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Finding the right snowboard can mean sorting through hundreds of specialized planks, from fast, light rockets for shredding the half-pipe to downhill boards for attacking groomed slopes. But if you want a board that handles most conditions - one that floats in powder, sucks up bumps, and performs well in the terrain park - cut through the clutter with an all-mountain model. Manufacturers tune these rides to balance stiffness (for all-out speed) with bounce (for quick, aggressive turns). Our top choices will have you riding in style all season, no matter the weather. - André Scott
WHAT TO LOOK FOR
Length: Generally, the more you weigh and the taller you are, the longer your board.
Style: Shorter, more-flexible freestyle boards excel in terrain parks. Longer, stiffer free-ride boards are ideal for off-piste runs.
Materials: Aluminum or carbon-fiber cores offer the ideal combination of light weight and stiffness.
HOW WE TESTED
Location: We rode for two months in the Rocky Mountains, in conditions ranging from early-morning ice to 10-inch powder.
Terrain: Each board was used on the same set of runs, including jumps to test aerials, high-speed descents to check stability, and mogul fields to see how the board snapped from turn to turn.
Bindings: and boots Each board was mounted with 2005 Flow Pro XFR bindings that clamped ontoé 2004 Burton Ion boots.
Burton Vapor
Thanks to its aluminum and carbon-fiber construction and minimal binding hardware, the 5.4-pound Vapor is the lightest board ever from one of the sport’s founding companies. The Vapor will have you contemplating a trip to the half-pipe to try a 360 off the lip: The hyperlight plank is much easier to maneuver when airborne than any standard ride. In the glades, its responsiveness makes for snappy turns; on the bumps, it lets you blast straight down the hill instead of carving around each mogul. Good gear really does take your skills to the next level.
Wired: Does just about everything well. Light weight makes averageé riders feel instantly like X Games champs.
Tired: Not ideal for deep powder days or for riders with narrow stances.
$900, www.burton.com
Ride Timeless
Wired: Solid, classic performance in all conditionsé and everywhere on the mountain. Damper in nose smoothed out ride for high-speed ripping.
Tired: Not the liveliest trip on the planet - the equivalent of a luxurious Lexus, not a nimble Ferrari.
$480, www.ridesnowboards.com
Arbor Abacus
Wired: Handled deep powder as easily as groomed runs. Top sheet of beautiful Hawaiian koa wood is a guaranteed conversation piece.
Tired: Flexibility made it tough to handle on the bumps. Not terrain-park friendly.
$499, www.arborsports.com
Lib-Tech Dark Series Magne-Traction
Wired: Slightly jagged edges at seven points along board provided instant grip on icy slopes. Perfect for conditions east of the Rockies.
Tired: Edges caught easily on moguls and crud-tracked runs, dumping the rider on his ass.
$599, www.lib-tech.com
A big-screen television is eye-popping but hardly portable. With more high-speed cellular networks available, service providers are streaming shows for TV addicts on the go. It’s enough to get even the most slothful couch potato out of the house. - Michael Myser
Sprint TV
This service, powered by MobiTV, delivers shockingly crisp video at up to 15 frames per second. It offers more than 30 channels, so there’s plenty to watch, including movie trailers, frequently updated news clips, and live streaming channelsé like the NFL Network and Fuse. Sure, the screen is cell phone small, but Sprint TV serves up big-time entertainment.
Wired: Living room-quality experienceé thanks to clear, smooth pictures and sound. Widest array of channels.
Tired: Outside of Sprint’s high-speed EV-DO network, pictureé is unwatchably fuzzy. Clunky navigation.
$10 per month, www.sprint.com
Verizon V Cast
Wired: Solid content from Comedy Central, Nickelodeon, E!, and VH1. Sharp video and sound.
Tired: 30-second wait to load channel guide. Slow response when navigating.
$15 per month, www.getvcast.com
GoTV Networks
Wired: About half of network programming is original sports, entertainment, music, and news clips. No commercials!
Tired: Show hosts often become grating.
$5-10 per month, www.1ktv.com
MobiTV
Wired: The only passable option for non-high-speed networks. Optimized for the Treo 650.
