This is my review of the Lib Tech Travis Rice Pro snowboard.
I’m a certified snowboarding instructor who has taught riders of all ability levels over the last decade. I’ve used the T. Rice Pro for a few seasons and have the first-hand experience with how it performs all over the mountain.
The Travis Rice Pro is one of my favorite all-mountain snowboards around. It’s an aggressive beast that can hold its own in everything from freeride to freestyle situations and a rare option that meets the needs of advanced riders nearly everywhere.
In this post, I’ll dive into the details and show you everything I like about the board, alongside a few areas that could be improved upon. I’m a fan of this snowboard, but this review will be fair and unbiased.
Let’s get going.
Contents
Lib Tech Travis Rice Pro Overview
The T. Rice Pro is a fantastic snowboard. It’s a versatile monster that you can use to unlock virtually every inch of the mountain. You can expect high-end performance in many situations that experienced snowboarders will appreciate.
This is an aggressive snowboard designed with one of the most famous professional snowboarders in the game, Travis Rice, in mind. He’s a high-flying, hard-charging big mountain specialist who can do things on the mountain that most of us mortals cannot.
The high-end parameters that went into this board to meet his needs turn it into a unique model that advanced riders will benefit from. You don’t have to be a professional to feel its power, but you do need to be competent on the mountain.
It’s an all-mountain board at heart but comes with plenty of benefits that make it stand out in more technical terrain. Versatility is critical for any all-mountain board but rarely do you find one that delivers excellent performance all over the place. The T. Rice Pro provides just that.
The aggressive nature of the board means that it can handle freeride and big mountain lines with ease. It has a medium-stiff flex that excels in this type of riding to give you plenty of power to navigate technical terrain with responsive performance you can rely on.
The board features a C2 profile that Travis Rice designed to excel at his favorite types of riding. You get mild rocker in the center of the board with camber underfoot and into the front and rear of the board. It’s a unique but effective design.
The construction is solid and built to rip everything and anything that comes your way. Lib Tech is known for creating some fantastic freestyle boards, but this one delivers superb freeride abilities as well.
The T. Rice Pro is also a great value, considering how much it has to offer. If you are looking for an all-mountain board that can hold its own in the park without compromising an inch when the powder starts to pile up, this is the board for you.
I recommend this board to any experienced rider who wants an excellent all-mountain option. Getting high-end performance in nearly every riding style is challenging to accomplish, but the T. Rice Pro has struck gold.
Detailed Review
The Travis Rice Pro is an easy snowboard to like – if you have the skills to utilize the effectiveness and power that it has to offer. It’s capable all over the mountain and is as versatile as it is powerful.
Performance
This is a high-performance board at its best. If you are looking for something that can keep up with your years of experience on the mountain while never holding you back, this is one of the best options out there.
It’s an all-mountain snowboard at heart. Let’s call it an all-mountain board with benefits. You can very literally take the T. Rice Pro anywhere on the mountain and expect high-end performance that will deliver in different conditions and situations.
In freeride terrain, the board stands out. It provides you with exceptional stability and control at higher speeds. You won’t experience any chatter, and the stiffer flex lets you stay in the saddle and make responsive maneuvers at a moment’s notice.
In freestyle situations, the board stands out. I haven’t used too many boards that can rip both freestyle and freeride terrain at the same level. Usually, you make a bit of a compromise. But the T. Rice Pro is super comfortable in the park, even with a stiffer flex.
The C2 rocker helps the board perform in powder as well. You’ll get plenty of float that can be fun and surfy or powerful and in control – it all depends on how you like to ride and where you want to push things. This board is a tool that will encourage you to explore.
All that said, this isn’t a beginner-friendly option. It has aggressive performance across the board that can be intimidating even for intermediate riders. If you have the chops to keep it in line, the board will perform like a dream.
Construction
The Lib Tech Travis Rice Pro is well designed and constructed, which is crucial to all of its outstanding performance. You’ll get a board that is capable of holding up strong for many seasons of everyday use.
