twintip

Twintip, often written twin tip, is a design concept used in winter sports to describe a board with a symmetrical nose and tail. The symmetry allows riders to travel and perform tricks equally well in both directions, making switch riding more natural.

In snowboarding, a twin-tip board has identical tips and a centered mounting area so the rider's stance is balanced. The board's flex is typically uniform from tip to tail to simplify landing and pressing in parks. Different profiles (camber, flat, or rocker) exist, but the key feature is symmetry. Twin-tip snowboards are popular for park, jibbing, and freestyle, as well as all-mountain cruising.

In skiing, twin-tip skis have a similar symmetrical shape and often place the bindings near the true center to improve balance when riding switch. They enable soft landings and forward reversals in freestyle runs and moguls. Modern twin-tips may pair a rocker with camber for versatility and can be used in powder and groomers, depending on stiffness and width.

The concept gained prominence in the 1990s and 2000s with the rise of park and freestyle disciplines in both snowboarding and freeskiing. The term "twintip" remains common, though some makers distinguish between fully symmetric "true twin" designs and subtly directional variants.