Sintered vs. Extruded Snowboard Bases: Performance, Maintenance, Repair & More

Modern snowboard bases are made from sintered or extruded UHMWPE (ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene), a thin, flexible, durable plastic, commonly referred to by the trade name P-Tex. Both sintered and extruded bases are essentially made from the same material. However, when comparing sintered vs. extruded snowboard bases, there are key differences in production, performance, maintenance, and repair.

In this overview of sintered vs. extruded snowboard bases, the Burton product experts explain the science behind UHMWPE, how snowboard bases are manufactured, strengths and weaknesses of both types of base materials, and outline the four unique bases that can be found on Burton snowboards. Finally, we'll discuss maintenance and repair tips that all riders should know.

1. Speed Explained: The Science of Snowboard Bases
2. How are sintered and extruded snowboard bases manufactured?
3. Sintered vs. Extruded Snowboard Bases: Pros & Cons
4. Burton Snowboard Bases: Extruded, Sintered, WFO & Methlon
5. Repairing & Waxing Sintered and Extruded Snowboard Bases

Speed Explained: The Science of Snowboard Bases

If you ask any knowledgeable snowboarder to compare sintered vs. extruded snowboard bases, they will likely say something about how “sintered bases are faster and more durable.” Generally speaking, this is accurate, however, very few riders can explain the science that determines the speed or durability of snowboard bases.

A common misconception surrounding sintered bases is that they are faster because they are more porous (full of microscopic holes), allowing the material to better absorb and hold wax. But the truth is, there is very little evidence that the porosity of a sintered base is significantly higher than the porosity of an extruded base.

In reality, the evidence suggests that molecular weight - a mole is the standard scientific unit for measuring large quantities of very small entities such as atoms or molecules - is the key factor affecting the performance of sintered vs. extruded bases. A typical extruded base may have a molecular weight of 250,000 grams/mole, while a sintered base can measure in at 5,000,000 grams/mole, or higher.

So, what exactly does this mean?

• In scientific terms: higher molecular weight corresponds to a snowboard base that is comprised of longer, more entangled individual polymer chains.
• In snowboard terms: sintered snowboard bases are faster and more durable.

Fact check: Ultimately, the ability of a sintered base to "hold” more wax, resulting in better glide, is likely a function of microscopic texture, not porosity. This theory could also explain the reduced glide performance of sintered bases without wax.

How are sintered and extruded snowboard bases manufactured?

Most snowboard bases are made from UHMWPE, also known as ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene, and are offered in two primary varieties: sintered or extruded. Even though both types of bases are made from the same source material, they’re manufactured using different industrial processes which result in two very different final products.

How Extruded Snowboard Bases are Made

Extruded snowboard bases are made by melting UHMWPE plastic until it becomes a liquid. The liquified plastic is then forced through an industrial die, forming a thin sheet that is wound onto a large spool. Once cooled, it can be cut into individual snowboard bases. The final extruded snowboard base is easy to maintain and repair, and will generally perform well, even without regular waxing.

It’s important to note that the chemical changes that take place during the polyethylene melting process reduce the molecular weight of the material, making it less dense, and ultimately less durable than a sintered base.

How Sintered Snowboard Bases are Made

Sintered snowboard bases are made by taking pelletized polyethylene and sintering it (compressing it under high pressure and heat) to form a solid sheet. Unlike extruded bases, which are melted to a liquid before forming, the polyethylene in sintered bases is only barely melted to the point that the polyethylene pellets adhere to one another, a process known as “necking.” This results in a snowboard base with a much higher molecular weight, making it more durable and faster than an extruded base.

Some sources also claim that sintered bases have more pore space when compared to extruded bases. It is theorized that this extra pore space holds more wax, resulting in better glide performance. However, there is a lack of true scientific evidence to back up this theory, and the few scanning electron microscope images of snowboard bases that are currently available do not provide conclusive evidence of more pores.

Hybrid and Other types of Snowboard Bases

Hybrid snowboard bases are constructed with both extruded and sintered material, striking a balance between value and performance. Some snowboard manufacturers may incorporate other proprietary materials into their snowboard bases to affect performance.

Sintered vs. Extruded Snowboard Bases: Pros & Cons

Just like any other snowboard gear, there are pros and cons in the sintered vs. extruded snowboard base debate. The first thing you should know is that “more expensive” does not always mean “better.” Ultimately, the decision to choose an extruded or sintered base should be made based on your riding style, conditions, frequency of riding, and willingness to maintain your equipment.

Pros and Cons of Sintered Snowboard Bases

If you compared two identical snowboards, one with a sintered base and one with an extruded base, you'd generally find the sintered base to be faster, assuming both were freshly waxed. Sintered bases have a higher molecular weight, and therefore, are generally more durable in the long run.

On the flipside, if not waxed regularly, sintered bases quickly lose their speed advantage over extruded bases. Additionally, sintered bases require sintered P-Tex patches when damaged, which require specialized equipment and skill to install properly.

Pros: Faster than extruded bases when properly waxed, better durability.

