This article is brought to you by ActiveJunky.com. They like our snow forecasts, and we like their knowledge of gear. So we work together to bring you details on the best stuff you can buy, and they help you earn cash back on purchases. Win-win-win-win, or something like that!

Image via Jones Snowboards

Not so long ago, buying a splitboard was impossible. If you wanted to ascend snow-capped peaks like a skier, you used a saw. You hacked a beat-up board in two and prayed that your calculations were correct. From the experimental labs of dedicated DIY shredders (read: sheds and garages), this snowboarding sub-culture has since evolved into a serious backcountry movement. Now, respected board manufacturers engineer new designs and adapt pow boards to split specifications.

A few noteworthy professionals have been skinning towards the summit of the splitboarding revolution: French speed demon Xavier de le Rue, freeriding legend Jeremy Jones and Wyoming’s snowboarding ambassador and resident sorcerer Travis Rice, to name a few. With support from their board sponsors (granted, J. Jones owns his own board company), these three riders have turned the dreams of those powder-pursuing pioneers – the ones who once sliced at snowboards with buzz saws – into reality.

Xavier De Le Rue: Rossignol XV Magtek Splitboard

Xavier’s turns are characteristic: they’re fast, rare and driven from his strong front foot. For those who ride steeps at speed, the XV’s aggressive, front-foot dominant flex pattern is ideal. Reverse Super Directional Flex pinpoints power and stiffness at the front inserts, with a mellow tail and medium-stiff equilibrium for balance. The unique flex pattern is complemented by a setback stance, directional nose and slightly stubby, concave tail for increased precision on precipitous terrain. The mid-section consists of traditional camber, which combines with rocker at the tip and tail for additional responsiveness. Magne-traction grips wily faces and the split-specific core and sidewall construction yield multi-season longevity.

MSRP: $950.00

Sizes: 159, 163, 167

Best For: Speedy riders who crave technical and testing terrain

Earn 10% cash back on the Rossignol XV Magtek Splitboard from Backcountry.com

Travis Rice: Lib Technologies T.Rice Pro Model Splits C2-BTX HP 

Finally, a splitboard built with booters in mind. This twin shape can rip and land switch, yet the C2-BTX Power Banana hybrid rocker/camber profile offers the float of a pure powder board. Pop is comparable to solid park and all-mountain boards, thanks to the stiff camber that starts at the binding inserts. Horsepower Construction utilizes torsionally strong and environmentally sustainable basalt fibers instead of industry standard fiberglass. Magne-traction, chatter-free Karakoram clips and a blended wood core crown this split king of both realms: freestyle and freeride.

MSRP: $970.00

Sizes: 161.5, 164.5

Best For: Backcountry riders who build jumps some days and tackle heavy lines the next

Earn 10% cash back on the Lib Technologies T.Rice Pro Model Splits C2-BTX HP from Backcountry.com

Jeremy Jones: Jones Ultracraft 

One cannot discuss freeriding without bringing up Jeremy Jones; one of snowboarding’s most proficient mountaineers and respected big mountain riders. His company, Jones Snowboards, strives to continue a tradition of backcountry innovation, a goal aptly met with the Ultracraft. Lighter than light carbon construction keeps this minimalist, directional shape stiff enough for the steepest descents. One of its many remarkable revolutions, the Ultracraft is “produced as two individual skis that are later transformed into a solid board,” instead of being sliced down the middle like those DIY garage-built boards. In between a rockered tip and tail, responsive underfoot camber adds to the board’s competence in questionable conditions. It’s a myth that big mountain riders are always knee deep in powder. Jeremy Jones R&D’d the Ultracraft in a variety of conditions ranging from miraculous to merciless, resulting in a board that can destroy it all. The question is: can you?

MSRP: $1,200.00

Sizes: 152, 156, 160

Best For: Long ascents, conditions that range from treacherous to terrific

Earn 10% cash back on the Jones Ultracraft from Backcountry.com

Whichever board best suits your alpine aspirations, these three Active Junky-approved options are sure to revolutionize your riding. At the very least, they’ll take you to the summit. The rest, as they say, is up to you.