HOW TO CHOOSE YOUR SKWAL & BINDINGS
Find the Free Skwal that matches your riding
All Thias Free Skwals share the same philosophy: making skwal riding accessible, versatile and fun — on piste, in variable snow and beyond.
But each model has its own personality.
The best way to choose your Free Skwal is to think first about how and where you want to ride:
- Do you want a playful or a more directional board?
- Do you prefer short, reactive turns or smoother, longer turns?
- Do you mainly ride on piste, all-mountain or in powder?
- Are you discovering skwal or already looking for more performance?
Your height and weight can also help refine the choice, particularly for children and very large riders, but they are generally secondary criteria compared with riding style and terrain.
The choice is easier in two steps:
- Choose between the Z Series and the Easy Rider Series
- Choose the model that best matches the sensations and terrain you are looking for
QUICK GUIDE: WHICH SKWAL IS FOR YOU?
| Your profile | Recommended model | Why? |
| Child from around 10–12 years old and approximately 150 cm tall | Z155 / Z55 | Compact, manageable and playful |
| Discovering skwal / looking for maximum ease and manoeuvrability | Z155 / Z55 | Short, playful and easy to turn |
| Looking for a playful piste-oriented skwal with more stability | Z67 | Versatile, progressive and stable |
| Looking for a reactive and agile all-mountain board | Easy Rider 165 | Quick, responsive and versatile |
| Looking for a smoother ride, more stability and longer turns | Easy Rider 175 | Stable, progressive and comfortable at speed |
| Freeride and powder rider looking for manoeuvrability | Easy Rider 163 Fat | Extra width and excellent flotation |
| Freeride and powder rider looking for stability and glide | Easy Rider 175 | Length, stability and good flotation |
FIRST CHOICE: EASY RIDER OR Z SERIES?
Before choosing a specific model, start with the most important question:
What kind of Free Skwal experience are you looking for?
The Z Series and Easy Rider Series are not simply different sizes of the same board. They offer different riding personalities.
CHOOSE THE Z SERIES IF…
You are looking for a playful, accessible and easy-to-handle Free Skwal.
The Z Series favours ease of movement and versatility on piste. It is particularly enjoyable for riders who like to play with turns, terrain and different riding positions.
Choose the Z Series if you are looking for:
- easy and intuitive handling
- playful riding
- short and medium turns
- piste riding
- freestyle-inspired riding and playing with the terrain
- an accessible introduction to skwal
- a fun alternative board, even if you are already an experienced skwaler
The Z Series is also the natural starting point for younger riders, thanks to the compact Z155 / Z55.
CHOOSE THE EASY RIDER SERIES IF…
You are looking for a more directional, responsive and all-mountain Free Skwal.
The Easy Rider Series is designed to perform across a wide variety of conditions, from carving on piste to freeride and powder.
Choose the Easy Rider Series if you are looking for:
- responsive carving
- a more directional feel
- all-mountain versatility
- freeride
- powder
- stability at higher speeds
- a board that can move easily between groomed slopes and variable snow
Within the Easy Rider family, you can then choose between the more reactive ER165, the smoother and more stable ER175, and the wider, powder-oriented ER163 Fat.
Z SERIES VS EASY RIDER AT A GLANCE
| Z Series | Easy Rider Series | |
| Main character | Playful & accessible | Directional & all-mountain |
| Turn feeling | Easy, playful, intuitive | More responsive and performance-oriented |
| Piste | Excellent | Excellent |
| Carving | Playful carving | More directional carving |
| Freeride | Occasional / mixed terrain | Excellent |
| Powder | Possible | ER163 Fat and ER175 particularly suited |
| Learning | Excellent | Accessible, but with a more performance-oriented feel |
| Playing with terrain | Excellent | Very good |
| Experienced riders | Fun / playful alternative | Main all-mountain and performance choice |
Z SERIES — PLAYFUL, ACCESSIBLE, EASY TO HANDLE
Z155 / Z55
Compact, playful and incredibly easy to move around.
At 155 cm, the Z155 / Z55 is the most compact Free Skwal in the range.
Its short length and 9 m radius make it particularly easy to turn and control, whether you are discovering skwal or simply looking for a very playful board.
It is also the model that opens Free Skwal riding to younger riders. A child with good skiing skills can typically start from around 10–12 years old and approximately 150 cm tall, depending on physical development and experience.
But the Z155 / Z55 is definitely not only a beginner’s board. Experienced skwalers can also enjoy it as a playful toy for tight turns, freestyle-inspired riding and having fun with the terrain.
Best for:
- children from around 10–12 years old / approximately 150 cm tall
- discovering skwal
- maximum manoeuvrability
- short and medium turns
- playful piste riding
- freestyle-inspired riding
- experienced skwalers looking for something fun and different
155 cm · 14.7 cm wide · 9 m radius
Discover the Z155 →
Buy the Z155 →
Z67
The playful piste all-rounder.
