GNU Banked Country Review: Specs, Sizing and Verdict
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The quick verdict: A superb US-made carving and freeride board, and the most demanding thing in our beginner guide by a wide margin. Treat it as the board you graduate onto, not the one you learn on. ~$530-630 list, sales near ~$441
Overview
Designed with Temple and Cannon Cummins, the Banked Country is GNU's camber-dominant directional freeride deck: C3 profile, Progressive Magne-Traction serrated edges, a tapered shape with a floaty nose, and carbon power bands over an aspen and paulownia Mervin core built in the USA. The Good Ride rates it best for advanced to expert riders and warns that intermediates will most likely catch an edge, because a board this cambered is hard to skid. GNU rates the flex 6.5-7 out of 10, firmly medium-stiff. What you get in exchange is exceptional carving across turn shapes, remarkable grip on hard and icy snow, and stability at speed that soft learner boards cannot approach.
Where It Shines
- Exceptional carving with quick edge-to-edge response
- Outstanding grip on hard and icy snow thanks to Magne-Traction and C3 camber
- Strong pop and real stability at speed in rough conditions
- Versatile advanced daily driver that still floats decently in powder
Tradeoffs to Know
- Punishing for beginners and most intermediates; skidded turns are hard on this much camber
- The sintered base runs dry quickly and wants frequent waxing
- Modest deep-powder float versus dedicated freeride shapes
Who It’s For
Advanced and expert riders who carve hard and ride all conditions. If you are still building fundamentals, learn on the Burton Cultivator or Rossignol Evader and come back for this one; GNU's own friendlier options are the GNU Money and the GNU Riders Choice.
Key Specs by Size
Figures are approximate and drawn from GNU’s published size chart (via gnu.com and retailer listings). The Banked Country comes in five sizes, two of them wide, all with a 3.8cm (about 1.5in) setback stance.
| Size | Waist width | Effective edge | Sidecut radius | Stance range | Rider weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 155 | 253mm | 1120mm | 8.2m | 48.3-60.9cm | 130 lb+ (55kg+) |
| 159 | 254mm | 1140mm | 8.3m | 50.8-63.5cm | 140 lb+ (60kg+) |
| 160W | 265mm | 1140mm | 8.3m | 50.8-63.5cm | 145 lb+ (60kg+) |
| 162 | 255mm | 1160mm | 8.4m | 50.8-63.5cm | 150 lb+ (65kg+) |
| 163W | 268mm | 1160mm | 8.3m | 50.8-63.5cm | 150 lb+ (65kg+) |
Across all sizes: C3 camber-dominant profile with Progressive Magne-Traction serrated edges, tapered directional shape with a longer nose than tail, GNU’s G-Lite 3 aspen and paulownia core, carbon power bands, and a sintered knife-cut base. GNU rates the flex 7 on its 10-point scale, which rides as medium-stiff. List price is about $530 to 630 depending on the season; sales have reached roughly $440.
Sizing and Fit
GNU gives a minimum rider weight for each size, so treat the chart as a floor and size up from there for your style. A 170 lb rider qualifies for every size; the 159 is the all-round pick for trees and mixed days, the 162 for someone who rides fast on open groomers and wants more effective edge in crud. Because the Banked Country is tapered and setback, the nose does most of the floating and the tail sinks on purpose, so you do not need to size up for powder the way you would on a twin. If anything, a slightly shorter board here feels more precise in tight terrain.
Width follows boot size: US men’s 11 and up should take the 160W or 163W, because the C3 camber and serrated edges invite high edge angles where toe and heel drag are a real risk. A 10 or 10.5 boot can ride the regular width with 15 degrees or more of front binding angle. Inserts are the standard 2x4 pattern, so any binding disc works; the stance window of about 50.8 to 63.5 cm is already set back 3.8cm from centre, and most riders should leave it there rather than centring it.
Who Should Skip It
Skip the Banked Country if you are still learning to link clean turns. Full camber with Magne-Traction grips hard whether you want it to or not, which makes skidded turns difficult and edge catches likely; the Burton Cultivator and Rossignol Evader are built for that stage. Skip it if you ride switch or park often, since the taper, setback and directional flex all push you to ride one way. Skip it for bottomless powder days as a primary board, because the modest taper floats well in boot-deep snow but a dedicated freeride shape floats better in the deep stuff. And skip it if you hate waxing: the fast sintered base dries out quickly and wants a hot wax every few days of riding.
Banked Country vs. GNU Riders Choice vs. GNU Money
All three share Magne-Traction grip and Mervin’s US-built construction, and they map neatly onto three stages of riding. The GNU Money is the entry point: a soft, cheap, twin-ish C2E board that forgives everything and still bites on ice, at roughly $315 on sale. The GNU Riders Choice is the intermediate-to-advanced freestyle deck, with an asymmetric twin shape, a medium flex and a C2X profile that keeps rocker between the feet for playfulness and switch riding. The Banked Country is the only one of the three with camber-dominant C3 and a directional, tapered shape, so it carves harder, holds a higher edge angle and runs more stable at speed than either, at the cost of forgiveness and switch comfort. Pick the Money to learn, the Riders Choice to play all over the mountain, and the Banked Country once carving and steep terrain are the point of your day.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the GNU Banked Country good for beginners?
No. The camber-dominant C3 profile and serrated edges make skidded turns hard and edge catches likely. Learn on a softer, flatter board and come back to this one as an advanced rider.
What size GNU Banked Country should I get?
Use GNU’s minimum weights: 155 from about 130 lb, 159 from 140 lb, 160W from 145 lb, 162 and 163W from 150 lb. Take a W size with a US men’s 11 boot or larger, and do not size up for powder; the tapered nose handles float.
Can you ride the Banked Country switch?
You can, but it is not built for it. The tapered shape, 3.8cm setback and directional flex make switch riding feel awkward compared with a twin like the Riders Choice.
Is the Banked Country good in powder?
Good, not exceptional. The setback, taper and longer nose float well in moderate depths and trees; for the deepest days a dedicated freeride or powder shape floats better.
How It Compares
The Banked Country has moved out of our beginner lineup; its slot in the Complete Beginner's Guide to Snowboarding Gear now belongs to the friendlier GNU Money. Think of this board as the graduation prize. Related: GNU Riders Choice.