Whether on fresh powder or springtime mash, the GNU Banked Country lands with stability and poise. Photo: Will Sileo//The Inertia
Testing snowboards is a privilege, but it turns into pure joy when I get to ride a deck like the GNU Banked Country ($630). While it might not be the most popular board on the mountain, this year, it’s one of the best. With some of the premier tech from Mervin Manufacturing (maker of Lib Tech), this board, designed by Temple Cummins and his son Cannon, is a truly aggressive all-mountain plank. Cruisy/flowy riders beware: This board is built for the chargers. It’s stiff, it holds an edge, and it pops, but it can slash pow when you need it to.
Bottom Line: I love it when legendary riders design boards to do it all. So often, and especially in the case of the GNU Banked Country, the result is an uber-capable snowboard with which to ride the entire mountain, regardless of conditions. This board is a veritable quiver-killer for aggressive riders (if you aren’t looking to ride switch too often).
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The Banked Country is a natural fit for a posi-posi stance (both feet at positive riding angles). Photo: Will Sileo//The Inertia
Testing the GNU Banked Country
Our whole team rode the GNU Banked Country at Mammoth last spring. Since then, I’ve taken this board on some icy days around the West and Midwest, as well as a couple of wet powder days in Northern Arizona. It’s quickly become a go-to option for steeper powder riding and early morning icy groomers, where I want something a bit stiffer and more stable to absorb bumps and chunks, as well as something I can turn easily from the backseat.
Who Is The Banked Country For?
I don’t want to scare readers off by saying the Banked Country is not for the faint of heart, because (in our experience) the latest model actually feels a bit more approachable than years past. To be clear: This is a stiff board. I’d rate it around a 7 out of 10 (whereas older models were closer to 9), but it’s not dull or impossible to turn over. The C3 Camber also helps a touch as you initiate turns. I’d say if you’re an intermediate rider or above who is committed to riding a beefed-up snowboard, you can have a blast on this.
GNU Banked Country ($630)
Sizing: 155, 159, 160W, 162, 163W
Riding Style: All-Mountain Freeride, Powder
Profile: C3 Camber (slight Rocker between feet)
Shape: Directional
Flex: 7 or 8/10
Pros: Versatile and capable in all conditions, excellent edge-hold and stability
Cons: A bit aggressive for intermediate riders
Best For Riders Who: Want a premium, one-and-done resort deck that handles powder, side hits, groomers, and everything in between.
Why You Should Buy The Banked Country (and Maybe Why You Shouldn’t)
A Lowkey Tech Hub
Of course, any snowboard brand is going to market the specific technology and construction that they put into their snowboards, but in the case of GNU (and Mervin, who makes them), the design cues come together for a sweet ride in a ton of conditions. The ProMag setup (Progressive Magne-Traction) is basically small fins that jut out as you move back toward the tail of the sidecut radius. These are designed to bite into the snow when you’re on edge and help steer turns: They work really well (but they might make a newer rider more prone to hanging an edge).
The BC also features Triax and Biax glassing, which tightens up the feel of this board torsionally and makes it very poppy when taking on sidehits or other features. Oh, and this thing lands super solidly—it’s stable in chop and on impact. The C3 camber—basically camber under the feet with a tiny bit of rocker right in the middle of the feet is one of our favorite board profiles. It’s a much milder version of something like Burton’s Flying V camber (in which the center rocker dips below the camber). I love a traditional camber board, but that slight leveling off in the middle helps ease the need for absolute precision when turning, and it really seems like it helps bridge the gap between soft and hard snow.
The Ride Drone binding was one of our favorite pairings for the BC. Photo: Will Sileo//The Inertia
Directional, You Follow?
Okay, if you’re looking for anything resembling a true twin, this is not the board for you. The GNU Banked Country has a pretty significant stance setback (about 1.5 inches or 3.8 centimeters). Now, there’s nothing preventing you from landing switch, but in general, this is for aggressive directional riding. That setback does wonders in powder, and while you could set yourself up a bit forward for more all-mountain versatility, the ProMag paired with the setback makes this deck drive from the backseat like a champ. Soul carves, floaty lines through the trees, and zipping around firm banked turns (hello slalom) are all endlessly achievable on the Banked Country. It’s a fun board if you like to turn, turn, turn, but want something solid enough for big lines. This is a bomber side-country board for those of us who spend 95% of our time at the resort, but love getting tangled up in the trees and finding any powder stashes around the lesser-utilized portions of the mountain.
A bluebird day at Mammoth is an ideal testing grounds for the GNU. Photo: Will Sileo//The Inertia
Why Shouldn’t GNU?
Is there any rider who should look elsewhere for a snowboard? Well, of course. A true quiver-killer is something of a fallacy, and the GNU Banked Country is not really all that freestyle oriented, at least as a pure-jibbing or park board. I will say, for launching side hits and playful freeriding, this is a great option. But for many riders, that’s not the goal. If you want a softer board or something that has a more neutral stance, you’ll be better off riding something like the Bataleon Evil Twin.
Our top two boards: The Nidecker Alpha APX and the GNU Banked Country. Photo: Will Sileo//The Inertia
Other Snowboards To Look At
The GNU Banked Country was named our runner-up best board this year (2026), and I’d be remiss if I didn’t shout out our top pick, the Nidecker Alpha APX (pictured above with the GNU). Both boards share some of the same areas of excellence, with perhaps a bit more nimbleness and maneuverability in the Nidecker board, and a bit more stability in the GNU. Both are truly versatile, though. Another to look at would be the Ride Deep Fake, a stiff, all-mountain board that can be ridden set back and take on the whole mountain (also look at the Ride Moderator for a softer board with the same shape and profile).
Soul turns on the Banked Country. Photo: Will Sileo//The Inertia
Final Thoughts
Ready to be done with this rambling review and get to the goods? The GNU Banked Country deserves to be on your map if you are a hard-charging resort rider who loves taking on everything your home mountain has to offer. This would do especially well for those of us who ride in the West or PNW, where frequent powder dumps make consistently varying conditions (except this season, argh!). The setback stance and stiff stability make the BC a powerful turner, whether you’re riding pow or crisp corduroy. At $630, it’s not inexpensive, but the board is loaded with premium tech, making it a very solid value. The latest version is softer and more approachable, and we’ll be riding this Mervin masterpiece all season.
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