It has a true twin shape that makes for a fun riding experience. You can explore any freestyle line you want, and the board is perfectly balanced to ride regular or switch. This twin shape makes for fun freeriding as well.
The C2 profile shape increases versatility and effectiveness in all-mountain situations. Camber gives you power and control, while rocker lets you surf, butter, glide, and float in the park or powder.
An HP core combines Aspen and Paulownia woods for lightweight but super-strong construction. This helps with the stiffness while allowing enough flex for you to have fun in the park. It’s also fairly environmentally friendly.
The board comes with triaxial fiberglass laminates that increase stability. This surrounds the core with a multi-directional reinforcement that is easily noticeable. Another basalt alloy laminate adds extra strength.
Additional Features
The T. Rice Pro has a solid base and serious construction that results in a beast of a board that I really like. It has a few additional features worth examining here that increase its performance attributes another notch.
One of my favorite features on this board, and several other Lib Tech models, is Magne-Traction edges. This technology puts a serrated edge on your board that almost turns them into a steak knife. The result is precise control and amazing edge hold.
The board also comes with an eco-sublimated sintered base that is durable and easy to maintain. It will be ready for action right out of the gate and gives you a porous layer that sucks up and holds wax for consistent slide.
The top sheet is made out of an eco-friendly material that is created by using beans. Yep, beans. I don’t know how they make that happen, but sustainability and environmental concerns are always essential to think about.
I also like the graphics on the latest edition of the T. Rice Pro. They have a sort of futuristic/sci-fi vibe that is both eye-catching and unique. You are sure to get some attention with this board strapped on.
Value
With all of the fantastic performance and design elements made possible by this board, you would expect an astronomical price tag. Just like a fancy sports car, high performance comes with a price, right?
Well, the T. Rice Pro is actually very affordable, and I think it is a great value, all-around. You need to have the skills to handle it, but as long as you are up to the challenge, this board will deliver high performance all of the time.
Advanced riders who want an all-mountain board that can truly excel in many different terrains and conditions will find this board and exceptional value. It’s a great one-quiver option that makes for a good board to travel with.
If you are a beginner or intermediate rider, the T. Rice Pro might be a bit too aggressive. Even with an approachable price, it might be a little too aggressive for the average rider. If you don’t think you’re ready for what this board has to offer, you probably aren’t.
The Alternatives
The Lib Tech Travis Rice Pro is an amazing all-mountain board, but it’s not for everyone, especially if you don’t have advanced-level skills. Here are some good alternatives worth looking into.
The Jones Mountain Twin is another contender for the best all-mountain snowboard in the game. This board can crush nearly every condition in the same way the T. Rice Pro can. The twin shape makes it great in the terrain park as well.
This one might be a little less aggressive, so it can function better for intermediate-level riders. It provides you with near-endless versatility that is easy to enjoy.
==> Read our detailed Jones Mountain Twin review for more.
Another fun and versatile all-mountain board is the GNU Riders Choice. This board has high-end capabilities in a range of different situations. It’s not quite as potent in freeride terrain but can still hold its own.
It features a similar C2 profile shape that helps enhance performance by blending camber for power and control with rocker for float and fun.
==> Read our detailed GNU Riders Choice review for more.
If you want a board with freeride capabilities while still offering all-mountain versatility, the Burton Custom Flying V is a good option to explore. It’s one of the most popular Burton boards and is solid, all-around.
This one has a Flying V rocker profile that keeps the board fun in powder with still having plenty of pop and power when needed.
==> Read our detailed Burton Custom Flying V review for more.
My Verdict
The Lib Tech Travis Rice Pro is one of the best all-mountain snowboards around. It truly delivers in any situation you put it in, which is a rare thing. It’s also very affordable, although it’s best for advanced and expert level riders only.
About Lorraine
Dave
Hey Lorraine, how heavy/tall are you and what size T rice pro do you ride?
Thinking of getting one for my wife.
Cheers from Australia!
Lorraine
I’m 5’4” but usually get a bit longer of a board than most people my size. I typically ride 150-155. I hope that helps and your wife likes the board. It’s a pretty sweet one!