The Z67 keeps the playful character of the Z Series while adding more length, stability and support.
At 167 cm with a 10.5 m radius, it is particularly at home on piste, where it combines easy handling with smooth and progressive carving.
Its distinctive feature is its two binding positions. The directional position provides a more traditional skwal setup, while the centred position gives the board a more balanced and playful feel.
This makes the Z67 particularly versatile for riders who like experimenting with their riding style.
Best for:
- playful carving
- piste riding
- riders looking for more stability than the Z155 / Z55
- progressing skwal riders
- experienced riders looking for a playful Free Skwal
- riders who want to experiment with different binding positions
167 cm · 14.7 cm wide · 10.5 m radius
Discover the Z67 →
Buy the Z67 →
EASY RIDER SERIES — ALL-MOUNTAIN & FREERIDE
The Easy Rider Series is at the heart of the Free Skwal concept.
These directional boards combine camber, progressive rocker, a wider tip and a swallowtail. They are designed to carve efficiently on piste while remaining comfortable and manoeuvrable in variable snow and freeride conditions.
The choice between the three models is mainly about riding sensations and terrain:
- ER165 → responsiveness and agility
- ER175 → smoothness, stability and glide
- ER163 Fat → manoeuvrability and flotation in soft snow
EASY RIDER 165
The reactive all-mountain Free Skwal.
The ER165 combines a 165 cm length with a tight 8.3 m radius.
It is the most reactive of the traditional Easy Rider models, with quick edge-to-edge transitions and a lively feel.
Choose the ER165 if you enjoy changing direction quickly, linking dynamic turns and having a Free Skwal that responds immediately to your movements.
It remains highly versatile, equally enjoyable for carving on piste and exploring mixed or freeride terrain.
Best for:
- reactive carving
- short and medium turns
- quick turn transitions
- all-mountain riding
- piste + freeride
- riders who like a lively and responsive board
For most riders, choosing between the ER165 and ER175 should primarily be based on these riding sensations. Rider size becomes more relevant only at the extremes, particularly for very large or heavy riders who may benefit from the additional support of the ER175.
165 cm · 14.7 cm wide · 8.3 m radius
Discover the ER165 →
Buy the ER165 →
EASY RIDER 175
Smooth, stable and made to let the board run.
The ER175 offers a noticeably different feel from the ER165.
Its additional length and 10 m radius make turns smoother and more progressive, while providing greater stability when speed increases.
Choose the ER175 if you enjoy opening up your turns, letting the board glide and maintaining a smooth, stable line.
Its longer surface also makes it an excellent choice in soft snow and powder, where it provides good flotation while retaining the traditional 14.7 cm Free Skwal width.
It is therefore not simply an ER165 for heavier riders: it is a different riding choice in its own right.
Best for:
- smooth, progressive carving
- medium and long turns
- higher speeds
- all-mountain riding
- freeride
- powder and soft snow
- riders who prioritise stability and glide
- very large riders looking for additional support
175 cm · 14.7 cm wide · 10 m radius
Discover the ER175 →
Buy the ER175 →
EASY RIDER 163 FAT
The manoeuvrable freeride specialist.
The ER163 Fat takes another approach to freeride.
At 16 cm underfoot, compared with 14.7 cm for the rest of the range, it gains flotation through width rather than length.
Combined with its compact 163 cm length and 8.3 m radius, this creates a Free Skwal that remains particularly manoeuvrable in powder, soft snow and variable terrain.
Choose the ER163 Fat if freeride is a priority and you want maximum manoeuvrability together with additional flotation.
Best for:
- freeride
- powder
- soft and variable snow
- manoeuvrability off-piste
- tight turns in soft snow
- riders who want more flotation without moving to a long board
163 cm · 16 cm wide · 8.3 m radius
Discover the ER163 Fat →
Buy the ER163 Fat →
COMPARE THE RANGE
| Model | Length | Width | Radius | Character | Best terrain / use |
| Z155 / Z55 | 155 cm | 14.7 cm | 9 m | Very playful & manoeuvrable | Learning / piste / freestyle-inspired riding |
| Z67 | 167 cm | 14.7 cm | 10.5 m | Playful & stable | Piste / playful carving |
| ER165 | 165 cm | 14.7 cm | 8.3 m | Reactive & agile | Piste / all-mountain / freeride / powder |
| ER175 | 175 cm | 14.7 cm | 10 m | Smooth & stable | Piste / all-mountain / freeride / powder |
| ER163 Fat | 163 cm | 16 cm | 8.3 m | Manoeuvrable & freeride-oriented | Powder / soft snow / freeride |
STILL HESITATING BETWEEN TWO MODELS?
