Reviews You Can Rely On

Cardiff Lynx Review

An all around good time, this board provides riders with everything they need to progress, have fun, and stomp lines with ease
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Cardiff Lynx Review (Whether you're looking to hit the top peaks of your local mountain or hanging down low in the park, a directional twin...)
Whether you're looking to hit the top peaks of your local mountain or hanging down low in the park, a directional twin shape can do it all.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
Price:  $570 List
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Manufacturer:   Cardiff
By Rachel Lightner ⋅ Review Editor  ⋅  Oct 31, 2024
89
OVERALL
SCORE


RANKED
#1 of 7
  • Edging - 25% 9.0
  • Float in Powder - 20% 9.0
  • Stability at Speed - 20% 9.5
  • Playfulness - 20% 8.5
  • Pop and Jumping - 15% 8.0

Our Verdict

The Cardiff Lynx takes the title of the Best All Mountain Freestyle Women's board with its solid construction, overall performance in all of our various tests, and playful nature. This board is incredibly user-friendly while remaining an incredibly capable model. It is happiest on edge and feels stable and trustworthy when ripping deep turns. Its softer flex rating allows for playfulness and pop without sacrificing a solid construction. The camber/rocker combo gives you stability underfoot with a rise in the tip and tail, making powder riding and high speed ripping a blast. It was hard to get off this board, and that enough informed our decision to give this board our most honorable rating. Get the scoop on how it stands up to the competition in our review of the best women's snowboards.
REASONS TO BUY
Impeccable edging and carving
Floats in powder
Rips at high speeds
REASONS TO AVOID
Not built for park
Flex may feel soft for heavy lines

Compare to Similar Products

 
cardiff lynx
This Product
Cardiff Lynx
Awards Editors' Choice Award
Best Overall Women's Snowboard
Top Pick Award
Best Women's Snowboard for Carving
Top Pick Award
A Board Built for Play
Top Pick Award
A User-Friendly ATV
 
Price $559.95 at Backcountry
Compare at 2 sellers
$629.95 at Backcountry$549.95 at Evo
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$669.95 at REI
Compare at 3 sellers
$500 List
$499.00 at REI
Overall Score Sort Icon
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74
Star Rating
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Bottom Line Your one stop shop for all terrain and conditions on the mountainAn all-mountain freestyle ripper that can take on any terrain or condition with easeLook no further for a freestyle, all-mountain womens snowboard that has spectacular performance and tons of play in all types of terrainYour Hometown Hero for all your ripping needs, this board will not dissapoint in whatever conditions you bring it toA stiff and wide speed demon that may not be ideal for playing in the park
Rating Categories Cardiff Lynx Jones Stratos - Wom... Yes HEL Yes Burton Hometown Hero Weston Rise
Edging (25%)
9.0
9.5
8.5
8.5
7.5
Float in Powder (20%)
9.0
9.0
8.0
8.0
8.5
Stability at Speed (20%)
9.5
9.0
8.0
8.0
8.0
Playfulness (20%)
8.5
7.0
9.5
9.0
6.5
Pop and Jumping (15%)
8.0
8.0
8.5
9.0
6.0
Specs Cardiff Lynx Jones Stratos - Wom... Yes HEL Yes Burton Hometown Hero Weston Rise
Shape Directional Twin Tapered directional Directional twin Freeride directional Directional twin
Camber/Rocker Camber, rocker Camber, rocker Camber, rocker Camber, rocker Camber, rocker
Flex 6 5 7 6 6
Tested Length 149 cm 149 cm 149 cm 148 cm 152 cm
Measured Weight of Tested Length 5lb 8oz 5lb 10oz 5lb 8oz 5lb 10oz 5lb 8oz
Available Lengths 142, 146, 149, 152, 156, 159, 162 143, 146, 149, 152, 155 146, 149, 152, 155 144, 148, 152, 156, 160, 156w, 160w, 165w 143, 146, 149, 152
Core Material Poplar, paulownia Paulownia, poplar Poplar, paulownia, bamboo Paulownia, beech, aspen Paulownia, poplar
Waist Width 25 24.3 24.1 24.4 25.2
Radius 7.3 m 6.5 m 6.9 m 6.9 m 7.4 m

Our Analysis and Test Results

Performance Comparison


This board performed superiorly in all testing categories, making an impression with its carving capabilities, float in powder, and all around performance when taken through varying terrain and conditions.

