Editor's Note, 3 October 2026: New review, from the field notes of our snowboard crews at Whistler Blackcomb.
Our pro freestyle riders lapped the Nintendo Terrain Park on the Arbor Rain. It is snappy, poppy and dead level in the air. It scores 81 out of 100 and ranks #5 in our best snowboards guide as our top Board for Kickers and Cliffs.
Top Board for Kickers and Cliffs
Arbor Rain
Bottom Line : Snappy, poppy and balanced in the air. Our pros lapped the park on it, and a set-back stance makes it better in powder than you might expect.
Pros
- Snappy pop off kickers
- Balanced and predictable in the air
- Set it back for better float
Cons
- Back leg burns in powder if set up centred
- Suits confident park riders best
On the Mountain
Our pro freestyle riders spent an afternoon lapping the Nintendo Terrain Park on the Rain. It is snappy, poppy and completely balanced in the air, and park riders love how predictable the traditional camber is on big kickers.
It is more versatile than it looks. It is a directional twin with a small setback of about 1.5 cm, and the insert pack lets you shift your stance back for real directional float.
Where It Asks Something of You
Set up centred like a park twin, it burns your back leg in deep snow.
It is a board for strong park riders. Our notes on it come from the pro crew, not the intermediates.
Spec Sheet vs Our Test
- Traditional camber: Snappy, predictable pop on big kickers
- Directional twin, about 1.5 cm setback: Centred, it burns the back leg in powder; set back, it floats
Should You Buy the Arbor Rain?
Yes, if big kickers are your thing. Set the stance back on powder days. Arbor now often lists it as the Candle Rain, part of Pat Moore's signature line, so look for that name too.
Confident park riders who hit big kickers, and who want a board that can set back for powder.
Compare With
- Jones Flagship Pro: our best Men's Snowboard.
- Rome Ravine Pro: our best Powder Board.
- Jones Howler: our best Board for Carving.
- Arbor El Camino: our best All-Around Performer.
- Rome Women's Ravine: our best Women's Snowboard.
- Lib Tech Dynamiss: our best Women's Board for Carving.
- Jones Women's Howler: our best Women's All-Mountain Board.
- CAPiTA Space Metal Fantasy: our best Women's Freestyle Board.
- Weston Dream Machine Splitboard: our best Splitboard.
See all ten, and how we tested them, in our best snowboards of 2026/2027 guide. Heading out on two planks instead? Read our best all-mountain skis guide.
Our Testers
This review was edited by Sean Williams and tested at Whistler Blackcomb by our lead tester and snowboard crews.
- Sean Williams, Editor-in-Chief. Sean built the team of researchers and testers behind our reviews and edits every guide. His rule: we say what we actually found.
- Ryan Williams, Lead Tester. An aggressive, heavy charger on skis who hunts for steep, punishing terrain; on a snowboard, Ryan rides with our intermediate crew. He has led our field tests from Whistler Blackcomb to the shore of Lake Louise.
- James Warburton, Tester. An ex-racer on skis, James rides with our beginner to intermediate crew on a snowboard. He lives in Calgary and also tested our fat bikes at Lake Tahoe.
- Shaun, Tester. One of our pro snowboarders, aged 57.
- Tony French, Tester. One of our pro snowboarders. Tony lives in Morzine, in the French Alps.
- Ali, Tester. A pro snowboarder on our women's crew, Ali lives in Morzine, in the French Alps.
- Annie, Tester. An intermediate snowboarder on our women's crew, Annie lives in Calgary.
- Tom, Tester. Strong in bowls and glades, Tom took our powder boards into Symphony Bowl.
- Amy, Tester. Our strongest snowboarder, riding at pro level. On skis she is a progressing intermediate.
- The pro and intermediate crews. Riders from Calgary, the French Alps and beyond, who met up at Whistler to ride the same boards on the same runs.