Z155 / Z55 or Z67?
Choose the Z155 / Z55 if maximum manoeuvrability, tight turns and playfulness are your priorities.
Choose the Z67 if you want to keep the playful Z Series character while gaining stability, smoother carving and greater versatility on piste.
For children and young riders, the Z155 / Z55 is the natural choice.
Z SERIES or EASY RIDER?
Choose the Z Series if your priority is ease, playfulness and piste riding.
Choose the Easy Rider Series if you want a more directional board for carving, all-mountain riding, freeride and powder.
ER165 or ER175?
This choice is primarily about turn shape and riding feel, not rider weight.
Choose the ER165 if you prefer:
- a reactive board
- faster edge-to-edge transitions
- tighter turns
- a lively feel
Choose the ER175 if you prefer:
- smoother turns
- longer arcs
- greater stability
- more glide
- additional flotation in soft snow
For very large riders, the additional length and support of the ER175 can also be an advantage.
ER163 FAT or ER175 FOR POWDER?
Both are excellent choices for powder, but they achieve flotation differently.
Choose the ER163 Fat if you want:
- more width
- a compact board
- maximum manoeuvrability
- easier direction changes in soft snow
Choose the ER175 if you want:
- more length
- greater stability
- more glide
- smoother, longer turns in powder
The choice is therefore less about which one is “better” in powder than about how you like to ride powder.
HOW TO CHOOSE YOUR BINDINGS
USE BINDINGS DESIGNED FOR THIAS FREE SKWALS
The binding is an important part of the Free Skwal setup.
We strongly recommend using the bindings supplied by Thias Skwal.
Thias Skwal bindings incorporate a specific lift and canting setup developed for the Free Skwal riding position.
Other alpine snowboard plate bindings or bindings originally designed for traditional skwals may sometimes be mechanically compatible with a Thias Free Skwal. However: Mechanical compatibility does not mean that a binding is optimised for Free Skwal riding. The geometry, lift and canting of another binding may be different from the setup developed specifically for Thias Free Skwals. This can affect your stance, comfort, control and the way forces are transmitted to the board.
For the intended Free Skwal riding position and the best overall performance, we therefore recommend using Thias Skwal bindings with their dedicated Free Skwal setup.
Once this point is established, choosing between the two Thias Skwal binding systems is straightforward and depends mainly on the type of boots you use and whether you want a manual or step-in system.
FREE SKWAL TITANIUM — MANUAL BINDING
The Free Skwal Titanium uses traditional front and rear bails together with the dedicated Thias Free Skwal setup.
It is the most versatile option because it can be used with snowboard hardboots and, when their shape is compatible, alpine ski or ski-touring boots.
Choose the manual Free Skwal Titanium if:
- you use ski boots
- you use ski-touring boots
- you use conventional snowboard hardboots
- you do not have Intec-compatible hardboots
- you prefer a simple mechanical binding
For ski and touring boots, choose the binding size according to the overall boot sole length printed on the shell:
| Size | Boot sole length |
| M | 245–296 mm |
| L | 296–349 mm |
For snowboard hardboots:
| Size | Hardboot size |
| M | 24.5–27.5 |
| L | 28.0–31.0 |
See Free Skwal Titanium bindings →
INTEC TITANIUM — STEP-IN BINDING
The Intec Titanium combines the dedicated Thias Free Skwal setup with a convenient step-in system.
Instead of opening a rear bail, the binding locks directly onto Intec heel pieces fitted to compatible snowboard hardboots.
Choose Intec Titanium if:
- you use compatible snowboard hardboots
- your boots are fitted with Intec heels
- you want quick and convenient step-in / step-out
- you regularly remove your board during the day
The Intec system is not intended for alpine ski or ski-touring boots.
| Size | Hardboot size |
| M | 21.5–27.5 |
| L | 28.0–31.0 |
You will also need compatible F2 Intec heels fitted to your hardboots.
See Intec Titanium bindings →
See F2 Intec heels →
READY TO CHOOSE?
Start with the sensations you are looking for.
Playful and accessible? → Z Series
Directional and all-mountain? → Easy Rider Series
Then choose the model according to the way you like to turn and the terrain you ride most:
Maximum manoeuvrability? → Z155 / Z55
Playful piste carving? → Z67
Reactive all-mountain riding? → ER165
Smooth turns, stability and glide? → ER175
Manoeuvrable freeride and powder? → ER163 Fat, ER175
Your height and weight can help refine the final choice, particularly for children and very large riders, but for most adults the most important criteria remain riding style, terrain and the sensations you are looking for.
Discover all Thias Skwals →
Shop boards and bindings →
Still unsure? Contact us and tell us about your riding experience, preferred terrain and the sensations you are looking for. We’ll help you choose the right Free Skwal.