We loved the Lynx for carving in the slush!
Credit: Natalie Kafader

Edging


Built to carve, the Cardiff Lynx loves ripping deep turns when put on edge. Featuring Cardiff's HALFCamber system, this board has camber between the feet and rocker at the tip and tail, which creates smooth glide and solid edge control when engaging through turns.


The Lynx earned a great score when we took it to trenchtown, as we felt it was able to transition from one edge to another with minimal effort and ease. The BUTTERblunt nose and WINGtail are Cardiff's unique board design features that allow easy transition from edge to edge without getting caught up on the nose or tail. That, paired with a radial sidecut, and you have yourself one heck of a carving machine. Once put on edge, the Lynx engaged into turns and locked in from start to finish, providing an incredible carving experience and one we felt you could really feel your progression with carving take place.

The Lynx effortlessly transitions from edge to edge.
Credit: Natalie Kafader

Float in Powder


Though Cardiff rates it as having a soft stiffness, our tester felt the Lynx performed well in deep powder. Given its wider footprint and blunted nose, this board naturally wanted to stay afloat through pow and glided on the surface without worry of bogging beneath the snow.


The construction of this board features Cardiff's Boundary Build – which is noted to be damp, powerful, and durable. It entails carbon fiber stringers beneath a poplar and paulownia core. The benefit of this trifecta is the poplar provides snap and pop, the paulownia ensures dampness and a lightweight feel, and the carbon fiber stringers tie in the camber retention. This board construction is advantageous for an enjoyable powder ride, so our tester didn't really feel the effects of the soft flex rating and thought this board crushed it in deep snow.

cardiff lynx - the directional twin sidecut and stance coupled with the slightly...
The directional twin sidecut and stance coupled with the slightly wide profile of the Lynx make it a dream to rip in the deep stuff.
Credit: Natalie Kafader

Stability at Speed


The Lynx wants to go fast, so we let it. Ripping this board at top speeds was a blast, as variable terrain was no match for its solid construction and design. It felt stable when topping out at the fastest straight lines we could manage without chatter or insecurity underfoot.


When the coast was clear, we were able to rip the Lynx down some untouched groomers, giving us a fun and trustworthy ride at high speed. This board received our top rating for stability at speed, and this is because it produced nearly no chatter when ripping top speeds, felt solid and trustworthy, and was a heck of a good time.

cardiff lynx
Credit: Natalie Kafader

Playfulness


Playfulness has its own category in our testing procedures because ultimately the reason we all snowboard is because its fun, so we must ensure the boards we are recommending can do just that.


A softer flex typically equates to a playful ride, as you are able to have more wiggle room in mobility and style. The Cardiff Lynx is rated at a softer flex, so we found it easy to pop, ollie, and take this board off of side hits and lips in the park. Though it is fun in the air, we don't recommend ripping this board on metal, as the unique shape and wider footprint isn't ideal as a park board.

cardiff lynx
Credit: Natalie Kafader

Pop and Jumping


Adding a little pop and jump to your maneuvers is a blast on the Cardiff Lynx. Though we don't feel this is an ideal park board, it is, however, an excellent choice for taking off jumps, popping ollies, and catching air off of side hits.


We found the half-camber build and unique shape of the Lynx to provide a playful and responsive ride when cruising around slowly, looking for fun hits.

cardiff lynx - the lynx was one of our favorites for sunny, slushy days of fun.
The Lynx was one of our favorites for sunny, slushy days of fun.
Credit: Natalie Kafader

Should You Buy the Cardiff Lynx?


The Cardiff Lynx is an impressive snowboard that can be ridden in all conditions and types of terrain. If you are looking to advance your carving skills, be able to charge through deep powder, and stomp big lines, this is the board for you.

What Other Snowboard Should You Consider?


If you consider yourself more of a beginner or intermediate rider and are hoping to purchase a board to cruise on groomers and slash some casual pow, then the Lynx may feel a bit much. We recommend going for a board like the Burton Hometown Hero or the Yes Hel Yes, which are similar freeride boards to the Lynx but feel a little more accessible for your everyday rider.

Rachel Lightner