Boardslide
aka Swap
Pop a quarter turn so both skis sit perpendicular across the rail, slide locked sideways, then pivot back out. The first proper rail trick beyond the 50-50.
The Breakdown
Four phases from roll-up to roll-away. Scrub the analyzer above — each phase lights up as the board hits it.
- 01 Approach
Set up beside the rail
Approach at a slow, controlled speed, lined up to pop onto the middle of the feature. Keep your skis parallel and weight centered, with knees soft and hands forward. Pick the spot where your skis will lock across the rail.
- 02 Lock On
Pop the 90 across
Give a small pop and turn your lower body ninety degrees so both skis land perpendicular across the rail, locked in the middle. Set down with your weight stacked evenly over the feature, not leaning over either end. The lock is balanced, not forced.
- 03 Slide
Hold the sideways lock
Stay tall with your weight centered over the rail as you slide sideways. Keep your shoulders quiet and your eyes up, looking down the feature. Fight the urge to lean back, and let the rail carry you in a steady, locked slide.
- 04 Out
Pivot off and ride away
Near the end of the rail, pivot your skis back to parallel by unwinding your lower body. Drop off the end base-flat with bent knees to absorb. Ride away forward, centered and clean.
When It Goes Wrong
The most common ways Boardslide bails — and the fix. Diagnose your slam, then get back on.
Why do I keep slipping out the front on a boardslide?
Your weight is over your tips instead of centered on the rail. Stack your weight evenly over the middle of the feature with shoulders quiet and eyes up. Leaning even slightly toward either end is what sends you sliding off.
How do I keep both skis locked across the rail?
Pop a clean ninety so the skis land flat and perpendicular, then keep your weight centered over the lock point. If you rotate too far or too little, you'll slip off. A balanced, square lock right in the middle is what holds the slide.
I can't pivot back out and I wash the landing.
You're forgetting to unwind your lower body before the end. As you reach the end of the rail, turn your skis back to parallel and ride off straight. Spotting the end early gives you time to pivot out and land base-flat.
Should I learn the boardslide on a box or a rail first?
Learn it on a wide, low box before any round rail. The flat surface is far more forgiving when you lock across it sideways and slip. Once you can hold the perpendicular slide on a box, take it to a rail.
The boardslide takes the balance you built on the 50-50 and turns it ninety degrees. Both skis lock perpendicular across the rail and you slide sideways, which feels alien at first but is the gateway to the whole world of locked-in rail tricks.
The key is a clean ninety and a quiet, centered upper body. Pop on, hold the lock over the middle of the feature, then unwind to pivot out the end. Dial it on a low box and the rail park starts to feel like a playground.
Dial In Your Setup
Gear that makes this trick easier to learn. Tune the setup, not just the technique.
Twin-tip jib skis
True center mount · softer flex
A centered, softer twin-tip locks across a rail and pivots out predictably. The symmetric shape lets you ride away forward or switch off the end.
Shop skis & gearWide flat box
Low height · grippy surface
A wide, low box gives you the margin to learn locking sideways without harsh consequences. Master the perpendicular slide here before stepping up to a skinny rail.
Shop skis & gearDetuned underfoot edges
Edges dulled below the boot
Dulling the edges underfoot stops them grabbing when your skis sit perpendicular across the feature. A smooth, snag-free slide is what keeps the boardslide locked and steady.
Shop skis & gearAffiliate links may earn nollie.zone a commission — never changes your price.
Stack Your Clip
Landed Boardslide? Soon you'll drop your line here and battle the crew for the top of the board.