Tired: Live TV means you get commercials. Video stuttersé when network overloads.
$10 per month, www.mobitv.com
Candy bar phones are usually more utilitarian than sexy, but Motorola’s new SLVR blows staid cellulars out of the water. Although it’s less than half an inch thick, the SLVR is crammed with features like Bluetooth, push-to-talk, and an innovative browser that feeds Web headlines to your phone’s home screen. Talk time was two hours - respectable for such a diminutive model. But we wish the photos were higher resolution - VGA is so 2004 - and the exposed screen is liable to get scratched by the junk in your pocket. But for the combination of function and fashion, the SLVR is hard to beat. - Mark McClusky
Color screen
The SLVR pumps out 176 x 220 pixels on its bright 1.9-inch screen, making instant-messaging or Web browsing surprisingly tolerable.
Memory slot
An easily accessible slot lets you add more storage; unfortunately, you’ll need a rare microSD card. Yippee, another format to buy!
USB connection
The SLVR charges using a standard mini-USB cable, which means you can use your notebook to top off the battery on the road.
Wired: Slimmer than the RAZR but equally full-featured. Crystal-clear reception.
Tired: Cramped keypad led to dialing errors. Muddled user interface caused confusion with simple tasks.
$300, www.motorola.com
Guiding Lights
SureFire E2E Executive Elite
Wired: A 60-lumen beam in a 4.5-inch package. Available LED lamp heads ($56-125) offer extended life.
Tired: Xenon lamp sucked two cells dry in just over an hour.
$95, www.surefire.com
Inova XO3
Wired: A single 3-watt LED outputsé 82 lumens. Two batteriesé kept it shining for two hours.
Tired: Seemed less bright than the SureFire, despite higher lumen rating and extra 1.75 inches of length.
$80, www.inovalight.com
Streamlight TL-3
Wired: Xenon bulb and three batteries blast a retina-scarring 200 lumens. Only model with an adjustable focus ring.
Tired: Bulbous head and 6.3-inch length make it tough to pocket.
$100, www.streamlight.com
Essential Gear Luxeon V
Wired: One 5-watt LED generates an impressive 120 lumens. Three batteriesé lasted up to three hours.
Tired: Long 7.2-inch barrel looks awfully suspicious in your jeans. Oddly smooth surface felt greasy.
$125, www.essentialgear.com
All-Star Sauté
Rocco Dispirito Stainless Steel 10-Inch Sauté Pan
Wired: Compact size didn’t hog stove. Manageable weight.
Tired: Not recommended for oven temps over 400 degrees. In testingé, part of rubber handle melted.
$48, www.roccodispirito.com
Wolfgang Puck Bistro 12-Inch Covered Sauté Pan
Wired: Caramelized vegetables and browned beef well. Looks and acts like a professional pan.
Tired: Bulk turns a full pan into an upper-body workout.
$35, www.wolfgangpuck.com
Emerilware Nonstick 3-Quart Sauté Pan
Wired: Doesn’t shout "Bam!" when you cook. Made by All-Clad.
Tired: Skinny handle tends to twist during use. Lacks solid feel. Sold only as part of a seven-piece set.
$150 a set, www.emerilware.com
Rachael Ray Anolon 5-Quart Oval Sauté Pan
Wired: Lightweight and easy to maneuver.
Tired: Perfect for nonexistent oval burners. Heat failed to reach the entire cooking surface.
$100, www.anolon.com
Burton Vapor
Ride Timeless
Arbor Abacus
Lib-Tech Dark Series Magne-Traction
Sprint TV
Verizon V Cast
GoTV Networks
MobiTV
Motorola SLVR L7
SureFire E2E Executive Elite
Inova XO3
Streamlight TL-3
Essential Gear Luxeon V
Rocco Dispirito Stainless Steel 10-Inch Sauté Pan
Wolfgang Puck Bistro 12-Inch Covered Sauté Pan
Emerilware Nonstick 3-Quart Sauté Pan
Rachael Ray Anolon 5-Quart Oval Sauté Pan
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