, featuring improved centring and a new tail profile.
Snowboard: Lib Tech Golden Orca 161
Bindings: Union Falcor
Boots: DC Travis Rice Boa Snowboard Boots
Jacket: Quiksilver Highline Pro 3Layer Jacket
Pants: Quiksilver Highline Pro 3Layer Bibs Pants
Gloves:Quiksilver Travis Rice Natural Gore-Tex gloves
Helmet: Quiksilver Play Snowboard Helmet
Goggles: Quiksilver TR Hubble
Sage Kotsenburg
Kotsenburg took out the gold medal at the 2014 Sochi Olympic Games, and his beaming personality in interviews made him a household name. He has a string of notable projects showcasing his big mountain freestyling, as well as a deep bag of impressive tricks to boot.
His snowboard of choice is the K2 Manifest Team 159, paired with K2 Formula Bindings. Kotsenburg praised the board’s handling of big features and deep snow.
Snowboard: K2 Manifest Team 159
Bindings: K2 Formula Bindings
Boots: K2 Orton Boots (2022)
Jacket: Oakley Bowls Gore-Tex Pro Shell Jacket
Pants: Oakley Bowls Gore-Tex Shell Pants
Gigi Rüf
Rüf was given the enviable task of putting down the first tracks on the competition course at Jackson Hole. Having competed in previous iterations of Natural Selection and taking out podium wins twice, Rüf is a prominent feature in events and is well known for his uniqueness and creativity.
His snowboard of choice is the SLASH ATV 158, which is part of his brand Slash by GiGi. The board delivers a tough feel and is reactive and incredibly directional whilst remaining lightweight.
Snowboard: SLASH ATV 158
Bindings: Union STRATA
Boots: Deeluxe X-plorer
Jacket: 686 GLCR Gore-Tex Smarty 3-in-1 Weapon Jacket
Pants: 686 GLCR Gore-Tex Dispatch Bibs in Gigi Rüf colourway
Goggles: Dragon X2s Gigi Rüf Signature
Blake Paul
Dubbed “the backcountry prince”, Paul is known for his light-footed, breezy style of all-mountain riding. Natural Selection’s Jackson Hole trail is where Paul grew up riding, so it’s no surprise that he’s climbed the ranks to become one of the world’s best freestylers.
His snowboard of choice is the Gnu Hyper Kyarve Pro Model 160 (2021/22 model), which Paul has developed to perform exceptionally across all terrain. The board is playful and super responsive, creating a fun snowboarding experience regardless of conditions or the course.
Snowboard: Gnu Hyper Kyarve Pro Model 160
Bindings: Gnu BMBW Transfer
Boots: Vans Bryan Iguchi Verse
Jacket: The North Face 1994 Retro Mountain Light FUTURELIGHT Jacket
Pants: The North Face Seymore Pants
Whether you’re just starting out on the slopes or you’re an experienced rider, Elevation107 has all the professional snowboarding gear you need, including snowboards, snowboard clothing, snowboard boots, snowboard helmets and more.