Yes HEL Yes Review
Our Verdict
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This Product
Yes HEL Yes | |||||
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Awards | A Board Built for Play | Best Overall Women's Snowboard | Best Women's Snowboard for Carving | A User-Friendly ATV | |
Price | $549.95 at Evo Compare at 2 sellers | $570 List $559.95 at Backcountry | $629.95 at Amazon | $669.95 at REI Compare at 3 sellers | $500 List $499.00 at REI |
Overall Score | |||||
Star Rating | |||||
Bottom Line | Look no further for a freestyle, all-mountain womens snowboard that has spectacular performance and tons of play in all types of terrain | Your one stop shop for all terrain and conditions on the mountain | An all-mountain freestyle ripper that can take on any terrain or condition with ease | Your Hometown Hero for all your ripping needs, this board will not dissapoint in whatever conditions you bring it to | A stiff and wide speed demon that may not be ideal for playing in the park |
Rating Categories | Yes HEL Yes | Cardiff Lynx | Jones Stratos - Wom... | Burton Hometown Hero | Weston Rise |
Edging (25%) | |||||
Float in Powder (20%) | |||||
Stability at Speed (20%) | |||||
Playfulness (20%) | |||||
Pop and Jumping (15%) | |||||
Specs | Yes HEL Yes | Cardiff Lynx | Jones Stratos - Wom... | Burton Hometown Hero | Weston Rise |
Shape | Directional twin | Directional Twin | Tapered directional | Freeride directional | Directional twin |
Camber/Rocker | Camber, rocker | Camber, rocker | Camber, rocker | Camber, rocker | Camber, rocker |
Flex | 7 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 6 |
Tested Length | 149 cm | 149 cm | 149 cm | 148 cm | 152 cm |
Measured Weight of Tested Length | 5lb 8oz | 5lb 8oz | 5lb 10oz | 5lb 10oz | 5lb 8oz |
Available Lengths | 146, 149, 152, 155 | 142, 146, 149, 152, 156, 159, 162 | 143, 146, 149, 152, 155 | 144, 148, 152, 156, 160, 156w, 160w, 165w | 143, 146, 149, 152 |
Core Material | Poplar, paulownia, bamboo | Poplar, paulownia | Paulownia, poplar | Paulownia, beech, aspen | Paulownia, poplar |
Waist Width | 24.1 | 25 | 24.3 | 24.4 | 25.2 |
Radius | 6.9 m | 7.3 m | 6.5 m | 6.9 m | 7.4 m |
Our Analysis and Test Results
Performance Comparison
The Yes Hel Yes was one of our favorite all-mountain freestyle boards, holding up in all conditions and terrain we tested it on. It stayed afloat in deep powder, laid down a mean carve on groomers, and felt stable at high speeds. The simple yet impressive shape of this board felt familiar and comfortable while still providing an advanced ride, allowing our tester to feel they could venture into steeper and deeper terrain with confidence.
Edging
The Yes Hel Yes proved a worthy choice for a board with impeccable edge control. The shape of this board features Yes' UnderBite technology, inward divots at the binding area, which reduces the surface area of the edge that has contact with the snow while the board is turning. We felt this feature engaging when laying down a deep carve and it worked to our benefit to feel in control during while turning.
The Hel Yes scored quite well in our edging test, as we felt it was able to transition from one edge to another with minimal effort and ease. This board seems happiest when on edge, and our tester felt they could trust this board would hold through a carve from start to finish, and it did.
Float in Powder
Rated with a 7/10 stiffness, the Yes Hel Yes stayed afloat through deep snow. Rocker at the tip and tail allows this board to automatically float with no effort, saving the calves from burning and providing more time ripping through powder.
The construction of this board is advantageous for an enjoyable powder ride, featuring a blend of poplar, paulownia, and bamboo core. The combo of these three woods make the overall build lighter and more responsive while the bamboo stringers provide that extra pop and snap to make powder riding a breeze.
Stability at Speed
Straight lining down the hill was second nature for the Yes Hel Yes. Our testers felt comfortable and trustworthy of this board at top speeds. Being able to reach full speed and know that your snowboard won't wash out or chatter if it hits some cruddy snow creates a sense of confidence that the Yes Hel Yes provides.
This board was unfazed by top speeds or bumpy snow, proving to our testers that the Yes Hel Yes is up for the task of ripping all sorts of snow conditions at mock-10 speed. The directional CamRock shape allows riders to engage the camber underfoot while lifting the rocker in the nose, ensuring your board won't get caught up on bumps or chunder.
Playfulness
We consider how playful a snowboard is by how well it engages with all aspects of the mountains, not just ripping downhill. From popping off of side hits to finding transition, we butter, ollie, carve, and pop our way across the mountain, seeing how adaptive the board is to playing with the terrain. The Yes Hel Yes was incredibly responsive to playfulness and was scored highly in this category.
The Directional CamRock shape of this board provides the quick response of camber with the float and pop of rocker.
Pop and Jumping
The Yes Hel Yes was a big Hell Yes in the popping and jumping testing, receiving some of our highest regards. Though the flex is rated rather stiff with a 7/10, the construction of this board made for a light and easily poppable deck. Give it to the full-length bamboo stringers for that added snap and pop.
The simple shape of the Hel Yes made it multifaceted when performing tricks on it. It was easy to butter off the nose, pop an ollie, and catch air off side hits and jumps.
Should You Buy the Yes Hel Yes?
The Yes Hel Yes is a great option for someone looking to level up their freeride skills and have a quiver killer that can perform well in any and all conditions. This board adapted to any terrain it was ridden in and provided an enjoyable ride. We wouldn't recommend the Hel Yes to a beginner or park-minded rider, as it feels a little stiff for rails or for a newer boarder to get a feel for.
What Other Snowboard Should You Consider?
If you're less into freestyle and more into ripping turns, the Cardiff Lynx is an all-mountain assassin that is hard to beat for most snow types and terrain. The Burton Hometown Hero isn't the best at any one particular aspect, but its overall performance has earned it quiver killer status. Finally, if your main mission is to rip deep carves and steep lines, we recommend checking out the Jones Stratos.