Cons: More expensive, repairs require specialized materials and equipment and cost more.

Pros and Cons of Extruded Snowboard Bases

Less expensive than sintered bases, extruded bases perform well with and without wax. When damaged superficially, extruded bases are easy to repair at home with some simple tools and Burton’s Guide to Snowboard Base Maintenance.

However, even with a fresh wax job, extruded bases typically won’t be able to keep up with the speed of a freshly waxed sintered base. And the reduced molecular weight of extruded snowboard bases means they’re less durable, which may result in a shorter lifespan, depending on how they’re ridden.

Pros: More affordable than sintered bases, require less frequent maintenance, easy to repair superficial damage at home.

Cons: Slower and less durable than a sintered base.

Burton Snowboard Bases: Extruded, Sintered, WFO & Methlon

The four most common bases found on Burton snowboards include extruded, sintered, WFO (Wide F*ckin’ Open), and Methlon. And while all these bases can be categorized as either extruded or sintered, WFO and Methlon also have a dash of je ne ses quai, giving riders that little somethin’ extra needed to toe the line of ultimate performance.

Extruded: Burton extruded bases provide speed and strength and require little in the way of regular maintenance.

Sintered: Burton sintered bases are durable and highly porous, providing added durability and superior wax absorption for greater overall glide.

WFO: Burton WFO sintered bases are infused with specially formulated wax deep into the pores of the extra-absorbent, high-density recycled sintered material, making them ultra-durable for riding all season in any condition.

Methlon: Burton Methlon bases are sintered, ultra-durable, and low-maintenance, for blistering speed that lasts all season.

Repairing & Waxing Sintered and Extruded Snowboard Bases

Repairing and waxing your snowboard base are two essential maintenance tasks every rider should understand. Whether you prefer DIY maintenance or drop your board at the local shop, knowing the differences between sintered and extruded base care matters—because yes, they require slightly different approaches.

Base Repairs

Damaging the base of your snowboard is inevitable, so don't stress when it eventually happens. In most cases, you can fill in superficial scratches and gouges with a P-Tex candle. However, this is where you should be aware of the differences between sintered and extruded snowboard bases.

P-Tex candles, which are most frequently used for superficial scratches, are made from extruded P-Tex. When repairing an extruded snowboard base, this isn’t a big deal, because you’re using the same material, resulting in no performance loss.

However, when filling in gouges in a sintered base, those repaired areas will have a reduced ability to hold wax compared to the undamaged portions of the base, resulting in a slight reduction of glide performance.

This conundrum isn’t a big issue if you just have a few minor scratches. However, if you fill in lots of scratches on a sintered base with a P-Tex candle, you may see a noticeable loss of glide performance. If you experience this, it’s probably time for a base grind.

A snowboard base grind removes a thin layer of base material, effectively reducing the depth of scratches. With enough passes, minor scratches will eventually disappear. Problem solved.

Of course, there is a limit to how many base grinds you can perform over the lifetime of a snowboard, so it’s best to have them done sparingly, and by a reputable snowboard shop that knows what they’re doing.

For more significant damage that is larger than one inch (or about three centimeters) in diameter, or that is deep enough to expose the core (also known as a “core shot”), you should have a shop install a base patch or weld.

When you drop off your board for the patch, make sure that they know whether your base is extruded or sintered, so they can match the base material. This ensures that riders with extruded bases don’t pay extra for sintered patches and that riders with sintered bases have a patch that matches their base material and delivers comparable glide performance.

Pro tip: Review Snowboard Base Maintenance: Cleaning, Repairing, Base Grinding, & Restructuring for an overview of how to keep your snowboard performing its best.

Snowboard Waxing

Waxing the base of your snowboard provides optimal glide performance, but the frequency which you’ll want to wax your snowboard depends on whether you have an extruded or sintered base.

One of the benefits of extruded bases is that they maintain a lot of their performance, even if they aren’t waxed frequently. This doesn't mean that you shouldn’t wax, only that the performance benefits of waxing are likely to be less noticeable.

With sintered bases, there is generally a marked reduction in glide performance when the wax wears off. Because of this, we recommend waxing sintered snowboard bases every three full days of riding to keep things gliding fast and smooth.

Pro tip: When waxing your snowboard, matching the snowboard wax type to the riding conditions will result in the best glide performance. In most cases, the temperature range of an all-temp wax will do the trick, but in extremely cold or warm conditions, specialty waxes will make a big difference.

Final Thoughts on Sintered vs. Extruded Snowboard Bases

Ultimately, choosing a sintered or extruded snowboard base is a decision that should be based on your individual needs and skill as a rider. For beginners, this could mean starting your journey with a more affordable extruded base, before graduating to a higher-performance sintered base. However, if you’ve been riding for multiple seasons and have the basic skills mastered, your decision to choose sintered vs. extruded might come down to your willingness to wax regularly. Or, if you have multiple boards, you might decide that glide performance doesn’t really matter for your park board, but it matters a whole lot for your freeride board. Ultimately, if you’re having fun, and your equipment isn’t holding you back, that's what it’s all about, so choose accordingly.