The main function of the snowboard plate system is to eliminate “dead spots” in the snowboard while it is being wielded by the rider to carve a turn. The other function of the snowboard plate is to provide leverage to the rider.
Snowboard plates can be classified into three categories: active systems, semi-active systems and passive systems. The passive systems are nothing short of a plain riser and function mostly for leverage. The semi-active systems allow some elimination of dead spots by using materials that eliminate vibrations and allow for some deformation of the board along the carve line by minimizing the binding “dead spot” effect. The active system category, the most important system of all is all the rave in alpine snowboarding.