Understanding Your Splitboard Base
When choosing your next splitboard, you’ll often see the words extruded or sintered in the specs but what do they really mean? The base of your board might not look like much, yet it’s the hidden engine that defines how fast you glide, how durable your board is, and how much time you’ll spend waxing it.
The base is made of a plastic called P-Tex, and the way that plastic is processed determines whether your board is extruded or sintered. Let’s break it down simply — no factory talk, just what matters on the skin track and the ride down.
An extruded base is made by melting P-Tex and pushing it through a mold — think of it like squeezing toothpaste. The result is a dense, smooth surface that’s easy to maintain and forgiving when you scrape a rock. It doesn’t absorb much wax, so it won’t break speed records, but it also doesn’t need constant care. Riders who tour casually, or just want a board that’s reliable and low-maintenance, often love the extruded option. It’s cheaper, easier to repair, and perfect if you’d rather ride than spend your evenings in the wax room.
A sintered base, on the other hand, is made by compressing tiny P-Tex particles under heat and pressure without melting them. That process creates millions of microscopic pores that soak up wax like a sponge — giving you more glide, more speed, and better performance across changing snow conditions. The trade-off? You’ll need to wax more often to keep it running fast, and boards with sintered bases are usually more expensive. But for freeriders and backcountry riders who want maximum efficiency on every descent, it’s absolutely worth it.
So which one is right for you? If you’re new to splitboarding or simply want a durable board that’s easy to care for, go with an extruded base. If you chase powder days, long tours, or fast technical descents, a sintered base will reward you every time you point your board downhill.
Because when your base fits your riding — every tour feels smoother, faster, and a little more free.
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