2023 Arbor Element Rocker

On the higher end of the resort-focused spectrum is the Arbor Element Rocker. This all-mountain twin is a fantastic choice for advanced and expert riders who are seeeking a playful yet responsive stick that can be used anywhere, any day, any condition. Finished with a hand-dyed ash powerply laminate, the Element Rocker has that high-end look and feel that makes it so formidable in its department. By boosting that laminate with Arbor’s Highland II core, the ride is smooth, supple, poppy, and energetic—all while keeping that drifty flotation totally intact with the rockered system. Mixed fiberglass laminates allow for greater torsional stiffness and edge grip while the 360-degree fully-wrapped sidewalls keep the edge control at an absolute maximum no matter what the snow’s like underfoot. With awards and accolades to go along with its absolute banger performance, the Arbor Element Rocker is a top-end performer that is always up for anything.

Eric McDonough rode the 155, but noted that “the full rocker made it feel shorter—I could have sized up.” That didn’t seem to upset his scoring of the board much, if anything, giving it 4’s out of 5 for overall impression, versatility, torsional stiffness, edge hold, playfulness, quickness, maneuverability, and flotation. 3’s for stability and forgiveness were on the lower side for him. Eric states that the “Full rocker profile made it very maneuverable and easy to turn. The grip tech gave it good edge hold on the harder packed conditions. Good for riders of all abilities in all conditions hard packed or powder.” Those are great mediums to be in for sure, Eric. Another Eric, Gagnon this time, also rode the 155, scoring it a 5 out of 5 for flotation, with a 4 for playfulness right behind. The rest of his scores were 3’s, showing a well-rounded nature for the Element Rocker. He did note that the rocker profile affected his experience, stating that “this board would be very fun on a powder day, it did not shine riding ice and slush today.” And that’s all part of the fun of this test in that it allows different riders to get on something that they may not choose, just to see what the limitations may be.

Sam Whitney felt that his 159 “rides a bit short. I would recommend going a few cm longer on the rocker version of this board versus the camber.” Sam scored it mostly 4’s out of 5, with everything on that level save for a 3 in stability. Likely due to the rocker, the board can feel less stable than the cambered profile. He notes that “The rockered version of this board is a lot more playful than the camber version. While it still carves well, it's more at home spinning and buttering everything in its path. It feels a bit softer than the camber version and allows much easier presses on rails and smoother spins in the air. Mid-flex means it won't wash out on you if landing slightly off-center. The perfect rider for this board sees freestyle features all over the mountain but spends most of their time progressing in the parks.” Dave Lombardi gave 4’s for flotation, quickness, maneuverability, and playfulness with 3’s the rest of the way. He states, regarding his 155, that “the rocker in this board is ideal for powder. It does turn quickly and with little effort. A not-so advanced rider could make turns on this snowboard but do feel like it's intended for advanced riding. Regardless of whether it's a powder day or not this board is still an all-mountain choice especially within resorts. It floats over chop and tracked out trails in a playful manner. Feels solid under the feet letting you know it can still bite and grip despite its rocker shape.” That’s some good stuff from Dave, showing the well-rounded and high-end performance capabilities of this amazing resort stick.

For riders of the advanced ilk looking to shred the entire resort, from front to back, the Arbor Element Rocker is a fantastic option. It’s got the top-level construction to go along with the modern and progressive shaping and profiling of a true freeride board with a bit of a setback stance. If you enjoy driving your board in a playful manner, the Element Rocker should be on top of the list.