What is the difference between Extruded and Sintered Snowboard Bases?

Base material is made from p-tex and generally comes in two types. Sintered or extruded.

Extruded Bases

Extruded bases are popular because they are much cheaper to make than sintered bases. They don't absorb much wax, but they are tough and require little maintenance. This is because they are created by an ‘extrusion’ process much like pushing a chunk of play-doh through a square hole. The result is a block of p-tex which can then be cut to the necessary width. Extruded bases are:

• Cheaper
• Tougher
• Slower
• Easier to maintain

Sintered Bases

Sintered bases are made up of tiny ground up balls of p-tex that are are partially melted back together. This process creates pores which absorb wax and will bond better to new p-tex for repairs, but this does also mean that the base is softer and is more susceptible to damage, and will be slower without regular waxing. There are different levels of sintered bases as well as different additives that can make the base even faster. Sintered bases are:

• More expensive
• Faster
• Requires regular waxing

The art that goes onto a base can come from three different methods:

1. Take a clear base and put a graphic underneath.
2. Use a sublimation printing process, a heat transfer process, which can only be done on a sintered base.
3. Die-cut process which involves cutting multiple shapes out and placing them back together like a puzzle. Companies use this method is because the colours look way better with a die-cut base than a sublimated base.

Sintered bases are generally preferred by Intermediate-Advanced riders as they are faster, while beginner riders will generally prefer an extruded base due to the lower cost and the reduced need for maintenance.