Snowboarding harnesses gravity for exhilaration on the mountain. Just strap in (or Step-On), point it, and feel the glide. As you rip turns, you can take in the surroundings, and cherish the moment. It’s what makes riding such a singular experience.
That’s why we can’t understand the Cyrusher Ripple electric snowboard. Combining elements of snowmobile and snowboard, the invention throws a wrench in snowboarding’s core elements: gravity-powered glide, flowing turns, and peaceful silence. Let’s take a closer look at this confusing product’s features and specs.
How the Cyrusher Ripple electric snowboard works
Snowmobiles are cool. Combining motocross bike with snow sled, they power through deep drifts and offer up winter thrills. But most are complex, loud machines. On the other hand, a snowboard quietly slides, the base providing frictionless acceleration. With a basic build and no moving parts, a board is a simple, effective tool. But Cyrusher sought to combine the two, and the result is a product with clashing purposes.
The Ripple looks like a snowboard with a mini snowmobile track attached. The front three-quarters are like a regular board, but behind the rear binding, there’s an electric motor and a rubber-tracked wheel inside a rectangle-shaped cutout. Machined aluminum suspension arms and motocross bike-like shocks complete the package.
The board is 156 cm with a wood core, camber bend, and steel edges — standard snowboard construction. The electric motor produces 3000W and the battery capacity is 12.6 Ah. That leads to a max speed of 50 km/h and a range of 15-20 km.
You have to give Cyrusher credit for getting it to work. But is the result worth the effort? We say no.
Watching footage of the Ripple, it grinds and forces its way through the snow. Quite a contrast to sinewy, slippery turns down a mountainside. And with the rider forced to use a remote control with dangling wire, the design is more heavy equipment than an elegant tool. Compare that to a snowboarder in a clean, modern outerwear kit with nothing but a board and bindings underneath.
Then there’s the cost. The board starts at $2,499. But then you have to add bindings — starting at $199 — raising the price to nearly $3K. For that, you can buy almost any snowboard, bindings, and boots, and have money to spare for a new jacket and pants.
Lastly, the aesthetic of snowmobile hardware and snowboard construction just don’t mesh. Shock absorbers and rubber tracks belong on a machine, not on a refined piece of fiberglass and wood.
Should you buy a Cyrusher Ripple electric snowboard?
If you’re searching for novelty, sure, go for it. On down days, the Ripple could provide some low-tide fun. But for nearly $3,000, we’d rather spend our money on real snowboarding equipment. What does that mean? Try a new Burton Custom snowboard ($669.95), Step-On bindings ($299.95), and Ion Step-On boots ($649.95). And with about $1K left over, you can start planning your next adventure.
Snowboarding is a soulful experience, but the Cyrusher Ripple is more for raucous recreation. By blending a snowmobile and a snowboard, the design has differing purposes that just don’t mix. We give Cyrusher kudos for good execution — with a quality build and interesting tech — but the Ripple is more of an engineering exercise than riding gear.
